Things to Do in Brunswick, Maine: Where to Eat, Stay & Play
Discover the best things to do in Brunswick, Maine, from museum strolling and antiques hunting to spending the night in a historic inn.
By Brian Kevin|Aug 26 2025|
Among the highlights of Maine Street is the revitalized 1870 landmark known as the Lemont Block.
Photo Credit: Michael D. WilsonJust a half hour’s drive up the coast from Portland brings you to Brunswick, anchored by one of the prettiest college campuses in the country and enlivened by the energy of the students who call it home. Founded in 1794, Bowdoin College welcomes the public to explore its cultural institutions, including the Peary-MacMillan Arctic Museum and the school’s namesake art museum. There’s much more beyond campus, though, such as a main street (here, Maine Street) filled with independent shops as well as restaurants cooking up cuisine from around the world. Take it all in from the lovely town green, or get moving and make a loop around the riverwalk. Either way, once you’ve got your bearings, make time to try some of Yankee’s favorite stops in Brunswick.
Best Things to Do in Brunswick, Maine
Photo Credit: Michael D. Wilson
Where to Eat & Drink in Brunswick, Maine
The Abbey: “Some people expect we’re strictly coffee in the day, then switch to strictly bar, but it’s everything all day long,” co-owner Connor Scott says. “The joke is, if you want it, we’ve got it.” theabbeymaine.com
Dog Bar Jim: Expect a little line when chatty owner Ben Gatchell is working the lovely copper espresso machine. Admire the wall art: a framed Calvin and Hobbes strip, a 1971 Hawkwind album cover, and other curiosities. dogbarjim.com
Flight Deck Brewing: Here’s a strong contender for New England’s best beer garden, with heated gazebos and A-frames, firepits, lawn games, and tasty pizzas flying out of a wood-fired oven. flightdeckbrewing.com
Photo Credit: Michael D. Wilson
Wild Oats Bakery & Café: An anchor tenant of Brunswick Landing, the redeveloped former military base, Wild Oats is known for piled-high sandwiches and a deep menu of soups (if it’s on offer, try the pumpkin-mushroom). wildoatsbakery.com
ZaoZe Café & Market: Pan-Asian fare that’s casual in vibe, masterful in execution. Craving dim sum? It’s offered only on Sundays but worth planning for. zaoze.cafe
Photo Credit: Michael D. Wilson
Things to Do in Brunswick, Maine
Bowdoin College Museum of Art: With its columns and Renaissance-style rotunda, the museum’s 1894 building is itself a work of art. Get a selfie with the stone lions out front. bowdoin.edu/art-museum
Cabot Mill Antiques: In the massive spinning room of a former cotton mill, some 160 stalls worth of treasures: Victorian salvage, deep-cut vinyl, nautical knickknacks—you name it. cabotiques.com
Gulf of Maine Books: Storied indie bookseller with a crunchy shell. Its nature writing and poetry shelves are uncommonly robust. Facebook
Harpswell Detour: South of town, back roads traverse the islands and peninsulas that make up quiet little Harpswell—worth a scenic drive, especially when the leaves are poppin’. Get a lobster roll with a view at Erica’s Seafood (open until mid-October). Watch the tide filter through the famed Cribstone Bridge at the end of Orr’s Island. Clamber over rugged oceanside ledges at Giant’s Stairs on Bailey Island. hhltmaine.org
Nest: Two jam-packed floors of eclectic home goods and gifts … let the browsing begin. Facebook
Peary-MacMillan Arctic Museum: Among the highlights here are photos, letters, and artifacts relating to Matthew Henson, Peary’s pole-seeking comrade and one of America’s foremost Black explorers. bowdoin.edu/arctic-museum
Woodward Point Preserve: This Maine Coast Heritage Trust property has the area’s best birding. Watch for great blue herons, bobolinks, ospreys, and more. mcht.org/preserve/woodward-point
Photo Credit: Courtesy of The Brunswick Hotel
Where to Stay in Brunswick, Maine
The Brunswick Hotel: Any closer to campus and you’d be in a dorm. Noble, the in-house restaurant, has its own firepit courtyard, a fine spot for drinks and dessert on a crisp autumn evening. thebrunswickhotel.com
The Federal: Clean modern vibes in an expanded 1810 captain’s home. The inn’s 555 Northbistro leans in on cheffy, seasonal comfort food. thefederalmaine.com
OneSixtyFive: The historic Main House was renovated after a fire a few years back. Its eight rooms are crisp New England contemporary, with bold-patterned rugs, wallpaper, and upholstery offsetting gorgeous antique furnishings. There’s seven more rooms in an adjacent annex and a dog-friendly cottage, too. onesixtyfivemaine.com
See More: Fall Weekend in Brunswick, Maine
Is the Joshua Chamberlain home museum closed? It’s not mentioned in this article and it’s a wonderful place to learn more about the hero of Little Round Top at Gettysburg and eventual governor of Maine; as well as respected member of the Bowdoin College faculty.