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Portland -

Chances are you'll start exploring the "Pine Tree State" out of Portland, the state's largest city. Portland's picturesque harbor district is called the Old Port. The area is distinguished for its cobblestone streets, 19th-century architecture, and a collection of old fishing piers. Old Port is also known for its bars, restaurants, and boutiques, and an appealing nightlife vibe.

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Portland Observatory -

One of the city's most recognized buildings is the Portland Observatory, a historic maritime signal tower that stands on Congress Street. Built in 1807, it is the only known surviving tower of its type in the United States. The octagonal structure is open to the public as a museum.

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Portland Museum of Art -

Definitely worth a couple of hours of your time is the Portland Museum of Art. Founded in 1882 as the Portland Society of Art, the museum is located in the city’s downtown Arts District. Besides preserving the works of local artists such as Winslow Homer, Rockwell Kent, and the Wyeth's (N.C. Wyeth, Andrew Wyeth, and Jamie Wyeth), the museum's collection includes more than 22,000 artworks dating from the 18th century to the present.

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Portland Museum of Art collections -

Paintings by the likes of Monet, Degas, Munch, Magritte, and Picasso, among others, are enriched by outstanding portfolios of fine and decorative art. In fact, the museum has the largest European collection in Maine.

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Winslow Homer Studio -

Accessible only by booking a tour through the museum is the Winslow Homer Studio, which is located in Scarborough. Considered one of the foremost painters in 19th-century America, Winslow Homer lived and painted in the studio from 1884 until his death there in 1910.

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Victoria Mansion -

Here's a real eye-opener, the brownstone Victoria Mansion located in downtown Portland. A landmark example of American residential architecture, the Italian style villa is one of the most sumptuously decorated mid-Victorian homes in the eastern United States, and it's open to the public. The building is pictured during the festive season.

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Victoria Mansion interior -

Completed in 1860 as a summer home for a wealthy Portland resident, the mansion today serves as a fascinating museum-house, with most of the furnishings original and in superb condition. Pictured is the library with its ornate neo-Gothic carved walnut bookcases, a magnificent example of wood-working craftsmanship.

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Portland Head Lighthouse -

Portland's historic attractions extend to the landmark Portland Head Light. Completed in 1791 and located in Cape Elizabeth, this is the oldest lighthouse in Maine. Standing within Casco Bay at the entrance into Portland Harbor, the lighthouse is still in operation, albeit automated. The former keepers' house is now a maritime museum.

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Acadia National Park -

A stunning national treasure hugging the mid-section of the Maine coast, Acadia National Park is one of the most visited parks in the United States. Comprising a jagged coastline of rugged beauty, Acadia also embraces a landscape of pine and deciduous woodland, numerous lakes and streams, and glacier-scoured granite peaks. Crisscrossing this pristine and fertile environment is more than 160 km (100 mi) of hiking trails.

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Cadillac Mountain -

Acadia National Park contains the tallest mountain on America's Atlantic Coast—Cadillac Mountain. With an elevation of 466 m (1,530 ft), scaling Cadillac's summit is the prize waiting for the more ambitious hiker.

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Bass Harbor Head Light -

Among the park's other standout must-sees is Bass Harbor Head Light. Much photographed, the lighthouse also serves as a private residence. Built in 1855, it stands at the southwestern portion of Mount Desert Island, and marks the entrance to Bass Harbor.

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Ogunquit -

Scenic Ogunquit is a popular resort town in York County, the name of which means "beautiful place by the sea" in the Abenaki Native American language. Ogunquit enjoys a proud seafaring tradition, and was once the center of a thriving shipbuilding industry. Its maritime heritage is still tangible in the dozens of small fishing boats moored in Perkins Harbor (pictured), itself a popular art colony and tourist destination.

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Ogunquit Museum of American Art -

Ogunquit's modest art museum has been collecting and exhibiting modern and contemporary American art since 1953. The museum houses a permanent collection of important paintings, sculpture, drawings, prints, and photographs from the late 1800s to the present, all representative of Ogunquit's famous art colony.

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Pemaquid Point Light -

Another historic Maine lighthouse, Pemaquid was commissioned in 1827 by US President John Quincy Adams. Found at the end of the long Pemaquid Point in Bristol, this is one of the state's most iconic structures, with the keeper's cottage (now a museum) and signal house both wonderfully preserved for posterity.

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Colonial Pemaquid State Historic Site -

It's worth lingering in Pemaquid to explore the Colonial Pemaquid State Historic Site, which preserves the foundations of 17th- and 18th-century village buildings and the reconstructed Fort William Henry (pictured), originally built during a time when conflict between English and French settlers and the local Native Americans was commonplace.

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Old Orchard Beach -

Old Orchard Beach has been attracting tourists since the early 1900s, when the Palace Playland fairground opened. It remains New England's only remaining amusement park on a beach, and still exudes a wonderfully authentic old-fashioned atmosphere. The casino on the pier, meanwhile, once hosted the likes of Louis Armstrong and Frank Sinatra. The venue is now a nightclub. The pier itself is lined with souvenir shops and carnival-style food stands, and exudes plenty of yesteryear nostalgia.

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Owls Head Light -

Perched at the head of Rockford Harbor is Owls Head Light. The present tower dates back to 1852, and is said to be haunted. Actually, numerous tales of ghosts, shipwrecks, and strange bell-ringing episodes center on this squat, cylindrical navigational aid.

