Lincoln County Airbnb: A Guide To Coastal Maine

Lincoln County Airbnb: A Guide To Coastal Maine
Kurt
Kurt 
Published
| 3 min read

Scenic peninsulas and intriguing islands of Lincoln County, Maine await intrepid travelers who pass on visiting well-known hot spots. Often the best travel experiences are had by looking for undiscovered places. Explore Lincoln County’s small towns and villages for shopping, restaurants, activities, and comfortable lodging for a perfect vacation.

Shopping and things to do

Round Pond Airbnb
Source: Kurt Jacobson

Head to the Granite Hall Store just a three-minute walk from the Co-op for ice cream and a look at games, books, cards, and art in this old building with lots to offer. During busy times you might have to wait five minutes or more to be served ice cream. On the outskirts of Round Pond is Dot’s bakery and Restaurant serving breakfast Wednesday-Sunday. Don’t miss ordering one of the 20+ pies Dot bakes. We had the Maine blueberry pie, and it was outstanding.

Farm stands and stores abound in Lincoln County. High Hopes Farm in Bristol, sells sustainable meats and produce seven days per week. Just up the road in Damariscotta, the Friday farmer’s market has a cheese stand, veggies, baked goods, lobster, butcher, oysters, and more in a family-friendly space. Staying at a vacation rental with a kitchen will allow you to buy super-fresh veggies, lobster, meats, and cheese to enjoy in your home-away-from-home.

For day trips, Lincoln County has two popular towns. Both Wiscasset and Boothbay get loads of visitors in the summer. Boothbay is more developed and has several touristy-type shops selling curios, T-shirts, food products, and local art. For a traditional clambake experience, try the Cabbage Island Clambake trip, sailing out of Boothbay Harbor mid-June through September. Bennie Alice is the matriarch of the family, and lends her name to the boat that takes guests to the island. At 98 years young, this amazing lady is still working the dock as official greeter when the boat arrives. After guests arrive, she then works at the gift shop. For just 65 USD you get a tour of the bay, meal on Cabbage Island with two lobsters, steamed clams, potato, onion, corn-on-the-cob, and blueberry cake for dessert. Both indoor and outdoor seating is available. This trip is good for families, couples, or solo tourists.

Lighthouses

Cabbage Island clambake meal
Source: Kurt Jacobson

A visit to coastal Maine wouldn’t be complete without visiting a historic lighthouse. The Pemaquid Point Lighthouse takes you back in time when lighthouse keepers manned the life-saving aid-to-navigation. Nowadays these lighthouses are all automated but still stand tall for mariners to see. Not far from our Airbnb rental in Round Pond was the Marshall Point Lighthouse (outside of Lincoln County) near Port Clyde. After visiting this lighthouse museum, we found good food and beverages at the Dip Net Restaurant in Port Clyde. Open seven days per week, May-October, customers enjoy local seafood in an outdoor setting that’s both kid-friendly and dog-friendly.

If you go to Port Clyde, chances are you’ll pass through Thomaston. Don’t miss the Maine State Prison Store where handmade toys, art, and furniture are sold to benefit the inmates. This program helps inmates learn a trade and gives them a way to earn money while still incarcerated and when released. The goods in this store are of very high quality and sold at low prices.

Damariscotta

Pemaquid Point lighthouse
Source: Kurt Jacobson

If you have never visited Damariscotta, Maine, you are in for a treat. This town looks like it must have over 100 years ago. The main street features an old-time Rexall drug store with a soda fountain and most anything you might need to purchase while in the area. On a visit to Stars Fine Jewelry, we asked the owner where to get the best lobster rolls and he told to try The Lobster Haul Restaurant just two blocks off the main drag. They serve some of the best and creative lobster rolls at the Lobster Haul and have a comfy outdoor seating area for warm days or inside when the weather doesn’t cooperate. Their wine list is short but good and priced well at around 7 USD per glass.

Consider staying in Damariscotta for a central location with lots of amenities. A few small hotels and several vacation rentals are available. Since I’ve never stayed in Damariscotta, I can’t recommend any lodging, but can vouch that the town is worth a visit.

Wiscasset is famous for lobster rolls at Red’s, a tiny food shack on the main drag. Customers wait up to twenty minutes to get their hands on one of these delicious delicacies. Just up the street from Red’s are art shops, three bakeries, and more. Also in Wiscasset is Monkey See, Monkey Do, an aerial adventure park offering fun for groups and families.

Find your own special places

If you go to Lincoln County, Maine, there are other villages and towns not mentioned in this article. It would be worthwhile for you to spend time exploring the area on your own. I hope you find your favorite places and bring back lots of photos, memories, and a few treasures.

Disclosure: Trip101 selects the listings in our articles independently. Some of the listings in this article contain affiliate links.

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Kurt Jacobson is a Baltimore-based freelance travel writer who is a former chef traveling the world in search of great food, interesting people, fine wine, nature, fishing, and skiing. New Zealand,...Read more

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