Maine's Small Mid-Coast Town An Hour From Portland Has Craft Cider, Historic Charm, And Serene Nature Hikes

The coast of Maine is studded with sleepy, picturesque coastal towns that offer salty air, peaceful ambiance, and plenty of hidden gems waiting to be discovered. One such destination is Alna, Maine, located about an hour's drive north of Portland. This town consists of just 700 or so inhabitants, but it offers an array of historic buildings, small-town entertainment, antique shops, a popular museum, delicious beverages, hiking trails, and so much more.

Alna is conveniently located in Lincoln County, Maine, which is just a stone's throw from several equally delightful towns including the underrated resort town of Wiscasset and the artistic, mid-coast town of Damariscotta. But Alna is the perfect place to visit particularly if you're looking to travel back in time by visiting some centuries-old architecture, and the town offers plenty of contemporary delights like craft cider and fun live music.

As for the best times to visit, Alna is certainly going to be frosty and cold in the winter, but autumns — though potentially nippy — often offer beautiful arrays of foliage. Still, summer is always a fun time to visit Maine, especially if you're looking to pair your visit to Alna with some aquatic adventures on the Maine coast or a trip up to the postcard-worthy scenery of Acadia National Park.

There's plenty to see in Alna, but one of the town's most noteworthy attractions is the Wiscasset, Waterville and Farmington Railway Museum, which showcases a section of the steam-powered railroad system that once criss-crossed the state. These railroads left just 2 feet between rails — far less than the usual nearly 5-foot gap that separates most train tracks. One such rail system was the Wiscasset & Quebec Railroad, which was constructed in the 1890s and closed down in the 1930s during the Great Depression. But in the 1980s, an Alna native named Harry Percival decided to reconstruct the railroad exactly as it had once been, and his vision ended up becoming this museum.

Stretching over 3 miles long, the reconstructed railroad also contains a water tower, stations, two trains, and much more. Today, visitors can take rides on these old-fashioned locomotives, zipping through lush forests while traveling back to a bygone era. The rides sometimes finish with live music at the town's Alna Center, where songwriters, bands, and entertainers gather regularly for the Music on the Railway concert series. These events are held on select weekend days from June to September. The WW&F Railroad also occasionally hosts fun seasonal rail trips to the nearby SeaLyon farm, which includes five lavender fields, sells its own essential oils, and often hosts lavender and pumpkin-picking days in collaboration with the museum.

History buffs passing through Alna may also enjoy a visit to the Head Tide Historic District, which rests at the start of the Sheepscot River in Alna. This mill town was active in the mid-1800s and thrived up until the mid-1900s, when the last of the town's mills were shut down. Today, some buildings and a dam from the original settlement remain and are listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Visitors can enjoy a stroll across the dam or a visit to the Head Tide Church, which still holds weddings and funerals. Lovers of well-preserved historic architecture may also enjoy a visit to the Alna Meeting House, which was built as a church in 1796 — making it one of Maine's oldest churches — and is now a landmark and town meeting point.

Alna is also surrounded by beautiful forests and waterways, and the town offers an array of scenic hikes, including trails at the Bass Falls and Trout Brook preserves, plenty of relatively easy treks around the Little Dyer Pond and Sheepscot River, and more. After a day of adventuring, weary wanderers can cool down with a sip of hard cider at Tin Top Cider, which offers a variety of locally made brews and boasts a 4.9-star rating on Google, or a meal at The Alna Store, noted for its high-end dishes and laid-back atmosphere. Finally, travelers can rest their heads at places like a coastal farmhouse Airbnb located right on the Sheepscot River, and there's no shortage of boutique bed and breakfasts and hotels located in nearby towns like the serene coastal town of Boothbay.