Our recent travels had a lot to do with our decision to move to the mid-coast of Maine in November 2019. We know friends and family were concerned by what seemed like a tendency to make major life decisions on the spur of the moment, and we’re not sure they bought it when we said “it just felt right.”
It’s true, Maine was simply a place of interest when 2019 began, just as far flung places like Costa Rica, California and Scotland had been in previous years. It was a place where we could find much of what we wanted in a new home—affordability, quiet, beauty, a cooler climate and proximity to the ocean.
Then, on a trip in August, we visited the mid-coast where we found a house with a view over Penobscot Bay and it brought back memories of our trips to Scotland’s Western Isles, especially a cottage we rented in September of 2017 and 2018 on the east coast of Iona with a lovely view of the Isle of Mull.
Now, six months later, with spring and the pandemic upon us, we’re here, happy, enjoying the view and planning trips in better times.
Traveling in and from Maine
The Mid-Coast has plenty to offer us within a 15-minute drive, from the charming harbor towns of Rockport and Camden, to Lincolnville Beach and Belfast. A hike to the top of Mt. Battie in Camden Hills State Park for a view of Camden Harbor, or a ferry to Isleboro are just a start.
Heading northeast is what’s called the Down East, that stretch of the eastern coastal region that covers Washington County and Hancock County beginning in Ellsworth and stretching to the East all the way to the Maritime Provinces. Bar Harbor, Mount Desert Island and Acadia National Park are just over an hour away.
For longer trips, the state has much to offer and we’re only a few hours from Canada. When the time is right, we’ll plot a course northwest to Montreal, Toronto and Quebec City or northeast to New Brunswick, Nova Scotia and Prince Edward Island.
We made a quick trip to the mid-coast of Maine in search of a new site for Two Down Dogs world headquarters (translation: we’re moving). We booked only a few days in advance and flew from Newark to Portland and then made the nearly 2-hour drive up to the Beach Cottage Inn, about 10 minutes north of Camden on Lincolnville Beach.
It wasn’t fancy (after all, we’re in Maine, so it’s not supposed to be) but comfortable and had a view of the beach. The inn is located next door to the Whale’s Tooth Pub, and has the same owners.
The sunrise was spectacular and at low tide it was perfect for a walk on the beach, before walking up Route 1 about 10 minutes to Dot’s for coffee and breakfast. Later in the day we went across the street to Green Tree Coffee and Tea, a rustic coffee roaster with rocking chairs on the front porch, and also stopped at The Alpaca Experience — because, why wouldn’t we.
We headed into Camden, which is certainly one of the loveliest coastal towns in Maine, with a small but vibrant downtown, scenic harbor and wonderful homes. Our favorites were on Bay View Street, where the Owl & Turtle Café Bookstore sat across from the Cashmere Goat. Wool, books and coffee are a few of our favorite attractions. We had been up in April for a preliminary look through the area, so these two photos are from that visit.
Then it was off to the Camden Real Estate Company, where we started our tour of four properties. The first was in town, a beautiful old home right in Camden that was far too much house for our needs. The second, also in Camden, was an ocean-front property that would require building a new house and was, in our opinion, too much work at this stage in our lives.
Then we moved on to Northport, which sits right above Lincolnville and doesn’t have the price tag or taxes of homes in Camden. The first was a magnificent, open concept home, newer construction, with a wonderful view of the ocean — from an enclosed porch that made it tough to resist.
Finally, we moved on to the last property and the reason for our visit. The home was smaller, the view good but not quite as good as the other one. It was also open concept. It had advantages, mostly the price, but by the time we scheduled the trip and got up there, someone had made a bid and the house was already under contract.
So it was back to drown our sorrows in martinis and lobster at the Whale’s Tooth Pub, followed by a walk on the beach and ice cream by the ocean.
We may not have found our home yet, but Maine seemed perfect for us.