Granite City Park welcomes locals and tourists from all over. There is plenty of parking in the lot…read moreand on the street. This park is the heartbeat of Hallowell. Safe, clean and fun the citizens of Hallowell take great pride in their park. The conservation commission makes sure that in the spring the brush, and winter rubble is removed. If you're look for sturgeon this is THE place to be. End of May into June is peak Sturgeon jumping time and the Kennebec River will not disappoint. You'll see sturgeon leaping from the river, ducks, eagles, cranes, hawks, and turtles abound. Hallowell is a foodie destination. There are numerous outside dining areas, live music, craft local beer, killer cocktails, fun antique shops, and funky markets to discover. Grab a coffee and stroll the quaint streets, hit up the bakery, and explore the rail trail. Granite City Park is the cornerstone of this amazing city. Steeped in history, Granite City Park is a multi-use location. July sees it hosting food trucks and vendors for Old Hallowell Day, this is THE front row seats to an incredible fireworks display. Summertime you'll find the parks immaculate gardens in full bloom. Lounge in the sun, picnic, ride bikes on the rail trail, jog, walk, and just enjoy this city oasis. The park is ADA compliant with ramps, and handicap porta-potty that is fresh and clean each time I've used it. This is a spot for artists, writers, readers, and it's also a great place for a first date! You cannot smoke here, or in any park or eating place in Maine, there are trash recepticals scattered about - please pick up after your pets and use these recepticles. I hope you enjoy one of my favorite places to while away a summer day.

My wife and I went to granite City Park Thursday June 26th. I am in a wheelchair and my wife was…read moretrying to get me in my wheelchair onto the ramp to go down to the seating area. We could not have done it without the help of two very helpful and friendly ladies. We would like to thank them again for their generous help. While we were down overlooking the river, for sturgeons jumped out of the water in front of us. I only saw one actually clear the water by 3 ft. The rest happened so fast at all was and heard was a smack of the splash as a landed back in the water it was a beautiful day to be there. And lucky enough to see the sturgeon jumping. My wife and I really enjoyed it. Again thank you ladies for your help getting me on to the ramp.

I feel the need to preface all of my nature reviews with this: being 90% forested and having around…read more3500 miles of coastline, Maine has a tremendous amount of spaces, walkways, paths, and trails of all kinds and of all levels. There's something for everyone. What I'm reviewing is how a spot compares to similar outdoor spots in my personal opinion. Being in nature - and remembering to carry in, carry out - is always five stars! :) Parking? Sort of. Loop trail? Yes. Well marked signs? Yes. Element of surprise? Yes. What. A. Find. Whenever I'm journeying around Maine (checking out state parks or Atlas Obscura recommended spots), I try and also find a few trails or hiking spots to check out (because the state is huge, and when I'm in an area I'm not usually in, I want to discover spots I wouldn't otherwise!). Reynolds Forest was the best part of my day! In fact, one of the most standout spots I've been to in a while! According to the Kennebec Land Trust website (https://www.tklt.org/reynolds), "This 35 acre parcel provides visitors excellent birding opportunities, interesting wildflowers and floodplain species, and views of the powerful brook (now called Goff Brook), with its foaming water roaring over exposed rocks into stone-lined pools. Part of the conservation property not visible from the trail has seen an increase in invasive Japanese knotweed and non-native bush honeysuckle, and has served as a field research site for Colby College students studying invasive plant control methods." There's some parking off the shoulder of the main road, and the walk into the woods alongside Goff Brook is lovely. It's not long before you can suddenly hear the roaring of the (small, but mighty) waterfalls (which was once used for saw and grist mills. We made sure to come after a couple days of rain and it was worth it! We gently navigated out to some exposed rocks and sat in the sun, near the falls, surrounded by tall trees for a long time. Perfect spot for a picnic (and... I think we also spotted some foragers too). There's also a small Old Farm Loop Trail that passes by fields and an old foundation a little further beyond the Streamside Trail. BEWARE OF TICKS. BEWARE OF POISON IVY. WEAR APPROPRIATE SHOES.

right near my house, but public area is difficult...on a steep hill. entrance into water not safe…read morefor the elderly...no handbars and slippery rock steps. i have never made it into the water so i don't know about that.

Swimming, rocky but nice little spot. Not very expensive, bring a few floats and spend the day.read more

I thought this spot was beautiful. Quiet. The grounds area…read morecould use some updating. But it's got water, rocks, shade trees, and a swing! Precious low key spot for some relaxing.

Nice little park. Not too busy and has a few nice trails by the water. Also picnic tables and and…read morespace to play catch or toss a football. Lots of trees for hammocking as well!

National historical building and cannon with views of Kennebec river. It is a brick powder house…read morestorage building built in the early 1800's to house ammunition. It is a cute building and cannon on High street with a little park with grass around it. Parking is on the street. It is really quaint and adorable. It will not take you too long to look around, but it is worth a trek. Great views from the top of hill. Beautifully scenic and historical. A step back in time when you are there.

I live just across the river from here. I wish we had a park on the Randolph side too. Haha!…read more I love the Gardiner Waterfront in all seasons. Public art, green space, lots of events in the summer. Boating, fishing, bird and fish observation. The sturgeon jumping! The trails to walk. Plus a fairy village!

