Way Down East

Slogans such as "The Real Maine" ring truer Way Down East. The raw, mostly undeveloped coast in this remote region is more accessible than it is farther south. Pleasure craft don't crowd out lobster boats and draggers in small harbor towns the way they do in other coastal towns. Even in summer here you're likely to have rocky beaches and shady hiking trails to yourself. The slower pace is as calming as a sea breeze.

One innkeeper relates that visitors who plan to stay a few days often opt for a week after learning more about the region's offerings, which include national wildlife refuges, state parks, historic sites and preserves, and increasingly, conservancy-owned public land. Cutler's Bold Coast, with its dramatic granite headlands, is protected from development. Waters near Eastport have some of the world's highest tides. Lakes perfect for canoeing and kayaking are sprinkled inland. Rivers snake through marshland as they near the many bays. Boulders are strewn on blueberry barrens. Rare plants thrive in coastal bogs and heaths. Dark-purple-and-pink lupines line the roads in late June.

The Downeast Heritage Museum in Calais helps visitors learn about the wilderness areas Way Down East. It's just one example of how ecotourism is offering economic hope in a region that remains one of the poorest in the state. Residents often work a series of seasonal jobs, and many hope to siphon tourist dollars, as you might guess from the signs beckoning you to stop at homestead galleries, roadside stands, and quiet inns.

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