Special churches, temples and synagogues
Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception in Portland
The Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception in the city of Portland was built from 1866 to 1869 in the Gothic Revival style. During the construction, parts of the cathedral were destroyed by fire, which delayed completion. The cathedral impresses visitors with a ceiling height of approx. 22 m and offers space for up to 1,000 visitors. The exterior of the church in its “red appearance” appears to glow at sunset. The cathedral has been on the list of historical buildings since 1985. The cathedral tower rises to a height of 62 m, making it the tallest structure in Portland.
| Contact | 307 Congress Street Portland, Maine 04101 |
Basilica of Saints Peter and Paul in Lewiston
The Basilica of Saints Peter and Paul in the city of Lewiston was built between 1933 and 1936 in the Gothic style. The Basilica of Saints Peter and Paul impresses with its massive appearance with the two towering towers and the magnificent interior of the basilica will delight visitors. The basilica has been on the list of historical buildings since 1985.
| Contact | 122 Ash Street Lewiston, Maine 04240 |
All Souls Chapel in Poland Spring
The All Souls Chapel in Poland Spring was built in 1912 and initially served as a chapel for the nearby Poland Spring Resort. Inside you will find wonderful hand-painted stained glass and a historical organ. Nowadays the All Souls Chapel is mainly used for weddings, but concerts are also held here.
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| Contact | 115 Preservation Way Poland Spring, Maine 04274 |
Kora Temple in Lewiston
The Kora Temple in the city of Lewiston is a historic Masonic building. The Kora Temple was built in 1908. The style is unique for the region, as it borrows heavily from the Moorish construction, which is probably not suspected here. The Kora Temple was used by the Shriners, a fraternally connected community of Freemasons.
| Contact | 11 Sabattus Street Lewiston, Maine 04240 |
Etz Chaim Synagogue in Portland
The Etz Chaim Synagogue in Portland was built in 1921 and initially served as a place where immigrants could learn the English language. The Etz Chaim Synagogue is the last of its kind in Maine and is designed in the style of European synagogues, but still has an impact from the immigrant community.
| Contact | 267 Congress Street Portland, Maine 04101 |
Big celebrations and events
Bates Dance Festival in Lewiston
The Bates Dance Festival in Lewiston City is an annual dance festival held on the grounds of Bates College. The Bates Dance Festival was held for the first time in 1982 and workshops and performances are offered to interested parties during the summer. The Bates Dance Festival is aimed particularly at young people and wants to make them want to dance.
| Contact | www.batesdancefestival.org |
Maine International Film Festival in Waterville
The Maine International Film Festival in the city of Waterville is an annual 10-day film festival. Usually the festival takes place in the third week of July. The venues are the Railroad Square Cinema and the Waterville Opera House. The festival has been taking place since 1998 and specializes in independent and international films and shows up to 100 films. In the past, greats like Jonathan Demme, Terrence Malick, Ed Harris and Peter Fonda have received awards here.
| Contact | www.miff.org |
Zoos, parks and amusement parks
Funtown Splashtown USA in Saco near Portland
Funtown Splashtown USA is a family-run amusement park that started with a drive-in restaurant in 1959 and was gradually expanded to include a miniature golf course, a go-kart track, various rides, and finally a water park. The park’s main attractions are a wooden roller coaster called Excalibur and New England’s longest and tallest white water rink. The large water park Pirates Paradise also belongs to the grounds of Splashtown Park.
| Contact | 774 Portland Road Saco, Maine 04072 http://www.funtownsplashtownusa.com |
Palace Playland
The seasonally open Palace Playground amusement park in Old Orchard Beach was founded in 1902. It offers more than 25 rides and attractions and is located directly on the beach. There is a spectacular firework display every Thursday.
| Contact | 1 Old Orchard Street Old Orchard Beach, Maine 04064 http://www.palaceplayland.com |
Seacoast Funpark and Snowpark
The Seacoast Funpark in Windham near Sebago Lakes offers families in both summer and winter. One of the biggest attractions in summer is the huge sky swing, which is particularly suitable for people who are looking for an adrenaline kick. in winter there are various snow attractions.
| Contact | 932 Roosevelt Trail Windham, Maine 04062 http://www.seacoastfunparks.com |
York`s Wild Kingdom
York`s Wild Kingdom is both a zoo and an amusement park in York Beach. Among other things, there is a butterfly house in the zoo, in which rare species can be observed. The park offers something for all ages due to its versatile orientation and is therefore very suitable for families.
| Contact | 1090 Blue Star Memorial Highway York Maine 03909 http://www.yorkzoo.com |
National parks
Acadia National Park
Acadia National Park – located on the Maine coast in Hancock County – is known for its rugged rocky coastline and rugged landscape of mountains and lakes; Incidentally, it is the only national park in the New England states and is visited by more than two million visitors every year. The park covers an area of approximately 192 km² on the Maine coast. Most of the park is located on the island “Mount Desert Island”, which is connected to the mainland by a dam. In addition to numerous animals, you will also find the bald eagle – the heraldic animal of the USA. The best way to explore the fairly large park is by bike, but you can also roam the park by boat and of course on foot.
