Blue Hill Peninsula

If you want to see unspoiled Down East Maine land- and seascapes, explore art galleries, savor exquisite meals, or simply enjoy life at a relaxed and unhurried pace, you should be quite content on the Blue Hill Peninsula. The area is not at all like its coastal neighbors, as very little of it has been developed. There aren't any must-see attractions, so you are left to investigate the area on your own terms, seeking out the villages, hikes, artists, restaurants, or views that interest you most. Blue Hill and Castine are the area's primary business hubs.

The peninsula, approximately 16 mi wide and 20 mi long, juts out into Penobscot Bay. Not far from the mainland are the islands of Deer Isle, Little Deer Isle, and the picturesque fishing town of Stonington. It lacks the mountains, lakes, ponds, and vast network of trails of neighboring Mount Desert Island. Instead, a twisting labyrinth of roads rolls over fields and around coves, linking the towns of Blue Hill, Brooksville, Sedgwick, and Brooklin. This is a place to meander for views of open fields reaching to the water's edge or, around the next bend, a tree-shaded farmhouse with an old stone wall marking the property line.

Painters, photographers, sculptors, and other artists are drawn to the area. You can find more than 20 galleries on Deer Isle and Stonington, and at least half as many on the mainland. And with its small inns, charming bed-and-breakfasts, and outstanding restaurants scattered across the area, the Blue Hill Peninsula may just persuade you to leave the rest of the coastline to the tourists.

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