7 of the Most Charming Small Towns to Visit in Maine
It is no coincidence that the northeastern state of Maine, the epicenter of New England charm, is one of the most popular destinations to visit in the US. Its history dates back to before European settlement, with villages and towns popping up in the time slots along its jagged, irregular coastline.
The charming town of Norway is the center for outdoor fun in inland Maine, with places like Ordway Grove to hike among the ancient oaks and pines, as well as boating and local farm visits. Boothbay Harbor is a peaceful seaside village awaiting sightseers and photographers, with quiet coastal coves for boaters to explore.
Allagash
You may have heard of an eponymous beer brewing company, but this frontier town, one of the largest in the state by area, is not about that. Home to a tiny population, Allagash's charming backstory dates to 1886, when a family fell in love with the area upon canoeing here from Western Maine. Incorporated in 1966, Allagash, aka "Moosetown,” is the hometown of the author Cathie Pelletier (K. C. McKinnon), and while you may spot more moose antlers in the streets than people, Allagash abounds in natural charm within the surrounding North Maine Woods. Tangled in between the namesake and St. John rivers, it is a favorite stopover for seasoned boaters along the Allagash Wilderness Waterway.
With lots of wooded areas, Allagash is home to a small herd of bison, a thriving moose population, and some pretty legendary Master Maine Guides running successful sporting camps in town. Established in 1966, the Allagash Wilderness Waterway protects 92 miles of lakes, streams, and rivers, including the Allagash River, which snakes through Aroostook County uniquely in a south-to-north direction into the northern Maine woods. Long canoe adventures are the name of the game here, and the local outfitters are your best friend for about a week-long paddle from Chamberlain Lake to Allagash Village. While here, don't miss Louie’s Antique ChainSaws, a local museum with a very welcoming owner, featured in DownEast magazine.
Boothbay Harbor
Deeply historic and geographically bountiful, Boothbay Harbor makes lists left and right as a must-hit place in the state. Far from the busy Route 1 and bursting with authentic Maine charm, it is a magnet for sightseers, photographers, and boaters to explore the quiet coastal coves surrounding this laid-back seaside village. From lighthouses to nearby islands, Boothbay Harbor, home to the Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens, which feature lovely floral designs, is also a foodie's destination, with sea delicacies fresh from the Maine coast.
Among rentals for every style and comfort level, the waterfront Ocean Point Inn or Linekin Bay Resort are just minutes from a lively downtown with artisans and cultural events. Featuring brick sidewalks and hand-painted signs along the streets winding up a gentle hilly terrain, the handsome town features old homes of the sea captains and small businesses like eclectic shops and modern cafes. Home to a bustling waterfront, surrounded by spellbinding natural beauty, take in the sunset before the unmissable Boathouse Bistro Tapas Bar & Restaurant for flavorful dishes and drinks over the scenery of the aforesaid lighthouses, like the Burnt Island Light and islands in the distance.
Bucksport
Bucksport, USA Today’s #1 Seaside Small Town in 2021 attracts new visitors, charming them with a working waterfront and lovely downtown along the “narrows” of the Penobscot River. Prior to the settlers and even before the Abenaki Tribes sought out the area, it was home to the Maritime Archaic people, a highly advanced ancient civilization 5,000 years ago, also named Red Paint for their distinct red ochre-painted graves. Today, the mile-long Bucksport Waterfront Walkway is exactly what city dwellers and families desire on a seaside getaway with gorgeous views of the Penobscot River year-round, like during the Maritime Film Festival in November. The Unique Rock Shop is a little hidden gem to buy one for yourself, while the Lighthouse Arts Center on Main Street represents 100 artists.
Don't miss Fort Knox, built in 1844, for a selfie with one of the best-preserved Civil War-era forts and a ticket to the impressive Penobscot Narrows Bridge with the breathtaking views from its 437-foot observatory. Open from May through October, it is the only bridge observatory in the US and one of the four in the entire world. Bucksport Historical Society, housed in an old railway station, reveals how Bucksport was partially burned during the Revolutionary War and belonged to the British in the War of 1812, while the nearby Silver Lake Park is popular for smallmouth bass fishing and hiking trails in the summer, like this July, during the annual Bucksport Bay Festival with fireworks, a parade, and music at the waterfront.
Kennebunkport
The York County town of Kennebunkport, "the place to be year-round," is a popular summertime destination for boating trips, fishing, and beachy pleasures. Settled in the 1600’s as a thriving shipbuilding port, tourists discovered this northeastern gem over a century ago, full of antique charm to escape the urbality into a slice of coastal paradise. Located along the ocean and Kennebunk River, the river banks once watched five-masted ships and schooners down the river to the sea, but instead saw sea captains get off and build mansions upon them.
