One fact about Maine is important to know. 17,000 years ago, in the last ice age, as the glaciers receded, they created great boulders and valleys and hills where there had been none. As a result of the weight of the ice, the coast of what was to be Maine sank into the ocean. What would have been 225 miles from Eastport to Kittery if it were in a straight line, has become 3,400 miles. And to visit those picture perfect harbors and towns at the end of a peninsula, it can seem quite a way. It’s worth it though.

Camden:
Picture perfect harbor and wonderful, artisan shops are only the beginning here. Sail on a schooner for two hours or climb or drive up Mount Battie for a stupendous view of Penobscot Bay and islands, or hike in Camden Hill State Park. Rock climb near by.

Cushing:
Situated on its own peninsula southwest of Thomaston, Cushing is the home of the artist, Andrew Wyeth. Nearby is the Olsen House where Wyeth painted many works featuring Christina Olsen, her brother, Alvaro, and the house itself. Olsen House is now owned by the Farnsworth Museum and is open to the public.

Damariscotta:
On the Damariscotta River, this brick village is full of charm. Books stores, restaurants, and speciality shops abound. It is also the home of the Round Top Center for the Arts.

Friendship:
Predominantly a fishing whose major industry is lobstering and fishing. Friendship is located west of Cushing on the same peninsula. Friendship the birthplace of the distinctive Friendship Sloop. Originally used as a fishing boat, the Friendship Sloop is now used for recreational sailing. The Friendship Museum displays historical information on the vessel, as well as local historical artifacts. The Nelson Nature Preserve, on Route 97 just north of the village, has five miles of public hiking trails.

New Harbor:
Movies have been filmed here for years and years; it is a picture perfect little harbor. Two lobster pounds serving to the public complete the picture. On the same wharf, the Hardy Boats leave for Monhegan Island. They also go on puffin and sea watches.

Owls Head:
Noted for its historic lighthouse with breathtaking views of the Penobscot Bay islands, Owls Head is also a working harbor. The Owls Head Transportation Museum is full of old cars and panes. Owls Head is also the location of the Knox County Regional Airport, which is the Mid-Coast region's airport, offering scheduled airline service, and island transportation.

Pemaquid Point:
Pemaquid Light House must be one of the most photographed lighthouses anywhere, and with good reason. It is incredibly beautiful and the place to go to watch the surf in a storm. There is a park here for picnics. Pemaquid Fort and Pemaquid Beach are back up the peninsula a bit.

Port Clyde:
At the end of the peninsula on Route 131, Port Clyde is a classic small Maine fishing village, devoted chiefly to lobstering. Near its wharves, there is a general store, shops, art galleries, and restaurants. It’s also where you catch the daily ferry to Monhegan Island. One of the most photographed places is short distance from the village center. This is Marshall Point Light, serving as a sentry at the entrance to the harbor. The former lightkeeper’s house is now a historical museum open to the public in season.

Rockport:
Famed for its beautiful harbor and Andre the seal, of which much has been written, Rockport adjoins Camden. Home of the belted Galloways, the Bay Chamber concerts are held here in the Opera House over looking the harbor. The Center for Maine Contemporary Art provides the public the opportunity to view works by many of Maine’s best artists.

Saint George:
A fishing and lobstering community, Saint George is made up of several distinct villages – Clark Island, Wiley’s Corner, Martinsville, Tenants Harbor, and Port Clyde. Although the harbor villages of Tenants Harbor and Port Clyde are the best known, there are restaurants, art galleries and small businesses all along the beautiful coastal route.

Tenants Harbor:
A well-protected harbor, and home to both fishing boats and pleasure craft, this harbor is a favorite anchorage for yachts sailing along the Maine coast. There are restaurants, shops and art galleries in the town.

Thomaston:
The site of Montpelier, the replica of the home of George Washington's Secretary of War, General Henry Knox, is in a charming town of Thomaston, lined with stately sea captains’ houses which was once a large shipbuilding port. Boatbuilders are still here, if not on the scale of the 18th and 19th century. South Thomaston is a scenic peninsula community south of Rockland and Thomaston, and adjacent to Owls Head. It is comprised of three primary villages and several distinct sections: the town center, Spruce Head; and Spruce Head Island, a major lobstering port.