Orono: Discover Nature, Culture, and Hotels

Orono brings together several distinct visitor interests: nature at Orono Bog, museums, astronomy, trails for non-motorized use, and a farmers market. If you’re looking for a hotel for a trip to Orono, deciding which of these interests appeals to you can help you plan your time in the area. The places and activities range from nature and history to material culture, astronomy, and local products.

Nature at Orono Bog

The Orono Bog Boardwalk is an approximately one-mile loop trail that winds through changing vegetation and ecosystems in Orono Bog; it lies mostly in Orono. The Orono Bog Walk’s colorful information panels use illustrations to depict native species and ecosystems. This places both changing habitats and native species at the center. The loop trail has a different focus from the University Bike Paths, which connect several places.

Agricultural history and material culture

The Page Farm and Home Museum interprets the history of agriculture and agricultural communities in Maine from 1865 to 1940. This period gives the subject a clear historical framework: the focus is on both agriculture and the communities associated with it. This distinguishes the museum’s focus from the natural history themes of the bog and offers a concrete starting point if you’d like to include cultural history in your travel plans.

The Hudson Museum preserves more than 500 examples of the material culture of the Maliseet, Mi’kmaq, Passamaquoddy, and Penobscot peoples of Maine. The collection combines a clearly stated scope with four peoples named explicitly. For choosing a theme, this creates a clear contrast: the Page Farm and Home Museum focuses on agriculture and communities in Maine between 1865 and 1940, while the Hudson Museum focuses on the material culture of the four peoples named above. This can help you distinguish the two museums by their different areas of focus.

Astronomy on campus

The Versant Power Astronomy Center and the Maynard Jordan Planetarium offer numerous public programs. The Maynard F. Jordan Observatory and Clark Observatory are also located on the University of Maine campus in Orono. Alongside the historical and cultural museums, there is also a center with a planetarium and two named observatories on campus. If you’d like to plan around a specific public program, check the current schedule in advance.

Trails between campus and Old Town

The University Bike Paths are paved trails for non-motorized use. They connect the University of Maine campus in Orono with Old Town via the DeMeritt University Forest. Unlike the loop trail at Orono Bog, these paths focus on connecting the campus, forest, and destination. If you’d like to include a trail option in your travel plans instead of focusing on a single museum or program, you can consider this route as a separate activity.

Local products at the farmers market

The Orono Farmers Market offers a selection of local fruit, vegetables, coffee, prepared foods, handmade goods, and other products. This mix brings together food, prepared meals, and handmade goods, adding a culinary element to the nature, museum, and astronomy themes. Since the mix of vendors and market activity may change, check the latest information before planning a visit. This lets you consider the market as a separate activity if you’re interested in local products and food.

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