Unexpected Midcoast Maine
There’s much more to the craggy coast of Camden, Rockland, and Rockport than lobster rolls and lighthouse tours.
Cellardoor Winery
You think California for great wines, sure, but Maine? This 200-year-old farmhouse located in Lincolnville will shatter your preconceptions about New England vino, set as it is on a sprawling property home to fine chardonnays, jammy cabernets, and other varietals. Grapes are grown right on the property, as well as sourced from vineyards in New York and California. Sipping these unique, cold-weather wines in the loft of a rustic barn doesn’t hurt the vibe either.
Camden Carvings
You can get so sucked in by the natural beauty of the Midcoast that you lose site of the man-made arts and crafts around every corner. Hit up Ducktrap Bay Trading Co. for some of the most realistic animal carvings you’ll ever encounter, including a stunning, full-scale bald eagle that runs a cool $125,000. If you visit in October, you can browse those carvings and more during the twice-annual Camden Harbor Arts Show, featuring live music and good food.
Icy Hot
For two weeks in January, The Samoset’s stone terrace outside of La Bella Vita transforms into an outdoor bar carved out of 18,000 pounds of ice. Aptly named the Glacier Ice Bar, here, guests can sip on the coldest cocktails around in one of the most unique settings where everything is made out of ice – the bar, barstools, sofas, chairs, tables, even glassware you can drink out of.
Making a Kiln
They’ve lain dormant since the early 1900s, but the massive kilns that once converted raw limestone into useful lime are a testament to Rockport’s truly industrious past. You’ll find them in the sprawling Marine Park alongside a famous statue of Andre the seal, who once entertained visitors and boaters in the nearby Atlantic.
Quirky Cafe
“We don’t serve the food of cowards” is the motto of Café Miranda, a small eclectic bistro with funky décor and a bathroom dedicated to Elvis Presley. While the 25-year Rockland institution is big on humor with dishes named “Fabulous Bowl of Meat” and “Simply Delish,” the culinary creativity can’t be beat, with a seven-page menu that runs the gamut from vegetarian, Italian, Thai, Mexican, Polish, and American and all are cooked in the wood fired brick oven.
