June is the start of Artwalk season in Midcoast Maine. The artwalks are a great chance in the evening to stroll through shops, listen to live music and buy art made locally.
Wiscasset Artwalk takes place between 5 -8 pm on the third Thursdays in June, July, August and September. Wiscasset Woods Lodge is a major sponsor of Wiscasset’s Art Walk.
Bath Artwalk is on third Fridays from 4 -7 pm.
Portland’s Artwalk takes place on the First Friday of each month between 5 – 8 pm.
Boothbay Harbor has First Friday Arts Tours from 5 – 7 pm.
There’s a great resource for Maine art walks by MaineToday Also check out our list of Weekends in Wiscasset events and our Event Calendar.
Pemaquid Point Lighthouse – On Route 130 south of Damariscotta
The most photographed lighthouse in Maine with beautiful, dramatic rocks going down to the ocean. One of the few lighthouses you can tour the inside of on a normal day. The lighthouse has nice picnic tables for a leisurely lunch or head up route 32 and stop by Shaw’s in New Harbor (indoors) or the lobster shacks at Round Pond (outside picnic tables) for your lobster meal.
Maine State Prison Showroom in Thomaston – right on Route 1
Lots of handmade wooden furniture, gifts and decorations at great prices. Right on Route 1 (main street Thomaston). Parking in the rear.
Owl’s Head Lighthouse and Owl’s Head Transportation Museum – outside of Rockland off Route 73
Beautiful walk through the woods to the lighthouse. This lighthouse is open occasionally for tours as is the lighthouse keeper’s museum. Nearby is the Owl’s Head Transportation Museum. “Home to a world-class operating collection, the Owls Head Transportation Museum features more than 150 antique automobiles, aircraft, motorcycles, bicycles, engines and more.”
Rockland Breakwater Lighthouse – Just outside downtown Rockland, Route 1 to Waldo Ave
A breakwater was built to protect the harbor and a lighthouse was put at the end to keep ships from running into it. The walk is a mile each way over granite blocks, occasionally seals and other sea life can be seen from the walk. Rockland is also home to the Farnsworth Art Museum which displays paintings by Maine painter Adrew Wyeth as well as other artists.
Camden Hills State Park – on Route 1
Camden’s version of Cadillac Peak. The top of Mount Battie offers panoramic views of Camden Harbor. Accessible by car or stretch your legs hiking up their trails.
Belfast
We love Belfast. It has a working yacht port and a waterfront walk goes right through the yacht yard and up across a foot bridge. There is also a rails-to-trails trail going inland along the water. The town itself isn’t too touristy and has some nice restaurants all walking distance from the water.
Fort Knox and the Penobscot Narrows Bridge and Observatory – on Route 1 at Bucksport
Not to be confused with the Kentucky Fort Knox, this historic site is a large stone fort mostly in tact. It’s fascinating to wader around and explore. The fort shares the same parking lot as the Penobscot Narrows Bridge with its spire resembling the Washington Monument. The spire has an elevator you can ride to the observatory at the top to see the surrounding countryside.
Every year the “Maine Pottery Tour” is on the first weekend in May. During these days pottery and ceramics studios in Maine open their doors to the public. It’s a fun day and a chance meet the artists, peek in the kilns, see demonstrations, and shop for pottery and other handmade goods.
The closest studio is a brand new one just in the process of opening here in Wiscasset. Midcoast Crafts is located at 75 Main Street, just up from Red’s Eats. They’re in the process of remodeling their studio but are opening up early for the event.
Other nearby studios include:
Neighborhood Clay & Liz Proffetty Ceramics in Damariscotta
Van Der Ven Studios in Lincolnville
Fireside Pottery in Warren.
For a full list of participating studios visit Maine Pottery Tour.
And don’t forget to make Wiscasset Woods Lodge your homebase for your Midcoast Maine adventures.
