A Summer Weekend for Couples in Boothbay Harbor, Maine

Schooner cruises, island clambakes, smart little boutiques and galleries, romantic gardens, classy B&Bs — sounds like a recipe for a summer weekend for two.

Boothbay Harbor sits at the head of Linekin Bay in Mid-coast Maine, curled around a harbor so big that as many as 400 vessels could seek safety there in a storm. Today, it’s home port to yachts, fishing boats, lobstermen and several craft that take visitors on coastal cruises. But mostly, it’s a center for tourists who want to spend a weekend or a week soaking up the Maine coast atmosphere.

There are lots of ways to do that. On a nice weekend, the sea beckons. On a two-hour sail on Eastwind, Boothbay Harbor’s largest schooner, you can watch seabirds soar over remote islands and lobstermen haul traps as you sail the Maine coastline. Schooner Lazy Jack is the port’s oldest windjammer, and you can help hoist sails or take a turn at the wheel — or just enjoy the scenery as you sail past the outer islands of Boothbay. Other boats take passengers on whale watches, island clambakes and daytrips to nearby Monhegan Island. On weekdays, you can board the Novelty for a scenic cruise to Squirrel Island, where it stops to deliver mail.

Lobster Roll in Boothbay, Maine © Stillman Rogers

Cabbage Island Clambakes are a decades-old tradition in Boothbay Harbor, an evening’s adventure by boat to an island where lobsters, clams and corn await, steamed in fresh seaweed in a traditional stone-lined pit. It’s the way lobster should be eaten, steaming hot and dipped in melted butter, surrounded by fresh sea air.

Plenty of places offer fresh-caught lobster
without a boat ride. Right at the docks on Commercial Street, Kaler’s Restaurant is a cheery, welcoming place with a deck overlooking the harbor. They serve the same traditional lobster-in-the-rough dinner or any of the other specialties people come to Maine for — crispy fried clams or oysters, savory steamed mussels or crab cakes.

Wharf, Boothbay Harbor, Maine © Stillman Rogers

In nearby east Boothbay, eat lobster or steamed mussels on the deck of Lobsterman’s Wharf and watch the boats in the harbor. Just down the road there’s a cove with a put-in for kayaks, a good launching spot for exploring the long Linekin Bay under your own power. Afterward, stop for lobster rolls or one of the original sandwich combinations at the East Boothbay General Store (try an Uptown Grilled Cheese, with sharp cheddar, bacon, tomato and onion).

Boothbay’s attractions are not all sea-related. Coastal Maine Botanic Gardens

are spectacular in mid-summer, with acres of blooming flowers and shrubs, fragrant herb beds, majestic trees, delicate woodland flowers and secluded benches beside ponds filled with water plants. Trails wind down the hillside to the water, passing smaller gardens with stone benches and sculptures. More trails follow the shore and wander inland through shade gardens, native wildflowers and a whimsical fairy village.

Coastal Maine Botanical Garden © Stillman Rogers

There’s much more to do in this seaside town’s compact and walkable dock area: Shops sell everything from T-shirts to pricey baubles, with several specializing in works by Maine artists and craftsmen. Saltwater taffy, decorative accessories with a seaside cottage flavor, maritime paintings, ice cream, ship models and gold jewelry share street-front in the narrow lanes along the wharfs.

Plenty of B&Bs line Boothbay Harbor’s streets, but we like to follow our after-dinner stroll with a drive along scenic back roads to the Newcastle Inn overlooking the Damariscotta River. Rooms at the historic inn are individually decorated with a comfortable mix of antiques and vintage; our favorite room, Monhegan Island, has a king-sized, four-poster bed and a fireplace (which we don’t need in August). Over the full breakfast in the morning, innkeeper/owner Julie Bolthuis helps guests plan their day with tips (such as a spirited tour and tasting at nearby Split Rock Distilling) from her vast store of local intel.

For reliable dining suggestions and places to explore, take along a copy of the excellent guidebook Moon Coastal Maine. The author lives just up the road, so she knows this area well.