Mainers Revealed the 14 Places They’d Take Every First-Time Visitor

Maine is packed with incredible places to explore, but if you only had one shot to show someone what the state is all about, where would you take them?

That's exactly what we asked our audience:

If someone had never been to Maine before and you could only take them to ONE place, where are you bringing them first?

The response was overwhelming. More than 1,000 people weighed in, recommending everything from famous landmarks and charming coastal towns to hidden gems that don't always make the travel guides. After sorting through all of the responses, we narrowed the list down to the 16 destinations that were mentioned the most.

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Acadia Was the Clear Favorite for First-Time Visitors to Maine

It probably comes as no surprise that Acadia National Park earned the top spot. It's one of Maine's most recognizable destinations and continues to attract visitors from around the world.

MORE ACADIA: 39 Breathtaking Photos of Acadia National Park

According to The National Park Service, in 2025, Acadia welcomed a record-breaking 4,079,318 visitors, surpassing the park's previous attendance record set in 2021 by more than 10,000 visits. It was also the seventh most-visited national park in the United States, proving that Maine's rugged coastline, scenic hikes, and breathtaking views are hard to beat.

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Here Are Maine's Top 16 Picks for Where First-Time Visitors Should Go First

While Acadia led the way, plenty of other places across the state received a lot of love from our listeners. Here are the 14 places our audience says every first-time visitor to Maine should experience.