Journal
Boothbay Harbor, from people who live there.
Guides to the harbor, the seasons, the boats, the festivals and where to eat. Written by the family that owns the inns, not a content agency.
Stays & PlanningGetting to Boothbay Harbor from Portland, Boston and Bangor
Turn-by-turn directions to Commercial Street, which airport to use, how long the drive really takes, and where to park once you are here.
Boothbay HarborReturning to Boothbay Harbor: What to Do Next Time
The first visit is for seeing everything. The second is for seeing it properly. Here is how our repeat guests plan a better return trip.
Day TripsMonhegan Island Day Trip From Boothbay Harbor
The boat leaves from the harbor in the morning and brings you back before dinner. Here is how we tell our guests to spend the hours in between.
Seasons & EventsBoothbay Harbor Fall Foliage Festival: A Weekend Guide
The festival at Boothbay Railway Village is the reason to come in October. The harbor is the reason to stay through Sunday.
Stays & PlanningBoothbay Harbor View Rooms: How to Choose the Right One
Everyone comes for the view from the boat and the footbridge. The one outside your window at seven in the morning is the one you will remember.
Stays & PlanningHow Many Nights in Boothbay Harbor: One, Two or Three
One night shows you the harbor. Two nights give you a full day. Three let the peninsula open up. Here is how to choose.
Stays & PlanningBoothbay Harbor vs Bar Harbor: Which Maine Town Fits You
We run inns in one of these towns, so read this knowing that. But the honest answer is that they are two different vacations.
Boothbay HarborBoothbay Harbor With Kids: 17 Family Things to Do
Small enough to move between boats, beaches, gardens and trails without living in the car. Here is what works for families, by age.
Boothbay HarborQuiet Places in Boothbay Harbor Away From the Crowds
Away from the busy docks there is a slower version of the town. This is where we send guests who ask for it.
Boothbay HarborHidden Gems Near Boothbay Harbor: 17 Quiet Local Spots
Beyond the waterfront the peninsula holds wetlands, spruce trails, a beach on Southport and two lighthouses you reach by boat. These are the places we send guests who have a second day.
Day TripsMaine Coastal Road Trip: Why Boothbay Harbor Is the Stop
Most people picture the drive as Portland to Bar Harbor in a straight line. The better trip is built around the place where you finally get out of the car.
Seasons & EventsBoothbay Harbor Fall Foliage: When to Come and Why
The midcoast turns later than inland Maine and holds its color longer. Here is how we tell guests to time a fall trip.
Seasons & EventsMaine Lobster Season in Boothbay Harbor: When to Come
Lobster comes off these docks nearly all year. The question is which weeks give you the sweetest shell, the fullest harbor and the shortest lines.
Stays & PlanningRomantic Getaway in Boothbay Harbor: Why Couples Choose It
The couples who stay with us are not looking for more to do. They are looking for fewer people between them and the water.
Seasons & EventsLate Summer in Boothbay Harbor: A Weekend Guide
The crowds thin, the weather holds, and the harbor is still fully open. Late August to early September is the weekend we would book.
Seasons & EventsBoothbay Harbor in July: Coastal Maine's Cool Escape
While inland cities hide from the heat, the Atlantic keeps the harbor comfortable. Here is what a July week on the Maine coast actually feels like.
Boothbay HarborBoothbay Harbor First-Time Visitor Tips From an Innkeeper
Everyone finds the ocean views and the lobster. The guests who love it here are the ones who knew a few small things before they arrived.
Seasons & EventsBoothbay Harbor Summer Getaway: The Slow Version
Some summer vacations need a vacation afterward. This one does not. Here is why the harbor works and when to come.
Boothbay HarborBest Things to Do in Boothbay Harbor, Maine: 21 Picks
Some towns win you over with a checklist. This one gets you in the quiet spaces between the stops. These are the 21 we would give a friend.
Boothbay HarborWhy Guests Return to Boothbay Harbor Year After Year
Some places are beautiful the first time. This harbor becomes something else when you come back.
Stays & PlanningBoutique Inn in Boothbay Harbor: A Day at the Inns
Some places you visit. Others you fall into rhythm with. This is how a day runs at our two inns on Commercial Street.
Seasons & EventsWindjammer Days and Summer Events in Boothbay Harbor
Summer here does not arrive all at once. It starts with sails in June and unwinds through art shows, markets and long evenings on the water.
Stays & PlanningWhere to Stay in Boothbay Harbor for Sailing and Boating
Some places you visit. This one you move with. The tide, the wind and the boats set the pace, and the right room puts you close enough to follow it.
Boothbay HarborBoothbay Harbor Coastal Reset: Why the Town Slows You Down
There are places you scroll through and places you step into. This is the second kind, and here is what it does to you.
Stays & PlanningSlow Travel in Boothbay Harbor: A Coastal Maine Reset
Some places you visit. This one changes how you move through a day. Here is what happens when you stop filling the itinerary.
Boothbay HarborWalkable Things to Do in Boothbay Harbor Near Your Inn
Park the car once. Everything worth doing in the center of town connects along the shoreline, and the best of it happens on foot.
Boothbay HarborOne Day in Boothbay Harbor: Sunrise to Sunset
The harbor changes hour by hour. Here is how a full day unfolds when you follow the light instead of a schedule.
Seasons & EventsBoothbay Harbor in Spring: Why March to May Is Worth It
Summer gets the crowds. Spring gets the harbor waking up, and the people who visit then tend to keep it to themselves.
Stays & PlanningHistoric Maine Inn in Boothbay Harbor: What Sets One Apart
No two rooms alike, a porch that faces the water and a host who lives in town. This is why guests pick an inn over a hotel on the Maine coast.
Stays & PlanningBoothbay Harbor Weekend Itinerary: A Relaxed 2 to 3 Days
Two or three days is enough to feel this harbor properly, as long as you do not try to fill them.
Seasons & EventsBest Time to Visit Boothbay Harbor: Month by Month
Every month here has a case to make. This is the honest version from two inns on Commercial Street.
Stays & PlanningPlan a Maine Coastal Vacation Without the Stress
The coast is long, the towns are small and the weather has opinions. A few decisions made early keep the trip easy.
Seasons & EventsBoothbay Harbor Festivals and Events by Month
The recurring festivals we actually send guests to, arranged by month, from the first spring market to the last Halloween ghost tour.
Seasons & EventsBoothbay Harbor Christmas: Gardens Aglow, Lights and Winter
We live here year round, so this is the honest version of the holiday season in Boothbay Harbor: what happens, when it happens, and how to plan a stay around it.
Boothbay HarborBoothbay Harbor History: Railway Village, Lighthouses, Inns
We run two historic inns on Commercial Street, so we get asked about the town's past a lot. This is the walking version: where the history is, and why it is worth your afternoon.
Boothbay HarborBoothbay Harbor Boat Tours, Whale Watching and Outdoors
Boothbay Harbor is one of the best boating harbors in Maine, and the boats leave from a short walk of our front doors. Here is how to choose a day on the water, and what to do on land in between.
Plan a stay
Tell us about the trip. We will tell you which house.
Dates, headcount, occasion, what matters most. A person who knows every property answers, usually the same day.