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What do people from Georgia, Rhode Island, Iowa, Colorado, Wisconsin, California, New Hampshire, Massachusetts, Pennsylvania, and New Jersey know that you don’t?

They know that Sabbathday Lake Shaker Village in New Gloucester is an amazing place. There were people at Shaker Village from each of those states, as well as England, on the October morning we visited.

Shaker Village includes a store with many interesting products, a fascinating museum, a craft store with locally made crafts from lamps to baskets to cheese balls, a farm with sheep and goats, and several historical buildings.

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We’ve been eating at and enjoying Lewiston’s Davinci’s Eatery for many years – usually before or after another great performance at the city’s Public Theatre.

Usually we were there for lunch, so a special October visit for dinner proved to be very special.

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Mix a room full of Italian wines, savory seafood dishes, fabulous chefs, commercial fishermen and members of Maine’s growing aquaculture industry, lots of media, a good band, and the paying public, and you get a seafood stew worthy of Maine’s food and foodie capitol: Portland.

Down East is a “presenting sponsor” of Harvest on the Harbor, a major food and wine experience spread over three days, October 20 – 22, at Ocean Gateway in Portland.

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There are too many gems. That’s the only problem with the Gems of 26, a clever collaborative promotion of food, lodging, and attractions on a 24-mile scenic stretch of Maine’s Route 26 from Gray to South Paris.

We had hoped to see all of the seven gems on a recent Saturday but fell short by three.    For the record, the gems are: Maine Wildlife Park, Sabbathday Lake Shaker Village, Poland Spring Resort, Poland Spring Preservation Society, Poland Spring Preservation Park, Harvest Hill Farms & Pumpkin Land, and McLaughlin Garden.

Now is the time to schedule your visit because the gems feature a lot of fall activities (including special Halloween events and attractions), and October is the best month to be out-and-about in Maine.

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The American Folk Festival on Bangor’s beautiful waterfront always puts an exclamation point at the end of our summer.

Friends Gary and Deb Dubord of Fayette introduced us to the folk festival four years ago. After that event, we were disappointed that we missed the first five festivals. This is a fantastic 3-day celebration full of music, dancing, arts and crafts, storytelling, and food.

We attended our first three festivals for a single day, then advanced last year to two days, traveling back and forth on Saturday and Sunday. This year we’ll be there for all three days, beginning Friday night, August 26 through Sunday August 28.

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With a sense of adventure and romance, we signed up for the train trip from Brunswick to Rockland. While the train moved forward at about 45 miles per hour, we felt like we were moving back in time, combining nostalgia with stunning coastal views as we rode comfortably through backyards and over rivers.

And we discovered the elusive Wiscasset Route One by-pass. It’s the railroad!

The night before our round trip to Rockland, we stayed at the brand spanking new Inn at Brunswick Station and enjoyed dinner at the Inn’s tavern. During a splendid sunny afternoon in Rockland, we breezed through the Lobster Festival and feasted at Rustica restaurant on Main Street.

 Arriving back in Brunswick at 8 pm, we hit the Sea Dog in Topsham on the way home for burgers and beer.

 It was 31 hours of fun.

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The best hikes in Maine are on the Maine Beer Trail. And you don’t need hiking boots!

Our state has gone from a wasteland to a wonderland of beer brewing. We’ve established an international reputation for finely crafted beers and many brew masters welcome you into their facilities for tours and tastings.

The Maine Brewers Guild provides maps and a list of brewery tours including days and hours. Some of the breweries include restaurants. Prizes are awarded if you visit 5, 10 or all 25 breweries on the trail. As if you needed any incentive.

Today’s column includes a piece by our son Joshua Smith, who works for My Brothers Keeper, serving the poor in Brockton Massachusetts. We’re very proud of Josh, especially for his commitment to public service.