Damariscotta LakeHouse Guidebook
Food Shopping
One of our favorite co-ops. Member-owned food cooperative, specializing in natural/organic and bulk foods. Good selection of vegetables, meats, and breads from local organic farmers and local bakers. Super friendly worker-owners and small and easy to navigate. You don't need to be a member to shop here. Very convenient and close by as you enter Damariscotta.
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Rising Tide Co-Op
323 Main StOne of our favorite co-ops. Member-owned food cooperative, specializing in natural/organic and bulk foods. Good selection of vegetables, meats, and breads from local organic farmers and local bakers. Super friendly worker-owners and small and easy to navigate. You don't need to be a member to shop here. Very convenient and close by as you enter Damariscotta.
Used to be Yellowfront, where my grampa used to work! Locally owned grocery store, fairly large, has a lot of stuff, across from Rising Tide Co-op. Bright yellow, hard to miss.
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Main Street Grocery
1 Upper MainUsed to be Yellowfront, where my grampa used to work! Locally owned grocery store, fairly large, has a lot of stuff, across from Rising Tide Co-op. Bright yellow, hard to miss.
Your typical Hannie's, but sometimes nothing else will do. Great for all the basic stuff, your 50 kinds of milks, ice cream, wine, etc. Usually good for a big shop to set you up for a week or two at the lake!
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Hannaford Supermarket
469 Main StYour typical Hannie's, but sometimes nothing else will do. Great for all the basic stuff, your 50 kinds of milks, ice cream, wine, etc. Usually good for a big shop to set you up for a week or two at the lake!
Farmers' Markets are generally awesome and this one is really nice! Very laid back, the vendors are super friendly and cool, and lots of good stuff- fresh veggies, truffle garlic, soaps, locally grown mushrooms, etc.! Highly recommend. Takes place on Fridays, 9-12 or thereabouts.
Damariscotta Farmer's Market
109 Belvedere RoadFarmers' Markets are generally awesome and this one is really nice! Very laid back, the vendors are super friendly and cool, and lots of good stuff- fresh veggies, truffle garlic, soaps, locally grown mushrooms, etc.! Highly recommend. Takes place on Fridays, 9-12 or thereabouts.
Sightseeing
Very cool small trail down to where shells got piled up down by the river. Good place to go on a hot day. Dogs love it.
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Whaleback Shell Midden State Historic Site
535 Main StVery cool small trail down to where shells got piled up down by the river. Good place to go on a hot day. Dogs love it.
Gorgeous gardens with troll sculptures made of wood that kids love. Butterflies, plants, faery houses! On the peninsula of Boothbay so it's a little bit of a haul, but makes for a great day trip. Afterwards, you can eat oysters at any number of places in Boothbay!
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Botanische Gärten der Küste von Maine
105 Botanical Gardens DrGorgeous gardens with troll sculptures made of wood that kids love. Butterflies, plants, faery houses! On the peninsula of Boothbay so it's a little bit of a haul, but makes for a great day trip. Afterwards, you can eat oysters at any number of places in Boothbay!
When I was a kid, I would take out twenty books at a time. It's one of my favorite libraries ever. They also have a great Children's Room and a sweet little garden out back. Not to be missed if you like books or libraries.
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Skidompha Public Library
184 Main StWhen I was a kid, I would take out twenty books at a time. It's one of my favorite libraries ever. They also have a great Children's Room and a sweet little garden out back. Not to be missed if you like books or libraries.
Food scene
Ice cream, shakes, frappes, banana splits! Need I say more? About a thousand flavors to try, but I usually get a peanut butter chocolate shake. Close to the lake, about a 10 minute drive away. Almost too convenient... makes a nice stop on the way back home if you're coming from the right direction. You can also take a photo with your head in these holes (see photo), or watch other people take pictures. Very cute with kids. Has a nice garden to hang out in while you eat your treats!