Preserved to this day at the lively Dock Square as well as Kennebunk’s Lower Village with lovely inns, the town blends the old with the new against the natural scenery to taste New England charm through galleries, seafood restaurants, and souvenir shops within authentic building styles. The famous Gooch's Beach is just west, while Cape Porpoise, a charming village, is east, with its sparse housing and seaside lifestyle overlooking a remote lighthouse. One of the state's finest, the Goat Island Lighthouse, accessible by boat in the summer, feels more peaceful than lonely.
Norway
Built on farming, railroads, and industry, Norway is a charming town, often mentioned along with its sister community of South Paris, in Maine’s western foothills. Once home to a dozen mills and factories as the snowshoe-making capitol of America, it is the center for outdoor fun in inland Maine, including golfing, fishing, boating, and local farms. Growing in popularity thanks to a revitalized downtown, where a disastrous fire in the late 1800s took place, now features restored buildings from 200 years ago alongside modern businesses and lovely houses, all so striking that Norway was designated as a National Main Street Affiliate Community.
Overlooking Lake Pennesseewassee (Norway Lake), Roberts Farm Preserve is a great family pursuit for this summer to go hiking or biking, and, in the winter, snowshoeing and cross-country skiing. Norway hosts a triathlon along the five-mile-long lake annually in July and a snowshoe festival in the winter, when visitors can also go ice skating on the lake. Don't miss Ordway Grove for an easy hike among the ancient oaks and pines or the 4.4-mile Witt’s End Trail through wetlands and woods. Featuring period architecture from the 19th and 20th centuries with placards about each building’s historical significance, the fun-filled downtown hosts locally owned shops, bakeries, a brewery, and restaurants that give five-star city spots a run for their money!
Orono
Orono may seem like an ordinary college town, but it is so much more than that. Full of charming history, the town was named after Chief Joseph Orono, the great-grandson of Chief Madockawando and a leader of the Penobscot Nation, who supported the American colonists against the British during the American Revolution and died in 1801, five years before the town was incorporated. He is depicted on the seal of the town, still home to representatives of the Penobscot Nation, where culture lovers can honor the chief's life and accomplishments at the Wabanaki Center.
Located partially on Pushaw Lake, Orono is a family destination that feels like a place where you belong right away, according to visitors. Feel young again along the welcoming campus grounds of the university, home to the Maine Bound Adventure Center, which offers kayak, canoe, and paddleboard rentals. Home to quaint cottages and small businesses like the Nest, a local favorite cafe, just across, the Stillwater River Trail offers a four-mile loop hike for the outdoorsy. For dinner, try Pat's Pizza or Woodman's for fish tacos, with plenty of places to soothe a beverage after, like the most extensive craft brew selection at Orono Brewing.
Swan's Island
"Six miles east of ordinary" may be an odd tagline, being six miles northeast of Mount Desert Island and Acadia National Park, which features 7,000 acres of extraordinary coastal scenery. Nevertheless, this pretty island, home to roughly 350 year-round residents, feels like a fishing community in a time warp, with life revolving entirely around the sea. Truly "the salt of the earth," with highlights like a classic lighthouse at the tip of Hockamock Head, some 4.2 miles from the ferry terminal, Burnt Coat Harbor Lighthouse was built in 1872. Automated in 1975, it welcomes visitors with history, art exhibits, and a tower to climb up 35 feet high for tremendous views.
Nearby, there are 1.8 miles of hiking trails, like the Long Point Beach Trail, with views of the surrounding islands on clear days. Only accessible by ferry service or private vessel, Swan's Island is simply a paradise for lazy strolls and lounging at the beach in the scenery that never gets old. Home to four public beaches, one store, a museum, and a library, the town also offers a variety of boat charters and eco tours, while the "quarry pond" features fresh waters for a dip. A variety of vacation homes are available from locals on Airbnb, or opt for the family-friendly Harbor Watch Inn.
Bucksport, Kennenbunkport, and Swan's Island feature lighthouses, and the latter is just six miles away from Mount Desert Island, home to 7,000 acres of wildly beautiful Maine coastline. Full of exhilarating experiences against relaxing vistas, part of these towns' charm lies in their total uniqueness.
Orono, a college town, was named after Chief Joseph Orono, who supported the American colonists against the British during the American Revolution, while the first town was discovered by a canoeing family back in the late 19th century.
