Come here to dawdle, browse, dine, wander
When dreaming of those lazy days of summer, images of ice cream and saltwater taffy, briny breezes, and sailboats skimming across the ocean come to mind. That's the Boothbay region. Shaped by the Sheepscot and Damariscotta rivers, the Boothbay Peninsula dangles into the Atlantic just east of Wiscasset, its bony fingers stitched together by sinewy roads, causeways, and bridges.
The region delivers a taste of Maine's midcoast in a microcosm. Winking lighthouses dot offshore islands; spruce trees cling to rocky shores; sea gulls cry for scraps above lobstermen hauling traps; and boats and buoys bob in the busy harbor. Oh, yes, and lobster in some form appears on nearly every menu. When viewed from above, the peninsula's tip even resembles a lobster, with Southport as the crusher claw, East Boothbay as the pincher claw, and Spruce Point as the head.
Long a favored destination for artists and rusticators, Boothbay Har bor, the epicenter, is one of those Maine seafaring villages made for postcards. A jumble of cottages, inns, and houses crown an intown knoll. Boatyards and wharfs edge the waterfront. Shops and restaurants line the streets and byways. In summer, tourists shuffle along, licking ice cream cones, jawing saltwater taffy, and dodging into shops selling everything from tacky souvenirs and T-shirts to fine art and antiques.
The namesake harbor cleaves the village, but linking the two sides is a pedestrian bridge that provides a vantage point for all the water-based action. Windjammers, sea kayaks, and excursion boats depart harbor piers for island-hopping, puffin-sighting, whale-watching, and lighthouse-viewing tours; canoes, dinghies, sailfish, and motor yachts ply the waters; islands and sails dot the horizon. The outlying towns of East Boothbay, Southport, and Boothbay, each salted with farmhouses and umpteenth-generation family cottages, invite leisurely exploration, back-roads biking, and coastal preserve hiking.
In 24 hours, you can get a taste of the Boothbays, but you will want to linger to discover coastal nooks and crannies, board yet another boat, browse another gallery, or savor another lobster. As with most popular destinations along Maine's coastline, advance reservations are strongly suggested for lodging, dining, and excursions, especially during the summer, and weekends in fall and spring.
Sunrise: Rise and greet the day by watching the sunrise from Ocean Point, which tips East Boothbay. While here, consider hiking in the Boothbay Region Land Trust's 138-acre Linekin Preserve (207-633-4818, bbrlt.org), which stretches between Route 96 and the Damariscotta River. Afterward, stop by the East Boothbay General Store (255 Ocean Point Road/Route 96, 207-633-7800, eastboothbaygeneralstore.com) for a muffin and coffee.
8-10:30 a.m.: Return to your lodging for breakfast or head intown to the Ebb Tide (43 Commercial St., Boothbay Harbor, 207-633-5692), a tiny pine-paneled dinerette that has been dishing out wicked good homestyle fare for eons. Or try Baker's Way (89 Townsend Ave., Boothbay Harbor, 207-633-1119), also called The Doughnut Shop, a local favorite for huge and tasty sticky buns - and Vietnamese food.
Afterward, wander downtown. Boothbay Harbor is regaining traction as an artist colony, and galleries selling fine art and crafts are multiplying. A few worth noting are Abacus (12 McKown St., 207-633-2166, abacusgallery.com) for fun, funky, and fine crafts; Molly Hutchins Designs (20 McKown St., 207-633-3060, mollyhutchins.com) for unique clothing; Mung Bean (37 Townsend Ave., 207-633-5512) for crafts; Gold/Smith Gallery (41 Commercial St., 207-633-6252), with gold jewelry and contemporary paintings; and Gleason Fine Art (31 Townsend Ave., 207-633-6849, gleasonfineart.com), showing 19th- through 21st-century artwork. On the east side of town is Villard Gallery (53-57 Campbell St., 207-633-3507, artcolonyeditions.com), where painter Kim Villard and sculptor Philippe Villard often collaborate on woodcuts and handmade books.
