Our next step in the RV Journey is to Boothbay Harbor, Maine. The travel from Hampton Hills N.H. to our campground was a nice short 120 miles and it took about 3.5 hours including a stop for lunch. When doing some advance research, we felt his coastal town would be one of the highlights of our summer travel!
This area of Maine is referred to as “down east” Maine. I need to ask some of the locals where it comes from to see what answers I get, but wiki says: Within New England, “Down East” often refers specifically to Maine, especially the coastal areas. The origin of the phrase “Down East” is typically traced to nautical terminology referring to direction, rather than location. In the warm months most suitable for sailing, the prevailing winds along the coast of New England and Canada blow from the southwest, meaning ships sail downwind to go east.
That is still kind of confusing especially when they refer to Boston as “up to Boston” when it is south of Maine.
We arrived here on Tuesday, at the Shore Hills Campground and RV Park (link). A very nice and clean park with long pull through and level sites. They have a nice laundry area, large rec hall, and a trail for hiking out to an island at low tide. After doing laundry, we settled in for the night.
Getting into Boothbay Harbor could not be easier. The park has a shuttle for the 3.5 mile trip to save the hassle of parking. There is actually tons of parking places, but some have a 2 hour limit and the commercial ones are $5-$10 per day.
One of the goals that we set for ourselves while traveling is find a location to actually retire to when we have retired from full-time RVing. I keep asking Pat if maybe this or that place could be it. Well, Boothbay Harbor is close to the top of the list.
The views are fantastic out into the harbor with the rocky coastal shores in the foreground.
Another striking attribute is the town’s landscaping. There are flower beds everywhere. All the homes, businesses, and along the common area. And to think they only have about a three month growing season.
This is an easily walkable, small town, that has many attractions from all the water based activities to the many shops and restaurants. They have 14 art galleries/studios, many antique shops, and of course many gift shops.
On Wednesday, we took the shuttle into town for lunch and to walk around and check out many of the galleries and shops. We also just walked from one end to the other checking out the views.
Our restaurant was the Boathouse Bistro and we selected the third floor open deck, Wow, what a view of the harbor. The food was also very good as they are rated an 8.4 on Foursquare.
On Thursday, we shuttled in to just stroll the sidewalks and stopped for awhile at the Red Cup Coffee House.
The coastal salt marshes are an aspect that someone from Indiana or Virginia finds to be quite foreign. Every day the tides will come in and then 5.5 hours later it is low tide. The water level drops 11 feet in this 5.5 hours. Can you imagine?
Many boats are left in the mud. They use many of these floating boat docks that are hinged to the shore.
The tides are obviously caused by the phase of the moon and the timing will shift by about an hour each day.
Boothbay Harbor will definitely be one of our summer highlights. We are here for a week and will have another update from here soon. Take care and God Bless.
Looks like a great place to visit. I have always wanted to travel to Maine.
Yes, we also always wanted to visit the Maine coast. It’s another bucket list item for sure!
Great pics. Really does look like a nice area.
Yes, we are really enjoying this summer destination. And it has been some great cool temps.
We have stayed at that campground! Don’t remember if we told you of the next peninsula over with Pemaquid Point lighthouse, the town of New Harbor, and John’s Bay with a lobster pot run by lobstermen, so the fish they sell is right off the boat! It is a good peninsula to explore. We have stayed there many, many times! Glad you are enjoying Booth Bay.
Wow Lois! Thank you for the tips. We have one day remaining, so will try to work in some of these ideas. What a coincidence on the same campground! But you guys have seen and done everything, so maybe not so big of a coincidence. 🙂