The Maine Office of Tourism recently tipped us that many parks cost little or nothing for admission.

More than 35 Maine State Parks and Historic Sites charge truly affordable admission prices ranging from $3 to $6.50 for non-resident adults and even less for Maine residents and all seniors. Admission is $1 for children ages five to 11, and free for those under 5. The Merryspring Nature Center in Camden (Mid Coast) has free daily admission for visitors (including dogs!) to access its beautiful 66-acre public park with eight theme gardens, 10 nature trails as well as an arboretum. The Maine Wildlife Park in Gray (near Sebago Lake in southern Maine) is unique in that it features native animals that are unable to survive in the wild due to injury or being orphaned. Visitors can walk a “tree trail and wetland trail in addition to viewing a moose, black bear, deer, raccoon and other animals,” according to the Maine Office of Tourism.

You can learn more about Maine travel at www.visitmaine.com