Nearby

Take a Lighthouse Tour

Maine is home to 65 lighthouses and many of them are right in MidCoast, a short drive away.

The Owls Head Light Station sits atop a majestic bluff overlooking Penobscot Bay in a state park near the entrance to Rockland Harbor. The grounds are open daily, year-round, with panoramic views of the bay, islands, and marine traffic.

Curtis Island Light is in Camden Harbor on Curtis Island. You need a boat to access the island and its public park, but you can view the harbor and the lighthouse from the Curtis Island Overlook in Camden.

Grindle Point Lighthouse is on the island of Isleboro and can be accessed by a 20-minute ferry ride in July and August. The lightkeeper’s house has been converted to a small museum of nautical history.

The Rockland Breakwater Lighthouse, built in 1902, sits at the South end of a nearly 1-mile breakwater. This working lighthouse is open for tours during the summer — just walk across the granite breakwater when the weather permits.

TAKE THE FERRY TO an island

From Lincolnville Beach, take a 20-minute ride on the Margaret Chase Smith ferry to the historic villages and summer colonies on the island of Islesboro. You’ll discover easy hikes along the coast and through the marshes, beautiful ocean views, rocky beaches, quaint markets where you can grab a picnic lunch, and many artists’ studios and galleries.

From the Downtown Rockland Ferry Terminal, catch a boat to the islands of Matinicus, North Haven, or Vinalhaven. Matinicus, 20 miles off Rockland, is the farthest inhabited land off the east coast in the U.S. It is only about 2 miles by 1 mile, making the rustic community easy to explore on foot or on a rental bike. Northhaven and Vinalhaven, which are connected by a thoroughfare, are 12 miles off shore. They are home to quirky galleries, shops, a historical museum, working boatyards and fishing fleets, and protected land with a network of trails. On Vinalhaven, which was once a major source of granite, take a dip in one of two quarries, now filled with fresh, crystal-clear water.

Take a Hike

Camden Hills State Park offers a network of wooded trails ranging from easy to moderate. The harder trails rise above the forest floor to lookout spots on rocky ledges, and summit some of the area’s gentle peaks. These trails are perfect for hiking in the spring, summer, and fall, and snowshoeing in the winter.

The Megunticook Trail leads to the peak of Mount Megunticook, passing by some of the park’s most scenic views and ending with sweeping views of the entirety of Penobscot Bay. From here you can see to Acadia National Park in one direction, and on a clear day, Mount Washington in New Hampshire in the other.

The Mount Battie Trail is a moderately challenging half-mile climb to the summit of Mount Battie where you’ll be rewarded with stunning views of the boats coming and going in Camden Harbor. Feeling low-key? For a daily use fee, you can also drive the auto road to the summit — we won’t tell.

See a Show

MidCoast Maine is home to Rockland’s Strand Theater, Flagship Premium Cinemas in Thomaston, the Camden Opera House, Rockport’s Bay Chamber Concerts, Everyman Repertory Theater, Down East Singers, and Rockport Opera House. Every September, these towns co-host the Camden International Film Festival. Year-round, there’s tons to see at the performing arts venues and theaters nearby!

PHOTOGRAPH A WINDJAMMER – or sail on one

Windjammers (or “tall ships”) are antique schooners with multiple masts. In Camden and Rockland harbors, many of these onetime commercial ships have been converted for leisurely sails along Maine’s midcoast, but even from the shore the windjammers’ soaring wooden masts—rigged with ropes, pulleys, and canvas sails—are a striking sight against the bright blue of the sky and the deep green of the Atlantic Ocean.

Visit a Museum

MidCoast’s small museums offer a unique view into Maine’s past. The Owls Head Transportation Museum in Owls Head displays antique vehicles, aircraft, and transportation technology from before 1940. The Sail, Power, and Steam Museum in Rockland is home to a unique collection of marine photographs, exhibits, and artifacts. And the Maine Lighthouse Museum in Rockland educates visitors about the traditions of America’s lighthouses and the history of the U.S. Coast Guard.

If art is more your speed, the Farnsworth Art Museum in Rockland has a nationally recognized collection of artwork, including a large set of works by N.C., Andrew, and Jamie Wyeth. A short walk away, the Center for Maine Contemporary Art displays modern artwork in a striking building with a public courtyard and gift shop.

Play a Round of Golf

Coastal Maine’s golf courses are hidden gems, with a friendly and welcoming attitude, beautifully maintained courses, and stunning mountain and ocean views. Public courses like The Rockland Golf Club and Goose River Golf Club offer modest greens fees and are accessible to all ages and abilities, while the 120-year old Samoset Resort offers a luxury experience that has been called “the Pebble Beach of the East.”

WALK THE ARMISTICE BRIDGE IN BELFAST

The historic Armistice Bridge spans the Passagassawakeag River in downtown Belfast. Built in 1921 as a memorial to World War I veterans, the bridge originally carriedRoute 1 traffic. Today it’s for pedestrians only, with picturesque views of Belfast Harbor, serene fishing spots, and benches to linger a while. After your walk, visit Perry’s Nut House for home made fudge, candy, and ice cream.

EAT A LOBSTER FRESH OUT OF PENOBSCOT BAY

All Maine lobsters are wild caught in the cold water just off-shore — most by fishing families who captain their own boats and haul their own traps. Whether you like your lobster chilled in a roll with mayo or steaming and dipped in drawn butter, there’s never a bad time of year to enjoy this treat straight from one of the shacks or lobster pounds that line Route 1 all along the midcoast.

Shuck your own oysters

Maine’s midcoast is known for its world class oyster farms and the pristine, briny oysters that the region’s rivers and estuaries produce. Most farms will sell you a dozen straight from the source, along with helpful tips on how to shuck your own. Try Weskeag Oyster Company in South Thomaston (about 40 beautiful minutes away from Camp). Take them to Oyster River Wine Growers, just a skip away from there in Warren (open summer weekends), for a sublime, only-in-coastal-Maine picnic.

HUNT FOR SEA GLASS IN BAYSIDE

Just south of Belfast, the village of Bayside is a classic 19th century coastal Maine cottage community, where small, seasonal Victorian homes grace the scenic waterfront, and Maine’s largest Gilded Age Mansion, Oak Hall, sits atop the bluff. The peaceful town has several oceanfront parks and a town wharf where you can picnic, swim, or paddle a kayak along the shore. Keep an eye out for colorful tide tumbled glass on the pebbled beaches.