Tourism in Mid-Coast Maine
Talk to
just about anyone about the state of Maine and you’ll usually hear them rave
about one of two places: the South Coast
(York, Wells, Ogunquit, Old Orchard) or the area normally referred to as “Downeast” (Bar Harbor and Acadia National Park, for example). (Though, because of sailing terms in previous
centuries, the term downeast is
sometimes used to reference the whole state.)
But the Maine coastline is long and intricate with all of its islands
and craggy “fingers” jutting out into the Atlantic Ocean. And while ¾ of all visitors to the Pine Tree
State only get as far as the South Coast,
a short ride north of Portland reveals what is referred to
as Mid-coast. Roughly extending from
Brunswick to Belfast, this region has a lot for tourists to do and see.
First
and foremost, natural beauty abounds in this area of the coast. Quaint towns like Camden and Boothbay Harbor
have picturesque waterfronts and the ubiquitous rocky peninsulas. Camden’s attractive setting has drawn film crews since the mid-fifties (with Carousel and Peyton Place) to the
twenty-first century (In the Bedroom in 2001).
Boothbay offers visitors lighthouse tours as well as boat trips to see whales,
puffins, and seals.
Another terrific thing to do around town is to visit its 250-acre Coastal Maine Botanical Garden. Further south near the charming city of Bath
on Georgetown Island one finds Reid State Park. This six-hundred-acre park offers wide sandy beaches, large dunes,
and rocky promontories; it serves as a nesting area for least terns and piping plovers as well.
But
Mid-coast offers more than seascapes and other encounters with Mother Nature. There are arts festivals, theaters, and
plenty of shopping opportunities for every taste. One favorite of ours is Georgetown Pottery,
which has three outlets on the coast.
Here, beautiful handcrafted items—plates, cups, clocks, vases, sinks,
and more—can be purchased, many featuring blueberry, lighthouse, fish, tree, and flower
motifs. Very lovely and not your run-of-the-mill pottery.
Finally, it wouldn’t be right (and wouldn’t be
me!) not to talk about the food that you find here.
Of course, you can get lobster just about everywhere: lobster dinners,
lobster rolls, lobster bisque. You name
it! And there are dishes featuring,
mussels, clams, crabmeat, and fish.
Other than seafood, however, there is a wide range of possibilities from burgers
and fries at Fat Boy Drive In to Pho at Lemongrass Vietnamese restaurant, both in
Brunswick. In Bath we’ve enjoyed meals
at the upscale Solo Bistro on Front Street and a more
modest but equally delicious lunch at Best Thai II. A unique chocolate shop in Georgetown, MainSweets, run by
Patty Mains, has a variety of tasty confections. The most original is her Needhams which are
made from coconut and mashed potatoes! I know, it sounds weird, but Mains, who was
trained in chocolate making in Quebec, uses her grandfather’s recipe, envelops it
in Belgian chocolate, and produces a delightful candy.
So, the next time you're headed downeast, drop in to see a town or two in the Mid-coast area. You can't go wrong in this part of Maine.
0 comments:
Post a Comment