Maine's Scenic Riverside Destination Boasts Exceptional Dining And Exciting Festivals That Draws Tourists In

"Vacationland" has been the slogan adorning Maine's license plates since 1936, thanks to the state's reputation as a bucket-list outdoor recreation destination. From sandy coasts and big cities, to diverse lodging and outdoor recreation at Maine's largest lake, Maine has something for everyone. If eclectic dining and local festivals are part of your vacation plan, you have to check out the small town of Lisbon, a quiet haven with exceptional outdoor recreation options about 31 miles, or a 40-minute drive, from Portland.

Formed out of two adjacent villages (Lisbon and Lisbon Falls), the town offers diverse dining options and exciting local shopping opportunities downtown. Originally known as Thompsonborough, it was later renamed after Portugal's capital city of Lisbon, sharing similar roots with the European city in its industrial history. Today, Lisbon is known as a popular vacation destination for water activities, hiking trails, and local shopping. The town sits right next to the scenic blue waters of the Androscoggin River, allowing visitors to go kayaking, paddling, and fishing during the day and finish off the evening with a hearty meal at one of Lisbon's many eateries, like Frank's Pub for wings and burgers or Flux Restaurant and Bar for local seafood.

Lisbon is also the host of two festivals every year. The first one is the Moxie Festival, a local festival usually held in July to celebrate the iconic fizzy drink it's named after. The second festival is the Maine Blues Festival, a celebration of mostly local musicians that began in Naples in 2006 and moved to Lisbon in 2022. The festivals are also becoming a crucial part of Lisbon's economy, with some locals hoping to develop more event venues in Lisbon, according to reports in Spectrum News.

In 1884, Dr. Augustin Thompson made Maine history by creating Moxie, one of the world's first carbonated beverages. Originally sold as a nerve tonic, Moxie has an oddly sweet and bitter taste. Today, the beverage has a large fan following and even a festival held every July in Lisbon in its honor called the Moxie Festival. The festival features live music events, contests, a 5k race, and even a Moxie-themed parade, making it a highly anticipated local event. If you want to take part in the festival (and have a strong stomach), sign up for the Moxie chugging contest or the whoopie pie eating contest. If not, you can still attend as a guest and watch concerts or visit vendors at the festival.

A month before the Moxie Festival, Lisbon hosts another local festival: the Maine Blues Festival. While blues originated in the South, its lack of popularity outside the Black community meant it didn't get much of a foothold in Maine until the '70s, when popular blues artists like B.B. King and Muddy Waters began performing to a growing white audience. The biggest blues festival in the state is still the North Atlantic Blues Festival in Maine's artsy, waterfront town of Rockland, which regularly attracts big, internationally recognized artists. But Lisbon's smaller, local blues festival is also popular for its strong community spirit and role in establishing up-and-coming artists. The Maine Blues Festival also has a more intimate atmosphere, with performances usually happening in small, local pubs and bars rather than large stadiums and open-air stages. If you're a blues aficionado, take a break from the well-known artists and discover some local gems in Lisbon!

When you're done exploring the vendors at Lisbon's festivals and jamming out to some good, old-fashioned blues tunes, head downtown to Lisbon Falls to get a bite to eat. The town offers locally sourced, freshly made American food, with pub fare and pizza being the main staples of the area.

For some freshly brewed coffee, you can head over to Little River Coffee on Union Street, a cozy cafe specializing in baked treats and a welcoming ambiance. For a stronger pick-me-up than coffee, there's no better place than Frank's Restaurant and Pub, a family-friendly pub located in the century-old Moxie building. Frank's offers classic American pub fare like steak and fries or burgers, a variety of beer, and the state's representative drink, Moxie.

If you're looking for a fine dining experience with local food, then Flux Restaurant and Bar is the place to go. According to reviewers on Yelp, the seafood dishes are particularly delicious. Launched by brothers Jason and Tyson LaVerdiere in 2018, the restaurant serves locally sourced and freshly made food, relying on seasonal and from-scratch ingredients to curate their menu. "We make everything [fresh] but the ketchup," said Tyson in an interview with Maine magazine.