Camden, Maine Vacations

When you visit Camden, Maine it won't take long to understand why the Mid-coast Maine towns of Rockport, Camden and Lincolnville refer to themselves as the...

..."Jewel of the Maine Coast".

With Camden Hills as a scenic backdrop, the quaint seaside village of Camden wraps itself around a picture-perfect, working harbor.

In season, along with its many fishing vessels, the Camden Harbor is filled with pleasure craft, cruise boats, schooners and Maine windjammers...

...along with the hundreds of tourists who come to Camden to be "Where the mountains meet the sea".

There is plenty to do here, in one of the most popular Maine vacation spots.

For the best places to stay in Camden, Maine and lodging information...

...read reviews of Camden, ME hotels, motels, inns and B&B's.

Things to Do Camden, Maine

Flanked by the waters of Penobscot Bay and the rolling terrain of Camden Hills, Camden, Maine has a very unique advantage as a Maine tourist destination...

...offering outdoor enthusiasts things to do in the summer, fall, winter and spring.

If you have a passion for being on the water...

From late spring to early fall, Camden Harbor is home to a large fleet of sailboats, windjammers, and schooners, including the Angelique, the Appledore...

...Grace Bailey, Lazy Jack II, Lewis R. French, Mary Day, Mercantile and the Mistress. Their captains welcome you to climb aboard for a sightseeing cruise through the waters of the northern Atlantic.

Along the way keep your eyes open for Curtis Island Light and other famous Maine lighthouses, lobstermen hauling their traps...

...porpoises, seals, osprey, and eagles, and some of the hundreds of islands that line the coast of Maine...

...or make advance reservations for overnight charter cruises.

You may prefer to get a bit closer to the water with a registered Maine Guide who will take you sea kayaking in Camden and sightseeing along the nearby coastline. Camden Kayaks specializes in small custom kayak trips and is ready to take you paddling!

Back on land and within walking distance of the harbor...

The town of Camden, Maine is perfect for souvenir shopping. Locally handcrafted, Maine Made gifts and Maine harvested foods are plentiful in the many small shops and boutiques that line village streets.

For a bird's eye view of the land and sea...

The Camden Hills State Park, just minutes to the north, offers spectacular views. From scenic vistas on the top of Mt. Battie (park road accessible), and spectacular Ocean Lookout on Mount Megunticook, Camden village and Penobscot Bay can be seen below, and on a clear day...

...off in a distance, Cadillac Mountain in Acadia National Park is also visible.

This Mid-coast Maine park offers great opportunities for birdwatching, all-terrain biking, wildlife sightings, and camping, in addition to...

...walking and hiking on miles of trails and paths along...

...Mount Battie, Mount Megunticook (at 1,385 feet, the highest peak of Camden Hills), Maiden Cliff, Cameron Mountain, Bald Rock Mountain, Gary Mountain, Derry Mountain, and Frohock Mountain.

And for winter fun, there is snowshoeing, snowmobiling, and cross-country skiing in Camden Hills State Park.

Home of the U.S. National Toboggan Championships...

...the Camden Snow Bowl also provides year round outdoor fun and activities. In addition to Alpine skiing and snowboarding, on the 1,300 foot Ragged Mountain ski area which overlooks the Atlantic Ocean...

...the Snow Bowl recreation area offers cross-country skiing, tubing, tobogganing and ice-skating during winter months, and in warmer weather...

...hiking, mountain biking, tennis, fishing, boating and swimming are on the long list of things to do at the Camden Snow Bowl.

Year-round, lots of fun Maine activities and events take place in Camden. Arts and crafts shows, a Windjammer Festival, a sail and powerboat regatta...

...toboggan races, a Winterfest, and more, are on the annual schedule of events.

When you finish exploring the Camden, Maine attractions you can head to nearby towns for other festivals and fairs, arts and entertainment.

Just south of Camden, Rockport, Maine is home to...

...the Center for Maine Contemporary Art, the famous Andre the Seal Statue, the Rockport Opera House and the Samoset Resort Golf Course.

Further south, in Rockland, Maine ...

...the Farnsworth Museum and Wyeth Center, the Maine Lighthouse Museum, the Strand Museum, Project Puffin Visitor Center, and the Coastal Children's Museum, provide hours of family fun, as does the...

...annual Rockland Maine Lobster Festival, the North Atlantic Blues Festival...

...the Maine Windjammer Parade, and the Maine Boats, Homes & Harbors Show.

