• 

• 

These two communities at the confluence of southern Maine and the midcoast are home to a variety of restaurants and breweries, scenic nature preserves, and unique cultural institutions. There are a lot of ways to spend a weekend in Bath and Brunswick, so we spoke with Aaron Park, a Bath city councilor and former owner of Centre Street Bakery in Bath and the now-closed Henry and Marty Restaurant and Catering in Brunswick, about how to make the most of a visit.

Trail Trekking

Park recommends visiting Butler Head, a 141-acre preserve on Merrymeeting Bay in Bath that has a network of trails through forests and along the water. The preserve, maintained by the Bath Community Forestry Committee, is open to pets and features views of Merrymeeting Bay and Butler Cove. For more outdoor exploring, Park suggests the Whiskeag Trail, a five-mile biking and walking trail that connects the Bath Area Family YMCA with Thorne Head Preserve.

• 

• 

Brewery Hopping

Park points out that beer fans could spend a whole day visiting the different options, with a half-dozen breweries located in the region. In Brunswick, there is Flight Deck Brewing at Brunswick Landing, Moderation Brewing on downtown’s Maine Street, and Black Pug Brewing Company on Bath Road (plus, Sea Dog Brewing Company is just over the bridge in Topsham). If you continue to the east, you’ll pass by Trinken Brewing Company in West Bath and Bath Brewing Company in the city’s downtown.

• 

• 

Paddle Play

If you haven’t picked up the fastest-growing sport in America yet, perhaps a visit to Pegasus Landing’s six dedicated pickleball courts will change that. “It’s the best game ever,” says Park, an avid pickleball player. The courts at the Brunswick Landing apartment complex are free for anyone to use—you just need to bring a paddle. “The nets are there, the balls are there and people are ready to play,” Park says.

Read More 48 Hours Stories:

• 
  48 Hours in Cape Elizabeth, South Portland + Scarborough
• 
  Brunswick in 48 Hours
• 
  Carrabassett Valley in 48 Hours
• 
  Lovell in 48 Hours