Augusta has been Maine's capital since 1827, seven years after statehood — and it has the feel of a small New England city that takes its civic role seriously without making a fuss about it. The population hovers around 18,000, and the pace is unhurried. Government is the main business here, and the granite Capitol dome designed by Charles Bulfinch anchors a compact downtown that can be walked in an afternoon.
The Kennebec River is the city's backbone. Fort Western, built in 1754 to protect English settlers during the French and Indian War, stands on the east bank and is the oldest surviving wooden fort in New England — a genuinely interesting place to spend an hour, especially if you catch one of the living-history demonstrations. The riverfront has been cleaned up in recent decades, and the Kennebec River Rail Trail runs south from Augusta through Hallowell and Gardiner, following the water with good views along the way. Bring a bike.
The cluster of state buildings along State Street repays a slow walk. Blaine House, the governor's mansion since 1919, sits a short distance from the Capitol and is open for weekday morning tours. The Maine State Museum, directly across the parking lot from the Capitol, is better than you might expect — its exhibits on 19th-century industry and Maine's native peoples include a working three-level mill model and well-crafted wildlife dioramas. Admission is modest.
West of downtown, the Pine Tree State Arboretum covers 224 acres of meadow and woodland with free year-round access. Fall color here is excellent. Belgrade Lakes, a string of lakes popular with canoeists and anglers, is a short drive northwest and makes a good half-day trip.