• 1
• 2
• 3
• 4
• 5
• 6
• 7
• 8
• 9

Looking for a taste of small town America? The old-fashioned coastal village of Bath, Maine may be just what you are searching for as an idyllic family summer vacation.

A dear friend recently moved to Bath, Maine and graciously invited my family and me to spend a weekend exploring the area. We would be looking for activities that would please a variety of ages, as our group consisted of four adults, my two teenagers and my friend’s 8- and 12-year-olds.  With a pedestrian-friendly downtown, gorgeous coastal scenery, and festivals throughout the summer, our recent visit to Bath, a mid-coast Maine gem, was just the antidote for our hectic urban life.

Around "Downtown" Bath

The Bath Trolley is a great way to get around. Although tiny Bath is easily traversed on foot, the old-fashioned "Hop on Hop off Trolley" ride was lots of fun. The driver was a local resident, and gave a running commentary on Bath’s history. It was a nice opportunity to view some of Bath’s gracious residences as well as the Chocolate Church Arts Center (207/442-8455) which features a full schedule of live music and theater, housed in a dark-brown colored former church.

On Saturday morning my teenage children and I went to check out the Park-Bath Youth Meeting House and Skatepark (207/443-8900), located in the center of town on Summer Street. This vast space is located in the former town YMCA, and now serves local teens as a recreation center and indoor Skateboard park. My kids are not skateboarders, but they had fun playing ping-pong, foosball and snooker.

While they were busy at play, I wandered over to Café Crème (207/443-6454) on Front Street, and enjoyed my morning coffee and muffin, chosen from a tantalizing selection of baked goods. It was very enjoyable to be in a town without a Starbucks in sight, and I savored the moment.

We made our way over to the Maine Maritime Museum (207/443-1316), where we learned about Bath’s history as a shipbuilding city. The Museum gave us all a good idea of what it was like to be a ship builder or a member of his family during the 19th century and it's chock full of special programs for kids and families, including a canoe building workshop offered throughout the year.