Appalachian National Scenic Trail
The Appalachian Trail (officially: Appalachian National Scenic Trail) has a total length of approx.3,500 km, making it one of the longest long-distance hiking trails in the world.
The Appalachian Trail runs north to south through the 14 U.S. states of Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts, Connecticut, New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Maryland, West Virginia, Virginia, Tennessee, North Carolina and Georgia. The Appalachian Trail begins in the state of Georgia on the summit of Springer Mountain (1,152 m) and ends on the summit of Mount Katahdin (1,606 m), the highest mountain in the state of Maine.
The Appalachian Trail is managed by the National Park Service of the USA.
The Appalachian Trail, as its name suggests, leads through the Appalachian Mountains, a low mountain range in the east of North America. The trail is classified as a historical hiking trail and leads through many nature reserves, including 6 national parks and 8 national forests. The trail originated in the 1920s. It was founded around people
To offer a change to the working life of the industrialization period The Appalachian Trail was officially opened on August 14, 1937, but at the time it was not very well received by the media. Much media attention was paid to the Appalachian Trail in 1948 when Earl Shaffer ran the entire trail in one season, becoming the first Thru-Hiker. The course of the Appalchian Trail is partly based on other historical routes.
There are over 250 huts and campsites along the trail. Since the trail runs through several cities, it is quite possible to refresh your provisions on the way. Who also plans to run the entire trail in one go (thru-hike) should plan around 5 to 6 months and start in March or April.
If you tackle the Appalachian Trail, you may get to know black bears, white-tailed deer, wapitis or elk on the hike. You should also watch out for snakes, as there are species such as the copper head or the northern rattlesnake on the trail. There are also ticks, mosquitoes (mosquitoes) and black mosquitoes, which can also be a nuisance.
The Appalachian Trail was mentioned in literature in Bill Bryson’s work “A walk in the woods”. Every year 3 to 4 million people run at least a small part of the Appalachian Trail.
In Maine there are approximately 452 km of the trail. The northern terminus of the trail is in Maine. This is located on the top of Mount Katahdin in Baxter State Park. The section of the trail in Maine is considered one of the hardest parts and you should expect slow progress.
| Contact | www.nps.gov/appa/index.htm |
Other natural beauties
Baxter State Park
Baxter State Park is a vast wilderness in Piscataquis County. It was built by Percival P. Baxter using 28 land donations between 1931 and 1962. Baxter State Park also contains the highest mountain in Maine, the Katahdin. The park is home to many wild animals, especially moose, black berries and white-tailed deer. There is no electricity, running water or paved roads in the park. The philosophy of the founder “forever wild” should be passed on.
Appalachian National Scenic Trail
In the state of Maine is the northern end point of the Appalachian Trail, which runs through 14 states. It is a total of 3500 km long, making it one of the longest long-distance hiking trails in the world. It begins in Georgia and ends on one of the summits of Mount Katahdin, the largest mountain in Maine. The end of the trail in Maine is considered the wildest part of the trail, where you can hike around 100 miles without civilization influences. The trail originated in the 1920s. It was founded to offer people a
change from the working life of the industrialization period.
Roosevelt Campobello International Park
The Roosevelt Campobello International Park is located on Campobello Island in New Brunswick, Canada, just off the coast of the city of Lubec in Maine. It is a park around Franklin D. Roosevelt’s summer residence. The cottage preserved there was built in 1897. The park is managed by the Roosevelt Campobello International park Commission and funded by both Canada and the United States. He is part of both the United States National Park Service and Parks Canada. There you can visit the summer house of the Roosevelt’s beautiful flower gardens and a breathtaking view from the forest paths and fields of the island to the coastal region of the neighboring islands. The Edmund S. Muskie Visitor Center is a good starting point.
Saint Croix Island
Saint Croix Island is a small uninhabited island near the mouth of the Saint Croix River. A French expedition group under Pierre Dugua, who held a monopoly on fishing and fur trading in the United States, spent the winter of 1604/05 there. This winter, more than half of the settlers died of scurvy, after which they moved to the mainland. Nevertheless, the settlement on the island was further expanded until 1613. Then the French were driven out by an English captain named Samuel Argall, whereupon the island became a no man’s land for 150 years. In 1984 the island was named Saint Croix Island International Historic Site.
