When you exit the Maine Turnpike into Falmouth, you can choose to travel north on Route 1, taking the coastal route, or you can hop onto Route I-295, which takes you into Cumberland, Yarmouth and Freeport.

Falmouth itself has much to offer the summer visitor in terms of coastline views, great shopping, splendid lush neighborhoods and good dining. Vacationers who visit Falmouth enjoy strolling along the local harbor, visiting the historic town hall, browsing through the local shops and walking through the town’s many parks and recreation areas.

10 things to do Exits 52 and 53

1. Chamber of Commerce Concert Series

Village Park in Falmouth, just off Route 1 (behind Wal-Mart), 781-5253. Bring the whole family to the chamber of commerce’s summer concert series in Village Park in Falmouth. Bring a picnic dinner and lawn chairs too. The concerts kick off on July 9 with Tin Cieling and continues on July 23 with Wavelength.

2. Maine Audubon Society at Gilsland Farm

Gilsland Farm Road in Falmouth. Go online to www.maineaudubon.org. Take in the summer night sky on Thursday, July 5 and 19, 8-9:30 p.m. at Gilsland Farm in Falmouth. Astronomer Lori Agan will guide you through the constellations and planets visible to the naked eye. Telescopes and binoculars will also be available for observation. Cost for members is $8 for adults and $3 for children. For nonmembers the cost is $10 for adults and $4 for children.

3. The Greening of Art

Maine Audubon Society at Gilsland Farm in Falmouth. Go online to www.maineaudubon.org. On Thursday, July 12, 7-9 p.m., listen as art educator June LaCombe advocates environmental arts through a slide program featuring images of art around the world that inspire environmental action to restore damaged environments.

4. Andrea Rand’s Sailing School

23 Ramsdell Rd. in Falmouth, 781-7421. Sailing and boating instruction is offered on your boat or theirs. The cost is $20 per hour on your boat and $35 on theirs. Charters without a captain are also available. The school is also part of a non-profit organization that encourages growth and empowerment through sailing. The school caters to the underprivileged, but it also offers charters to private groups.

5. 42nd annual Yarmouth Clam Festival

For directions and a schedule of events, go online to www.clamfestival.com. The Yarmouth Chamber of Commerce is sponsoring the 42nd Annual Clam Festival on Friday, July 20 through Sunday, July 22. The festival raises money for local nonprofit groups, schools and churches. Come experience this free tradition that includes an array of fresh seafood, crafts and fun events.

6. DeLorme Maine Store

Conveniently located on Route 1, right off I-295 at Exit 17. Go online to www.delorme.com for directions. Visit DeLorme’s Eartha exhibit and see the world’s largest revolving and rotating globe. Eartha is housed in a three-story glass atrium and is marked by vivid colors and meticulous detail, illustrating vegetation levels and even major cities and roadways. Summer hours are seven days a week, 9:30 a.m.-7 p.m.

7. Yacht North Group

182 Christopher Rd. in North Yarmouth, 221-5285, or go online to www.yachtnorth.com. Yachts are available for charter at Yacht North Group, Inc.. The can provide experienced captains and thoroughly inspects every yacht available for charter. Motor yacht and sailboat charters and boat rentals are also offered. or go online to www.yachtnorth.com.

8. LL. Bean Outdoor Discovery School

95 Main St. in Freeport, 373-2700. This summer L.L. Bean is offering a variety of outdoor discovery programs, including a canoe camping with kids program, July 7-8, and July 21-22. This is a two-day, one-night trip for parents and kids who want to experience Maine’s beautiful lakes, learn paddle strokes and develop camping skills. The cost is $249 and registration can be completed at www.llbean.com/outdoorsOnline.

9. Wolfe’s Neck Woods State Park

426 Wolfe’s Neck Rd. in Freeport, 865-4465. Located in Freeport, this state park offers easy hiking, ocean views and 200 acres of forest and shore land along Casco Bay. Trail maps are posted throughout the park and picnic sites, charcoal grills and bathrooms are also all available. There is a parking fee.

10. Cold River Vodka Distillery

437 Route 1 in Freeport, 865-4828, or go online to www.coldrivervodka.com. The Cold River Vodka Distillery brews its vodka using only the most pristine water and Maine-grown potatoes, You can watch the process during a casual tour. Extended summer hours for the distillery and gift shop are 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., sevend days a week.