Heading Down East
We were headed down east. Heading “down east,” as it’s known in Maine’s local dialect, means heading in a northeasterly fashion into the heart of Maine. Our final destination was to be Bar Harbor, but before we arrived there, we wanted to see Maine’s breathtaking coastline. The best way was to follow Route 1.
Traveling Route 1 along Maine’s coast is arguably the East Coast’s most scenic drive. The layers of pictorial texture dictate a slower pace and deserve it. If we were willing to accept the slower pace, a comforting adventure awaited us as we made our way through the rural communities along this coastal route.
Ancient brick facades, weather-beaten piers with picturesque lobster boats, and brilliant skies all border the jagged Atlantic coast. Maine is New England’s rough-cut gem.
Back in Time at Portland’s Old Port
Our trip started in Portland, Maine’s largest city. We had flown in and had only one night, so we headed to Portland’s Old Port. Wandering the Old Port district gave us the feeling as though we’d stepped into a Herman Melville novel. We were greeted with cobblestone streets, 19th-century brick buildings, fishing piers, and a working waterfront filled with bobbing lobster boats and fishing trawlers.
Nearby, ramshackle buildings housing seafood vendors are interspersed with sleek new restaurants serving up the day’s catch. Today, the Old Port area is a mixed-use historical district that thrives on locally-owned boutiques, well-known regional shops, and renowned restaurants.
Passing the myriad of work and pleasure boats tied up at the pier, gently rocking on the surface, we stepped into a refurbished warehouse that sat atop a wharf stretched into the harbor. Inside, Scales restaurant beckoned us with its soaring rafters and floor-to-ceiling windows.
Lobster and Potato Donuts
Taking two seats at the spacious bar overlooking bayside, we indulged in a rich, creamy bowl of the most flavorful clam chowder we’d ever had. A “lobstah” roll with lots of fresh lobster meat seasoned in a house-made dressing served on a fresh-baked, buttery roll completed a delightfully New England-style dinner.
I have to admit that lobster had never been a favorite dish of mine. The amount of effort needed to get past those fiery red barriers for what I thought was a fairly bland reward simply didn’t seem worth it. But, the lobster roll! Now that was an eye-opening discovery. A simple staple composed of lobster meat, mayonnaise or butter, seasoning, and a bun. This I could embrace.
The following morning began at a closet-sized shop, the Holy Donut. Displayed on a giant blackboard was the proclamation that all of their doughnuts are made with Maine mashed potatoes. This special ingredient provided a surprisingly moist and flavorful concoction.
Practicing hard-won self-restraint, we chose a single dark-chocolate and fresh-squeezed lemon doughnut and a coffee each. We settled onto a bench at the harbor-side as an early-morning sea-going freighter glided quietly past us while we marveled at the ingenious use of potatoes.
The Pleasures of U.S. Route 1 in Maine
With the warm memory of fried sugary potato confections embracing us and Kathy’s blue-painted toes braced against the sun-drenched dash, we headed north with our rental, exiting I-95 as quickly as possible to settle into a more leisurely pace on Highway 1.
If you follow your GPS, you’ll find yourself on I-95, a fairly modern, 4-lane concrete turnpike that follows an inland route far from the coast, which will whisk you to Bar Harbor in less than 3 hours.
This was our first trip to Maine, and we wanted to see it. We followed a pleasant, often winding, two lanes of dulled-gray pavement that passed from isolated stretches of rich forests and rolling farm-land into the Main Streets of small towns and meandered through whitewashed clapboard fishing villages poised against a vibrant oceanfront.
Finding Flannel in Freeport
If you’re going to visit Maine, you dress the part. And if you want to dress the part, what better way than visiting the mecca of plaid, L.L. Bean, which is located in Freeport.
Leon Leonwood Bean created a boot to combat his frustration with wet feet while hunting and turned it into an outdoor mega-brand, and the company is still headquartered in Freeport.
Freeport, once a dying mill and industrial town, has been revived as Maine’s outlet shopping hub. Yankee Magazine named it “Best Shopping Town in New England” with more than 130 factory stores and specialty boutiques, which includes Sea Bags, the famous Maine nautically inspired totes made of sail cloth.
Making the requisite stop at Bean, we explored an enormous building that housed their extensive line of clothing. Other buildings on the campus featured hunting and fishing gear, and boat & ski equipment. By the time we left, I was duly outfitted in a supple green/blue plaid shirt.
The Navy and Lobster Traffic Jams in Bath & Wiscasset
As we crossed the Kennebec River, we glimpsed dozens of massive cranes and gantries hanging over the half-finished hulks of ships, including the Navy’s latest stealth, guided-missile destroyer. The city of Bath, home to Bath Iron Works since 1890, is located on the banks of the Kennebec and has built nearly 5,000 private, commercial, and military vessels.
Afterward, we crossed over the river to Woolwich and spied what must be the largest lobster in Maine. The 70-foot-long, 12-foot-tall lobster sits atop the roof of Taste of Maine, a local restaurant.
Shortly before midday, driving into the self-proclaimed prettiest town in Maine, Wiscasset, we encountered our first real traffic jam. As we ground to a halt on Highway 1, we spied what appeared to be the culprit—Red’s Eats, famous for its lobster rolls. Topping many lists as Maine’s best, Red’s is housed in an ancient trailer with a striped red-and-white awning setting on a postage-stamp-sized piece of real estate just as U.S. 1 drops down to the Sheepscot River.
