Attractions

The Pemaquid Peninsula invites slow driving and frequent stops. South on Route 129 toward Walpole is Damariscotta, a sleepy head-of-the-harbor village. On the left is the austerely handsome Walpole Meeting House, dating from 1772. Usually not open to the public, services are held here during the summer and the public is welcome.

Continue on Route 129 to picturesque Christmas Cove, so named because Capt. John Smith (of Pocahontas fame) anchored here on Christmas Day in 1614. While wandering about, look for the rustic Coveside Bar and Restaurant (tel. 207/644-8282), a popular marina with a pennant-bedecked lounge and basic dining room. The food is okay, but the views are outstanding; you may catch a glimpse of the celebrity yachtsmen who tend to stop off here. Reservations are a good idea on summer weekends.

About 5 miles north of South Bristol, turn right on Pemaquid Road, which will take you to Route 130. Along the way, look for the Harrington Meeting House (the other 1772 structure), open to the public on occasional afternoons in July and August. It's an architectural gem inside, almost painfully austere, with a small museum of local artifacts on the second floor.

Continue south on Route 130 to the village of New Harbor, then look for signs to Colonial Pemaquid (tel. 207/677-2423). Open daily from Memorial Day to Labor Day, this state historic site has exhibits on the original 1625 settlement here; archaeological digs take place in the summertime. The $2 admission charge (free for children 11 and under) includes a visit to stout Fort William Henry, a 1907 replica of a supposedly impregnable fortress. Nearby Pemaquid Beach is good for a (chilly) ocean dip or a picnic with the family.

But Pemaquid Point, owned by the town of Bristol, should be your final destination; it's the place to while away an afternoon (tel. 207/677-2494). Bring a picnic and a book, and find a spot on the dark, fractured rocks to settle in. The ocean views are superb, and the only distractions are the tenacious seagulls that might take a profound interest in your lunch.

From New Harbor, you can also get a great view of the coast from the sea by taking a boat trip. Hardy Boat Cruises (tel. 800/278-3346 or 207/677-2026; www.hardyboat.com) operates summertime tours aboard the 60-foot Hardy III, and excursions include a 1-hour sunset and lighthouse cruise ($13 for adults, $9 for children 11 and under), 90-minute puffin tours out to Eastern Egg Rock ($21 for adults, $13 for children). Extra clothing for warmth is strongly recommended. The company operates from mid- or late May through Labor Day.

Route 32 strikes northwest out of New Harbor, and it's the most scenic way to leave the peninsula if you plan on continue eastward on Route 1 to places like Camden and Rockland. Along the way, look for the sign pointing to the Rachel Carson Salt Pond Preserve, a Nature Conservancy property. The noted naturalist Rachel Carson studied these roadside tide pools extensively while researching her 1956 bestseller The Edge of the Sea, and it's still a good spot for budding naturalists and experts alike. At low tide, you can see starfish, green crabs, periwinkles, and other creatures in the tidal pools and among the rocks.