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Farnsworth Art Museum -

Lovers of art should make their way to Farnsworth Art Museum in Rockland, which specializes in American art and especially that created by artists connected with Maine. In fact, no other museum in the country has such a comprehensive collection of works by artists associated with the state, among them paintings by the aforementioned Wyeth family. Pictured is Andrew Wyeth's 'Ericksons' (1973).

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The Olson House -

Students of American art can book through the Farnsworth a pilgrimage to Olson House, made famous in several works by Andrew Wyeth, the most celebrated being his 1948 painting 'Christina's World.' The colonial farmhouse is located at Cushing.

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Cape Neddick Light -

Cape Neddick Light, also known as the Nubble Lighthouse, is arguably New England’s most Instagrammed lighthouse. Commissioned in 1879 and still in use, the "Nubble" is often cited as perfectly representing what an American lighthouse should look like. Fortunately it's easy to reach, standing as it does off Cape Neddick Point, though the actual building is set on Nubble Island several meters from the mainland.

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Stephen King's House -

Did you know that Bangor is home to one of the most popular horror authors of modern times? Though born in Portland, Stephen King lives in a distinctive mansion just outside of downtown Bangor. His residence is set in plain site behind a small, wrought-iron fence decorated with spiders, bats, and other weird and wonderful creatures. King has used Maine as a setting for many of his stories, including 'Pet Sematary' (1983).

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Palace Diner -

Feeling hungry? Maine’s oldest diner is found in Biddeford, and has been serving up delicious comfort food from a vintage railway carriage since the 1920s. In fact, the Palace Diner is one of only two cars previously owned by the Pollard railroad company left in existence. The "Ladies Invited" sign painted on the exterior is a reminder of when dining cars were primarily patronized by men.

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Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens -

A visit to Boothbay should include a saunter through one of Maine's top tourist attractions, Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens—the largest of its kind in New England. A series of themed gardens planted with native and exotic flora greets visitors. In summer, the bouquet is quite intoxicating! The dedicated Children's Garden with its woodland village of fairy houses will inspire younger minds.

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Boothbay Harbor -

A classic seaside Maine town, Boothbay Harbor can boast the largest boating harbor north of Boston. It's an amazing destination for kayaking, sailing, and yachting, but also charms with its myriad attractions on terra firma, diversions that include artisan shops and boutiques, antique stores, breweries, and a plethora of waterfront seafood restaurants.

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Maine Maritime Museum -

Anybody fascinated by Maine's maritime heritage, culture, and the role the state has played in regional and global ocean-going exploration will be suitably rewarded at this engaging museum, located at Bath on the banks of the Kennebec River. Its collection of artifacts, documents, and pieces of sea-related artwork is vast, while the museum building itself is part of a 19th-century shipyard complex.

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West Quoddy Head Light -

West Quoddy Head Light stands on the easternmost point of land in the continental United States, a landmark represented by a striking red-and-white candy-cane lighthouse tower. There's been a lighthouse on this spot since 1808, though what you see today dates back to 1858. The building is just one of the attractions distinguishing the Quoddy Head State Park.

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Bar Harbor -

Bar Harbor, a town on Mount Desert Island, is the departure point for a variety of sea-going excursions, including memorable whale-watching tours, puffin and seal cruises, and even a voyage on an authentic lobster boat to haul traps.

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Maine coast sailing -

A popular option out of Bar Harbor, and indeed other ports of call including Boothbay Harbor, is a day sailing cruise onboard a skippered yacht. Alternatively, experience the high seas helming your own chartered vessel.

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Windjamming -

The state has long been appreciated for its Maine windjammer tourist product, voyages onboard majestic tall-masted schooners. Passengers can relive the classic days of sail on a week-long informal sailing expedition along the Maine coast, assisting with the rigging and sails if they so wish. This is a great way of sightseeing Maine's contrasting coastline and its many lighthouses from the ocean. Pictured in all her glory is the Margaret Todd in Bar Harbor.

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Monhegan Island -

Anchored 22 km (12 mi) off the mainland and accessible by scheduled boat service from Boothbay Harbor, New Harbor, and Port Clyde, Monhegan Island is another delightfully evocative artists' colony. While its year-round residents are mostly engaged in fishing and lobstering, Monhegan has welcomed visiting creatives since the 1890s. The island is also recognized for its flora and fauna, and especially its birdlife, which attracts ornithologists from across the region.

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Kennebunkport -

The pleasant coastal town of Kennebunkport exudes a somewhat exclusive air. It's peppered with the homes of affluent residents and summer visitors, among them the estate of the presidential Bush family. You can catch up on who's who at the quirky First Families Kennebunkport Museum. Otherwise, this is a lovely destination to explore on foot with lots of scenic paths to follow that snake past shops, galleries, and a series of fine sandy beaches.

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Bowdoin College Museum of Art -

Brunswick, a handsome town in Cumberland County, is home to the highly respected Bowdoin College Museum of Art. The collections showcase pieces ranging from ancient Greek ceramics and 17th-century New England decorative art to numerous works by American artists, including this portrait of Massachusetts merchant Thomas Flucker by 18th-century Boston-born artist John Singleton Copley.

Sources: (American Society of Civil Engineers) (Lighthouse Friends) (Britannica)

See also: Colleges that graduate the most celebrities

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