THINGS TO DO IN DOWN EAST
See a Movie, Concert or Show at the Stonington Opera House
1. The Stonington Opera House is celebrating 21 years of theater, film, music, and dance on one of the busiest working waterfronts in Maine. The Opera House, in the center of the village, is listed on the National Register of Historic Places, and has been fully restored. It serves its original role as a community gathering space and performing arts center. OHA’s programs continue to serve Deer Isle, the Blue Hill Peninsula, and Hancock County’s year-round residents and visitors of all ages. The trip to Stonington is a treat itself. Allow time to wander around one of the most charming hard-working fishing villages you will ever visit. Stonington consistently ranks as the top producer of lobster statewide.
FMI Stonington Opera House https://operahousearts.org/
1 School St Stonington, ME
1-207-367-2788
2. Explore Nervous Nellie’s Jams and Jellies
2. Nellieville is an eclectic campus covering several acres in an idyllic island setting, a one-time homestead and heirloom orchard at the edge of a spruce forest. They make about 300 jars of jam a day by hand year-round in the jelly kitchen–a tiny white Cape cottage–using mainly Maine fruits. Peter’s sculpture workshop is a former general store that was moved here in several large pieces on a flatbed truck.
The tiny shop is filled with shelf goods, housewares, gifts and clever things made by Maine artisans. A cross between classy and rustic. No lighthouse, moose or lobster key chains.
The grounds: meadow and woods are filled with sculptures made by Peter from discarded metal, locally milled lumber, dump-foraged material. A Western town–jail, lawyer’s office, fortune teller, hotel, saloon, Chinese laundry–sits shoulder to shoulder with a Delta-style juke joint, a Deer Isle general store, a church, a Grail castle, wizard’s tower, 50’s garage complete with jam session, all comprise Nellieville, a lifelong work in progress. Something for everyone here!
FMI Nervous Nellies https://www.nervousnellies.com/
598 Sunshine Rd Deer Isle, ME
1-800-777-6845
Shop Downtown Ellsworth
3. The gateway to Acadia, the quintessential New England town, Ellsworth has a charming downtown with varied architecture. Be sure to get off the highway to visit the main street shopping area. It is like stepping back into yesterday.
Learn To Sea Kayak
4. Whether you aspire to enjoy quiet island sunsets or surf the biggest tidal races in Maine, Downeast Maine is a great spot to learn. The options are nearly limitless, from an exciting day exploring the cliffs and waves that surround the Porcupine Islands, to a calm-water paddle among seals and eagles with time for your lunch on a rocky, spruce-dotted island. This team comes to you and works with individuals or small groups.
FMI Pinniped Kayak http://www.pinnipedkayak.com/
61 Toashuh Way Ellsworth, ME
(207) 669-2174
Visit The Great Maine Lumberjack Show
5. Twelve exciting events packed into an hour and 15-minute show. Axe throwing. Log Rolling. Underhand Chopping. Power Hot Sawing. Obstacle Pole Relay. Crosscut Sawing. Pole Climbing. Hosted by Tina Scheer, a Castaway on CBS Survivor: Panama – Exile Island
FMI The Great Maine Lumberjack Show https://mainelumberjack.com/
127 Bar Harbor Rd, Trenton, ME
207-266-5486
6. Hike/Drive the Five-Mile Schoodic Loop Road
6. The only part of Acadia National Park on the mainland, for now this section sees very little traffic. Enjoy it before it changes! It’s the true edge of the world out here, especially on Schoodic Point. There is a good chance it will be only you and the gulls contemplating the waves.
And don’t miss Raven’s Nest. This is a favorite spot among photographers, where the tallest cliffs of the area surround several isolated coves. Limited roadside parking is located 1.6 miles past Frazer Point; do not park in or along the road. An unofficial trail heads through the woods to the exposed cliffs. Warning: take extreme care and stay away from the cliff edges as any fall could be fatal; there are no easy ways to climb up or down to the isolated coves.
