Maine Field Trips for Homeschoolers

Maine is known as the state “where America’s day begins” because it as the state with the easternmost point of land, it is the first to meet the sun in the morning.  This is a good thing, because when you are looking for things to do in Maine with kids, you’ll need to start bright and early to hit all the fun and educational destinations! From Native American history to the history of the Industrial Revolution, from the science of farms to the science of outer space, homeschool students have multiple opportunities to enhance what they are learning with hands-on fun.

To help you locate Maine day trips for your homeschoolers, we’ve organized them by geographical area. Plan out each of your learning adventures on this printable map of Maine from Time4Learning. Please make sure to contact each site before you plan your visit, as COVID-19 may have impacted their hours of operations. Plus, as a bonus, we’ve even included a free download of Time4Learning lesson plans that might be the perfect supplement for each trip [at end of article]!

Homeschool Field Trips in Northern Maine

• Acadian Village, Van Buren – If visiting Maine during the summer months, you might want to explore a unique culture you may not be aware of: the Acadians. These descendants of French settlers were widely spread throughout the Northeastern region of North America. This is a perfect opportunity to learn more about US history!
• America’s First Mile Trail, Fort Kent – Looking for field trip ideas that could tie in with a study of our nation’s transportation history?  Plan a day trip to the starting point of the country’s longest and easternmost north-south highway. A paved one mile trail from the point parallels the river and is easy to navigate, even for families with young children.
• Katahdin Woods and Waters National Monument, Penobscot – Designated a national monument in 2016, this wildland area encompasses over 87,000 acres of rural Maine, including 89 miles of roads that can be explored. While there, be sure to stop in at the Lumbermen’s Museum where you can learn all about Maine logging history.
• The Maine Solar System Model, Aroostook County – A wonderful tie-in with any study you may be doing on the solar system, would be a day trip to visit each of the planets set up across this 40-mile model.  Each of the sites have pull outs to stop and explore the three dimensional models. If you’re trying to spice up your science program, this destination is a must!

Homeschool Field Trips in Southern Interior Maine

• Museum L-A, Lewiston – What better way to study the Industrial Revolution than by visiting the historic Bates Mill Complex? A field trip to this museum will introduce students to the textile, shoe and brick-making industries of the Lewiston-Auburn area. Temporary exhibits highlighting human ingenuity are on display as well.
• Emera Astronomy Center & Jordan Planetarium, Orono – Students can get hands-on with astronomy and learn all about their universe at this facility.  The planetarium offers frequent public shows, as well. While at the University of Maine, you might also want to visit the Page Farm and Home Museum and the Hudson Cultural Museum.
• Maine Discovery Museum, Bangor – Certainly you could fill a day just exploring the exhibits the Discovery Museum has to offer, but families living within driving distance might also want to take advantage of regular educational programs such as Science Detectives, Messy Art, Nature Time, and Clay Play.
• The Telephone Museum, Ellsworth – Have a homeschooler who prefers to spend most of his/her time on their cell phone? It’s time they learned about the evolution of the device that now is such an integral part of our lives. This homeschool field trip would also be a great tie-in to a study on Alexander Graham Bell.
• Washburn-Norlands Living History Center, Livermore – This historic farm uses living history demonstrations to teach visitors about the social, political and educational activities of the 19th century. The site also hosts a couple Homeschool Days during the summer months.

Homeschool Field Trips in Coastal Maine

• Abbe Museum, Bar Harbor – This destination is dedicated to the history and culture of Maine’s Native people, the Wabanaki. The core exhibit introduces visitors to 12,000 years of background on a group that many know very little about but who still are alive and well in the region. The Educator Hub on the website offers a wide array of resource materials that could easily be included in your homeschool studies.
• Acadia National Park, Bar Harbor – Acadia was initially designated Sieur de Monts National Monument by proclamation of President Woodrow Wilson in 1916. Studying wildlife, geology, tides, or any other natural history subject? It’s likely you can get up close and personal with it at the park. The National Park Service also offers free curriculum units on their website. Oh, and be sure to check out the anemone cave while you’re there.
• Bowdoin College Museum of Art, Brunswick – One of the earliest collegiate art collections in the nation, Bowdoin was established in 1811. There are over 20,000 artworks in the collection including antiquities, European and American art, and non-Western pieces. On certain Saturdays of the year, Bowdoin also hosts a themed tour of the museum, along with a hands-on craft activity.
• George and Barbara Bush Center, Biddeford – Are you doing any presidential unit studies in your homeschool this year? Then one of your ideal educational trips in Maine would be to stop off at the University of New England’s Biddeford campus to view the George Bush statue and learn more about the life of the 41st president, George H.W. Bush.
• Maine Maritime Museum – Set on the waterfront of the banks of the Kennebec River, this museum is dedicated to Maine’s seafaring history.  More than 240 maritime objects are included in the permanent exhibit, but the campus also houses five original 19-th century buildings, a Victorian-era shipyard owner’s home and New England’s largest sculpture – a full size representation of the largest wooden sailing vessel ever built, the six-masted schooner Wyoming.