Places to Go

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Explore Top Coastal Destinations in DownEast Acadia

From Bucksport to Calais to Grand Lake, an unbelievable 2,330 miles of coastline and 5,600 square miles of wide-open space and fresh air await visitors to DownEast Acadia. The Blue Hill Peninsula is home to historic Castine and industrious Stonington. Bar Harbor and Acadia National Park are at the heart of Mount Desert Island. Freshwater anglers will love downtime in The Grand Lakes. Take time to drive The Bold Coast. Explore Ellsworth, a crossroads for commerce. Or greet the morning sun as it rises first over Lubec and Eastport. You’ll find every city, town, or village in DownEast Acadia is worth discovering.

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"Always be on the lookout for the presence of wonder."

— E.B. White

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View of Stonington Harbor from the water

The small-town character of the Blue Hill Peninsula’s sheltered working harbors, lighthouses, and islands make it one of Maine's premier locations to enjoy time on the water.

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Set at the crossroads of natural splendor, culture, and commerce the towns and villages around Ellsworth offer visitors a wide variety of attractions and outdoor recreation opportunities.
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The natural splendor which attracted its early settlers and summer rusticators, awaits visitors to this day. Enjoy bustling Bar Harbor or the villages that make up "the quiet side."

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Located on Mount Desert Island, Acadia National Park is a standout in DownEast Acadia and home to some of the highest rocky headlands along the Atlantic coastline.

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Schoodic to Jonesport is filled with blueberry barrens, hiking trails, clear inland lakes, plus Schoodic’s remote unspoiled section of Acadia National Park.

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Discover fishing harbors, meandering rivers, historic pre-Revolutionary sites, and classic New England towns set amidst blueberry fields, rivers, and coastal beauty.

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Running from working waterfronts of Winter Harbor and Milbridge to the small town of Calais, The Bold Coast area can be explored by driving along the Bold Coast Scenic Byway.

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Each morning the sun climbs from the sea, shining its first rays upon Way DownEast, and the crimson-striped West Quoddy Head Light, America’s easternmost point.

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The natural splendor which attracted its early settlers and summer rusticators, awaits visitors to this day. Enjoy bustling Bar Harbor or the villages that make up "the quiet side".

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Countless acres of Maine’s Public Reserved Lands are some of DownEast Acadia’s most outstanding natural locations; outstanding for hiking, camping, birding, fishing, and hunting opportunities.

Cobscook Bay State Park

Schoodic to Jonesport is filled with blueberry barrens, hiking trails, clear inland lakes, plus Schoodic’s remote unspoiled section of Acadia National Park.

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Whether on the coast or inland, visitors should be sure to enjoy a day of swimming, paddling, floating, or just having some True Maine summertime fun on our beaches.