A little more info... locally owned sandwich shop and small provisions and grocery- as in, juice, beer/wine, popcorn, ice cream, chips, car snacks- and also AMAZING cupcakes (2 in each) that are made locally - and not just regular cupcakes, but CHEESECAKE CUPCAKES. Thank me later. You will not regret it. (they often get sold out so go early) Also I recommend the Italian sandwich and the Chicken Caeser Salad wrap!
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Jefferson Scoop
271 Waldoboro RdIce cream, shakes, frappes, banana splits! Need I say more? About a thousand flavors to try, but I usually get a peanut butter chocolate shake. Close to the lake, about a 10 minute drive away. Almost too convenient... makes a nice stop on the way back home if you're coming from the right direction. You can also take a photo with your head in these holes (see photo), or watch other people take pictures. Very cute with kids. Has a nice garden to hang out in while you eat your treats!
A little more info... locally owned sandwich shop and small provisions and grocery- as in, juice, beer/wine, popcorn, ice cream, chips, car snacks- and also AMAZING cupcakes (2 in each) that are made locally - and not just regular cupcakes, but CHEESECAKE CUPCAKES. Thank me later. You will not regret it. (they often get sold out so go early) Also I recommend the Italian sandwich and the Chicken Caeser Salad wrap!
A nice place to go for dinner, or as a date spot. Has outdoor dining. In Newcastle, not far away. Good Americana/burger kind of place.
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Newcastle Publick House
52 Main StA nice place to go for dinner, or as a date spot. Has outdoor dining. In Newcastle, not far away. Good Americana/burger kind of place.
Thai food in downtown Damariscotta! Really good, great for take-out for dine in. I love the Thai ice tea, too. They are also super nice. Not to be missed if you're feeling like Thai!
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Best Thai Restaurant
88 Main StThai food in downtown Damariscotta! Really good, great for take-out for dine in. I love the Thai ice tea, too. They are also super nice. Not to be missed if you're feeling like Thai!
Tacos, burritos, taquitos, oh my! I recommend the fish tacos and the guacamole and tortilla chips. Sort of a hole in the wall, mostly for take-out or go eat by the water near by. Orders come out fairly quickly and they're super nice.
Que Rico
115 Main StTacos, burritos, taquitos, oh my! I recommend the fish tacos and the guacamole and tortilla chips. Sort of a hole in the wall, mostly for take-out or go eat by the water near by. Orders come out fairly quickly and they're super nice.
I know... ANOTHER ICE CREAM PLACE? What are the chances?! But seriously, this one is soooo good. I mean, they both are. And it's good to have options, right? Also has a nice deck and some great views. And great ice cream. Let's not forget that!
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Round Top Ice Cream
526 Main StI know... ANOTHER ICE CREAM PLACE? What are the chances?! But seriously, this one is soooo good. I mean, they both are. And it's good to have options, right? Also has a nice deck and some great views. And great ice cream. Let's not forget that!
Lobster rolls, etc. One of our favorite places for lunch, and in addition to the typical traditional lobster, they have some fun takes as well. Wasabi Lobster, anyone? They also have hot dogs and sandwiches for the non-lobster inclined. We love it here.
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The Lobster Haul
115 Elm StLobster rolls, etc. One of our favorite places for lunch, and in addition to the typical traditional lobster, they have some fun takes as well. Wasabi Lobster, anyone? They also have hot dogs and sandwiches for the non-lobster inclined. We love it here.
Moody's is... how to put it? Extremely nostalgic, down home food, GREAT ice cream, pies, and milkshakes, and a place I used to go quite often with my grandparents and their friends. Sit up at the counter or get a booth, get endless coffee refills and enjoy speaking with the staff, who are very down to earth. Different desserts every night of the week. Very popular spot.
