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Bangor is Maine’s third-largest city, with 31,753 residents in the 2020 census according to Wikipedia, and the commercial hub of eastern and northern Maine. It sits where the Kenduskeag Stream meets the Penobscot River and is nicknamed the Queen City. It was once the world’s largest lumber port, and today it has a downtown with museums, a waterfront concert venue and a regional airport. This guide covers what to do, when the big events happen, where to eat and stay, and how Bangor works as a base.
Bangor, Maine at a glance
- Population: 31,753 (2020 census), third-largest city in Maine after Portland and Lewiston.
- County: county seat of Penobscot County.
- Rivers: the Penobscot, with the Kenduskeag Stream joining it near downtown.
- Airport: Bangor International Airport (BGR), about 3 miles west of the city, per Wikipedia.
- Nickname: Queen City, tied to its 19th-century mansions.
- Nearby: Orono and the University of Maine are about 10 minutes north by our estimate. Bar Harbor is roughly an hour east.
Planning your visit? See our guide to things to do in Bangor.
Things to do in Bangor, Maine
See the Paul Bunyan statue
The 31-foot statue was installed in 1959, according to Wikipedia, and stands on Main Street in front of the Cross Insurance Center. Visit Maine says the lumberjack is said to have been born in Bangor, and his birth certificate is displayed at City Hall, according to the Bangor Region Chamber.
Stephen King’s Bangor
King’s home is the William Arnold House at 47 West Broadway, an 1856 Italianate mansion behind a wrought-iron fence decorated with bats and spiders, according to Wikipedia. It is private property, so look from the sidewalk. Visit Maine says it is owned by the Stephen and Tabitha King Foundation and will become a writer’s retreat. Visit Maine and the chamber also list guided tours of King sites, the storm drain at Union and Jackson Streets that inspired the opening scene of It, and Mount Hope Cemetery, a filming location for Pet Sematary. Our guides: Stephen King’s Bangor and Stephen King’s house, plus Castle Rock, Maine.
Mount Hope Cemetery
At 1048 State Street, Mount Hope opened in 1836, according to Visit Maine, and Wikipedia describes it as the country’s second-oldest garden cemetery. Hannibal Hamlin is among those buried there. The Bangor Historical Society offers guided tours, and the chamber lists a self-guided tour.
Museums
- Zillman Art Museum (formerly the University of Maine Museum of Art), in a restored 1930s department store downtown.
- Maine Discovery Museum: a three-floor children’s museum that opened in 1997, according to New England magazine.
- Cole Land Transportation Museum: vintage vehicles, trains and snow machines. Visit Maine says it is open in warmer months.
- International Cryptozoology Museum, listed by Wikipedia among the city’s museums.
Walk the waterfront and the City Forest
The Penobscot River Walkway runs about half a mile through Waterfront Park, according to New England magazine. Bangor City Forest has more than nine miles of trails for hiking, biking, snowshoeing and cross-country skiing, according to Visit Maine.
Hannibal Hamlin
Abraham Lincoln’s first vice president is commemorated on the Kenduskeag Promenade, between Central and State Streets, according to the Bangor Region Chamber. The Bangor Public Library displays the couch on which he died in 1891.
Casino and racing
Wikipedia says Hollywood Casino has about 1,000 slot machines and a seven-story hotel, and that Bangor Raceway runs live harness racing at Bass Park from May through July and briefly in the fall.
Downtown and the Bangor Public Library
The library’s roots go back to 1830, when the Bangor Mechanic Association assembled a book collection, and the city formed a municipal library in 1883. The 1911 fire destroyed the library, and the current building, designed by the Boston firm Peabody and Stearns, opened in 1913. A 1997 wing designed by Robert A. M. Stern Architects was funded by Stephen and Tabitha King, and a glass atrium was planned in a 2014 renovation, according to Wikipedia.
Music, theater and events
- Cross Insurance Center: replaced the Bangor Auditorium in 2013, according to Wikipedia, and hosts concerts and sports.
- Maine Savings Amphitheater: outdoor concerts on the waterfront. The American Folk Festival, once held on the waterfront, is now defunct.
- Penobscot Theatre Company: performs at the historic Bangor Opera House downtown.
- Kenduskeag Stream Canoe Race: a 16.5-mile race from Kenduskeag to downtown Bangor, held the third weekend of April, according to the Maine Sports Commission. It bills itself as the largest paddling event in New England.