10:30 a.m.-1 p.m.: Occupying 248 spectacular oceanfront acres, the Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens (Barters Island Road, Boothbay, 207/633-4333, mainegardens.org) is equally magical and masterful. Less than 10 years old, it's a work in progress, but already it's New England's largest, and it has child-friendly gardens. Wander trails that mosey through woodland, meditation, and ornamental gardens; let kids stretch their imaginations in the Fairy House Village or play in the demonstration children's gardens; admire the sculptures displayed throughout. Have lunch either in the Kitchen Garden Café or at Bet's Famous Fish Fry (Village Common, Route 27, Boothbay), a take-out on the village green, where a sign proclaims "free beer tomorrow."
1:30-6 p.m.: No trip to the Boothbays is complete without getting on the water. Board the Novelty for the 1:45 p.m. cruise to Burnt Island (Pier 8, 42 Commercial St., 207-633-2284 or 800-298-2284, balmydayscruises.com/lighthouse). It's only 15 minutes to the island, but the trip rolls back the decades to the 1950s, when lightkeeper Joseph Muise lived here with his family. Guided tours include both living and natural history presentations, and include a visit to the light tower, the house, and exploration time on the grounds. On returning to town, quell any hunger pangs with a make-your-own sundae at the Boothbay Ice Cream Factory (1 The Byway, Pier 1, 207-633-3016).
6-10 p.m.: So many options, so little time. See what's on the schedule at the Opera House (86 Townsend Ave., 207-633-5159, boothbayoperahouse.org), an 1894 hall that's home to concerts, lectures, dramas, and special events; most start between 7 and 9 p.m., so plan activities and dinner accordingly. Other possibilities worth planning around include First Friday art tours, Thursday evening Hallowell Band Concerts on the Memorial Library lawn, and Lincoln Arts Festival events (207-633-3913, lincolnartsfestival.org). Mull it all over cocktails on the deck of the Rocktide Inn's On the Rocks tiki-bar lounge (35 Atlantic Ave., 207-633-4455, rocktideinn.com), across the footbridge on the east side of the harbor.
For more time on the water, book a sunset cruise or paddle. Join world sailors and boatbuilders Herb and Doris Smith aboard their latest project, the Schooner Eastwind (207-633-6598, fishermanswharfinn.com/sailing.htm), a 65-foot traditional wooden schooner they constructed in 2004. The Eastwind departs Pier 6 on Fisherman's Wharf at 6 p.m. for a 2 1/2-hour evening sail to the outer islands and Seal Rocks. Or, join sea-kayaking outfitter Tidal Transit (207-633-7140, kayakboothbay.com) on its Sunset Tour. The two- to three-hour paddle around the inner and outer harbors departs at 5:30 p.m. Or, for a rocking good time, book passage on the Cahoots Classic Rock Cruise (Thursday nights) or Reggae Cruise (Sunday nights) aboard the Harbor Princess (Pier 6, 207-633-3500 or 888-942-5363, whaleme.com/tickets.htm).
By now, you're famished. The Lobster Dock (49 Atlantic Ave., 207-633-7120, thelobsterdock.com), on the east side of the footbridge, is the genuine deal when it comes to order-at-the window lobster shacks. Of course you can order lobster, but there's so much more: celebrity chef Bobby Flay challenged the kitchen to a crab cakes throwdown. For a more refined atmosphere, book a table at Ports of Italy (47 Commercial St., 207-633-1011, portsofitaly.com). Chef Davide Rossi was reared in Milan and attended culinary school in Italy, so he knows a thing or two about authentic Italian flavors. Or, count the stars while dining on the third-floor deck of the Boathouse Bistro (12 The By-Way, 207-633-0400). It serves a wide-ranging menu, including tapas-style choices.
10 p.m.-1 a.m.: Ready for a night on the town? Down on the waterfront, J.H. Hawks (Pier 1, 207-633-5589), Gray's Wharf (Pier 1, 207-633-5629, grayswharf.com), and McSeagulls (14 Wharf St. at Pier 1, 207-633-5900, mcseagullsonline.com) usually have live entertainment. Far quieter is the Townsend Coffee House and Wine Bar (53 Townsend Ave., 207-633-0809, townsendcoffeehouse.com), where Maine musicians often perform on Saturday nights.
1 a.m.-sunrise: Sleep well, and dream of your return.
Hilary Nangle, author of "Moon Coastal Maine" and "Moon Maine" (both Avalon Travel Publishing, 2008), can be reached at HilaryNangle.com.
