Things To Do in Belfast, ME
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Belfast, ME Attractions
When approaching the Belfast area from the south, you can view some splendid historic homes by veering off Route 1 and entering downtown Belfast via High Street (look for the first Downtown Belfast sign).
The Primrose Hill District along High Street was the most fashionable place for prosperous merchants to settle during the early and mid-19th century, and their stately homes reflect an era when stature was equal to both the size of one’s home and the care one took in designing and embellishing it.
Downtown Belfast also has some superb examples of historic brick commercial architecture, including the elaborate High Victorian Gothic–style building on Main Street that formerly housed the Belfast National Bank.
Swan Lake State Park (tel. 207/525-4404), 6 miles north of Belfast, is a worthy beach, albeit a small one, open June through Columbus Day. There is a small entrance fee.
If you’d like to explore the northern Penobscot area by water, call Water Walker Sea Kayaks (tel. 207/338-6424). Though their shop is a few miles inland, in nearby Monroe, the Water Walker team leads a 2-hour evening tour of the Belfast harbor from the beach near the town dock. Trips cost $180 for up to 3 people and include snacks and some instruction; they also rent kayaks and stand-up paddleboards, and if you can’t make it to Monroe, they’ll deliver them to your launch of choice for a small fee.
- Theater
Alamo Theater
In the paper-mill town of Bucksport, the organization Northeast Historic Film was founded in 1986 to preserve and show early films related to New England. In 1992 the group bought Bucksport’s vintage Alamo Theatre, which was built in 1916 and closed (the last showing was Godzilla) in…Bucksport
- Tour
Dory Woman Rowing and the Salty Witch Sauna
Sweat…and then sweat it out. Registered Maine Guide Nicolle Littrell runs tours using a 20-foot traditional dory, which guests row (she helps newbies with their skills), for both a workout, and an eyeful of the sights in and around the mouth of the harbor. Excursions can… - Park/Historic Site
Fort Knox State Park
Across the river from Bucksport and adjacent to the Penobscot Narrows Observatory, this historic granite fort was strategically located at an easily defended narrows in the Penobscot River. Built in the 1840s to defend against possible British naval invasion, the solid and imposing…$Prospect - Museum
Penobscot Marine Museum
The Penobscot Marine Museum is one of the best small museums in New England—and relatively unsung. Housed in a cluster of historic buildings atop a gentle rise in tiny downtown Searsport, the museum does a great job of educating visitors about the vitality of the local shipbuilding…$$Searsport - View/Landmark
Penobscot Narrows Bridge & Observatory
At the northern tip of Penobscot Bay, where the Penobscot River squeezes through a dramatic gorge near Verona Island, Route 1 spans the gorge on an attractive modern suspension bridge, opened in 2006. Sitting high atop one of the bridge’s pylons is the world’s tallest public bridge…$Stockton Springs