- Bangor State Fair: held at Bass Park for more than 150 years. In 2026 it ran July 30 to August 8, according to the Cross Insurance Center. Check the fair’s site for 2027 dates.
Where to eat in Bangor
Visit Maine, New England magazine and the Bangor Region Chamber name these places. New England’s list dates from 2022 and 2024, so confirm each is still open and check hours before going.
- 11 Central: a downtown restaurant with local art on the walls.
- The Fiddlehead Restaurant: farm-to-table food, named a 2018 Yankee Editors’ Pick.
- Timber Kitchen and Bar: wood-fired pizza and brunch, at the Residence Inn.
- Evenrood’s, Novio’s, The Butcher and Baker and Barliman’s: New American, Italian, gastropub and cocktail-lounge options named by those guides.
- Orono Brewing: has a downtown Bangor location.
- Dysart’s: a truck stop and diner open since 1967, according to Visit Maine.
- Pat’s Pizza is one of our listings.
Where to stay in Bangor
Downtown, the chamber lists the Tarratine Inn and the Residence Inn near the waterfront. Our listings include the Hollywood Casino Hotel and Bangor Inn and Suites, which is convenient to I-95 and the airport. The map and business listings further down this page show more options.
Bangor as a base for exploring Maine
Bangor’s strength is its location. Bar Harbor and Acadia are about an hour east, and Ellsworth is roughly half an hour east, by our estimates. Moosehead Lake is about 90 minutes northwest by our estimate, and our Baxter State Park guide covers the trip north. The Bangor Region Chamber also lists Fort Knox and the Penobscot Narrows Observatory, which we cover in our Fort Knox guide, along with Orono Bog Walk, Hirundo Wildlife Refuge and Hermon Mountain, which has downhill skiing.
Getting to Bangor
Bangor International Airport (BGR) is the regional airport, about 3 miles west of the city, according to Wikipedia. By car, Bangor is on I-95, roughly 130 miles from Portland and about 50 miles from Bar Harbor by our estimates. See our Maine driving distances for more routes.
A short history of Bangor
- 1769: Jacob Buswell settled the area, according to Wikipedia.
- 1791: Kenduskeag Plantation became Bangor, named for the Welsh hymn tune “Bangor” by William Tans’ur.
- 1860: Bangor was the world’s largest lumber port, with about 150 sawmills.
- 1911: the Great Fire destroyed about 55 acres of downtown, including 285 homes. The rebuilt district is on the National Register of Historic Places.
We tell the longer story in our history of Bangor.
Bangor, Maine FAQ
What is Bangor, Maine known for?
Its lumber history, the Paul Bunyan statue, Stephen King’s home, the Cross Insurance Center and waterfront concerts, and its role as the regional hub and airport for eastern and northern Maine.
What are the best things to do in Bangor, Maine?
See the Paul Bunyan statue and Stephen King’s house, walk Mount Hope Cemetery and the waterfront, visit the Zillman Art Museum or the Maine Discovery Museum, and catch a concert at the Maine Savings Amphitheater in summer.
How far is Bangor from Bar Harbor?
Roughly 50 miles, about an hour, by our estimate. Bangor International Airport is the closest big commercial airport to Acadia.
What county is Bangor, Maine in?
Bangor is the county seat of Penobscot County.
Is Bangor, Maine worth visiting?
In our view, yes, mainly as a base and for a night or two. It has a historic downtown, Stephen King sites, museums and live music, and it is a short drive from Acadia, Baxter State Park and Moosehead Lake.
How big is Bangor, Maine?
31,753 people in the 2020 census, making it Maine’s third-largest city after Portland and Lewiston.
How far is Bangor from Portland, Maine?
Roughly 130 miles by our estimate, about two hours by car on I-95.
What happened in Bangor in 1911?
A great fire destroyed about 55 acres of downtown, including the library and 285 homes. The city rebuilt, and part of downtown is now a National Register historic district.
Looking for work in Bangor? Browse Jobs in Bangor on JobsInMaine.com.
Comparing destinations? See our Bangor vs Portland comparison. Thinking of moving here, not just visiting? See our Living in Bangor, Maine relocation guide.
Our details come from Wikipedia (also its library page), Visit Maine, Visit Maine’s 36 hours guide, the Bangor Region Chamber, New England magazine, the Maine Sports Commission and the Cross Insurance Center, checked November 9, 2026. Dates, hours and businesses change, so confirm before you go.