Waterville combines historic sites and arts offerings with outdoor activities. In Head of Falls Park, the Two Cent Bridge anchors the community space and offers sweeping views along the Kennebec River as you walk across. Quarry Road provides access to nearly five miles of flatwater paddling on Messalonskee Stream; the area around Waterville also has four miles of singletrack for hiking and biking. Arts events and a museum offering play and learning for children round out the options. If you’re looking for a hotel in Waterville, you can start by deciding which of these interests will shape your trip.
Head of Falls Park and Its Bridges
Head of Falls Park in Waterville is a historically significant site and a lively community space. The Two Cent Bridge is the park’s highlight. A walk across the bridge offers sweeping views along the Kennebec River. This brings together the park’s community function and its historic bridge; the river views also provide a scenic perspective.
The Two Cent Bridge was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1973 and is also known as the Two Penny Bridge. The Ticonic Bridge is also called the Two Penny Bridge and is the last toll pedestrian bridge in the United States. The register listing and the bridge designation offer different historical contexts: one is an inclusion with a specific year, while the other reflects its unique status as a toll pedestrian bridge.
Arts and Activities for Children
Greene Block + Studios offers special events such as free art workshops and art installations. For travelers interested in culture, this broadens the view of Waterville beyond its bridge history, focusing on art workshops and installations.
The Children’s Discovery Museum of Central Maine offers children in Waterville opportunities for play and learning. Its focus differs from the arts events at Greene Block + Studios: here, the emphasis is on play and learning for children, while the studio focuses on art workshops and installations. When choosing the cultural component of a trip, visitors can therefore distinguish between arts offerings and an explicitly child-focused program of play and learning.
Paddling and Trails
Quarry Road provides access to nearly five miles of flatwater paddling on Messalonskee Stream. The boat launch at the site is part of this access, clearly locating the paddling opportunity on a named waterway.
In the area around Waterville, Quarry Road Trails offers four miles of singletrack for hiking and biking. This is distinct from the walk across the Two Cent Bridge: that walk offers river views, while Quarry Road Trails are designated for hiking and biking. Alongside paddling, there are two different options on land: a scenic bridge walk and a trail for hiking or biking.
Discover more destinations: Hallowell, Manchester, Gardiner, Augusta
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