Maine Guide
I love this place.
Welcome to Vacationland! Being a photojournalist sometimes feels like never and always being on vacation. So, I’m probably not the best to be a proper tour guide around Maine, as I don’t often get to experience Maine purely as a traveler. I’m usually exploring while working: bopping around solo, on a time crunch, or budget pinch. But I do see a lot of this wonderful place.
Antique malls and vintage stores, I’ve found, are the best place to stretch my legs on long drives to and from assignments. Also, they’re fun. They’ll be over-represented on this list. What will be under-represented is nature: hikes, beaches, preserves, etc. You’ll have to find those on your own, there are too many to include on a succinct list. I also don’t drink alcohol, really, so you’ll need to ask someone else about breweries and stuff.
With those asterisks, here’s list of places I have enjoyed and/or go to often. I didn’t include lengthy descriptions, but I did add links. They aren’t in any order, organized by region and type. And I bet I forgot some spots. Anyway, hopefully this quick list arrives just in time for your summer trip to Maine. I’m hitting publish on this just before I head out on some adventures myself.
Note: I’m happy to share my favorites, but ONLY WITH NICE PEOPLE, OKAY?! BE ON YOUR BEST BEHAVIOR!
PORTLAND AREA
Eat
Cong Tu Bot / Oun Lido’s - respect the spiciness
Luncheonette
Tandem - it’s worth the line, they make you feel like friends
Izakaya Minato
Small’s - get the caesar with jammy eggs
Taj Indian Cuisine
Miyake
Eventide and Honey Paw - If you only have time to stop in one place in Portland, to go Eventide and get a brown butter lobster roll and then go next door to Honey Paw and order the honey soft serve ice cream with chocolate shell
Terlingua - this is where I go when I want a huge salad, I get the Terlingua salad with brisket
Aomori and Aomori Market - there is a long connection between Aomori (a prefecture in Northern Japan and also where I went to high school, coincidentally) so it’s so nice to see that stately sisterhood manifest in great food
Leeward
Root Wild Kombucha
Do
Washington Baths - get a bowl of their hearty dal after your sauna
Portland Hearts of Pine - we are getting a women’s soccer team, too!
Portland Sea Dogs - I don’t know how they do it, but they manage to make baseball not boring
Portland Museum of Art - The Dead Pearl Diver by Benjamin Paul Akers is one of my favorite pieces
Ferry boat system to Casco Bay Islands
Portland Farmer’s Market - stop by Dandelion Spring Farm, Goranson Farm, and - if you are super lucky - Blue Hill Berry Co.
Shop
Open House - half of my house is from Open House
Judith - best style advice of my life is from Brooke
Viand - Jenny finds the best treasures
Post Supply - my go-to stop for my Wonder Valley skincare
Onggi
Print and Longfellow Books - Maine’s literary legends, I alternate my book purchases between the two
Bold Magazine Shop
GoGo Refill - I get all my provisions here, I especially swear by Dip solid shampoos
Wild Seed Project
Donate
Maine Immigrant Rights Coalition
Maine TransNet
Indigo Alliance
MIDCOAST
Eat
The Lost Kitchen - Freedom - you can stop for lunch and visit the market without sending in a postcard!
Double Grazie - Rockland
Long Grain - Camden
Chase’s Daily - Belfast - the farmer’s market and art gallery in the back is lovely
Mosaic - Camden
Do
Cedar Grove Sauna - Montville - tell Jackie hi for me
Langlais Art Preserve - Cushing - so nice for a walk, but especially cool to visit when the studio is open
Center for Maine Contemporary Art - Rockland
Farnsworth Museum - Rockland - be sure to cross the street to the Wyeth Center and see Pentacost
Waldoboro Inn
Monhegan Island
Read the latest Midcoast Villager and pop in their cafe in Camden
Shop
Curator - Rockland - be sure to also check out their consignment and vintage for kiddos, Little Fox
Rock, Paper, Scissors - Wiscassett - queen of paper goods
Wiscasset Antiques Mall - Wiscassett
The Peaceful Pagan Vintage - Wiscassett
Widener Company - Wiscassett
Owl’s Nest Emporium - Camden - the new antique kid on the block
Donate
Waldo County Bounty
Maine Farmland Trust
DOWNEAST
Eat
44 North Coffee - Stonington and Deer Isle
Tinder Hearth - Brooksville
Brooklin General Store - Brooklin
Burnt Cove Boil - Stonington - this is for people who are excited to crack open shellfish with a rock (I recommend it)
Milk and Honey Kitchen - Northeast Harbor
Cilantro Indian Bistro & Bar - Ellsworth
Do
Haystack Mountain School of Crafts - Deer Isle - I dream of taking a workshop here
Nervous Nellie’s Jams and Jellies - Stonington - go for the art, the church is my favorite. All hail Maine weirdos!
Deer Isle Hostel - Deer Isle - I fear that hostels and affordable stays are dying out, and this is a special one with an amazing garden
Shop
Working Loose - Blue Hill - Cool art omg!
Ronald Harte Antiques - Deer Isle
Swallowfield - Northeast Harbor
Blue Hill Books - Blue Hill
Donate
Friends of Acadia
MDI Wheelers
INLAND / SOUTHERN / ELSEWHERE
Eat
Azul Tequila - Gorham - I finally found good birria in Maine!
Bao & Beyond - Augusta - the ssam is incredible
Krista’s - Cornish
Talulah’s and the Waterford Inne - Waterford
Palace Diner - Biddeford
Do
Nurture Through Nature Sauna- Denmark - the sauna / cold mountain water combo is a dream
Stone Mountain Arts Center - Brownfield
Tear Cap Workshops - Hiram
Magic Lantern Theater - Bridgton - the former theater sunk into a sinkhole
Colby College Museum of Art - Waterville
Shop
Cornish Trading Company - Cornish - the other half of my house is from Cornish Trading Co.
At Once All Agog Toy Store - Cornish
Libby’s Antiques - Cornish
Dunbar and Sons Antiques & Vintage - Limington
Wright Chocolate House - Limerick
Whaleback Nursery Limington
Donate
Standish Food Pantry
South End Teen Center
Wabanaki Reach
ALL OF MAINE / MISC
Maine is home to some of the best bargain shopping, ever. We have more surplus and discount stores than any place I have ever lived. Like, our very own TJ Maxxes but with things like Carhartts, garden supplies, bolts of fabric, etc.
Reny’s
Mardens - the one in South Portland has incredible fabric
And, of course, let’s take note of some iconic Maine events:
Common Ground Country Fair (MOFGA)
Great Maine Apple Day (MOFGA)
Rhubarb Fest at Snell Family Farm
Maine Maple Sunday
Lobster Boat Races
And if I may, here’s the combo of what really makes an excellent trip to Maine:
Swim in very cold water.
Listen to peepers, watch some fireflies, oooh and aahh over wildflowers.
Check for ticks.
Eat local foods: lobster, wild blueberries, and fresh veggies from a local farm.
Read a book from a Maine author. Stephen King absolutely counts.
Honey soft serve!!
Another to add to your list: Rooted Heart Cafe and Apothecary in Buxton. They forage and grow all their own herbs! They are opening a sauna to the public! It's run by a small hippy commune and features a little library of homesteading and natural mothering/childbirth books! It's right down the street from me and it's been such a balm during this pregnancy to go there and get lavender lemonade and nettle pesto soup.