If you are visiting southern Maine for a while or live here, you will experience a rainy day about 25 percent of the time. Last summer in Maine was especially rainy. That’s great for rainbows after the fact but not much else.
For many of us a good book or jigsaw puzzle is good enough to get us through. However, if you are here for only a week, a few days stuck in your rental unit might feel like a bit too much. In that case, there are plenty of fun activities that don’t depend on the sun. Here is our list of rainy day activities in Southern Maine for shoppers, art lovers and kids alike. Also, transportation geeks.
For Shoppers
Below is a listing of some great shopping ideas in southern Maine. Some are dog friendly. If you opt to go thrift shopping, take a look at our tips for making the most of it. Here’s a rundown of thrift shops between Portsmouth, NH and Portland.
- Freeport outlets
- Kittery outlets
- Thrift shops
- LL Bean
- Marden’s
- Reny’s
- Costco
- The Maine Mall
- Goodwill
- Restore
For Art Lovers
Art is a great way to brighten a dreary day. If you are active military check out Blue Star Museums. If you qualify for SNAP EBT, you may also get a break on admissions prices. Also, if you plan on visiting multiple museums in the next year, many have reciprocal agreements with others in the region and around the globe. Consider purchasing a membership. It could be more cost effective in the long run.
- Spend the day at the Portland Art Museum.
- Visit the Ogunquit Museum of American Art.
- Browse the multitude of independent art galleries.
For Kids
- Visit the new South Portland Barnes and Noble and join the summer reading program.
- If you live or own property locally, take advantage of all your local library has to offer. It’s more than just great books.
- If you want to hit the movies, there are a bunch of local theaters listed here.
- Try candlepin bowling or traditional bowling. One of our favorite traditional bowling alleys is the Garden Street Bowl in Kennebunk. It has bowling and a small arcade for the kids and a great restaurant for the adults.
- Look for craft classes at Michael’s.
- Check out the ropes course at Jordan’s in the Maine Mall.
- Visit a planetarium.
- Do a kid’s program at he Portland Museum of Art. It’s free on some days.
- Visit the Maine Children’s Museum and Theater of Maine.
For Transportation Geeks
- Visit the Seashore Trolley Museum.
- See the Maine Classic Car Museum.
Things to Do in Southern Maine in the Coming Week
Here is a roundup of bargains and/or things to do in Southern Maine. This includes Portsmouth, New Hampshire to Portland, Maine and north to Brunswick along the coast. We also include inland communities in Cumberland and York Counties, and a tiny bit of Oxford County, too. This is all in the next week or so.
If we’ve missed an event you think people should know about, please drop us an email to let us know at news@southernmaineOnTheCheap.com or via our contact page.