Although the summer season is leaving with a bang, there are plenty of reasons to look forward to the fall season.

The boats (and tourists) may be going away for the winter, but the best time to be in Maine is just beginning.

No traffic

Almost as quickly as the leaves fall from the trees do the added motorists leave the streets of Wiscasset and Boothbay Harbor.

More cars generally mean more business, but it's nice to be able to complete a five minute drive in just five minutes.

With fewer cars on the road, a drive through Wiscasset becomes a drive through Wiscasset — and not a practice in stop and go.

The offseason also brings with it another caveat: places such as Pemaquid Beach become free to visit, and the throngs of visitors disappear.

The scenery

Summer is a pretty time in Maine; bright blue skies over a sparkling blue ocean.

But fall is when Maine kicks it up a notch.

Keep the rugged coastline, the startling waters and add in the Technicolor explosions of leaves and summer really never had a chance against the prettiest season.

The produce

If summer is the season of watermelon, then fall belongs to the fruits of the harvest.

Namely, apples and pumpkins, which happen to make the two best kinds of pie.

Places such as Morris Farm in Wiscasset and Goranson's Farm in Dresden allow “weekend farmers” a chance to pick a cornucopia of flavors.

The weather

For as much good press as Maine's summer weather garners: the low temperatures, the bright sunny days and the big lolling clouds ambling above a strewn-out sea; fall is better.

Take the good parts of summer weather and make them better while eliminating humidity and bugs.

That is, if the rain stops.

Fall sports

Not just the professional or collegiate ranks, either.

With Wiscasset and Boothbay Region both fielding several strong teams (Seahawks cross country and football, Wolverines soccer) it's a good time to follow either school.

There are worse ways to spend a bright, sunny fall afternoon than cheering for the local colors.

The festivities

For Pumpkinfest, Damariscotta's most popular event, the paddle boards and kayaks of summer have been replaced with the gourds of fall.

The pumpkin is celebrated, smashed, raced, carved, painted and “chunked.”

The festival gets started Friday, Oct. 10 and runs through Columbus Day.

And the Boothbay Information Center’s annual Fall Foliage Festival on Columbus Day weekend at the Boothbay Railway Village always reminds visitors that it’s fall.

For more fall festivals and activities, visit our Best of Fall page here, and don’t forget to submit your best fall photos in our Best Fall Photo contest, taking place now!