Blue Hill Peninsula
Just south of Route 1 and bounded by the Union and Orland Rivers, the Blue Hill Peninsula is where you’ll find picturesque inlets and towns connected with quiet winding roads through forests and meadows. You can do a scenic driving tour and discover the stops that speak to you as you go. Keep an eye out for self-serve farm stands on the side of the road where you’ll find everything from fresh produce to flowers to baked goods.
Here are a few of our favorite routes:
Surry & Blue Hill
At your first chance to stop after leaving Ellsworth, check out Pugnuts Ice Cream Shop and take in the views at the town wharf. Drive a little further and make your way into Blue Hill, where you’ll find great opportunities to shop and peruse art galleries.
Blue Hill Mountain and Blue Hill Falls
If you feel like stretching your legs, choose a trail to the top of Blue Mountain for inspiring views in all directions. Or, for an equally scenic but less physically challenging experience, head to Blue Hill Tidal Falls to see water flow backwards from the Mt Desert Narrows into Salt Pond.
Brooklin to Brooksville
Continue south to Brooklin, a small town that may just be the boat building capital of the world. Driving through you wouldn’t know it, but tucked off the main road are wooden boat builders keeping the craft of artfully designed and constructed vessels alive. The WoodenBoat School hosts classes for wooden boat builders of all experience levels.
The town is also home to the farm where author E.B. White lived many years of his life. The farm inspired much of his children’s classic, Charlotte’s Web.
Continue your scenic drive through more small communities. Venture up to the “world’s smallest bookstore” at the roadside stand for Pushcart Press. Continue on to Brooksville (you’ll pass the bridge for Deer Isle, so feel free to go exploring if you choose). You can stop in the Buck’s Harbor Market and see one of the locations from Robert McCloskey’s One Morning in Maine.
Holbrook Island Sanctuary
After a bit of driving, find a nice trail or beach at the Holbrook Island Sanctuary and stretch your legs. Quiet shores and solitary trails through wooded areas and alongside coves await those who make it this far. Enjoy the solitude!
Bagaduce Falls and Big Chicken Barn
As you make your return to Ellsworth, head to Bagaduce Falls for another chance at seeing a reversing tidal falls. If you’re hungry, Bagaduce Lunch offers great views of the river and a tasty selection of coastal favorites.
Just before town, be sure to stop into the Big Chicken Barn, a massive antiques retailer with a whole floor dedicated to used books.
Bonus: Exploring Castine and Bucksport
A little further away, Castine and Bucksport both boast historic charm. Visit Fort Knox and take in a panoramic view from the Penobscot Narrows Bridge Observatory before heading into downtown Bucksport to amble the river walk. In picturesque Castine, see the lighthouse at the end of the peninsula before wandering the quaint downtown.
