Waterville (Maine)

Waterville is a small city (16,000 in 2020) on the Kennebec River, home to Colby College. Because of its location along a former migration corridor between Quebec and New England (now the Kennebec-Chaudière International Corridor), Franco-American culture is evident here.

By car
From Portland: Take US Interstate I-295 North through Brunswick; this becomes I-95 North in Gardiner; follow signs for Augusta, then Waterville; Exit 127 for the Kennedy Memorial Drive which leads downtown; trip is seventy-five miles and takes seventy-five minutes.

From Bangor: Take I-95 South; Exit 130 for Main Street; continue south on Main Street past the strip malls to downtown; trip is 56 miles and takes about an hour.

From Quebec City: Take Autoroute 73 South to end; Continue on Route 273 (Route du President Kennnedy) following signs for St. Georges/Frontier; Jackman border crossing is open 24 hours/day 7 days/week; continue south on US201 to downtown Waterville; trip is 200 miles and takes about four hours.

Taxis

 * TRI County Cab, +1 207-692-4029

See
The city center's architecture reflects the city's textile mill past. Several large mills remain standing but closed.

Eat
Aside from these recommendations, fast-food and other chain restaurants as well as supermarkets can be found along Main Street and the Kennedy Memorial Drive between I-95 and downtown.

Sleep
Most accommodations (chain hotels and motels) are found along the Kennedy Memorial Drive and Main Street between I-95 and downtown. In addition to the following recommendations, other country inns and bed and breakfasts are located nearby in Belgrade Lakes.



Go next
Without a car, options are limited to the bus line north to Bangor or south to Augusta and Portland. With a car, there are more possibilities:
 * Waterville is a stepping-off point for the Belgrade Lakes and China Lake, two major lake areas with swimming, fishing, boating, and comfortable accommodations.
 * Explore north along the Kennebec River (passing Skowhegan, The Forks, and Jackman, crossing the Appalachian mountains into the Chaudi&egrave;re-Appalaches region of Quebec en route to Quebec City.
 * Head east to Belfast or Camden on the Mid Coast.