Brooklin
A small, lively town at the southern end of the Peninsula, Brooklin with its miles of beautiful shoreline come the town’s chief industries of fishing and boatbuilding. The town is world-famous for its boatbuilding history and is home the Brooklin Boat Yard, The Wooden Boat School and Wooden Boat Magazine, along with many smaller boat builders and design shops. The waters off Brooklin is known as Eggemoggin Reach which is a passage between Penobscot Bay and Blue Hill Bay dotted with small islands and is a mecca for sailors from all over the world.
Brooklin offers a charming town center with a beautiful library, post office, small shops and galleries, like Leaf and Anna, and Handmade Papers Gallery, and the Brooklin General Store for basic provisions. Along its winding roads, travelers will catch stunning ocean vistas of Eggemoggin Reach at Naskeag Point, Harriman Point Preserve, Flye Point and along the Benjamin River.
Brooklin hosts its weekly Farmer’s Market on Thursdays from 11am – 1pm during the summer months next First Baptist Church in the town center. Read a recent article about Brooklin.
Blue Hill
Just a short drive from Brooklin is the larger town of Blue Hill which hosts some of the areas best restaurants, shops and galleries. You will find groceries and just about everything you might need for your visit at Tradewinds Market and the Blue Hill Co-op. The historic town, founded in 1792, is home to many performing arts organizations like Kneisel Hall chamber music, Bagaduce Music, New Surry Theatre, and Flash in the Pans steel-drum band performances in the town park many Monday evenings in the summer.
between Blue Hill Mountain and the protective arm of Blue Hill Bay lies the town of Blue Hill. In 1762, the town’s founders sailed up the bay, disembarked at Mill Island near the reversing falls and built their homes there. Incorporated in 1789, Blue Hill first made a name for itself as a shipbuilding and lumber center, it’s sawmills and craftspeople turning out brigs and schooners, masts, cordwood and shingles. Granite from Blue Hill was prized for its high quality and made its way to such notable buildings as the US Stock Exchange and the Brooklyn Bridge.
By the mid-1800s, the town became a summer destination. Today, Blue Hill is rich with artists and craftspeople, excellent food, gracious lodging, art galleries and small shops. Blue Hill welcomes visitors and residents alike to hike its forests and to canoe, kayak and sail its waters.
As a service center, the community offers excellent public and private schools, a library that has been the cornerstone of intellectual and social activity in town since its founding in 1796, and a full-service hospital.
Blue Hill offers community events such as the traditional blueberry festival at the Congo Church, a summer concert series featuring the steel drum band Flash! in The Pans, classical music at Kneisel Hall and Blue Hill Bach, choral music by the Bagaduce Chorale and theatrical productions by New Surry Theatre. The Memorial Day Parade, the well-known Blue Hill Fair, and farmers markets are just some of the social, recreational and musical events Blue Hill has to offer.
Deer Isle/Stonington
Deer Isle is an island on the southern end of the Blue Hill Peninsula accessible by a historic suspension bridge that spans over Eggemoggin Reach. It is made up of two islands which are connected by a causeway. Just as you reach the end of the bridge, Little Deer Isle Lobster is a located on the right overlooking the water. There serve lobster and a few other selections and it is only outdoor seating. You can bring your own beverages. Head into the small town of Deer Isle and you will find the Deer Isle Artist’s Assciation gallery, a few other shops as well as 44 North coffee roasters. You can continue down Route 15 to the town of Stonington. Explore the small fishing village overlooking the harbor-one of the most picturesque spots in Maine. The village offers a few galleries, shops and cafés. The town is also well known for its rich history of granite quarries with a unique pinkish hue. Visit the Granite Museum for a look into the past.
The island has many walking trails and preserves to get outdoors and our favorite is Barred Island Preserve off of Goose Cove Road. The island has been a refuge for many artists and authors over the past few decades. It is home to Haystack Mountain School of Crafts and the talented artists that are hidden in the woods is truly astonishing. A fun spot you won’t want to miss on the island is Nervous Nellie’s who make delicious jams but also has paths through the woods filled with very interesting eclectic sculptures and art.
Castine
Steeped in history, architecturally preserved, rich in culture, adorned by elms and surrounded by the sea, a visit to Castine will invigorate your spirit and energize your soul. Located in the distinctive Downeast Maine Acadia region, Castine’s unique temptations lured visitors and families for generations. Known for its scenic landscapes and maritime tradition, it is also the proud home of the celebrated Maine Maritime Academy. Visitors can enjoy a few shops, bookshop, and on the waterfront eateries. Check out the local exhibits at the Castine Historical Society and the Wilson Museum.
Sedgwick
The town of Sedgwick was incorporated in 1798 and named after Major General Robert Sedgwick who ousted the French from neighboring Castine. Early settlers found the land more suitable to grazing, quarrying and logging, due to the long, rocky ridge that runs between the Bagaduce river and Salt Pond. Today, blueberry barrens dot the landscape, offering scenic views. Sedgwick is home to what is arguably one of the most photographed views in the state of Maine. Caterpillar Hill affords a sweeping vista across blueberry fields to Penobscot Bay and Camden in the west, south to Isle au Haut, and east to Jericho Bay.
The town’s coastline stretches along the shores of the Eggemoggin Reach, separating the Peninsula from Deer Isle. The mouth of the Benjamin River offers sailors and boaters a quiet cove. Sargentville, the unincorporated village in Sedgwick, is the gateway to Deer Isle.
Sedgwick and Sargentville are home to several Blue Hill Heritage Trust Trails along the scenic Bagaduce River, artist studios, and local businesses like dining favorites El El Frijoles Mexican restaurant.
Brooksville
The town of Brooksville dates back to the early 1800’s. It encompasses the villages of Harborside on Cape Rosier (also known simply as “the Cape”), South Brooksville, home to Buck’s Harbor Market and the white steepled church made famous by Robert McCloskey’s illustrations in his children’s books One Morning in Maine and Blueberries for Sal.
In addition to several Blue Hill Heritage Trust shoreline and scenic trails, the area is home to Holbrook Island Sanctuary State Park on Cape Rosier which offers 7.5 miles of oceanfront and woodland hiking, diverse ecosystems, and beach access. The Park is maintained by The Friends of Holbrook Island Sanctuary, and can be accessed from the Cape Rosier Rd.