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Moody's Diner
1885 Atlantic HwyMoody's is... how to put it? Extremely nostalgic, down home food, GREAT ice cream, pies, and milkshakes, and a place I used to go quite often with my grandparents and their friends. Sit up at the counter or get a booth, get endless coffee refills and enjoy speaking with the staff, who are very down to earth. Different desserts every night of the week. Very popular spot.
Seafood and burgers, a deck, seagulls who will swoop in and steak your rolls without a "please and thank you" and the ocean right there. Boats out to islands and Puffin and Whale watching trips- a great place for a family outing, especially. Quintessential Maine.
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Shaw's Fish & Lobster Wharf Restaurant
129 ME-32Seafood and burgers, a deck, seagulls who will swoop in and steak your rolls without a "please and thank you" and the ocean right there. Boats out to islands and Puffin and Whale watching trips- a great place for a family outing, especially. Quintessential Maine.
Shopping
A good bookstore which also has a cafe, which we always go to. Also has gifts, toys, journals, stuffed animals, the works. Great for rainy days or browsing books. Right next to the Skidompha Public Library which is also great.
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Maine Coast Book Shop and Cafe
158 Main StA good bookstore which also has a cafe, which we always go to. Also has gifts, toys, journals, stuffed animals, the works. Great for rainy days or browsing books. Right next to the Skidompha Public Library which is also great.
Gotta love Renys. Has everything you need AND everything you don't. But truly. you will be surprised how often Renys comes in handy. Has an upstairs and downstairs and then across the street there is another one that focuses mostly on clothing. Look for the bin of on-sale flannels that is usually out there. A real Maine staple.
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Renys
116 Main StGotta love Renys. Has everything you need AND everything you don't. But truly. you will be surprised how often Renys comes in handy. Has an upstairs and downstairs and then across the street there is another one that focuses mostly on clothing. Look for the bin of on-sale flannels that is usually out there. A real Maine staple.
If you ever wanted to stand near a giant boot, here's your chance! The classic mothership- LL Bean the original and then nearby the outlet store (my personal favorite) - I recommend both to get the full experience. Down in Freeport, full of a plethora of other shopping opportunities. There's also a place where you can put your head in a bubble and have fish- trout, mostly, I think- swim around you. It makes for a fun photo.
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L.L. Bean Factory Store
95 Main StIf you ever wanted to stand near a giant boot, here's your chance! The classic mothership- LL Bean the original and then nearby the outlet store (my personal favorite) - I recommend both to get the full experience. Down in Freeport, full of a plethora of other shopping opportunities. There's also a place where you can put your head in a bubble and have fish- trout, mostly, I think- swim around you. It makes for a fun photo.
A new store that sells a lot of the things you usually get at the Common Ground Fair- so that means local, beautiful, hand made everything plus all the fun Common Ground Fair T-shirts from years past. Highly recommend checking it out.
The Maine Organic Marketplace
55 Main StreetA new store that sells a lot of the things you usually get at the Common Ground Fair- so that means local, beautiful, hand made everything plus all the fun Common Ground Fair T-shirts from years past. Highly recommend checking it out.
Brewery/Meadery
Small local brewery close by the lake. About 7 1/2 miles from the house. Sometimes they also have fun events. Nice people. Good beer. The place to get "hopped" up. LOL I know, right?! (I think you can also see some hops growing there- gorgeous plants) Check it out and let us know what you think!
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Oxbow Brewing Company
274 Jones Woods RdSmall local brewery close by the lake. About 7 1/2 miles from the house. Sometimes they also have fun events. Nice people. Good beer. The place to get "hopped" up. LOL I know, right?! (I think you can also see some hops growing there- gorgeous plants) Check it out and let us know what you think!
The most fun name of a meadery I've ever read. Mead is honey wine and it's good stuff. They have a tasting room in the basement and make "old world" mead. You could say... it's the place to get your "buzzzzz" on.... yes I crack myself up. I'm here all week, folks!
