Boothbay Harbor
At the height of the summer, the body of water that gives Boothbay Harbor its name is so full of boats that it almost looks like you could hop from one to the other without ever getting your feet wet. One of Maine’s most popular stops for cruising sailors, the protected deep-water harbor is also home to a fishing fleet, tour boats, and the Balmy Days II, which ferries day-trippers and vacationers to Monhegan island, 12 miles off the coast. While getting out on the water is the best way to explore the area’s craggy shoreline—and to see many of its classic summer homes—there is plenty to do on land. For the full Boothbay Harbor experience, browse the shops and galleries downtown, hike the Boothbay Region Land Trust trails, drive out to Ocean Point, take in a show at the Boothbay Harbor Opera House, play a round of golf (or mini golf), and be sure to enjoy at least one meal on a waterside deck. Need more ideas (or directions)? Ask a local. The friendly residents of Boothbay Harbor have been welcoming visitors since the 1880s, when steamships brought other East Coasters north to spend summers on the region’s rocky and picturesque shores.