Travel+Discover Maine

Maine's most delicious summer tradition is back July 17-19! 🦪🎉

The Yarmouth Clam Festival isn't just about clams (though there are plenty of those). It's three days packed with small-town fun, quirky contests, live entertainment, and traditions that have been bringing people together for decades.

Highlights include:

🎭 A parade with the 2026 theme: Comics & Cartoon Classics
🦪 The Maine State Clam Shucking Contest
🥧 A Blueberry Pie Eating Contest
🚴 Professional bike races through downtown
👶 The always-entertaining Diaper Derby
🚓 K9 demonstrations
🚗 Classic cars rolling into Main Street
🏃 Kids' races and a 43-year-running road race tradition

It's the kind of festival where you can watch a clam-shucking showdown, cheer on crawling babies, eat way too much festival food, and somehow still leave wanting to come back next year.

Who's adding Yarmouth to their summer plans? 👇🍓

Nearly a mile from shore, this granite breakwater leads to a charming 1902 lighthouse that seems to float between sea and sky. Along the way, you'll spot sailboats gliding through the harbor, seabirds riding the wind, and some of the most peaceful coastal views in Maine.

There's no rush here.

Just the steady crunch of footsteps, the smell of salt air, and that feeling that you've somehow wandered into a scene from another era.

By the time you reach the lighthouse, you'll realize the destination was never really the point.

It was the walk. 💙

Would you make the full walk out to the end?
👇

🦞 Before Portland became a foodie destination, there was Becky's.

Since 1991, generations of fishermen, dock workers, families, road trippers, and early risers have squeezed into this waterfront diner for coffee, conversation, and plates piled high with Maine favorites.

It's the kind of place that feels increasingly rare.

The waitress knows half the room. The coffee keeps coming. The muffins are legendary. And if you're lucky enough to grab a window seat, you'll watch Portland's working waterfront wake up around you.

Of course, we're here to talk about the lobster roll. 🦞

Fresh Maine lobster overflowing from the bun, served simply with lettuce and your choice of mayo or melted butter. No gimmicks. No fuss. Just the kind of lobster roll that keeps people coming back year after year.

Fun fact: Becky's has welcomed everyone from local fishermen to Guy Fieri, and it's been featured everywhere from Gourmet Magazine to Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives.

But ask a local why they love it, and you'll probably hear the same thing:

"It still feels like Portland."

❤️ Have you ever eaten at Becky's? What do you order every time?

Remember when summer wasn't scheduled down to the minute?

When a day trip meant wandering into a little Maine town, grabbing an ice cream, watching boats drift by, and staying longer than you planned because nobody was in a hurry.

That's Damariscotta. ❤️

This MidCoast gem still feels like the Maine many of us remember. Independent bookstores. Local diners. Art galleries. Working waterfronts. Fresh oysters pulled from the river. The kind of Main Street where people still stop and chat.

Fun fact: Damariscotta is said to produce about 80% of Maine's farm-raised oysters, and the town's history stretches back thousands of years to the ancient oyster shell middens left by the Abenaki people.

Spend the morning browsing shops, take a river cruise, grab a lobster roll, watch the tide roll in, and finish the day with an ice cream from an old-fashioned soda fountain.

No amusement park rides.
No long lines.
Just classic Maine.

The kind you wish you could bottle up and keep forever. 🌊🦪

🦪 Some Maine restaurants come and go.

Bob's Clam Hut has been serving fried clams since 1956. ❤️

What started near the Spruce Creek clam flats in Kittery has grown into one of Maine's most iconic seafood stops, drawing everyone from road-tripping families to food celebrities.

The star of the show? Perfectly fried clams with the crispy, golden coating that has made Bob's famous for nearly 70 years. But you'll also find lobster rolls, fresh seafood baskets, burgers, hot dogs, and enough sides to satisfy even the non-seafood crowd.

Fun fact: Both Martha Stewart and Guy Fieri have sung Bob's praises over the years—and when it comes to Maine seafood, that's some pretty good company. 👏

Whether you're heading to the beach, crossing into Maine for the first time, or making a dedicated seafood pilgrimage, Bob's Clam Hut is one of those classic Maine stops that still lives up to the hype.

🦞🦪 Have you eaten at Bob's? What's your go-to order?

What began in 1976 has grown into one of Maine's most beloved summer traditions, bringing together hundreds of volunteers, local nonprofits, artisans, musicians, and thousands of visitors for a day that feels like peak small-town New England.

The best part? The festival doesn't just celebrate the community—it gives back to it. Food booths are run by local nonprofit groups, and festival proceeds help fund community projects throughout the area.

📅 June 27, 2026
🍓 50th Annual Festival
🎨 120 artisan booths
🎶 Live entertainment
❤️ Community-powered since 1976

Some events are fun.

Others become traditions.

Who's going? 👇

🌊 It feels like a national park moment… without the national park traffic.

Too many Maine destinations. Not enough vacation days. 😅
We narrowed it down to the BEST spots for your summer trip—coast, mountains, islands, and everything in between.

👉 See the full guide: visitmaine.net/places-to-visit-in-maine-summer/

🏖️ Sun, sand, and seaside smiles — these 11 Maine beaches serve up all the classics: waves to ride, castles to build, and ice cream just steps away. Summer starts here.
👉 https://www.visitmaine.net/maine-beaches/