Things to See & Do: Downeast Maine Edition
Downeast Maine, as this area is called, calls for unhurried adventure. There are so many great small towns & hidden treasures to explore. Huge thanks to many friends for the great tips over the years. This time, we even got turned on to The Weekly Packet for regular roundups of cultural events & the Police Blotter… yes, even in #vacationland!
The lists below (organized by theme & town) are highly subjective & only feature fave places that we have personally experienced. We’ve heard of so many other great places that we plan to explore in future visits… but no rush 🙂
Books to Read
Steve enjoyed Night of the Living Rez by Morgan Talty & This Life Is in Your Hands: One Dream, Sixty Acres, and a Family Undone by Melissa Coleman.
Art & Culture
Abbe Museum, Bar Harbor: Focused on the Wabanaki - People of the First Light
Blue Hill Books: Our must do every summer
Blue Hill Fair: Just as cute as any country fair should be
Kneisel Hall, Blue Hill: Classical music concerts & you can sit inside or on the porch
Reach Project, Blue Hill: Look out for the artist residency open houses & other special projects
Compass Rose Books, Castine: Great books & a great cafe in the back
Wilson Museum, Castine: Quirky collection of old tools & artifacts from world travels
Haystack School, Deer Isle: Sign up for a tour of this fabulous craft school campus
Nervous Nellie’s, Deer Isle: Sculpture garden with a western town theme
The Cannery, Penobscot: Art installations, sheep & music
Center for Contemporary Maine Art, Rockland: Always something interesting to see
Farnsworth Art Museum, Rockland: All the Wyeths are featured & our friend Daniel Minter too
Strand Theatre, Rockland: Vintage theater & we got to see Leyla McCalla there. Nuff said!
The Art of Evelyn Kok, Stonington: Preserving the art & legacy of local artistic legend
DownEast New Music, Various: New festival of music by living classical composers
Nature & Trails
Mount Desert Island, Acadia National Park
Schoodic Peninsula, Acadia National Park
Harriman Point, Brooklin
Holbrook Island Sanctuary, Brooksville
“Nature TV”, Cape Rosier & Various ;)
Barred Island, Deer Isle: An absolute favorite!
Scott’s Landing, Deer Isle
Food & More Food
Chase’s Daily, Belfast: Delicious & fresh
Blue Hill Wine Shop: Often our very first stop upon arrival
Mainescape, Blue Hill: Pies & plants too
Four Season Farms, Brooksville: $7 carrots (lol) & other delicious vegetables available every Saturday morning from 10-12; Great place to chat with neighbors
Tinder Hearth, Brooksville: Great breakfast pastries, pizza dinners… lush garden… a summer must do… despite the quirky reservation system
Fresh & Co, Camden: Woman owned yumminess
Long Grain Restaurant, Camden: Delicious Thai food
LDI Lobster, Little Deer Isle: Beautiful setting next to the Deer Isle Bridge
Bagaduce Lunch, Penobscot: The best haddock sandwiches in the region & a beautiful setting by the Bagaduce River
El El Frijoles, Sargentsville: Mexican food & fresh juices in a garden setting
Maine Lobster Lady, Sargetntsville: It’s all in the name
Roaring Lion Farm Market, Sedgwick: Delicious sandwiches & pastries but arrive early before it all sells out!
44 North Coffee, Deer Isle & Stonington: Best coffee around
Stonington Ice Cream Co: Smoked haddock sandwiches & delicious ice cream
Perry’s Lobster Shack, Surry: Drive up or boat up for lobster treats
Pugnuts Ice Cream Shop, Surry: Everyone’s go to in the region
Maine’s Wild Blueberries, Various: August is the magic month!
Farmers Markets, Various: Sooooo many!
You will need a car to explore Maine properly; and sharp eyes to avoid deer, chipmunks & porcupines with whom you will share the road!
And just remember: Whatever the temptation, when in Maine, do *not* pick the blueberries without permission.
As always… If you want to see more photos or read brief missives on different places we’ve visited and things we’ve experienced, please check out my July instagram posts.