The Fat Friar's Meadery
39 Meadow Ridge LaneThe most fun name of a meadery I've ever read. Mead is honey wine and it's good stuff. They have a tasting room in the basement and make "old world" mead. You could say... it's the place to get your "buzzzzz" on.... yes I crack myself up. I'm here all week, folks!
City/town information
Closest "big" town for grocery shopping, ambling about the Main Street, getting lunch, etc. Free municipal parking by the water right behind the main drag. Lots of good places to discover, cute shops, etc.
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Damariscotta
Closest "big" town for grocery shopping, ambling about the Main Street, getting lunch, etc. Free municipal parking by the water right behind the main drag. Lots of good places to discover, cute shops, etc.
My dad describes this better than I can:
"A very pretty deep-water port beloved of pleasure craft, Boothbay Harbor is a few miles to the south of Damariscotta (take River Road from Damariscotta, much prettier than Route 1). Boothbay Harbor has long been a tourist town, at least in the summer, so there's lots to do here: waterside restaurants and coffee shops, boat excursions, art galleries, and yes, a number of souvenir shops.
Take a break on the library lawn in the middle of town (good wifi there). If you want to make an evening of it, check out the Carousel Musical Theater on the road into town. Great fun, with "dinner and a show" all on one ticket. Also the Maine Coastal Botanical Gardens are nearby if you want to get away from the crowds."
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Boothbay Harbor
My dad describes this better than I can:
"A very pretty deep-water port beloved of pleasure craft, Boothbay Harbor is a few miles to the south of Damariscotta (take River Road from Damariscotta, much prettier than Route 1). Boothbay Harbor has long been a tourist town, at least in the summer, so there's lots to do here: waterside restaurants and coffee shops, boat excursions, art galleries, and yes, a number of souvenir shops.
Take a break on the library lawn in the middle of town (good wifi there). If you want to make an evening of it, check out the Carousel Musical Theater on the road into town. Great fun, with "dinner and a show" all on one ticket. Also the Maine Coastal Botanical Gardens are nearby if you want to get away from the crowds."
Again, my dad's description is infinitely more amusing than mine would be, so here goes:
"Maine's Prettiest Village," as it touts itself, is indeed pretty, with many 19th-century houses and buildings, a number of art galleries and shops, and the famous Red's Eats, home of the best--or at least one of the best--lobster rolls to be found. (Yes, the lobster rolls are very good, but have become something of a foodie cult item. For locals, the prospect of waiting in line for two hours to get one considerably diminishes the charm. But maybe you'll get lucky and happen to be there when the line is short. Late evening shortly before closing is a good time.) Perhaps you were caught in a summer traffic jam in Wiscasset on the way up here. Unlike many other towns along Route 1 in coastal Maine, there is no bypass to avoid the center of town, so on certain summer weekends when traffic is heavy, it slows to a crawl through the old center of town, and the traffic can be backed up for miles in both directions. Now, one could point out how the State of Maine has been trying to build a Route 1 bypass around Wiscasset for the past 50 or 60 years, and how these plans are always stymied by the good burghers of the town, who fear that no one would stop there if there were a way around, and local business would suffer. And anyway, it's only a problem in the summer, right? Yes, one could go on at great length...but what we'll do instead is to tell you about a shortcut to get around the worst of it, when traffic is heavy. Saves time, and a much prettier drive as well. See the detailed description elsewhere in this guidebook. Also, check https://www.maine.gov/mdot/maps/wiscasset/ for traffic conditions before heading down that way. Forewarned is forearmed. And if you do happen to pass through Wiscasset when the traffic isn't all backed up, do stop for a lobster roll at Red's Eats. Or if the line is too long, check out the seafood at Sprague's, just across the street and down by the water. The lobster rolls there are pretty good, and you won't have to wait forever."
