The One Maine Town Everyone Should Visit At Least Once
Down near the middle of Maine’s coastline, you’ll find Boothbay Harbor, a place that still feels like old New England. Lobster vessels tie up beside sleek sailing yachts, each bobbing in rhythm with the tides. History hums through the docks, while restaurants serve meals made to satisfy the locals, with visitors benefiting as well. Shops here are not all national chains; most are small, locally owned places that have been here for decades. What sets Boothbay Harbor apart is how easily its working waterfront, long-standing businesses, and seasonal visitors coexist.
A Harbor Formed by Ocean Forces
Sea tides shaped Boothbay Harbor long before it was officially incorporated in 1889. Ships took shelter there because stormy Atlantic waves stayed outside its calm, deep waters. Craftsmen once built boats on the shorelines; fishermen hauled catches daily. When summer came, travelers fled the city heat by boarding steamships headed to Bath, Portland, and Boston. Now tourists stroll near working docks just like they did back then. Lobster fishers still leave early each morning, traps stacked high. A walkway from 1901 stretches across the water, used not only by people passing through but also by those pausing to take in the scenic view.
Dining With the Day's Catch
Out past the harbor, near Southport, sits Robinson's Wharf, which reopens in March, a no-frills spot where seafood speaks louder than decor. Freshness drives every dish here, thanks to daily hauls pulled straight from traps bobbing within sight. Lobster rolls arrive warm, tucked into buttery buns, dressed lightly so flavor stays front and center. From whole steamed lobsters to haddock tacos, this seasonal dining spot is active in the warmer months of the year.
Not far from the fishing docks, Ports of Italy is open from April 17th to December 31st, filling in some gaps left by predominantly seafood-heavy menus throughout the town. It brings Italian flavors straight to coastal Maine. Handcrafted pasta appears on plates alongside fresh, house-made pizza pies. Even in a town famous for lobster, fine cooking finds room to thrive.
Shopping with Character
Not your average seaside souvenir spot, Abacus Gallery fills old brick walls with handmade crafts. Inside a gallery founded in 1971, space unfolds room after room, each holding creations from artists scattered across the country. Shaped glass, ironworks, and clothing all find space here. Stock shifts often, so what sits today may leave tomorrow, replaced by something equally thoughtful.
On the edge of town stands Sherman's Maine Coast Book Shop, a throwback to when corner bookstores thrived despite the shrinking numbers of online sales. Founded in Bar Harbor in 1886, its stacked shelves hold deep runs of books about Maine, think coastal tales, sailing logs, and handbooks for spotting local wildlife, with ample space left over for modern popular novels and classics.
Natural Wonders Within Reach
For a taste of the natural attractions you can experience in this small town worth exploring, everyone should carve out a little bit of their itinerary time for Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens. This place spans more than 300 acres and has captivated travelers and locals in the region since 2007 with a feast for the senses. The premier stop on this property is The Lerner Garden of the Five Senses, though there is also a Children’s Garden, designed to educate youth about the kinds of plant life and flowers that tend to thrive in the salty air and rockier soil Maine is known for having.
Nearby Coastal Towns Within Reach
While you can certainly get a serious helping of New England charm by spending time in Boothbay Harbor, you don’t want to miss out on one of the prettiest villages in Maine, Wiscasset, nearby. Only being about twelve miles away, you are only a short drive from house museums like Castle Tucker and memorable dining destinations for further fresh seafood in the warmer seasons, like Red’s Eats.
If you were to set off about sixteen miles northeast, you would find another small town with a lot of charm that goes back well before America was its own country. Damariscotta is best known for its connection with oyster farming, which makes the cold and clear waters of the Damariscotta River the source of much of Maine’s oysters.
Camden is a little farther away than the other options, but its amenities and offerings for travelers make it well worth the 44-mile drive from Boothbay Harbor. Here, sailing is a big deal, and you can see many schooners taking off from the harbor from late May to mid-October for multi-day trips away from the coast. This place is an outdoor enthusiast’s dream, being right on the base of Mount Battie, allowing the active hiker a chance to reach the summit for panoramic views down at Penobscot Bay.
A Summary of Boothbay Harbor's Defining Qualities
Boothbay Harbor has become a town people should see at least once, but it is best known for its history and reliance on maritime industries, creating an environment that values nature and restaurants serving some of the best seafood in New England. Whether you are looking for truly unique destinations like Sherman's Maine Coast Book Shop that have been open since the late 1800s or tastes of the bay and Italy all in one incredible little town, then Boothbay Harbor is some place you need to keep on your list.
