Ah, it's here. The reason we all live here, enduring the long winter and non-existent spring all for 2.5 months of perfect temperatures, sunshine and outdoor activities. I say 2.5 months because June is completely hit or miss, this year a total miss, but September can be nice... for a couple weeks.

Anyway, whether you're new to Maine, just visiting, or you've been here a while, these are the things we view as "must do" this summer.

Take A Trip Downeast

acadia national park

If you haven't been to Acadia National Park, you absolutely must. As one of the top 10 most visited national parks in the country (with 4 million visitors per year), it is definitely busy this time of year, so you'll want to plan your accommodations well in advance. Definitely bring your bikes to bike the auto road, drive up to Cadillac Mountain for the sunrise and hit Jordan Pond House for popovers and lemonade. After lunch you can take a walk around the lake for a quick and easy day hike.

Visit Ferry Beach at Low Tide

A great tidal beach (though truly, check the tides because there is no beach at high tide!), kids love to explore this white sandy beach along the Scarborough River channel. Before you go, make sure you stock up on beach toys and games - we have a great list to get you started in our Amazon Storefront here).

Funtown/Splashtown

We haven't done this one yet with our kids, but it's on the list for this summer. At 6 and 8, they should both be tall enough to ride all of the rides, and go in the waterpark with minimal adult intervention. We went to Dollywood Water Country 2 years ago with the kids on a family vacation, and it was a highlight of the trip, for everyone!

Tour the Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens

Recently the Botanical Gardens in Boothbay installed giant trolls made of wood, and they are an absolute must-see when you're here. They also have an expansive children's garden with lots of activities to keep the kids busy for a while! And a camp if you want to really extend your kids stay!