Ellsworth

Ellsworth doesn’t get its due from travelers hell-bent on making it to Mount Desert Island before dinner, but those in the know stop here to sample the town’s growing cultural offerings, capitalizing on a concentration of artists and musicians. Though parts are overdeveloped and commercialized—you’ll pass through a stretch of Route 1 dominated by big box stores—the downtown is vibrant and pedestrian-friendly.

The town was first settled by Passamaquoddy and Penobscot tribes; later, French woodsmen explored the area, and the British inevitably followed with bridges, sawmills, and ships on the Union River. By the late 19th century, Ellsworth had become a significant port of departure for lumber cut from the big Maine woods, as well as an important shipbuilding center. After those industries faded, Ellsworth reinvented itself as a tourist jumping-off point—playing off its proximity to Mount Desert Island—and arts center.