The Kennebec Explorer 2018 Visitor's Guide to Maine's Kennebec Valley | Page 10

line our downtowns. Delight in what
makes each town different from the
others you visit. You’ll find that these
towns are a near-perfect counterpoint
to the wilder, wooded side of the region
and the river that carves through it.
Our Towns
Take the time to get to know
the region’s cities and towns.
In the cities and towns of the Kennebec
Valley, visitors will find restaurants that
satisfy. Shops to pick up the needs of
everyday life. Theaters to entertain,
galleries to muse, bakeries to savor.
You may come to town to enjoy the
festivity of seasonal events of all kinds
and the attractions and museums
that share the stories of our history.
Traveling from Gardiner to Augusta
along the Kennebec River Rail Trail
you'll find places to pause and simply
enjoy the day. Further up Route 201,
Skowhegan gives you an up-close-and-
personal chance to really experience
the difference between being in town
and the great forested places that lie
just a bit further to the north.
Small towns and large, they all bustle
with the comings and goings of everyday
life. Overflowing with the energy of
their people. Hallowell welcomes
visitors all year long. Buzzing with
activity, this historic riverside city
invites you to roam up and down
Water Street, pausing when you feel
compelled to take pictures of the
beautifully restored architecture, a
street performer, or even other visitors.
People-watching as an art form
Watching as a group of hipsters pass
you by. A couple enjoying the art on
display in a gallery window. Cars
slowing to a stop, allowing a family to
safely cross. These little snapshots of
life, whether in Waterville or Winthrop,
will paint a picture of what our towns
and cities really look like.
A taste of in-town
Grab a smoothie or a slice of pizza.
Make time to enjoy a beer and think
about the day. Window-shop along
the streets and enter the stores that
Downtown Skowhegan
8 Make a Plan: KennebecValley.org
More than names on a map.
To visitors, the cities and towns that
make up the Kennebec Valley (or any
new place for that matter) begin simply
as names on a map. But each town here
openly offers the visitor a glimpse of
its personality in the architecture and
the stores that line its streets.
When you visit, take time to get to
know the town by making small talk
with its people. You will be rewarded
with a chance to get to know the place.
And you’ll pick up on the differences
quickly. Some thrive on energy found
in public art or music. In others, there's
the pulse of education, or commerce
and government.
We hope you enjoy the time you spend
in the cities and towns throughout
Maine’s Kennebec Valley. Each of
them makes up the bright, light-filled
punctuation that breaks up the long
flowing sentence created by the storied
Kennebec River.
Waterville City Hall
KennebecValleyExplorer
@kennebecexplorer
# explorerofmaine