Downeast & Acadia
Where the sun rises first. This region is home to the stunning granite peaks of Acadia National Park, the dramatic Bold Coast, and authentic fishing villages where lobster is king.
Towns & Cities
Explore the communities in Downeast & Acadia
Addison
A Downeast fishing town on the Pleasant River with bold coast scenery and quiet peninsulas.
Alexander
A Washington County town of rolling barrens, quiet ponds, and Route 9/US-1 access near the St. Croix Valley.
Amherst
A small Hancock County town on Route 9 with steep ridges, Union River headwaters, and quick access to Bangor and Ellsworth.
Aurora
A small Hancock County community on Route 9 surrounded by timberland, ponds, and the northern reaches of the Union River watershed.
Baileyville
A border town on the St. Croix River, home to paper mills and serving as a gateway to Canada and Downeast wilderness.
Bangor
Bangor, on the Penobscot River, is the retail and service hub for northern and eastern Maine, known for its logging history, Stephen King connections, and proximity to Acadia.
Bar Harbor
A classic coastal village framed by Acadia's granite peaks. Sunrise drives on the Park Loop Road and harbor strolls define the Downeast experience.
Baring Plantation
A small plantation along US-1 between Calais and Princeton, bordered by the St. Croix River and Moosehorn National Wildlife Refuge.
Beals
An island community connected by bridge to Jonesport, famous for its boatbuilding heritage and the Great Wass Island Preserve.
Beddington
A tiny Washington County town on Route 9 known for Beddington and Mopang lakes, big-sky barrens, and remote camps.
Blue Hill
A sophisticated village known for its chamber music, pottery, and the iconic Blue Hill Mountain.
Brooklin
A coastal Hancock County town famed for boatbuilding, sailing waters, and E.B. White’s longtime home.
Brooksville
A Hancock County town of tidal inlets, hayfields, and small boatyards between Blue Hill and Deer Isle.
Calais
Located on the Canadian border, Calais is a historic riverfront city known for its connection to St. Stephen, New Brunswick, and the beautiful St. Croix Valley.
Castine
One of the oldest towns in New England, steeped in military history and home to the Maine Maritime Academy.
Cherryfield
Downeast town on the Narraguagus River, celebrated as the Blueberry Capital of the World and known for its well-preserved historic district.
Columbia Falls
A compact Washington County town with 19th-century homes, river views, and easy access to Downeast blueberry country.
Columbia
A small Washington County town surrounded by commercial blueberry barrens and quiet streams.
Cooper
A tiny Washington County town of woods, barrens, and quiet lakes east of Machias.
Cranberry Isles
A cluster of year-round and seasonal communities on Great Cranberry, Little Cranberry (Islesford), Sutton, Baker, and Bear islands.
Crawford
A one-storey Downeast community surrounded by woods, lakes, and the "Airline" road between Bangor and Calais.
Cutler
A remote fishing village home to the dramatic cliffside hiking of the Cutler Coast Public Reserved Land.
Danforth
A Washington County community with lake access, ATV/sled trails, and a frontier feel along the New Brunswick line.
Deblois
A tiny Washington County town along Route 193 known for its barrens, Narraguagus River headwaters, and low-traffic roads.
Dedham
A ridge town on Route 1A with clear lakes, lakefront camps, and easy access to Bangor and Ellsworth.
Deer Isle
A scenic island community connected to the mainland by a suspension bridge, famous for the Haystack Mountain School of Crafts.
East Machias
A Washington County community on the Machias River, known for its historic academy, tidal views, and access to Downeast preserves.
Eastport
A historic island city with deep waters, massive tides, and a thriving arts scene, overlooking the islands of Passamaquoddy Bay.
Ellsworth
Ideally located as the gateway to Acadia and Downeast Maine, Ellsworth is a growing hub of commerce, culture, and outdoor access.
Franklin
A Downeast town framed by blueberry barrens and the Donnell Pond Public Lands at the foot of Tunk Mountain.
Frenchboro
A remote fishing village on Long Island in Blue Hill Bay, reached by the state ferry from Bass Harbor.
Gouldsboro
Home to the Schoodic District of Acadia National Park, offering dramatic surf and scenery without the Bar Harbor crowds.
Grand Lake Stream
A small plantation built around a blue-ribbon landlocked salmon fishery between West Grand Lake and Big Lake.
Hancock
A coastal town at the head of Frenchman Bay with tidal falls, clam flats, and the start of the Schoodic Scenic Byway.
Harrington
A coastal town of lobster wharves, historic homes, and tidal marshes between Milbridge and Jonesport.
Isle au Haut
A rugged island south of Stonington with a small village and an Acadia National Park district reached by mail boat.
Jonesboro
A Washington County town on US-1 known for vast blueberry fields, riverside views, and proximity to Machias.
Jonesport
A classic fishing village connected by bridge to Beals Island, famous for its lobster boat races and maritime heritage.
Lamoine
A coastal community on Frenchman Bay with sweeping views of Acadia, a state park campground, and sheltered coves.
Lubec
A rugged, remote fishing town that greets the sunrise before anywhere else in the country, connected by bridge to Campobello Island, Canada.
