Best Attractions in Maine | 2013 Editors’ Choice Awards

BEST THEATER THEATER AT MONMOUTH, Monmouth The Cumston Hall home of the Shakespearean Theater of Maine is Romanesque architectural eye candy with Queen Anne flourishes. Inside, magnificent plaster ornamentation, carved wood trim, hand-stenciled and frescoed ceilings, and more than 100 stained-glass windows make it delightfully hard to concentrate on the excellent productions. 796 Main St. 207-933-9999; theateratmonmouth.orgBEST WINE TOUR MAINE’S “NAP-AH” VALLEY WINE TOUR, Camden/Rockland area Sip, sample, and … okay … snooze between visits to three Midcoast wineries–Sweetgrass, Savage Oakes, and Cellardoor–on an educational motor tour with All Aboard Trolley. 21 Limerock St., Rockland. 207-594-9300; meetthefleet.com/wine-toursBEST SOUVENIR SHOPPING ARCHIPELAGO, Rockland What better souvenir or gift than something handcrafted and inspired by a Maine island? Archipelago makes that easy, offering products from accessories and jewelry to children’s toys and pottery to books and clothing. Even better: As part of the Island Institute, sales here help support Maine’s island and waterfront communities. 386 Main St. 207-596-0701; thearchipelago.netBEST PUFFIN TOUR BOLD COAST CHARTER COMPANY, CutlerCruise to the largest Atlantic puffin colony on the Maine coast aboard the Barbara Frost with Captain Andy Patterson–and perhaps even land on Machias Seal Island for an even closer look at these colorful clowns of the sea. Wharf Road. 207-259-4484; boldcoast.comBEST FANTASYLAND NERVOUS NELLIE’S, Deer Isle Oh, the places you’ll go: Sculptor and author Peter Beerits has created a wonderful, whimsical landscape based on his Nervous Nellie stories. Explore King Arthur’s court, a Southern jukebox joint, a Western town with saloon, hotel, and jail, and other imaginative scenes, all created from castoff materials. Don’t miss the award-winning jams and jellies in Anne Beerits’ shop and cozy tearoom next door. 598 Sunshine Road. 207-348-6182; nervousnellies.comBEST INTERACTIVE STORE NATURALIST’S NOTEBOOK, Seal Harbor Nature, art, and science merge in this engaging shop that accurately describes itself as an “exploratorium.” 16 Main St. 207-801-2777; thenaturalistsnotebook.comBEST SEMIPRIVATE GARDEN ABBY ALDRICH ROCKEFELLER GARDEN, Seal Harbor There’s no fee, but book well in advance to spend a few hours immersed in this spectacular enclosed garden. Renowned landscape architect Beatrix Farrand designed it utilizing treasures the Rockefellers had collected in Asia. (Address provided to reservation holders.) 207-276-3330; rockgardenmaine.wordpress.comBEST LAKE TOUR FLAGSTAFF SCENIC BOAT TOURS, Eustis Learn about the lost village of Flagstaff, savor Bigelow Mountain views, spy eagles, loons, and maybe moose, while cruising remote Flagstaff Lake with Master Maine Guide Jeff Hinman aboard his pontoon boat. Off Route 27. 207-246-2277; flagstaffboattours.comBEST GUARANTEED WILDLIFE SIGHTINGS Maine Wildlife Park, Gray More than 30 species of Maine wildlife, including moose, mountain lion, and black bear, as well as bald and golden eagles, reside at this state-owned park. Trails weave through the property, and there are feeding stations, gardens, a visitor center, and a warden museum. 56 Game Farm Road. 207-657-4977; maine.gov/ifw/education/wildlifepark