The Best Things to Do in Bangor, Maine: A Guide to the Queen City

Maine’s third-largest city, Bangor, sits on the Penobscot River in the heart of the state. Once the lumber capital of the world — and forever known as the “Queen City” — it blends rich history, a lively arts and music scene, easy outdoor escapes, and a healthy dose of Stephen King lore. It is also the gateway to Maine’s great North Woods. Here is a guide to the best things to do in Bangor.

Meet Paul Bunyan

Start with the city’s most famous resident: the giant Paul Bunyan statue in Bass Park. Standing 31 feet tall, it was built for Bangor’s 125th anniversary and unveiled in 1959, and it remains one of the largest statues of the legendary lumberjack anywhere — a fitting tribute to the timber trade that built the city. It is a beloved photo stop and a great introduction to Bangor’s logging heritage.

Stephen King’s Bangor

Bangor is the longtime home of horror master Stephen King, and fans flock to see his striking red Victorian mansion at 47 West Broadway, famous for its wrought-iron fence decorated with bats and a spiderweb. (You can admire and photograph it from the street, but it is a private property with no tours.) The city itself inspired the fictional town of “Derry” in several of King’s novels, and nearby Mount Hope Cemetery served as a filming location for the movie version of Pet Sematary.

History and Museums

History and culture run deep here. The Bangor Historical Society offers exhibits and walking tours of the city’s past, while the Cole Land Transportation Museum displays antique cars, trucks, snowplows, and fire engines. Families love the Maine Discovery Museum, the largest children’s museum in the state, with three floors of hands-on, learn-through-play exhibits. Art lovers can browse the free University of Maine Museum of Art downtown, and the historic Thomas Hill Standpipe, an 1897 water tower, opens for occasional tours that reward the climb with sweeping city views.

The Waterfront and Live Entertainment

The revived Bangor Waterfront is a hub of summer activity, with riverside paths, dining, festivals, and a big outdoor concert pavilion that draws major touring acts. You can grab local seafood for a picnic by the Penobscot, take a scenic river cruise, or catch a professional production by the Penobscot Theatre Company. Between the music, theater, and events, there is almost always something happening downtown.

Outdoors and Nature

For fresh air, the Bangor City Forest offers more than nine miles of trails for walking, biking, snowshoeing, and cross-country skiing, and it connects to the Orono Bog Boardwalk, a one-mile loop that carries you out over a fascinating peat bog. History and nature meet at Mount Hope Cemetery, established in 1834 as the second-oldest garden cemetery in the United States, whose lawns, trees, and ornate monuments make for a peaceful stroll.

Downtown, Dining, and Markets

Bangor’s walkable historic downtown, centered on West Market Square, is full of locally owned shops, galleries, cafes, and restaurants serving everything from classic New England seafood to international fare. Stop by the seasonal Bangor Farmers Market for local produce and baked goods, and admire the grand Beaux-Arts Bangor Public Library, a community landmark in its own right.

Gateway to the Maine Highlands

Bangor is the natural launching point for exploring Maine’s North Woods and the Maine Highlands. From here it is an easy trip to Baxter State Park and Mount Katahdin, to Moosehead Lake, and on toward the Downeast coast. The city’s airport is also famous as the home of the Maine Troop Greeters, volunteers who have welcomed home tens of thousands of service members over the years.

Explore More of Maine

Bangor and its Penobscot River are part of the same web of great Maine rivers that shaped the whole state. To the west, our own town of Winslow sits on the Kennebec River, where the colonial-era Fort Halifax has stood since 1754. Together, these river cities tell the long story of trade, industry, and community in the Pine Tree State.

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