Awesome waterfront park in Gardiner, Maine on the Kennebec river. It has a boat launch to launch…read moreboats with lots of trailer parking and car parking. Huge wooden boardwalk on the Kennebec with a trail. Wooded trail that extends beyond the boardwalk along the river and railroad tracks. Great place to walk dogs and have them swim in the river. The trail goes for a mile or less. There are gnome homes and fairy houses along the trail. It is really cool. Fantasy like. It is so wooded and magical right along the Kennebec river. Awesome little adventure. Great for kids.

Beautiful state park with great views on many trails. The trails are pretty flat and not difficult,…read moreand they are very shaded, so it's a very relaxing set of hikes. Looks like a great spot for a picnic as well.

This is a great little state park close to Portland and Freeport with trails that go along the…read moreocean, through the woods and along the Harraseeket River. Nice picnic spots and places to sit and admire the view. This is a popular park in Summer, especially in nice weather, so parking could be a challenge. If you're in the area, definitely worth a visit. Don't forget to leave your money in the box at the entrance of you don't have a Maine State Park pass so we can keep state parks like this open and maintained.

A HUGE thank you to Deni for writing a review on this place. We had no idea it existed and…read moreseriously this place made our Memorial Day Weekend. It's super cool how a tiny path enters into an amazing park and offers placards of its' historical past. Our dog loved it and we loved the dog bag stations, trashcans, and super nice benches, picnic tables and look out spots. The bridge was AWESOME too. We found a great little cafe off the path called Forest Falls Cafe, which next time we will definitely eat at. There was enough shade for our dog and a nice breeze off the river. We'll be able to come back through the summer with him even on hotter days. There were a few families that passed us on bikes, a few others eating lunch at the picnic tables, and couples walking the paths. This place should be on Boston's Chronicle as a hidden gem or tank of gas episode. Wow, we LOVED it.

We entered the park by the William Rowe School on the aptly named School Street. Some of you may…read moreknow this area of ball field and tennis courts as the space used to set up the rides for the Yarmouth Clam Festivals and have eaten your fried dough here and then had a turn on the Zipper. There are signs that caution you to leash your pet and there are rules posted for your canine companion. Please be a good dog companion ambassador and follow the rules. This is a great park for the whole family. The paths are paved so they are accessible to all (there is a hill so you may want to help anyone in a wheelchair along that section). Be aware that the river has a really fast current and rapids so children, pets and anyone else not being safe can be swept away! If you are a dog owner and want to let your pal romp free of leash, there is a designated spot at picnic point where you can "unleash the beast" and let them play. There is also a sandy spot with access to the water for your pup to jump in and cool off which one of ours gladly took advantage of. The trail winds along the rapids and falls and there are signs of old industry and left over parts of buildings. There are informational signs along the way to read. There is a bike rack and picnic area (not in an off leash section) on the side of the park near the Yarmouth History Center as well as another trail head. There are open fields where your kids can play and you can play too! without being cramped in with too many other people. I wish there were maps of the area showing the intersecting trails as this park meanders through and between many neighborhoods. We met many other people walking these trails and everyone was friendly. While dogs are supposed to be leashed, we did encounter a few off leash, however, the owners did have voice control and we had no issues. The views are amazing, the history lessons insightful and this is a great space to spend time and hang out. *as a side note... we did find an "alligator" strategically placed which made me laugh out loud. If you walk this trail and see that red eyed monster too, let me know!*

This beach is the reason I moved to Winthrop! Situated on the end of Maranacook Lake, this little…read moretown beach is my favorite local spot for a swim, float, picnic, and family outing! In peak summer days the shore is lined with families, food trucks, kids on bikes, boaters, kayakers, and all other species of lake lovers. The waters of Maranacook Lake are clear, pristine, and brisk! The beach is easily walked to from downtown Winthrop, which is lined with cool shops, a subway, couple of eateries. The town beach is clean, nicely maintained, trash receptacles are available, lots of green space to picnic and chill. The boat launch is nearby as is a lovely park with benches and a community gazebo. On the 4th of July this is THE place to be! Amazing fireworks food trucks, and of course the Winthrop PD regularly patrols so you can take your leisure in a safe, monitored location. As a local I love using the beach in the off season. There's always tons of free parking and the Winthrop peeps are just great, kind, people who don't mind sharing their gem of a beach with out of towners who respect and abide the rules. While at the beach take a stroll, explore the neato downtown area, and soak up the sun and fun vibes! Bring the fam and chill on the shore of the beautiful Maranacook Lake. Oh! And boaters if you put in the lake check your boat and trailers for milfoil (a nasty invasive plant) it's the law in Maine. No milfoil in or out of our water bodies. Enjoy!

Very nice area to just relax, take in the view, enjoy the fresh breeze and kids can go for a swim…read more,fish etc.

Such a peaceful and scenic spot to visit! The views from the lighthouse were absolutely stunning --…read moreyou can see the waves crashing along the rocks and feel the salty ocean breeze. It's the perfect place to relax, take photos, and just enjoy the beauty of the coast. The area was clean, easy to walk around, and not too crowded, which made it even more enjoyable. Whether you're into photography, sightseeing, or just love ocean views, this lighthouse is definitely worth the stop.

This was my first ever SUN RISE with a lighthouse and it was AMAZING. Came here around 7am Friday…read moremorning and made it just in time for Sunrise. There were plenty of parking and only a few people here. The View was absolutely breath taking. The sun was slowly making its away up on the beautiful water. The sound of the ocean waves against the rocks, the ocean breeze smell were absolutely magnificent. There is even a bench for you set and enjoy the sun rise. It was truly peaceful and definitely made my morning. Highly recommend coming here.