Top 10: Best of Rockland, Maine

Wondering where to start when it comes to the finding the best of Rockland? Right here.

Rockland rocks. Named a Distinctive Destination by the National Trust for Historic Preservation, this small Maine coastal city edging Penobscot Bay retains the heart and spirit of a working town. It also buzzes with the added pizazz of excellent museums, a vigorous arts scene, surprising restaurants, and independent shops, and it delivers a more than generous serving of lobster, lighthouses, and windjammers.

Not only will you find the best of Rockland, but plunk down in Rockland for a few days, and you’ll experience the best Maine has to offer—without having to put endless miles on your vehicle. Heck, thanks to air and bus service and a compact downtown, you can even get by without a car.

Why do I love Rockland? For so many reasons, I had to be a bit creative when naming my top 10.

Lighthouses, camera, action

Begin at the Maine Lighthouse Museum, after soaking up the facts, legends, and lore, put on your walking shoes for the nearly one-mile jaunt over the jetty to Rockland Breakwater Lighthouse at the tip (volunteers usually open it on weekends and for special events). Next hop in the car (or get on a bicycle) and mosey  to the Owls Head Light, then segue over and down the St. George Peninsula to Marshall Point Light.

Lobster!

Oh, yes, Rockland, home of the Maine Lobster Festival, has you covered, with some form of the tasty crustacean on nearly every menu in town. Prefer to roll up your sleeves and muckle on to one at an oceanfront picnic table? Yup, got that, too.

When it comes to Maine lobster shacks, it doesn’t get any better than McLoon’s in Spruce Head, about 20 minutes of downtown Rockland. It takes a little effort to find it, but persevere, trust me. It’s one of the headliners on my list of favorite Maine lobster shacks. No wheels? Head to Claws, on the northern end of downtown.

Or go a bit fancier at Archer’s on the Pier. Chef and owner Lynn Archer’s lobster club won on celebrity chef Bobby Flay’s Throwdown.

Rockland Maine Arts’ scene

It wouldn’t be a stretch to call Rockland Maine’s most art-centric town, thanks to the fabulous Farnsworth Museum, the new in 2016 and fabulous Center for Maine Contemporary Art, and the galaxy of top-notch independent galleries surrounding them.

Take it all in on the monthly First Friday Art Walk, when participating museums usually offer free admission.

Catch a concert, lecture, performance, or film at the Strand, a beautifully restored 1923 theater downtown.

Shop

Lining Rockland’s Main Street are independent shops, thrift stores, boutiques, and galleries. These include The Grasshopper (this, that, and everything inbetween), Archipeligo (made on the islands or along the coast), Hello Hello Books (new and used), and Fiore (extra virgin olive oils, mmm!). And then, branch out from there.

Puffins

C’mon, you know you’ve always wanted to see these funny-looking birds, a.k.a. the clowns of the sea. If you can’t manage a trip to see the puffins, Rockland’s Project Puffin Visitor Center will bring them to you. Watch live videos of nesting puffins, explore interactive exhibits, and view films highlighting the successful efforts to restore and protect them. During July and August, free science programs for kids are offered on Tuesday nights. And a lecture series takes place on Wednesday evenings. And you can find out about seasonal puffin-viewing trips.

Trains, planes, cars, and boats

For transportation buffs, the choices are plentiful. The Owls Head Transportation Museum, just over the town line in Owls Head, is a must. Everything on view—wheels and wings—is in primo condition, and on special event weekends throughout the summer, the planes soar, the bikes role, and the cars motor by.

Newer on the scene is the waterfront  Sail Power & Steam Museum, where displays highlight Rockland’s maritime heritage. If Capt. Jim Sharp is there, ask him for a tour. Trust me, you won’t forget Jim or his stories.

Windjamming

Rockland vies with Camden for the title of Maine’s windjammer capital. About half of the Maine Windjammer Association fleet is  based here. If you can’t get away for a few days, book a two-hour sail aboard A Morning in Maine, a 55-foot ketch designed by noted naval architect R.D. Culler and built by Concordia Yachts.

Best vantage points for viewing and photographing windjammers sailing in and around Rockland Harbor are the Rockland Breakwater  and Owls Head Light (Hint: Best photo opp is during the annual Maine Windjammer Association Parade of Sail event in July).

Eat!

Portland may get all the attention, but the restaurants in Rockland, Maine, are gaining recognition far beyond the city and even state. Start with two-time James Beard Best Chef award winner Melissa Kelly, who owns Primo, a farm-to-table restaurant on the southern edge of town (Be sure to tour the gardens and animal pens before dining in the restaurant or upstairs lounges).

Stroll down Rockland’s Main Street, and the possibilities include the region’s best Japanese, Suzuki’s Sushi Bar, and best wine & tapas, In Good Company. Indulge in breakfast at Home Kitchen Cafe (the huevos rancheros, with house-made corn tortillas, are a slam dunk). Not to mention Sammy’s Deluxe, North Beacon Oyster, and the food trucks down by the harbor, and…and those are just off the top of my head. And do make reservations.

Island hop: Vinalhaven, North Haven, & Monhegan

Ferries tether Vinalhaven, North Haven, and distant Matinicus to Rockland. Both Vinalhaven and North Haven are great day trips. Ferries are also the least expensive way to see the coast from the water. Don’t even consider bringing a car to either island, unless you’re planning a long stay and need it to get around (you can rent one on Vinalhaven); foot or bike are the preferred methods of navigating both.

The ferry to Monhegan departs from Port Clyde, about a half-hour’s drive south from Rockland and well worth a day trip.

Speaking of islands, make it a point to visit the Maine Coastal Islands National Wildlife Refuge Visitor Center, if only to check out the really cool map of the Maine Coast in the lobby, if not the handful of exhibits.

Sleep:

After you’ve checked out the best of Rockland, there’s still one more best, and that’s lodging. The hotels in Rockland, Maine, aren’t numerous, but they are inviting.

The Berry Manor Inn,  Granite Inn, and Limerock Inn are located in the city’s historic district and within walking distance to all downtown sights; all three are elegant, and each has its own style.

Also in town are two boutique hotels, the historical Lindsey Guesthouse and the ultra artsy boutique hotel 250 Main facing from Harbor Park (I love this one; each floor doubles as an art gallery with curated exhibits and the rooftop deck is divine).

The Rockland Harbor Hotel is a masterful renovation of a former lackluster property sited across from the ferry terminal, which puts all of downtown as well as some islands within easy walking distance.

Although actually just over the border in Rockport, the Samoset Resort is within walking distance of the Rockland Breakwater. This full-service oceanfront property has an 18-hole golf course, spa, and all the other whistles and bells you’d expect. The Mediterranean restaurant is very good, the you can’t beat sitting on the ocean-view deck.