You are here:About>Cities & Towns>Portland, ME> Enjoy Maine's Outdoors
About.comPortland, ME

Enjoy Maine's Outdoors

Maine parks and preserved lands, camping, golfing, canoeing, fishing, hunting, biking, hiking, sea kayaking, white water rafting, skiing, snowmobiling, rockhounding, birding, panning for gold, and other outdoor recreation in Portland and southern Maine.
Walking Tours in Portland Maine
Walking Tours in Portland Maine
Snowshoeing in Maine
Do you feel cooped up during Maine's long winters? Are you looking for a cabin fever reliever? You don't have to be athletic to enjoy snowshoeing. In fact, if you can walk, you can snowshoe. Here's what you need to know.
Golf Courses
Links to golf courses in southern Maine, plus listings of golf courses.
Whale Watch Cruises: A Whale of a Good Time
Enjoy a fin-filled day on a southern Maine whale watching cruise.
Maine Outdoor Summer Activities
Best beaches, plus places to hike, bike, sail, golf, pan for gold, and more.
Fort Williams Park
Old fort to explore, pebble beach, and soccer fields, from capeelizabeth.com.
Laudholm Farm and Wells Estuarine Reserve
Seven miles of trails leading through many ecosystems, from fields to forest, tidal river to ocean, from inlet.geol.sc.edu.
Lucy Sprague Memorial Trail
A virtual tour of the new Lucy Sprague Memorial Trail in Scarborough. The trail includes forested wetlands, streams, marsh, a spruce forest, and a variety of plant and wildlife. Trail map at end of virtual tour.
East End Sanctuary
Secluded setting at the tip of Biddeford Pool with magnificent ocean views, from maineaudubon.org.
Protect Yourself from Mosquitos and West Nile Virus
Protect Yourself from Mosquitoes and West Nile Virus
Portland Area Ice Skating Rinks
Put on your skates and glide your way to winter fun at one of these neighborhood ponds or indoor ice arenas.
Sounds of Maine: Peepers, Moose, Loons, and Ocean Surf
Some of my favorite memories of Maine involve sounds. The symphony of sweet sounds made by peepers in the spring, ocean surf surging against the sand, the haunting laughter of a loon. Come listen to a few that I've collected for you.
Walking: A Cabin Fever Reliever
Enjoy the beauty and diversity of Portland while getting some exercise.
Maine Winter Wonderland
Best-kept secrets to Maine's winter: skiing, snowmobiling, snowboarding, cross-country skiing, dog sledding, snowshoeing, ice fishing, skating, skijoring, and other winter sports.
Rabies in Maine: A Personal Account
I woke up one Sunday morning to find a bat in my bed. Read about my personal encounter with a possibly rabid animal and my experience with the rabies vaccine, and learn how you can protect yourself and your pets.
Southern Maine Pumpkin Patches
If you're looking for pumpkins for cooking or for carving, and you want to do your own picking, check out one of these pumpkin patches in southern Maine.
Maine Audubon Society's Gilsland Farm
Two miles of trails through large open meadows, woods, salt marsh, orchard, and a pond. Ideal for nature walks and bird watching.
Maine Wildlife Park
Wildlife, nature trails, gift shop, exhibits, displays, and picnic facilities, from state.me.us.
Pratt's Brook Park
200 acre park in Yarmouth for hiking and cross country skiing. Map, suggested trails according to level of difficulty, rules, history.
Rachel Carson Wildlife Refuge
Marshland wildlife refuge in southern Maine, with nature trails through habitat for a variety of animals and over 250 species of birds.
Scarborough Marsh Nature Center
Marshes and creeks for exploring and observing wildlife. Canoe rentals, nature trails, guided tours, from maineaudubon.org.
Scarborough River Wildlife Sanctuary
A 50-acre sanctuary of fields and forest, ponds and marsh, which is home to beautiful and rare plants and abundant wildlife. Great for birdwatching and hiking on the nature trails.
Canoeing in Greater Portland
Best places to canoe in and near Portland, from mainetoday.com.
Canoeing in Southern Maine
Information on where to canoe in southern Maine, from mainetoday.com.
Canoeing on the Saco River
Information on canoe and kayak rentals on Maine's popular Saco River, plus overnight trips and family outings.
Canoeing and Camping on the Saco River
Canoeing, camping, and fishing on the Saco River in Brownfield, Maine.
Sea Kayaking on the Coast
Information on kayaking in Maine, from mainetoday.com.
Seacoast Amusement Park
All season amusement park in Windham (lakes region minutes west of Portland) with a driving range, mini golf, bumper boats, go-carts, trampoline, arcade, snack bar, Skymax free fall, snow-tubing, snow boarding, and more.
Biking on Casco Bay Islands
Must see sites, ferry prices, descriptions of where to bike on several Casco Bay islands, from destinationmaine.com.
"Biking the Bunks"
The Kennebunks are popular for biking, and this article describes a scenic coastal route.
Bike Trail Report
Latest conditions and directions for Portland area mountain bike trails , from realitytimes.com.
Boat Marinas
Addresses and phone numbers for boat marinas in Greater Portland, from destinationmaine.com.
Desert of Maine
Walking tours, nature trails, giant sand dunes, picnic area, museum, narrated coach tours, and gift shop at this natural phenomenon.
Harness Racing
Harness racing at Scarborough Downs Raceway. Information, directions, racing dates, costs, and more, from maineharnessracing.com.
Hiking
Information on several Southern Maine hikes. Location, length, degree of difficulty, from maineoutdoors.com.
Hiking: Saco Bay Trails
Recreational hiking trails in the Saco Bay area.
Horseback Riding on the Beach
When and where to enjoy horseback riding on the beach in Southern Maine, from destinationmaine.com.
Hot Air Balloon Rides
Soar over Portland for breathtaking views of Casco Bay and the lake region from a hot air balloon.
Mineral Collecting
Information on mineral collecting in Maine, from the State of Maine government. Also, see Rockhounding links, below.
Mountain Biking in Maine
This excerpt from the book "Mountain Bike! Maine" includes descriptions of six of the 76 trails included in the book.
Panning for Gold
Information on panning, plus Maine rivers where gold has been found.
Path and Paddle Guides
Let these Registered Maine Guides from Windham take you on a Maine wilderness adventure based on your abilities and interests.
Rockhounding: Quarries and Mines
Quarries and mines for looking for gems and minerals.
Rockhounding Sites
Rockhounding sites north and west of Portland.
Rockhounding
Maine Mineral Collector's Site. A wealth of information about collecting gems and minerals in Maine.
Wildlife Management Areas
Recreational activities available in each Maine Wildlife Management Area, plus a map of each area.
Las Vegas on a Budget

Find a BargainHotel DealsCheap EatsFree AttractionsEntertainment for Less
 All Topics | Email Article | | |
Advertising Info | News & Events | Work at About | SiteMap | Reprints | HelpOur Story | Be a Guide
User Agreement | Ethics Policy | Patent Info. | Privacy Policy©2008 About, Inc., A part of The New York Times Company. All rights reserved.