The aged visage did not deter the block-and-a-half-long line of patrons who crossed against traffic. The 45-minute wait was rewarded with a warm-buttered, grilled New England–style hot-dog bun piled high with chilled lobster meat.
The Seaside Splendor of Boothbay Harbor
Technically not on Route 1, Boothbay Harbor is worth the detour. There’s no better introduction to coastal Maine.
Boothbay Harbor’s narrow and winding streets are filled with shops and restaurants housed in weathered buildings that pack in as much history as they do souvenirs and seafood. We explored the aisles of Gimbel & Sons Country Store with everything from knick-knacks and toys to sauces and jams. Next door, The Smiling Cow was filled with nautical souvenirs.
Afterwards, we grabbed a bench near lobster traps stacked all a-jumble at the end of the docks, overlooking lobster skiffs bobbing in the harbor and enjoyed a bag of popcorn from Coastal Maine Popcorn with a bottle of root beer. It was a pleasant respite in the afternoon.
An Unlikely Find in Lincolnville
We made several stops along the way as Kathy is always on the hunt for regional brands of potato chips & flavors. And, yes, we did actually find a lobster-roll flavored potato chip. There’s a definite culinary theme in Maine.
Near Lincolnville, we discovered McLaughlin’s Lobster Shack adorned with hanging fish-nets and gurgling tanks of the day’s catch. Eschewing the obvious, we ordered a shrimp dinner with coleslaw and fries and took our bounty down to the waterfront, grabbing one of the umbrella-covered picnic tables. We sat and watched the gulls skim the sunlit waters of the bay, as the tide rolled out.
The World’s Tallest Public Bridge & Observatory in Prospect
One of the wonderful realities of driving Highway 1 is the proposition of discovering something new and unexpected around each corner.
As we rounded a curve in a very rural area near Bucksport, seemingly popping up out of nowhere, we spied an awe-inducing sight. The Penobscot Narrows Bridge, with its remarkable web of steel strands, spans 2,120 feet and connects Verona Island with Prospect, Maine.
The most spectacular feature of the bridge is the observatory at the top of the west tower. Entering an elevator at the bottom of the tower, we rose to the 400-foot level in a minute, then took two flights of stairs to the 437-foot level. We were greeted with beautiful 360-degree views of the river and bay below, the nearby village of Bucksport, and the historic Fort Knox, one of the best-preserved fortifications on the New England seacoast.
The Other Fort Knox
This Fort Knox does not contain any gold or any otherworldly objects for that matter. During the country’s infancy, Maine was repeatedly involved in northeast border disputes with British Canada. In fact, the area was invaded and occupied by the British during both the American Revolution and the War of 1812. Fort Knox was established in 1844 to protect the Penobscot River Valley against any possible future British naval incursion.
We found ourselves scrambling over 144 acres of historic grounds and through a catacomb of dark, forbidding tunnels beneath the walls, where the flashlight app on our cell phone came in quite handy. The stone parapets provided scenic views of the Penobscot River. Above all were the massive, menacing black cannons that never fired in anger.
Our Seaside Destination of Bar Harbor & Acadia National Park
After 9 hours and 175 engaging miles and with the sun setting, we arrived at Mount Desert Island, home to Bar Harbor and Acadia National Park. We were lucky enough to score a room at the historic Bar Harbor Inn, situated on the shores of Frenchman Bay.
We woke up early in the morning and took a slow stroll along the 1.5-mile Shore Path. This charming trail starts at the Town Pier and wraps around the eastern shore of the island. We explored some of the rock formations along the shoreline, including the famous Balance Rock, which has been there for more than 10,000 years.
Every so often, we’d stop to enjoy the sweeping views of the islands, as cruise ships slowly made their way into the harbor. Along the way, we passed several magnificent mansions locally known as “cottages”.
Downtown Bar Harbor found us meandering through the quaint streets, shopping at unique boutiques, and savoring homemade ice cream. Just up the road from the center of town, Acadia National Park is a wonderful mix of water, coastline, and mountains, capped off with over 120 miles of hiking trails and 45 miles of bikeable carriage trails.
After hiking throughout the park, we had worked up quite an appetite. Seeking an alternative to the ocean’s bounty, Atlantic Brewery and their BBQ restaurant, Mainely Meat, fit the bill. This excellent craft brewery’s specialty is ales. During a very informal tour, we learned about the brewing process as we stood amongst the vats of beer. We sampled a flight of their classic and seasonal brews, which ran the gamut from a blueberry ale with its subtle notes of the ubiquitous berry, but, in my mind, the true standout was the nutty brown Bar Harbor Real Ale and its rich malty flavor.
Paired with a platter of slow-cooked smoked meats and fixin’s made for a perfect repast.
We had traveled north of Portland following Maine’s jagged shoreline towards Bar Harbor, the gateway to Acadia National Park. An unhurried road trip had beckoned us as we drove along the Atlantic Coast, where we breathed the refreshing salt air, savored its breathtaking scenery, and enjoyed its many rewards. If only every trip ended that way.
If You Go
Portland International Jetport is 10 minutes from downtown and offers direct flights to most major cities.
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