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Wiscasset
Again, my dad's description is infinitely more amusing than mine would be, so here goes:
"Maine's Prettiest Village," as it touts itself, is indeed pretty, with many 19th-century houses and buildings, a number of art galleries and shops, and the famous Red's Eats, home of the best--or at least one of the best--lobster rolls to be found. (Yes, the lobster rolls are very good, but have become something of a foodie cult item. For locals, the prospect of waiting in line for two hours to get one considerably diminishes the charm. But maybe you'll get lucky and happen to be there when the line is short. Late evening shortly before closing is a good time.) Perhaps you were caught in a summer traffic jam in Wiscasset on the way up here. Unlike many other towns along Route 1 in coastal Maine, there is no bypass to avoid the center of town, so on certain summer weekends when traffic is heavy, it slows to a crawl through the old center of town, and the traffic can be backed up for miles in both directions. Now, one could point out how the State of Maine has been trying to build a Route 1 bypass around Wiscasset for the past 50 or 60 years, and how these plans are always stymied by the good burghers of the town, who fear that no one would stop there if there were a way around, and local business would suffer. And anyway, it's only a problem in the summer, right? Yes, one could go on at great length...but what we'll do instead is to tell you about a shortcut to get around the worst of it, when traffic is heavy. Saves time, and a much prettier drive as well. See the detailed description elsewhere in this guidebook. Also, check https://www.maine.gov/mdot/maps/wiscasset/ for traffic conditions before heading down that way. Forewarned is forearmed. And if you do happen to pass through Wiscasset when the traffic isn't all backed up, do stop for a lobster roll at Red's Eats. Or if the line is too long, check out the seafood at Sprague's, just across the street and down by the water. The lobster rolls there are pretty good, and you won't have to wait forever."
"Bath is an old shipbuilding town on the west bank of the Kennebec River, and home to Bath Iron Works, which builds warships for the US Navy and is Maine's largest employer. The old downtown is charming and very walkable--the city has won the "Great American Main Street" award--with a number of specialty shops, restaurants, and cafes.
If you're walking around the downtown, check out the fountain in the corner of the park by the library nearby. The "Spirit if the Sea" sculpture was commissioned from William Zorach, the well-known artist of the mid-20th century who summered nearby. The story goes that the statue was a matter of some controversy among the more strait-laced citizens of the city when it was first revealed in 1962...
Also in Bath is the Maine Maritime Museum, on the river on the south side of town, past the Bath Iron Works shipyard. Bath was a leading builder of the wooden ships of the 19th and early 20th century, and many local fortunes were made -- and lost -- in the lucrative trade with East Asia. Fascinating for those with an interest in ships and the sea." - my dad
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Bath
"Bath is an old shipbuilding town on the west bank of the Kennebec River, and home to Bath Iron Works, which builds warships for the US Navy and is Maine's largest employer. The old downtown is charming and very walkable--the city has won the "Great American Main Street" award--with a number of specialty shops, restaurants, and cafes.
If you're walking around the downtown, check out the fountain in the corner of the park by the library nearby. The "Spirit if the Sea" sculpture was commissioned from William Zorach, the well-known artist of the mid-20th century who summered nearby. The story goes that the statue was a matter of some controversy among the more strait-laced citizens of the city when it was first revealed in 1962...
