Visit Boothbay Harbor: Most Popular Tourist Destinations in Maine (2024)

Boothbay Harbor is a warm, welcoming seaside community nestled along a namesake waterfront. This beautiful region is known for its connection with the Atlantic Ocean. Boothbay Harbor is where one can witness nature’s magnificence. This popular destination is known amongst enthusiasts who are keen on kayaking, sailing, boating, whale watching, and yachting. The town also has a rich history in shipbuilding, and evidence for the same is easily seen here.

Boothbay Harbor is undoubtedly one of the most popular tourist destinations in Maine. This town cum village is an hour’s drive north of Portland and is quiet in reach from many major cities of the States. Not only with the settled tourist attractions and activities, but Boothbay Harbor leaves no stone unturned by entertaining through its annual events and festivals. No matter what time of the year it is when in this town, you are always up for some treat. Whether you are considering Boothbay Harbor for a day trip, a weekend getaway, or a long vacation, disappointment will not touch you on any occasion. So ready to learn more?

Visit Boothbay Harbor: Most Popular Tourist Destinations in Maine

Here is a list full of all the Popular things to do in Boothbay Harbor, Maine. Try these activities and make your vacation an ideal one. Have a look:

1. Check Out The Downtown Boothbay Harbor

Boothbay Harbor has an ultimate downtown area, and you definitely need to check it out. The downtown region, though it may not be amongst the largest, is filled with immense opportunities for both locals and tourists. It is the spot from where people can depart on the piers to embark on a variety of boating and fishing tours. Downtown is the place where shopping and dining opportunities are knowns to no end. From eclectic gift shops to décor shops and specialties, the options are truly many. Besides that, the area houses a range of art galleries that can be explored and shopped at. For dining, one can find exceptionally good restaurants and definitely the best food in the town. The seafood downtown, along with Meditation and Italian cuisine, is what every visitor swears by.

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2. Explore the Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens

Exploring the Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens is arguably the most popular thing to do in Boothbay Harbor. These 300 acres of treasure are basically a botanical garden which is also renowned as Maine’s top popular attraction. The entire landscape comprises nearly a mile-long tidal shoreline. At the same time, it is home to a range of uniquely themed gardens, countless plant varieties, and some amazing-smelling flowers. For exploring the spread, the garden has multiple trails that allow people to navigate thoughtfully. This carefully cultivates garden remains lively throughout the year and welcomes nearly 2 lakh local, national as well as international guests annually. The phenomenal Christmas times with the annual holiday light extravaganza here are definitely to be seen.

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3. Take A Tour Of The Pretty Ram Island Light and Burnt Island Light House

Maine is popular for its lighthouses, and quite a few are in and near Boothbay Harbor. When in the town, take a tour of the impressive Pretty Ram Island Light. This brick tower sat at the eastern entrance to Boothbay Harbor and was built back in 1883. A granite base, iron stairways, and a railing support the lighthouse’s base. During high tide days, the lighthouse immerses into the ocean with only a few feet visible from a distance. However, this sight is worth catching up on.

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Another is the Burnt Island Light House which is nestled on lovely 5 acres of the island. Built back in 1821, it is the second oldest lighthouse in Maine and, therefore, a must-visit. However, this living example of history is only reachable via boat. Once at the lighthouse, one can actually climb the structure and observe incredible views of the Atlantic Ocean. Besides the lighthouse, Burnt Island is also a popular spot for activities like hiking, tire swinging, and fishing.

4. Visit the Maine State Aquarium

Maine State Aquarium is an amazing place for family trips in Boothbay Harbor. The aquarium is located in the western part of the town and is home to some fascinating aquatic creatures. Operated by the Maine Dept of Marine Resources, its recent 2022 renovation is to make sure that what people see next is just purely celebrative. The aquarium, though, is slightly small in size but acquainted with Maine’s aquatic wildlife. Not only is it visually appealing, but the facility has a plethora of information and hands-on activities for young adults. Interacting with sea creatures is what every single visitor loves the most. If Lobster is your thing, visit this place for a live presentation of lobstering, lobster biology, and much more. Since the presentations are excellent, one can learn so much more on their visit.

