Unplugging around Camden
Camden is a small harbor town where the mountains come right down to the ocean. The Camden Hills rise right behind the harbor, so a hike up gets you a view over the whole bay and its islands.
It's a pretty town and it's no secret, so summer is busy. The inns are small, though, and once you're up a trail or out on the water it's easy to forget about all that.
Where to stay
Camden itself is walkable, with inns a few blocks from the harbor. Lincolnville, just up the coast, is quieter and closer to the state park. The woods inland are quieter still.
An 1832 house across the road from Lincolnville Beach with eight rooms, most looking out at the bay. Some have jetted tubs, breakfast is three courses, and it's adults only. You can walk to the Islesboro ferry.
A small inn three blocks from Camden Harbor with a garden out back. Some rooms have gas fireplaces and breakfast is a big one. Camden Hills State Park is a short drive up the road.
What to do
- Mount Battie
- The hill right behind town. You can drive up the auto road or hike up in under an hour, and the view from the top takes in the harbor and Penobscot Bay.
- Camden Hills State Park
- Miles of trails through the hills, including Mount Megunticook and the Maiden Cliff trail up above Megunticook Lake.
- Windjammers
- Old wooden sailing ships still take passengers out of Camden and Rockland, from a couple of hours to several days. On the longer trips there's no signal for much of the time.
- Islesboro
- A long, quiet island a short ferry ride from Lincolnville Beach. Bring a bike or just walk around.
- Rockland
- A working harbor town about 20 minutes south, with the Farnsworth Art Museum and a long breakwater you can walk out to the lighthouse.
The towns
Camden has the harbor, the restaurants and the crowds. Rockport next door is tiny and calm. Lincolnville is mostly a beach, a ferry landing and a lot of woods. Belfast, up the coast, is a bit bigger and has a nice walk along the water.
Before you go
- Book early for summer and October weekends. The small inns fill up.
- It's about three and a half hours from Boston in normal traffic. Route 1 through the coastal towns is slow in summer.
- Go in September if you can. The water's still warm enough to look at, and the crowds are thinner.
More places to stay nearby
First look
New places we find and the odd guide to somewhere quiet. A few emails a year, that's it.