The Best Small Town In Maine For A 3-Day Weekend
Camden is one of the small towns in Maine that just oozes New England charm. Part of it is the stunning natural formations that drop off into the ocean, and part is the bustle of lobster boats lining the port, bringing in fresh seafood for restaurants and shops. It is a place known for its pleasant appeal, whether it’s the fine dining and green spaces or just its community of only around 6,000 residents. This has been a destination for visitors since the 1880s, making it the perfect place for you to spend a long three-day weekend.
The Makings of a Unique Experience
You haven't lived in Camden until you've climbed Mount Battie. The peak, some 800 feet high, provides a view that ends all conversation, with Camden Harbor below, filled with boats, and Penobscot Bay leading out to the horizon, dotted with islands.
The summit was topped with a 26-foot stone tower in 1921, installed by Camden residents in memory of the local men and women who fought in World War I. The tower now sits where the Summit House, a turreted hotel from 1898 that hosted the likes of Theodore Roosevelt's daughter, once stood before its demolition in 1920.
The slogan here for Camden is ‘Where the mountains meet the sea,’ and that is an accurate depiction of what to expect when you visit Penobscot Bay. This inlet of the Gulf of Maine, which stretches 40 miles, has long attracted sailors with its safe harbor and scenic islands. Camden Harbor, featuring an iconic 1836 lighthouse, provides the quintessential scenic backdrop for your tour of upper New England.
Finding A Place to Lay Your Head
The Camden Harbor Inn operates out of a Victorian mansion with harbor views. There are eighteen rooms, some cozy and others luxurious, and the real highlight here, aside from the accommodations, is Natalie's, the in-house restaurant where Chef Jose Ochoa prepares French-inspired cuisine with locally sourced ingredients. The bisque and fresh scallops, in particular, have gotten rave reviews, and both are topped with a hit of smokiness that accentuates the superb quality of the ingredients.
The Hartstone Inn on Elm Street goes about things differently. These Victorian homes from the late 1800s offer a few guest rooms and a dining room that's worth traveling for. Chef Tom E. White’s cuisine, reflecting the seasons, always offers the best New England cookery with an international twist. There's a three-course and five-course tasting menu Wednesday through Sunday, and you can even take a cooking class with the chef.
The Food Scene
Long Grain introduced Southeast Asian cuisine to the area. The chef-owners, Ravin Nakjaroen and Paula Palakawong, source their prime ingredients from local farms and fishing wharves, then create cuisine that reverently celebrates their Thai roots, blending flavors from Vietnam, Singapore, and Japan. The papaya salad and homemade wide noodles are the stars in their 40-seat restaurant setting.
At 40 Paper, classic Italian cuisine is infused with Mediterranean notes in a modern setting. The massive bar space makes it well-suited for either a drink-and-appetizer stop or a dinner experience. Patrons love the lamb shank, which reviews claim ‘melts in your mouth.’
The Downtown Experience
Downtown Camden has a compact and walkable environment, making it easy to explore. Main Street and Bay View Street constitute the commercial center and include locally owned stores that avoid the typical tourist-trap atmosphere. The Smiling Cow has been selling gifts, fudge, and collectibles since 1940 from the exact location on Main Street. It is a testament to the enduring spirit of the people here in town, who have supported local businesses and helped them thrive for decades.
The Owl and Turtle Bookshop Cafe has long been the focal point on Bay View Street since 1970. The store offers approximately 6,300 book titles, focusing on works by local Maine writers and children's books. These writers are known to host book launch events and signings from the shop, keeping patrons eager to return. The cafe side has even become a draw on its own, with locally roasted coffee beans and homemade pastries from local bakers. Get there early because they tend to run out.
When to Visit
Camden has a full-year events calendar, though summer and fall offer the heaviest schedule. Camden Windjammer Festival, on Labor Day weekend, centers on the maritime past with schooner racing, live music, the Lobster Crate Race, and harbor fireworks.
Arts are also predominantly featured in the annual schedule here in the community, including The Camden Shakespeare Festival, which performs in the Camden Amphitheatre over the summer months, from July through August. Another example is the Camden International Film Festival, an internationally renowned documentary festival held in September at unusual locations across the region.
Camden Takes at Least Three Days
Camden has plenty to keep you busy for a week, but three days is just right. There's time to wander, sample a couple of eateries, climb Mount Battie, and still have some pep in your step for an afternoon sail. The beat of the town becomes clear—a coffee at the Owl and Turtle, a couple of hours wandering through the shops, perhaps a harbor cruise or a kayak ride, and then dinner in a different spot and a stroll through the waterfront. There is more than enough to keep you busy, and all you do not squeeze in will be your reason to return.
Take a Long Weekend to Meet Quiet Maine
Tourists pour in throughout the summer and early fall, and Camden remains an unchanged constant. The restaurants serve their excellent cuisine not just for accolades in publications, but because the chefs love cooking. The stores offer interesting things because the people who run them love them and have spent decades developing their brands. This is the New England coastal experience, minus the overcrowding in Bar Harbor. In three days, you won’t become an expert on Midcoast Maine, but you can certainly understand why you might want to be.
