1. Get on a ferry. Bring snacks with you and take a ferry out to a Maine island. A cheap way to get out on the water, most ferries will run you under $20 round trip (at least the ones I've taken). Plus, you can take something like a bird field guide with you and for under $5, give your own tour.
2. The LL Bean Summer Concert Series: A different reason to go to Freeport. The traditional Maine outdoor relater not only has outdoor sports demos but a free concert every weekend with big-ish acts. Last year, I saw Great Big Sea.
3. Go fishing. For $11 (resident or non-resident) you can get a 24 hour fishing licenses. It's $23 for three days. Sitting on a dock has never been more fun. (Plus you can use leftover food as bait. I've found the fishes love Rice Krispy Squares!)
4. Try a state park. Yes, I posted about state parks awhile ago but I would be leaving something out if I didn't mention enjoying the great outdoors in Maine: hiking, camping, biking, it's all fun. And while everyone's at Acadia National Park (which is totally worth a visit by the way), you could try out one of these gems for a road less traveled but also well maintained. Here are things to do in Acadia with your kids written by A New Yorker Talks To Herself About Maine.
5. Go to a bean supper, fish fry, or other community event. Even the smallest towns in coastal Maine have local get togethers like bean suppers or lobster feeds that are usually very inexpensive to get into and whose proceeds go to a good cause like a volunteer fire department. The town's little old ladies and their pie baking skills alone are worth the visit and you'll get an authentic Maine fare out of the deal like lobster or blueberry pie.
6. Go antiquing or used book-ing. Searsport seems to be the place to be for antiquing whether you are looking to buy something or just poke around. There are also big barns of used books for the more nerdy types. Your finds will spark interesting conversation and maybe even make you a new friend.
7. Have a nice meal. My two favorite places to eat are Cafe Miranda in Rockland and Cleonice in Ellsworth. Sure, you can order wine and dessert and appetizers and spend over $100 a person but if you order entrees, you will be well fed for under $25 a person. To go in the less fancy but still good food direction, you can eat cheap but yummily at Wasses in Rockland (hot dogs!) or Martha's Diner in Ellsworth.
8. Check out a local Maine festival. Ellsworth promises live music every Friday night all summer in the town park. The Garlic Festival in Southwest Harbor is a month away and this weekend is Machias's Blueberry Festival. Poking around a local newspaper will no doubt unearth something interesting.
Any favorite Maine coastal attractions I'm forgetting?
And on the off chance you've decided not to come to Maine on this vacation, you can check out frugal things to do in many other places if you visit this Money Life Network site.
Image: Vinalhaven, worth an hour and fifteen minute ferry ride.