Things to Do
For your Camden, Maine Vacation the 5,000 miles of coastline offer one beautiful harbor after another with countless breathtaking views of Maine’s many islands and of the open ocean beyond. Inland, the natural beauty continues with pine and birch forests, rivers and lakes, winding country roads and numerous state parks.
Camden, located right on Maine’s gorgeous coast, is halfway between Portland and Bar Harbor/Acadia National Park. It is an ideal location from which to plan a trip that includes time to explore the local attractions and to also take some wonderful day trips. Stay for a few days, unpack your bags once, and experience much that Maine has to offer.
Because the Belmont Inn is right in the heart of Camden village, it’s possible to leave your car at the inn and not get in it again until you’re leaving Camden. From the inn it’s an easy walk to all of Camden’s unique shops and restaurants, parks and galleries, and sparkling harbor—voted “Prettiest Harbor in Maine” in 2010 by readers of Down East Magazine. And from the harbor you can sail aboard an historic schooner, take a harbor and coast tour on a lobster boat, or go on a group kayak tour around Curtis Island Lighthouse—novices and older kids welcome and safe!
On one of your days here you could hike or picnic on Mt. Battie, one of the mountains that meet the sea just behind the village of Camden in Camden Hills State Park. And the Coastal Mountains Land Trust would like you to know about their 23 miles of beautiful trails that range from easy to strenuous and offer woodland and water views. Access to the preserves is free and open to the public (even though you will see loads of “Private Property” and “No Trespassing” signs on your way to Fernald Neck Preserve don’t be put off, the road to the preserve and the preserve itself really are open to the public). Click on the following link to go to the Land Trust website where you will find their maps and the very helpful “Take-A-Hike” brochure: http://www.coastalmountains.org/
Like to swim or to just lay on a beach and catch some rays? Pretty Laite Beach on Camden Harbor is a five minute walk from the inn and the (warm!) Megunticook River at Shirt Tail Point—my favorite swimming hole—is just a short drive. The inn stocks a supply of beach towels and chairs. All you have to do is ask!
Then there are all the possibilities for day trips. Camden is 1.5 hours south of Bar Harbor/Acadia National Park and 45 minutes north of Boothbay Harbor, another popular coastal village, with its nearby Pemaquid Point Lighthouse and Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens. It’s also only 1.5 hours (south) to Freeport and shopping mecca L.L. Bean. In between, in every direction including east (islands!), there are charming places not to be missed. Must sees include Belfast, Damariscotta, Castine, Blue Hill, Port Clyde, Wiscasset and Monhegan (where painters in the tradition of the French Impressionists come to catch the light).
Maine really does have it all! First-class art museums, restaurants and lodging; great natural beauty; interesting and unique shopping; a strong sense of the early history of this country; country fairs and small town festivals; antiques shops, co-ops and fairs galore; outdoor sports and recreation year round. Visit us once and you’ll be back for more!
COMING EVENTS
THROUGHOUT JULY
2010 Biennial Juried Exhibition, Center for Maine Contemporary Art, Rockport, Maine. This exhibition features recent work by 41 Maine artists working in a variety of media. Admission is free. This is one of my favorite art museums. Small but a gem. I never miss an exhibition at this museum.
JULY, 2010
7/3 Schooner Olad “Camden Harbor Fireworks Sail”, 7:00PM-9:05PM, Camden Public Landing. Watch the sun go down behind the mountains of Camden Hills State Park then turn seaward and watch from the decks of the Schooner Olad as we celebrate our independence with fantastic fireworks over Maine’s beautiful harbor. Rain date, 7/4.
7/3 Fireworks, 9:15PM-9:45PM, Camden Harbor. Experience the oohs and ahhs of fireworks over Camden harbor on the eve of our nation’s birthday. Part of the multi-day Festival of Independence, come and enjoy a wonderful small town experience for the 4th of July weekend. Rain date: Monday, July 5th
7/10 Lincolnville Strawberry Festival. Fun! And very old fashioned. Locals, families, tourists, dogs. Everybody shows up. Parade 10am. Band concert 11am. Hot dogs, strawberry shortcake and pie. New and old treasures, used books, roving musicians. It’s a very sweet day.
7/10-11 North Atlantic Blues Festival. Harbor Park, Rockland. The acclaimed Blues Festival always features national touring artists and this year that includes Keb’Mo’, Shemekia Copeland and James Cotton and Michael Burks. Saturday night, Rockland’s Main Street is closed to traffic and open to more than 15 clubs featuring blues bands and you! I have guests who come from near and far for this event.
7/15-16 Camden’s 63rd garden tour will feature its 1st ever Designers’ Showcase House. It’s always a sell-out event but this year it should be a blow-out event! Join locals and those from away for a great day. And new this year, a special twilight tour.
7/17-18 32nd Annual Camden Harbor Arts Juried Arts & Crafts Show. Join everybody in the know, and I do mean everybody, to browse and shop this lovely, local top-quality arts and crafts event. Take something home with you that will forever bring back memories of the special time you had on your trip to Maine.
7/21 Half-Day Sail and Lobster Bake aboard the Schooner Olad. Boy, do I wish I could do this one! I can’t, duty calls, but you can. And you should. Aaron and his crew of locals will help you have a day to remember. Sail, hike and eat! I’m not sure how to top that! I might not even try.
AUGUST, 2010
8/4 Merryspring Nature Center’s Annual Kitchen Tour. Visit eight uniquely designed Camden and Rockport kitchens and enjoy tastings from chefs, caterers, and specialty food purveyors at each. Ticket sales ($25 before tour day; $30 day of tour) support Merryspring Nature Center programs.
8/7 Beech Hill Blueberry Pick. You’re invited to the 8th annual blueberry pick at our very own Beech Hill Preserve blueberry farm. Enjoy the view from the top of Beech Hill looking out over Penobscot Bay, tour the wonderful stone walled, sod roofed Beech Nut summertime picnic hut built in the early 1900’s, and pick blueberries to your heart’s content. Open to the public and free to all.
8/4-8 63rd Annual Lobster Festival, Rockland, Maine. For real small town fun with big time entertainment and events, The Maine Lobster Festival has it all! Buy your tickets in advance or at the door. Sleep peacefully at the Belmont Inn in Camden and then join the party in Rockland for great lobster and lots of fun.
WITH MORE INFO TO COME……………………………!