Summer is for being outside and no place is better for being outside than Maine! Whether hiking through the woods (watch for ticks!) or lounging beside the ocean waves, there's a lot to do here. But, there's a common misconception that in order to truly enjoy being outside you need to be actively participating in an activity. We believe that summer fun can be had no matter what you're doing. That's why we love the idea of exploring the state's small towns. This small lake town in Maine is simply lovely - and it offers plenty to do whether you're visiting for a day or an entire week.
Greenville is situated along Maine's largest lake - 10-mile long and 20-mile wide Moosehead Lake.
There area is known for its incredible wildlife viewing opportunities.
Including Moose!
In fact, Greenville is one of the best places in Maine to see a moose. If you're in town for the annual "Moosemania" festival in spring, sightings of the beautiful animal are in the hundreds. You can hire a guide to take you on a moose safari or other outdoor adventure,
To increase your chances of spotting a moose, book a "moose safari" with a local outdoors company like, Northern Outfitters.
Northern Outfitters offers a variety of outdoor activities including river rafting, tubing, fishing charters and tours. You can find them at 5 Lily Bay Rd., Greenville or you can call them to make a reservation on 866-223-1380.
Another fun activity in Greenville is heading to the middle of Moosehead Lake to explore Mount Kineo.
The hike takes you to the top to look down over the 763-foot sheer cliff. It's also one of the world’s largest collections of a rock known as rhyolite. This light-colored volcanic rock can actually be found a few different spots in Maine, but it's quite concentrated here.
This is also the home of the Moosehead Marine Museum, which has a collection of photographs of the early years of Greenville, along with cool steamboat relics.
There were no roads around the lake in the 1800s and steamboats made for the main way of traveling between the settlements, towns and logging camps throughout the lake area.
There's one last steamboat in the area and it takes passengers on daily cruises of the lake during the summer.
There are two cruise options: Three hours or 4.5 hours. The longer version travels about 20 miles into the lake to provide the perfect view of Mount Kineo, which also means a potential peregrine falcon sighting.
Lily Bay State Park offers wonderful lake activities as well as places to camp.
Greenville is also the home of the Moosehead Lake Indian Store, which has been lovingly restored into Kamp Kamp.
Kamp Kamp offers a wide variety of nostalgic Maine items, as well as candy and other fun things you'd buy if you were a kid at, well, camp! They're located at 3 Lily Bay Road, in the historic Shaw Block Building in downtown Greenville. You can reach them on 207-695-0789. To learn more about the brother and sister duo who brought this historic spot back to life, click here.
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Not quite ready to leave? Make it an overnight or multinight trip by booking yourself into the Inn by the River in The Forks.
This spot gives you a geographic perspective that's slightly different than Greenville, but still offers all the fun. You'll be near The Kennebec River and they've got a pretty incredible mac and cheese! They're located at 2777 US Rte 201 in The Forks. You can reach them on 207-663-2181.
Whether you go for a day trip or stay all week, make sure you see at least one of Greenville's beautiful sunsets before you go - it'll be unforgettable.
For more summer fun, take a plunge into these 10 swimming holes. They're all refreshingly easy to find!
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