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5. Next, Head Towards The Boothbay Railway Village

A popular place to visit in Boothbay Harbor, the Boothbay Railway Village, is where history moves. It is where one can travel back in time and learn what this vintage vacationland used to be. It is basically an outdoor, open-air museum that exhibits Maine’s history from the 19th and 20th centuries. Inside, the museum spread in several features, including a general store, a blacksmith shop, a carriage display, a hardware store, a Town hall, and much more. A visit here allows individuals to ride an authentic steam locomotive of Maine. Occasionally, the facility also operates rides on Ford Model Ts, truly an experience on its own. Train rides operate from Tuesday through Sunday from 11 am to 4 pm. In addition to that, the Railway Village also features a collection of engines, hundreds of salt & pepper shakers on display, small boats, and 60 unique automobiles. From kids to adults, there’s something to entertain every single visitor.

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6. Do Not Dare To Miss The Puffin Cruise

If you have ever dreamt of seeing Puffins, you can do that when in Boothbay harbor. You don’t necessarily have to visit the Arctic circle to witness Puffins since Maine is home to quite a few of them. These adorable fuzzy little birds nest only in Maine out of the entire 50 U.S. States. For witnessing Puffins from close, there are quite a few organizers who ensure taking excellent efforts every year. Amongst them, the most popular is the Cap’n Fish’s Cruises which take participants on a trip to Eastern Egg Rock. This is one of the popular puffin colonies off the coast of Maine, and seeing those tiny water birds here from a very close distance is quite an exciting experience on its own. This 2.5-hour long tour departs from downtown, passes through 3 lighthouses, and from Maine’s excellent sea beauty. To make the experience a memorable one, a member of the National Audubon’s Project Puffin is also on board.

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7. Attend a (or even more) Boothbay Harbor Festival

Boothbay Harbor is popular for its annual events and festivals, and you definitely need to check them out. For diving into the local culture and tradition, there’s nothing like attending a festival. Boothbay Harbor celebrates quite a range of events and festivals, among which some popular ones include

Windjammer Days: This annual event organizes from late June to early July to honor the local maritime history. The festival is all about fireworks in the harbor, stage concerts, a lighted boat parade, and good food.
Harbor Lights Festival: If you are in Boothbay Harbor during the year’s end, you cannot miss Harbor Lights Festival. This annual festival is all about lighted boat parades, horse-drawn carriage rides, a town tree-lighting ceremony, Santa and Mrs. Claus, elves, lobsters, and moose.
Gardens Aglow: A popular tradition at Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens, Gardens Aglow is a beautiful event of lights. It features more than 650,000 lights making it the largest and brightest of its kind in New England. The event organizes every year from November mid through December.
Fall Foliage Festival: For Fall season lovers, the Fall Foliage Festival in Boothbay Harbor manages to keep the entertainment quotient quite high. On Columbus Day weekend every single year, this event organizes at the Village Green of Boothbay Railway Village. From local crafts to handmade goods and good food, it has so much to explore.

8. Enjoy The Mouthwatering Boothbay Harbor Food

Boothbay Harbor may not be the largest city, but the dining games here are extremely strong. The abundance of restaurants, local eateries, and food stalls here offer endless opportunities to dine. From the classic American fair to Italian, Meditarrian, French, and Seafood, this little town has options for serving a diversity of visitors. Here are a few nice places to eat when in Boothbay Harbor:

Mine Oyster: A favorite amongst locals and visitors, Mine Oyster, serves the best Oyster in the town. In addition, they have quite a few options for gluten-free and vegetarian dishes as well. Their Lobster rolls, too, are worth trying.
Blue Moon Café: This small eatery with a shaded deck offers mouthwatering food alongside mesmerizing views. They serve breakfast and lunch with some excellent options like Maine Blueberry pancakes, cinnamon-pecan French toast, cold and hot sandwiches, soups, salads, burgers, and more.
The Boathouse Bistro: A popular bar in Boothbay Harbor, Boathouse Bistro is where friends and families gather. Their well-balanced menu made with fresh local ingredients deserves all praise.
Ports of Italy: For Italian cuisine, there is no better place than the Ports of Italy in Boothbay Harbor. This vegan-friendly restaurant serves some delicious bread, focaccia, ravioli, and homemade pasta, including spaghetti, desserts, seafood, and meats.