Coastal Maine - Dining, Strolling, Hiking
 

Rockport:
Mt. Battie for a hike, or just a drive up.
Claw's in Rockland for shacky seafood, Rhumb Line for wine & apps on the deck (check their limited hours at this time of year), Hill's for seafood out on the deck, Natalie's for fine dining with a view, Marriner's Café for blueberry pancakes or a light lunch, Mt. Battie Takeout for Fried Clams etc. Home Kitchen in Rockland for breakfasts, Seafolk Coffee on Central in Rockport.

A nice long walk is Rockport into Camden: https://newengland.com/today/travel/...oastal-beauty/
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Bar Harbor:
Beals and Thurstons are both great lobster wharfs, whichever one you drive past first as you explore Mt. Desert Island.

Mt. Dessert Bakery for blueberry pie (or strawberry rhubard pie) & coffee, Udder Heaven for blueberry cheesecake ice cream. 59 Cottage or Café This Way or 2 Cats for breakfasts, Terrace Grille for dining with a view, The Asticou Inn in nearby Northeast Harbor for deck lunch and the best popovers.
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Kennebunkport:
Mabel's Lobster Claw was a favorite of Georgie & Babs Bush but has recently been sold to some Hilton-affiliated group so I'm not sure what they've done with it.
Alisson's and the Cape Pier Chowder House are always solid. The Clam Shack is famous. Old Vines Wine Bar is fun. On the Marsh for fine dining with a view. Cape Porpoise Pier for casual lobster on the water.
Goose Rocks Beach for a walk, the Wells Reserve is a short ride out of town www.wellsreserve.org

One thing to note is that service can often be hit-or-miss-mostly-miss at this time of year as restaurants are just beefing up for the summer crowds and hiring lots of college kids and foreign students. I have family in the area and they told us that staffing/hiring was particularly difficult last summer, I'm sure that this year will be even worse.* You will probably noticed "help wanted" signs all over the place. *












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+1 for Claws in Rockland. It's right on route 1 with somewhat of a view of the industrial part of the harbor but best varied menu for a shack. McLoon's in South Thomaston is our very favorite lobster shack and was featured on Weekends with Yankee Magazine. Lobster rolls are very simple but I recommend the hot and cold version. They just put a smear of mayo on one side of the roll then fill with meat. You get warm butter to dip first pieces of lobster into that you have to eat off the roll before they fall off. Then you can finish rest of roll. Order at a small cook shack and you get a rock with a # for your picnic table. Very pretty small working harbor.

Check local newspapers for any news of a benefit lobster supper. One year early in the season we lucked into a volunteer FD fundraiser. Choice of crab or mussels for starters, outdoor tables under tend. Pie cost extra. Really nice view from the winery in Rockland.

On way to Bar Harbor, stop at the Chicken Barn in Ellsworth on Rt 1. First floor is antiques but second floor is all used books.

Just had fried clams and scallops at Fishermen's Catch in Wells. Very casual seafood place but I think they had a liquor license. It's a local friend's favorite place. No view though.

Old, but still mostly useful:
https://www.fodors.com/community/uni...urants-952409/

https://www.fodors.com/community/uni...-hikes-952392/

Toucan2 and I did the hike and gardens here a couple of years ago:
https://acadiamagic.com/thuya/

I was in Portland Me earlier this week. Had a good martini and seafood casserole at "J's". No sunset view, though. Had a truly special dinner at ForeStreet (no lobster or much of a view, though).

Two lights for lobster in the Cape Elizabeth area.

Hi Gruezi - would love to see a trip report. Heading to Maine in September.