Also in Bath is the Maine Maritime Museum, on the river on the south side of town, past the Bath Iron Works shipyard. Bath was a leading builder of the wooden ships of the 19th and early 20th century, and many local fortunes were made -- and lost -- in the lucrative trade with East Asia. Fascinating for those with an interest in ships and the sea." - my dad
"Brunswick is the home of Bowdoin College, with its art museum (free admission) and professional summer theater. The park along Maine St between the college and downtown is the location of a farmers' market (check for times) and some food trucks during the day. Nearby is the northern terminus in Maine for Amtrak passenger trains. The downtown area along Maine street contains many restaurants, coffee shops, and other small businesses worth a look as you stroll by. Past downtown is the old Cabot textile mill, a 19th century factory now used for antique stores, a restaurant, and other businesses and offices." - you know who
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Brunswick
"Brunswick is the home of Bowdoin College, with its art museum (free admission) and professional summer theater. The park along Maine St between the college and downtown is the location of a farmers' market (check for times) and some food trucks during the day. Nearby is the northern terminus in Maine for Amtrak passenger trains. The downtown area along Maine street contains many restaurants, coffee shops, and other small businesses worth a look as you stroll by. Past downtown is the old Cabot textile mill, a 19th century factory now used for antique stores, a restaurant, and other businesses and offices." - you know who
This former industrial town has undergone something of a renaissance in recent years: the old Main Street with its numerous shops and restaurants has been revitalized, the Farnsworth Art Museum is a leading attraction, along with several other museums and a lighthouse on the harbor, and there are different boat tours available. A good place to find a special meal...TripAdvisor lists some 64 restaurants, including the award-winning Primo. The Maine Lobster Festival happens during the first weekend of August, here you can eat your fill of our favorite crustacean. Worth a day trip: check out a museum or two, have a good meal (or two) and take a stroll around the downtown or the harbor.
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Rockland
This former industrial town has undergone something of a renaissance in recent years: the old Main Street with its numerous shops and restaurants has been revitalized, the Farnsworth Art Museum is a leading attraction, along with several other museums and a lighthouse on the harbor, and there are different boat tours available. A good place to find a special meal...TripAdvisor lists some 64 restaurants, including the award-winning Primo. The Maine Lobster Festival happens during the first weekend of August, here you can eat your fill of our favorite crustacean. Worth a day trip: check out a museum or two, have a good meal (or two) and take a stroll around the downtown or the harbor.
"Between the mountains and the sea," Camden is the home of the Maine windjammers, a fleet of 3-masted sailing schooners that take visitors for both day sails and overnight trips up and down the Maine coast. For those who prefer to stay on solid ground, the auto road up Mt. Battie is an easy way to take in the stunning views without too much effort. For the slightly more adventurous, the extensive network of hiking trails offers access to quieter corners of the state park and environs. Camden is the birthplace and childhood home of the early 20th-century American poet Edna St. Vincent Millay (although she decamped to New York City's Greenwich Village as soon as she could), and it is here that the exteriors for the film "Peyton Place"(1957) were shot. Like Boothbay Harbor, Camden is very much a tourist town during the summer, but worth a visit for its harbor and the quiet streets behind (check out the amphitheater behind the library), and excursions around Mt. Battie State Park.
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Camden
"Between the mountains and the sea," Camden is the home of the Maine windjammers, a fleet of 3-masted sailing schooners that take visitors for both day sails and overnight trips up and down the Maine coast. For those who prefer to stay on solid ground, the auto road up Mt. Battie is an easy way to take in the stunning views without too much effort. For the slightly more adventurous, the extensive network of hiking trails offers access to quieter corners of the state park and environs. Camden is the birthplace and childhood home of the early 20th-century American poet Edna St. Vincent Millay (although she decamped to New York City's Greenwich Village as soon as she could), and it is here that the exteriors for the film "Peyton Place"(1957) were shot. Like Boothbay Harbor, Camden is very much a tourist town during the summer, but worth a visit for its harbor and the quiet streets behind (check out the amphitheater behind the library), and excursions around Mt. Battie State Park.
Medical
If needed, the closest hospital and emergency room is in Damariscotta, about 10 miles away. It's a well-regarded hospital, and members of our family have received excellent care there. There's a map posted on the refrigerator. Address: 35 Miles St, Damariscotta, ME 04543, United States Phone: +1 207 563 1234
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LincolnHealth - Miles Campus
35 Miles StIf needed, the closest hospital and emergency room is in Damariscotta, about 10 miles away. It's a well-regarded hospital, and members of our family have received excellent care there. There's a map posted on the refrigerator. Address: 35 Miles St, Damariscotta, ME 04543, United States Phone: +1 207 563 1234