We recently attended the 2026 Taste of Maine Media Reception, an afternoon that brought the flavors, wines, and warmth of Maine into a sunlit New York space. Between bites of fresh lobster rolls, cups of New England chowder, and a blueberry cocktail, we mingled with the hospitality partners, tourism boards, and the public relations relations specialists that are shaping Maine’s next chapter — all while sipping from an open bar stocked with Maine wines and craft beers.

Maine in the fall is a quiet kind of beautiful — the coastline sharpens, the air turns crisp, and the state’s culinary and cultural offerings feel especially inviting. We’ve experienced that charm firsthand, from our own oceanfront stay at Inn by the Sea in Cape Elizabeth to a coastal New England road trip through Portland’s Old Port, and we’ve watched Portland’s culinary scene come into its own at events like Harvest on the Harbor, the city’s annual food and wine festival. But this reception was also a preview: Maine’s partners are already looking ahead to spring and summer, with new openings, new trails, and new reasons to plan a visit.

Here’s a list of some of the Maine travel partners that had a presence or a representative at the event:

Culture, Outdoors & Community

• Center for Maine Contemporary Art and Farnsworth Art Museum
• Portland Museum of Art
• Frances Perkins Center, philanthropic partner to Frances Perkins National Monument
• Cobscook Shores — cobscookshores.org
• Maine Camp Experience — mainecampexperience.com
• Maine Lobster Marketing Collaborative, with Lucky Catch Cruises
• Maine Outdoor Brands — maineoutdoorbrands.com
• Maine Sports Commission — mainesportscommission.com
• Northern Outdoors — northernoutdoors.com
• Sunday River Resort
• Visit Portland — Portland is considered the gourmet capital of New Englamd. See our own road trip through Portland here.
• Waters Run Bed & Breakfast — watersrunmaine.com
• Bold Coast Spirits (Oyster Shell Vodka), The Marquis Lounge, and Lucky Cheetah

  

Hotels & Resorts

• Asticou Hotel, an Opal Collection Resort — Northeast Harbor, Mount Desert Island
• Aragosta at Goose Cove — Restaurant + Cottages, Deer Isle
• Blair Hill Inn, a Relais & Châteaux hotel and restaurant — Greenville
• The Brunswick Hotel — Brunswick
• Camp DeForest — Lincolnville
• Canopy Portland Waterfront — Portland
• The Evalina Hotel — Portland (new)
• Lantern Camp — Orland (new)
• The Nonantum Resort — Kennebunkport
• The Norumbega Inn — Camden
• The Weldon Hotel — Portland
• Quisisana Resort — Lovell, Lake Kezar
• Inn by the Sea — Cape Elizabeth, read about our visit here

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Restaurants, Food & Drink

• The Alna Store — Alna
• Broad Arrow Farm + The Rooting Pig (opening July 2026)
• Dry Dock — Portland
• LB. Kitchen and LB. Mini-Mart — Portland + Westbrook
• Luke’s Lobster — Portland Pier and beyond
• Luna Rooftop Bar and Salt Yard Café — Portland (Canopy Portland Waterfront)
• Mr. Tuna + Ladyfish — Portland
• Noble Kitchen + Bar — Brunswick (The Brunswick Hotel)
• Rosemont Market & Bakery — six Portland-area locations

As the leaves turn and the harbors quiet down for the season, Maine’s hospitality community is already getting ready for spring and summer. We’ll be watching for the news from this exciting destination.