North of Camden, Maine is Lincolnville...

...which was "Voted Top 20 Dream Towns by Outside Magazine". Lincolnville, Maine is a tiny hamlet of seaside shops, galleries, restaurants, motels, inns and bed and breakfasts, and is blessed with a stunning view across Penobscot Bay.

B&B's, Inns, Motels and Hotels Camden, Maine

If you are able to vacation in Camden, Maine you are lucky. You will have wonderful choices for places to stay, from romantic hideaways that are perfect for...

...a quite getaway or wedding honeymoon, to family-friendly Camden hotels, motels, inns and bed and breakfasts that are conveniently located to Camden, Maine attractions.

Just two blocks from Camden Harbor Park and the Camden Amphitheater is the highly rated Camden Maine Stay Inn. The Inn is...

..."the second oldest of the sixty-six lovely homes that are listed on the National Register of Historical Places in the High Street Historic District".

Also in the heart of Camden village is the Hartstone Inn Bed and Breakfast and restaurant, offering a "unique experience in pampered luxury" in an 1835 Mansard-style Victorian retreat.

Sitting hillside with views of Penobscot Bay is the Timbercliff Cottage Bed and Breakfast. This Camden, Maine B&B has six guest rooms, some with fireplaces, and is located midway between Camden Hills State Park and downtown Camden.

Read reviews of hotels in Camden, ME, motels, inns and B&B's and check best rates for lodging in Camden, Maine, and availability.

Providing picturesque "affordable lodging accommodations" is the Birchwood Motel, where "every room is an ocean view". The property has standard and deluxe motel rooms as well as a rental apartment and a private guest cottage.

With 36 luxurious rooms, the old-world style Lord Camden Inn is centrally located to restaurants, shops and boating activities. This upscale, boutique Camden hotel offers "unsurpassed service, comfort and elegance".

In an enviable position at Bay View Landing, overlooking Camden Harbor and Penobscot Bay...

...is the Grand Harbor Inn. The Inn is Camden, Maine's "only luxury, waterfront boutique Inn".

And located throughout the village of Camden, and in towns nearby are a number of other great lodging accommodations.

But for the more adventuresome, one of the best places to stay in Camden, Maine...

...may be at one the Camden, Maine campgrounds at Camden Hills State Park.

The Camden Hills Park campground, the Camden Hills RV Resort and the Megunticook Campground by the Sea are fantastic settings for a Maine camping experience.

Vacation rentals in Camden, ME...
From seaside cottages to waterfront homes, Camden, Maine vacation rentals can be a cheap lodging alternative, especially on a family vacation!

Camden, Maine Restaurants and Dining

There are so many good places to eat in Camden, Maine! Although locally harvested Maine seafood is plentiful around town, other tasty temptations await you also.

For casual, family dining in Camden...

On the waterfront since 1942, Marriner's Restaurant serves classic American food for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Enjoy the exceptional views across the Bay!

Year-round, on Camden Harbor...

...Bayview Lobster serves breakfast, lunch and dinner. The waterfront deck is wonderful for warm weather dining and on cooler days a warming fire invites you inside.

Don't let the restaurant's name fool you.
Although lobster is a featured item, steak, ribs, chicken and pasta are also on the menu.

From an ocean view dining room and rooftop deck, The Camden Deli serves gourmet sandwiches, soups and salads along with homemade desserts and pastries. And just down the street...

...the Crow's Nest Dining room at Cappy's Chowder House sells lots of Cappy's Famous Clam Chowder (of course), along with other great menu items and Cappy's Chowder House souvenirs.

For a more elegant experience...

The 25 seat Francine Bistro, hidden away from the harbor, features an "innovative daily menu consisting of four appetizers, a salad, and four entrees created almost entirely from local organic meat, fish, vegetables and cheese".

"Internationally award-winning cuisine" is served at the Hartstone Inn restaurant, accompanied by a fine wine selection that has won Wine Spectator's "Award of Excellence" since 2005.

And, for satisfying a sweet tooth...

...the Camden Riverhouse Hotel and Inns has their very own ice-cream shop, Riverhouse Ice Cream, at the end of their "flower bedecked footbridge", between the hotel and inn.

The list of restaurants in Camden, Maine goes on and on...

Walk the streets of this pretty little village yourself and you are sure to find your own favorite Camden places to eat.

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Maine Coastal Vacations, Maine Oceanfront Vacations Rentals, Rockland Maine