Machias
The historic county seat of Washington County, site of the first naval battle of the American Revolution, and center of the wild blueberry industry.
Machiasport
A historic Washington County fishing town with forts, lighthouses, and sweeping views of Machias Bay.
Mariaville
A rural Hancock County town of lakes, woods, and gravel roads between Bangor and the coast.
Meddybemps
A quiet community west of Calais centered on Meddybemps Lake, popular for paddling, fishing, and loon watching.
Milbridge
Downeast fishing village at the mouth of the Narraguagus River, known for lobstering, blueberries, and sweeping coastal views.
Mount Desert
Home to Northeast Harbor, Seal Harbor, Somesville, and much of Acadia National Park's carriage roads and peaks.
Orland
A Penobscot River town with lakes, hills, and conserved forestland between Bucksport and Ellsworth.
Perry
A Washington County town on the Canadian border, known for Passamaquoddy Bay views, tidal currents, and the 45th parallel marker.
Pembroke
A rural bay town with tidal rapids, open fields, and easy reach to Lubec and Eastport.
Princeton
A Washington County community on US Route 1, serving anglers and paddlers exploring the St. Croix watershed.
Prospect
A small Waldo County community along the Penobscot River, known for its historic fort, observatory views, and Route 1 access.
Robbinston
A coastal Washington County town of coves, fields, and tidal flats facing New Brunswick across the St. Croix.
Sedgwick
A coastal Hancock County town overlooking Eggemoggin Reach, split between working waterfronts and inland barrens.
Sorrento
A small Hancock County peninsula town with classic shingle cottages, moorings on Flanders Bay, and views of Cadillac Mountain.
Southwest Harbor
Authentic fishing village on Mount Desert Island's quieter western side, offering Acadia access without Bar Harbor crowds.
Steuben
Remote coastal town famous for wild blueberries, offering rugged coastline, working waterfront, and authentic Downeast character.
Stonington
A gritty, authentic fishing village at the tip of Deer Isle that lands more lobster than any other port in the state.
Sullivan
Quiet coastal town east of Acadia, offering authentic Downeast character, working waterfront, and spectacular Schoodic Peninsula views.
Swan's Island
A working island community southwest of Mount Desert, known for quiet coves, Burnt Coat Harbor Light, and strong fishing heritage.
Topsfield
A Washington County town on Route 1 and Route 6 surrounded by forests, small lakes, and access to the St. Croix headwaters.
Trenton
Located just before the bridge to Mount Desert Island, Trenton is famous for its roadside lobster pounds and the regional airport.
Winter Harbor
A picturesque fishing village on the Schoodic Peninsula, Winter Harbor serves as the gateway to the mainland section of Acadia National Park.
Charlotte
Rural Washington County town between Calais and Pembroke, close to Moosehorn National Wildlife Refuge and the Dennys River.
Dennysville
18th-century river town on Route 1 with boat launches, heritage homes, and quick access to the Bold Coast.
Eastbrook
Small Hancock County town between Ellsworth and Cherryfield with access to Donnell Pond, Spring River Lake, and Tunk Mountain.
Great Pond
One of Maine's smallest towns, dotted with camps on Rocky and Georges ponds between Ellsworth and the Brewer/Bangor area.
Marshfield
Small Washington County town north of Machias with river access, blueberry fields, and proximity to the Down East Sunrise Trail.
Otis
A rural town in Hancock County surrounded by lakes and forests, Otis offers excellent fishing, hunting, and access to the quiet beauty of inland Downeast Maine.
Trescott
A remote coastal township in far eastern Maine, Trescott offers dramatic ocean cliffs, pristine wilderness, and solitude on the edge of the Bold Coast.
Vanceboro
A tiny border community on the St. Croix River, Vanceboro offers wilderness fishing, hunting, and a unique location straddling the Maine-New Brunswick border.
Waite
A remote inland community in Washington County, Waite offers pristine lakes, extensive forests, and excellent fishing and hunting in one of Maine's quietest corners.
Waltham
A small rural community in the heart of Maine's wild blueberry region, Waltham offers wide-open barrens, forested hills, and the quiet charm of Downeast Maine.
Whiting
A quiet Downeast community serving as the gateway to the Bold Coast, Whiting offers blueberry barrens, forest trails, and access to some of Maine's most dramatic coastal scenery.
Penobscot
A scenic coastal town on the western shore of Penobscot Bay, Penobscot offers maritime heritage, lobster fishing, and stunning ocean views.
Roque Bluffs
Roque Bluffs is a small coastal community known for Roque Bluffs State Park, offering both ocean beach and freshwater pond swimming in a scenic Downeast setting.
Surry
A scenic coastal town on Union River Bay, Surry offers tidal waters, mountain views, and easy access to Acadia National Park and Blue Hill.
Tremont
A scenic town on the quiet side of Mount Desert Island, Tremont offers pristine coastal beauty, fishing villages, and access to Acadia National Park without the crowds.
Wesley
One of Maine's smallest and most remote towns, a wilderness community in Washington County's interior.
Whitneyville
A small rural village in Washington County's interior, preserving quiet countryside character.