Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens

About

Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens sits on land along the tidal Back River in Boothbay, on Maine's midcoast. The developed core is built around the Lerner Visitor Center and includes a set of themed gardens: perennial borders, a woodland garden, a children's garden, and the Lerner Garden of the Five Senses, which uses paving texture, a fountain, and scented plantings to help orient visitors with low vision. Paved paths connect most of these areas, and a pond with a working fountain sits at the center of one garden room.

Past the central gardens, the property opens into wooded sections and paths that run down toward the shoreline, where surfaces shift from pavement to compacted gravel to dirt trail. A free shuttle loops continuously around the grounds with several stops, and a guided electric cart that carries up to five people costs $18 per person as of 2026, free for members on Wednesdays, for visitors who want to cover more ground without walking or self-driving a scooter. A typical visit runs two to four hours, longer with a stop at the on-site cafe or extra time in the children's garden.

The gardens are open daily from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. as of 2026, with gates locked at closing time. Admission is charged by age tier, with online pricing running lower than tickets bought at the gate. Boothbay Harbor, a working harbor town with boat tours and seafood restaurants, is a short drive away. The gardens sit roughly an hour's drive northeast of Portland, making them workable as a day trip from Portland or a stop on a longer midcoast Maine itinerary.

Accessibility

Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens is wheelchair accessible in its central gardens, with more limited access on the outer trails. The developed core around the Lerner Visitor Center has ADA-compliant paved paths and ramps wherever stairs occur, according to the gardens' own accessibility page.

Accessible parking is the lot closest to the entrance, and visitors can also be dropped off directly at the front entrance of the Lerner Visitor Center. Wheelchair-accessible restrooms, along with family and all-gender restrooms, are in the left porch wing of the visitor center, with additional restrooms at the cafe and education center.

Getting around beyond the visitor center takes more planning. Paths in the central gardens are paved, but terrain elsewhere on the grounds ranges from paved walkway to compacted gravel to wooded trail. Wheelchairs and electric scooters are available on a first-come, first-served basis, and a free shuttle circles the grounds every 20 to 25 minutes with several stops. A guided electric cart tour, which carries up to five people, is a way to see more of the property without covering the grade changes on your own.

The Lerner Garden of the Five Senses is designed for sensory orientation: the paving changes texture and pattern to guide visitors with low vision, and a fountain provides a constant point of sound. A private Quiet Room in the cafe serves as a low-sensory space or nursing room. Service animals are welcome on a six-foot fixed leash, with handlers responsible for the animal's behavior and cleanup.

The gardens do not publish information on elevators, braille or high-contrast signage, audio description, captioning, or assistive listening devices. Visitors who need those accommodations should call (207) 633-8000 ahead of a visit to confirm what is available.

Checked by Accessible America, August 2026. Report a change

More accessible places in Maine

• Acadia NP & coastal hikes & food scene (Acadia National Park / Bar Harbor)
• Acadia National Park (Bar Harbor)
• Maine Maritime Museum (Bath)
• Portland Museum of Art (Portland)
• Southern Maine Beach Towns (Ogunquit)
• Bangor Mall (Bangor)

Photo credits

• The Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens visitor center building with a stone entrance plaza.: CMBG editor, CC BY-SA 4.0 (source)
• Cafe entrance with a covered porch, level flagstone patio and a parked mobility scooter.: Daderot, CC0 (source)
• Carved stone water sculptures sit before a hydrangea garden with benches and a paved patio.: Daderot, CC0 (source)