Visiting the Boothbay Harbor Region in Maine Over the Holiday Weekend

Over the holiday weekend, we had planned to take another drive to North Conway in the Mount Washington Valley located in New Hampshire. With the beautiful weather, we had to consider that there were probably going to be crowds and too much traffic in the area. Instead of gambling on making the long trip to New Hampshire, we decided to take a drive to the coast instead. Although we are located somewhat far from the coast, it would be a considerably shorter drive than our original plan. I was sorry that we would miss the beautiful fall foliage of the White Mountains. We had such a great time last year, but I suppose I was up for a whole new adventure. We had all day to enjoy and there wasn’t a cloud to be found in the sky with mild temperatures. The day was young and we decided on a short-day visit to the Boothbay Harbor region.

According to the Maine foliage map, the coast was at its peak for leaf-peeping. It was quite exciting to take in some new sights along the way. Our route consisted mostly of driving on Route 27 and U.S. Route 1. It was nice not to have to take Interstate 95 or any other highway to get to the coast. I believe we had taken the more scenic route, which felt more relaxing. We felt like real “Sunday drivers.” Our first point of interest was driving through the town of Wiscasset. We would have stopped, but it seemed it a bit too crowded. The vibrant mood of the town made for a classic coastal Maine scene with people standing in long lines in anticipation of fresh seafood at Red’s Eats and Sprague’s Lobster for takeout. We then crossed the Sheepscot River and were on our way to Boothbay Harbor.

I have to say, the coastal views and taking in the ocean air on the way into Boothbay Harbor were quite breathtaking. Upon our arrival, and surprisingly enough, for a holiday weekend, we had no problem finding a parking space. We found a great spot to park on Townsend Avenue across from the Pythian Opera House. We didn’t really have any sort of plan before and after we got into town, so we just let the day take us where it may.

Our first point of interest included a walk on the historic, 1,000-foot-long footbridge that connects the east and west sides of the harbor. Here are a few different angles of the footbridge, harbor, and surrounding structures.

A view of the picturesque Boothbay Harbor Inn.

I thought these lobster buoys made for a quintessential photograph of coastal Maine.

We then walked around town for a while and soaked in the scenes. There were several quaint shops and boutiques, places to eat, and galleries. We didn’t go inside any of these establishments, but if we come back at another time, there will be a plethora of places to choose from to explore in the future.

I took this photograph for my mother. Blue Moon is an inside joke between the two of us. Here’s to you, Mom. Cheers!

This photograph of the Memorial Library was the last shot I had taken here. I hope we will make it back to this beautiful town again. This time of year was definitely a wonderful time to visit the area. We were then on our way to the town of Damariscotta, known as the oyster capital of New England. We didn’t spend as much time there as we did in Boothbay Harbor, but we found a few more great photography opportunities.

We found this pond on the way to Damariscotta. I thought this made for a nice fall scene and we pulled over for a photograph.

We walked around Main Street and of course, went into Reny’s and Reny’s Underground. We have two Reny stores at home, too, and we are always curious to see how their other stores are set up. Afterward, we walked around for a bit.

Here is a few photographs of the Damariscotta River area in town.

A nice fall view from the Main Street Bridge that connects the towns of Damariscotta and Newcastle over the Damariscotta River, forming the “Twin Villages.”

I have to say, for a holiday weekend, these charming and popular tourist destinations weren’t too crowded. We enjoyed an exceptional day and had yet another great Maine adventure here in our wonderful state.