WONDERFUL WALKS
In good weather, stop by a Boothbay-region information center and request a free guide to the holdings of the Boothbay Region Land Trust (tel. 207/633-4818). More than a dozen of its properties dot the peninsula, most with quiet, lightly traveled trails good for a stroll or a picnic. Among the best: the Linekin Preserve, a 95-acre parcel en route to Ocean Point with 600 feet of riverfront. A hike around the loop trail (about 2 miles) occupies a pleasant hour. To find the preserve, drive south from Route 1 in Boothbay Harbor along Route 96 for about 3 3/4 miles, and look for the parking area on the left.
BOAT EXCURSIONS
The best way to see the Maine coast around Boothbay is on a boat tour. Nearly two dozen tour boats berth at the harbor or nearby. Balmy Days Cruises (tel. 800/298-2284 or 207/633-2284), for instance, runs a half-dozen hour-long trips daily around the harbor in summertime (mid-June to mid-September) from Pier 8 on Commercial St. for $20 per adult, $10 per child age 3 to 11. If you’d rather be sailing, ask about the five or so 90-minute harbor cruises daily from the same outfit aboard the Friendship sloop the Bay Lady ($36 for adults, $26 for children age 3–11). Schedules are reduced in spring and fall; call ahead for reservations. Balmy Day also runs trips out to Burnt Island ($30 for adults, $20 age 3–11), where Maine’s Department of Marine Resources leads lighthouse tours and hikes around the island. It’s a 15-minute boat trip that gives you 2[bf]1/2 hours on the island.
The most personal way to see the harbor is via sea kayak. Tidal Transit Kayak Co. (tel. 207/633-7140) rents kayaks for $45 for two hours or $65 per day. Tandem kayaks and stand-up paddleboards available too, and staffers give some basic instructions before turning renters loose in the harbor. The shop is open daily in summer (except when it rains heavily), and is actually located on a dock at 18 Granary Way.
Note: This information was accurate when it was published, but can change without notice. Please be sure to confirm all rates and details directly with the companies in question before planning your trip.
