Waterville

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.

Get in

Downtown Waterville.

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.

By bus

• Concord Coach Lines, in front of Museum of Art at Colby College, toll-free: +1-800-639-3317. Waterville is on the Boston-Bangor line. 
• Greyhound, 320 Kennedy Memorial Dr (by the local airport three miles southwest of downtown).

Get around

By bus

• Kennebec Explorer, ☏ +1 207 622-4761. A community transportation service available to the general public, operates two bus routes through the city Monday to Friday. A south line begins downtown and follows the Kennedy Memorial Drive and a north line runs between downtown and Fairfield. 

Taxis

• TRI County Cab, ☏ +1 207 692-4029

Rental cars

• Enterprise, ☏ +1 207 877-6601. 

See

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

• 1 Colby College Campus, 4000 Mayflower Hill Drive, ☏ +1 207 859-4828. Student-led campus tours available from the Office of Admissions. A small liberal arts college founded in 1813. Stroll around the tree-studded hilltop campus with its fine Neo-Georgian architecture. The view from the steps of Miller Library (or from the library's tower during the few times the tower is open) stretches across the Kennebec River valley, particularly beautiful during fall foliage.  
• 2 Colby College Museum of Art. Maine's largest art museum, containing important works by John Singleton Copley, Winslow Homer, Georgia O'Keeffe, and Richard Serra.  
• 3 Perkins Arboretum and Bird Sanctuary. A 128zacre forest with almost two miles of hiking trails.  
• 4 Two Cent Bridge. The 1903 Ticonic footbridge crosses the Kennebec between Waterville and neighboring Winslow, once allowing factory workers access to mills on either side of the river, now an interesting site to visit.  
• 5 Redington Museum, 62 Silver St, ☏ +1 207 872-9439. Memorial Day through Labor Day, Tuesday through Saturday. Maintained by the Waterville Historical Society, this house contains 18th- and 19th-century artifacts from its original inhabitants and other local families.  

Do

The Miller Library of Colby College

• Maine International Film Festival, ☏ +1 207 861-8138. In mid-July, this festival showcases independent American and international film and highlights New England and Maine filmmakers.  
• Colby College, 4000 Mayflower Hill Drive, ☏ +1 207-859-4000. The college hosts musical and theatrical performances, sports, lectures, and many other cultural events. Check the news and events page for listings. (updated Nov 2024)
• 1 Railroad Square Cinema, 17 Railroad Square, ☏ +1 207 873-6526. Shows nightly and weekend matinees. One of Maine's leading independent and international movie houses and venue for the Maine International Film Festival. Art by local artists available for sale. (updated Nov 2024)
• 2 Waterville Opera House, 93 Main St, ☏ +1 207 873-7000. A grand theater space offering a variety of performances throughout the year. Also a venue for the Maine International Film Festival. (updated Nov 2024)

Buy

• Colby Bookstore, 5400 Mayflower Hill Dr (in the Roberts Union), ☏ +1 207 859-5400, toll-free: +1-800-727-8506. Not only the source for college textbooks and all manner of Colby gear, this independent bookstore features Colby authors, books on local topics, and contemporary fiction and nonfiction. 

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.

• 1 Gifford's Ice Cream, 170 Silver St, ☏ +1 207 872-6631. Waterville location of a Maine ice cream chain headquartered in nearby Skowhegan. Unique local flavors include Moose Tracks, Whoopie Pie, and Grape-nuts. (updated Nov 2024)
• Waterville Farmers' Market, Appleton Street (the Concourse). May-Oct Th 2PM-6PM; Nov-Apr every third Th of month 2PM-4PM. Farmers' featuring a variety of locally grown, raised, or crafted products. 

Drink

• 1 Mainely Brews, 1 Post Office Square, ☏ +1 207 873-2457. Bar popular with both locals and college students. (updated Nov 2024)

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 nearby in Belgrade Lakes.

• 1 Fireside Inn & Suites, 376 Main St, ☏ +1 207 873-3335, fax: +1 207 873-3335, stay@firesideinnwaterville.com. (updated Nov 2024)
• 2 Budget Host Airport Inn, 400 Kennedy Memorial Dr, ☏ +1 207 873-3366, toll-free: +1-800-BUD-HOST (283-4678), fax: +1 207 873-3366. (updated Nov 2024)
• 3 The Elmwood, 455 Kennedy Memorial Dr, ☏ +1 207 616-0832, fax: +1 207 861-8019, info@theelmwoodme.com. (updated Nov 2024)
• 4 Hampton Inn, 425 Kennedy Memorial Dr, ☏ +1 207 873-0400, fax: +1 207 873-5486. Check-in: 3PM, check-out: noon. (updated Nov 2024)
• 5 Best Western Plus Waterville Grand Hotel, 375 Main St, ☏ +1 207 873-0111, toll-free: +1-800-780-7234. (updated Nov 2024)
• 6 Pleasant Street Inn, 84 Pleasant St, ☏ +1 207 680-2515, wtd54@yahoo.com. A three-room B&B close to downtown. (updated Nov 2024)
• 7 Holiday Inn Express & Suites Waterville - North, 332 Main St, ☏ +1 207 873-2777, toll-free: +1-877-660-8550. Check-in: 3PM, check-out: 11AM. (updated Nov 2024)

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 Chaudière-Appalaches region of Quebec en route to Quebec City.
• Head east to Belfast or Camden on the Mid Coast.

Routes through Waterville

Bangor ← Fairfield ←	N  S	→ Augusta → Lewiston–Auburn
Quebec City ← Fairfield ←	N  S	→ Winslow → Augusta
Fort Kent ← Fairfield ←	N  S	→ Oakland → Augusta
Bangor ← Fairfield ←	N  S	→ Winslow → Augusta
ENDS at W E ← Oakland ←	W  E	→ Winslow → Belfast