Best Bargains in Maine | 2013 Editors’ Choice Awards

Pinching pennies never felt so good! Check out our picks for the best bargains in Maine for 2013. Your wallet will thank you.

BEST CITY DINER
PALACE DINER, Biddeford
Maine’s oldest diner is a gem, a 1926 Pollard towed here from Lowell, Massachusetts, by two horses in the same year Lindbergh flew over the Atlantic. Expect classic fare, $3 to $9, with a few surprises, including healthful options. If the counter’s full, get your food to go and dine at a shady patio table. 18 Franklin St. 207-284-0015; palacedinerme.com

BEST SOUP
KAMASOUPTRA, Portland
You have to love the name of this soup kitchen in the Public Market House. Every day Kamasouptra prepares nine creative seafood, vegetarian, and vegan soups, from Ecuadorian peanut to the house chili, serving each bowl with fresh bread. Soups: from $5.50. Public Market House, 28 Monument Square. 207-415-6692; kamasouptra.com

BEST FREE MUSIC SERIES
L. L. BEAN SUMMER IN THE PARK CONCERT SERIES, Freeport
Grab a blanket or lawn chairs and some picnic fare and settle in for family-friendly concerts by nationally renowned musicians, held every other Saturday evening in July and August at Bean’s Discovery Park. Free. 95 Main St. 877-755-2326; llbean.com/summer

BEST STROLL THROUGH THE ARTS
FIRST FRIDAY ART WALK, Rockland
The first Friday of the month from 5:00 to 8:00 p.m. hosts a free arts party, with more than 20 downtown galleries featuring exhibits and openings, often combined with refreshments and live entertainment. The Farnsworth Museum anchors the merriment with free admission. 207-593-6093; artsinrockland.org

BEST UNHERALDED STATE PARK
Mount BLUE STATE PARK, Weld
This 8,000-acre expanse has it all. Swimming, camping, picnicking, mountain biking, fishing, boating, hiking, ATV-riding, ranger-led day activities, and evening amphitheater programs are spread over two sections, separated by Webb Lake, in the shadow of 3,187-foot Mount Blue. Admission $4 to $6; campsites $15 to $25; canoe rentals $3 per hour. 299 Center Hill Road. 207-585-2347; parksandlands.com