7 Best Towns In Maine For A Two-Day Recharge
New England’s largest state and the northeasternmost state in the Lower 48, Maine, shares land borders with the US State of New Hampshire and Canada's New Brunswick and Quebec provinces. Highlighting uneven Atlantic and Gulf of Maine shorelines, dense pine forests, immaculate watercourses, glacier-scoured mountain peaks, and fertile river valleys, the Pine Tree State’s nonpareil natural settings and never-ending outdoor recreational activities have made it a coveted ‘vacationland’ over several decades. Despite the fact that the miles of uncluttered sandy beaches, the archaic lighthouse-strewn coastlines, and the placement of teeming urban jungles like Portland have time and time again attracted millions of holidaymakers to the Southern Maine Coast, the innumerous quintessential towns sprinkled all over this 30,862 sq. mi state are the best locales to rejuvenate on a two-day vacation.
Rockland
A buzzing port town and a perfect point of departure for the state ferry service operated by MaineDOT to the Matinicus, North Haven, and Vinalhaven islands, Rockland, the county seat of Knox County, sits on the western banks of the Penobscot Bay. With an intriguing history of economic transformation from lime production and shipbuilding to fishery and service hub, Rockland is at present the commercial heart of the Midcoast Maine region, receiving an increased influx of summer vacationers.
In addition to impressive sites like the world-famous Farnsworth Art Museum, the Maine Lighthouse Museum, Rockland Breakwater Light, and the Center for Maine Contemporary Art, Rockland’s revitalized downtown is filled with clothing stores like The Grasshopper Shop, art galleries like Blue Raven Gallery, seafood eateries like Rockland Café, and accommodations like the Rockland Harbor Hotel.
Wiscasset
Nicknamed “Maine’s Prettiest Village,” Wiscasset, located on the tidal Sheepscot River’s western shores in the Midcoast region of the Pine Tree State, is the administrative center of Lincoln County. This lively seaside settlement, located just an hour away from the state’s most populous city, was a lumber trading, shipbuilding, and fishing center that expeditiously became the most bustling seaport to the north of Boston until 1807.
Covering a substantial portion of the town is the Wiscasset Historic District, featuring several outstanding edifices such as the Nickels-Sortwell House, the Wiscasset Jail & Museum, and Capt. George Scott House (Octagon House). Furthermore, head to the Wiscasset Antiques Mall, and Monkey C Monkey Do, one of the state's top zipline and adventure parks, taste appetizing lobster rolls at Red’s Eats, and rest for the night at Wiscasset Woods Lodge.
Rangeley
Rangeley, baptized after the Englishman Squire James Rangeley, is a quaint Franklin County town on the Rangeley Lake’s eastern banks, at the kernel of the Rangeley Lakes Region, centrally placed between the headwaters of both the Kennebec and Androscoggin Rivers. Vacationers on a tour of this all-season outdoor recreation haven get to partake in hiking and water sports activities in the warm months, witness breathtaking fall colors of the surrounding region while traversing the Rangeley Lakes National Scenic Byway, and explore the Saddleback Ski Area’s well-kept ski and snowmobile trails in the cold season.
As the winter ends, the keenly awaited fishing season begins with thousands of angling aficionados crowding to catch brook trout and oversized salmon. Do not forget to stop by the Outdoor Heritage Museum to learn more about the rich outdoor history of the Rangeley region, enjoy theatrical performances at Rangeley Friends of the Arts, and have a pleasant stay at The Rangeley Inn & Tavern.
Kennebunkport
A bewitching resort destination in southwestern Maine’s York County, Kennebunkport is located at the Kennebunk River’s mouth, approximately 29 miles southwest of Portland. Originally a shipbuilding and fishing settlement, the town has progressively grown into one of the affluent communities in Maine and a celebrated summer retreat for the wealthy elite.
When on a sojourn to Kennebunkport, do pay a visit to the countless art galleries like Compliments Gallery, gift shops like Dock Square Emporium, coastal cuisine spots like Alisson’s Restaurant, and hotels like Kennebunkport Inn in the Dock Square area besides popular tourist magnets like St. Ann’s by-the-Sea Episcopal Church, Walker’s Point Estate, and the adjoining Rachel Carson National Wildlife Refuge.
Bar Harbor
Formally incorporated as the ‘Town of Eden’ in 1796 and rechristened in 1918 after the conspicuous sand and gravel bar as ‘Bar Harbor,’ this appealing Hancock County community is set at the base of Cadillac Mountain on Mount Desert Island, at the side of Frenchman Bay. A huge number of tourists flock to Bar Harbor, especially in the summer and fall seasons, to participate in the myriad open-air recreational activities at the stunning Acadia National Park and unwind after an action-packed day at the downtown Bar Harbor Grand Hotel.
Additionally, many long-distance cyclists from around the world are attracted to this northern terminus of the Atlantic Coast Bicycle Route and the eastern stopping point of the Northern Tier Bicycle Route of the Adventure Cycling Association.
Old Orchard Beach
Dubbed ‘The Garden by the Sea’ by pioneer settler Thomas Rogers and named for his deserted apple orchard, this storied seaside holiday resort is situated on the Saco Bay’s inner side in York County of Southern Maine. A captivating spectacle of Old Orchard Beach is its seven-mile-long squeaky-clean beach stretching to the neighboring towns of Scarborough and Saco; coupled with multiple waterfront domestic residences, apartment buildings, and homely bed & breakfasts like Old Orchard Beach Inn.
Vacationers will take note of the numerous tourism-centric small businesses that cram the Downtown and Old Orchard Street historic district, as well as the wooden Beach Pier. Side by side, proceed straight to Palace Playland, a family-focused amusement park comprising a 24,000-square-foot arcade, a recently built Ferris wheel, and approximately 28 amusement rides.
Castine
One of New England’s primordial settlements, Castine, initially titled by the Indigenous Tarrantine Abenaki Indians as ‘Majabigwaduce,’ is located on a peninsula in Penobscot Bay, close to the site of the time-honored French Fort Pentagouët. With more than one hundred historic markers scattered throughout, this Hancock County community, honored with the name of Baron Jean-Vincent de Saint-Castin, exudes a distinctive vintage vibe given its old buildings, such as the Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Castine, Castine Post Office - one of the United States’ oldest continuously operating Post Office buildings, and Wilson Museum housing the Geologist Dr. John Howard Wilson’s collections.
Spend the night at the 1898-built Castine Inn, subsequent to exploring Castine’s must-see sites like the Maine Maritime Academy campus, T/S State of Maine - the naval research ship of Maine Maritime Academy, and the 1829-established Dyce Head Lighthouse.
From Maine’s Prettiest Village, Wiscasset, to Kennebunkport’s enlivening coastal scene, the picturesque teeny settlements in the 12th smallest and 9th least populous state of the country mesmerize excursionists with their unmatched magnetism. Each of these towns, no matter when you are making a trip by taking some time off from your demanding schedules, is perpetually ready to leave a lasting impression on every visitor’s mind, with their unspoiled magnificence, enthralling histories, savory cuisine, and commodious lodgings.