FMI from the village of Winter Harbor. Turn left at the downtown intersection and in .5 miles, turn right onto the Schoodic Loop Road to enter the Schoodic district of Acadia National Park
Stroll through Downtown Bar Harbor
7. This resort town on Frenchman’s Bay, star of most of America’s top ten lists, lives up to its hype. It has appeared on Top Ten Most Beautiful, Top Ten Best to See Foliage, and Top Ten Prettiest Coastal Town, just to name a few. Walk down West Street, a designated historic district, to see the shingled-style mansions that survived the 1947 fire.
Visit the Abbe Museum
8. We are in the homeland of the Abenaki, the People of the Dawn. The Abbe Museum shares the history and culture of Maine’s Native people, collectively known as the Wabanaki (Penobscot, Passamaquoddy, Micmac, and Maliseet), and operates from two locations — in downtown Bar Harbor and in Acadia National Park. The Abbe is a museum of the Abenaki, art, history, and culture.
FMI Abbe Museum abbemuseum.org
26 Mt Desert St Bar Harbor, ME and
Sieur de Monts Spring Acadia National Park
49 Sweetwater Circle Bar Harbor, ME
207-288-3519
Take a Hike and Visit Mount Battie
9. Anyone wanting an expansive view of Maine’s iconic coastline should consider a visit to the summit of Mount Battie in Camden Hills State Park.
What could be better than to visit the very place that inspired Edna St Vincent Millay to write her famous poem, “Renascence”?
All I could see from where I stood
Was three long mountains and a wood;
I turned and looked another way,
And saw three islands in a bay.
So with my eyes I traced the line
Of the horizon, thin and fine,
Straight around till I was come
Back to where I’d started from;
And all I saw from where I stood
Was three long mountains and a wood.
Over these things I could not see;
These were the things that bounded me
There are two ways to the 800-foot summit of Mount Battie: on foot or by car.
Mount Battie Trail is a moderate, half-mile (.8km) hike up the south side of the mountain. The hike includes some scrambling but the view makes it well worth the effort. A stone tower at the summit, erected in 1921 to honor those who fought in World War I, provides an even better vantage point to take in the 360-degree views.
While most will tell you that hiking is the most rewarding way to the top, the Mount Battie Auto Road is another option. The winding road leads to a parking lot near the summit, allowing everyone a chance to enjoy the views.
Another popular hike is the mile long Megunticook Trail that leads to the mountain’s summit. It is rated as moderate. It ascends 1,000 vertical feet to some of the finest views in the park and is the highest peak on the Atlantic seaboard.
FMI
280 Belfast RD
Camden, ME
http://www.camdenmainevacation.com/camden-hills-state-park.php
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Explore!
9 Pick any peninsula and head off for an adventure – you really cannot go wrong. Tiny roads wind their way out into the Atlantic dotted with antique shops, old fashioned country stores, unexpected coves, and inlets and always something interesting around the next bend. The small villages off the beaten track hold the best secrets. Check out South Bristol, Friendship, Cushing or Port Clyde. Each one has a charm and special appeal.
Have a Kayak Adventure
10. The Midcoast is a kayaker’s paradise. In a state known for the richness of its coastline, the Boothbay Region stands out as one of the best destinations for sea kayaking, with water ranging from the open seas to calm, protected rivers. The Harbor is also home to three historic lighthouses and many public islands that can be yours for an afternoon of exploring or peaceful picnicking. You can spend an afternoon eye-to-eye with seals and herons amongst the secluded islands of the rivers or set off through the waters of a harbor that windjammers and fishermen have called home for over four hundred years.
There is nothing more refreshing than unplugging from the rest of the world for a while and setting out for the open waters of Midcoast Maine. “When is the best time of day to kayak?” Try getting on the water early in the morning or around sunset. Not only does this make for incredible views, but the Midcoast breezes are calmer, which makes for easier paddling. No Experience Necessary!
FMI Tidal Transit Company
18 Granary Way, Boothbay Harbor 207-633-7140