What to wear in Maine in Fall Y’all

Its sweatah weathah to quote my friend in her salty Maine accent. Mainahs just love fall, except for the raking of the leaves that fall in your dooryahd.

Fall along the Southern Maine Coast brings warm sunny days, usually a perfect 65-70-degrees so you can stroll the sandy beach, bike along pretty coastal paths, or kayak on the rivers to enjoy the spectacular kaleidoscope of colors. Maple, oak, and birch provide reds oranges and yellows contrasting Maine’s state pine tree in green and the sparkling ocean and waters that turn a deep dark blue. Evenings on the southern Maine coast, the temperatures drops to a cool 50, perfect for a fireside dinner, and the sky fills with fantastic stars following a brilliant orange sunset.

Fall foliage is the highlight of a Maine visit in autumn. And there is still so much to see and do. For your planning, peak foliage is typically Columbus weekend, but the last few weekends in September through the third week of October offer prime viewing in various locations from the coastline to inland lakes and rivers.

Fall is a great time to go apple picking, hiking, biking and walking along nature trails. Fall also marks the harvest, with farmers markets, craft fairs and agricultural fairs. While the Fryeburg Fair is the big daddy of fairs, followed by the Cumberland County Fair, there are Maine craft fairs galore in York, Wells, Ogunquit, Kennebunkport and on up to Portland, Camden, Boothbay and Bar Harbor featuring locally made Maine crafts, art, food and entertainment. See our list of Fall events, fairs and festivals in Maine.

Fall is also a great time to score a deal on lodging along the southern Maine Coast as peak summer is over, and rates really fall after Columbus Day weekend while the leaf peeping remains prime for a few more weeks. So pack your sweater, your camera and be prepared to be wowed by the display of foliage, and don’t forget to make time for a Maine lobster dinner at a waterfront restaurant before winter arrives.