Long a favored destination for artists and rusticators, Boothbay Har bor, the epicenter, is one of those Maine seafaring villages made for postcards. A jumble of cottages, inns, and houses crown an intown knoll. Boatyards and wharfs edge the waterfront. Shops and restaurants line the streets and byways. In summer, tourists shuffle along, licking ice cream cones, jawing saltwater taffy, and dodging into shops selling everything from tacky souvenirs and T-shirts to fine art and antiques.
The namesake harbor cleaves the village, but linking the two sides is a pedestrian bridge that provides a vantage point for all the water-based action. Windjammers, sea kayaks, and excursion boats depart harbor piers for island-hopping, puffin-sighting, whale-watching, and lighthouse-viewing tours; canoes, dinghies, sailfish, and motor yachts ply the waters; islands and sails dot the horizon. The outlying towns of East Boothbay, Southport, and Boothbay, each salted with farmhouses and umpteenth-generation family cottages, invite leisurely exploration, back-roads biking, and coastal preserve hiking.
In 24 hours, you can get a taste of the Boothbays, but you will want to linger to discover coastal nooks and crannies, board yet another boat, browse another gallery, or savor another lobster. As with most popular destinations along Maine's coastline, advance reservations are strongly suggested for lodging, dining, and excursions, especially during the summer, and weekends in fall and spring.
Sunrise: Rise and greet the day by watching the sunrise from Ocean Point, which tips East Boothbay. While here, consider hiking in the Boothbay Region Land Trust's 138-acre Linekin Preserve (207-633-4818, bbrlt.org), which stretches between Route 96 and the Damariscotta River. Afterward, stop by the East Boothbay General Store (255 Ocean Point Road/Route 96, 207-633-7800, eastboothbaygeneralstore.com) for a muffin and coffee.
