What's fun to do in Blue Hill and Ellsworth? (Thomaston: rent, vacation home)

[EliEverIsAHero]

May be going to Blue Hill to visit relatives soon, looking for things to do there or in the neighboring towns such as Ellsworth etc.

Bookstore, bar/pub, art gallery, and coffee shop suggestions all welcome as well as suggestions for places to swim or rent a small boat. Historical/cultural site recommendations welcome as well.

I get from google maps that it's a fairly quiet place but wouldn't mind having some ideas for places to go while I'm there.

[svband76]

Ellsworth has one of my all-time favorite antique shops, Old Creamery. The owner is a super funny nice guy. I love their little downtown with brewpubs, gift ships and a nice gourmet food store.

[pikabike]

Watch the reversing falls.

[roadrat]

Paint something, watch it dry.

[mainegrl2011]

If you are visiting relatives who LIVE in Blue Hill, they should know.

[OutdoorLover]

The Wilson Museum in Castine is very interesting, and while it's fairly small, it's impressive given the out of the way location. Down in Stonington, Barred Island Preserve and Sand Beach are very pretty, and you have to check out the harborfront in Stonington, which is very pretty and has a few cafes - it can be crowded there in summer but shouldn't be so this time of year - April is still pre-season.

Deep Water Brewing Co in Blue Hill has good craft beer and nice food at a fair price. Not many places to stop until you're down in Brooklin, but Parker Point Road in Blue Hill and then Falls Bridge Rd (Rte 175) is a real pretty drive and then you can visit the lovely Harriman Point Preserve and East Beach for a walk.

Swimming in Maine should be done in creeks, rivers, and ponds in the bottom lands for warmer water, but it doesn't warm up until summer, even there.

[EliEverIsAHero]

Originally Posted by mainegrl2011

If you are visiting relatives who LIVE in Blue Hill, they should know.

More of a vacation home sitch. But I've heard there's an abundance of decent restaurants for fish and chips.

Most intra-municipal travel to be done on foot or by bicycle, which looks manageable.

[pikabike]

The shops and restaurants might be of some interest, but the reversing falls is a RARE natural phenomenon. You will be on foot or bike, so watch it from the bridge like I did way back in the ‘70s. I counted the jellyfish that flowed through until the speed of the tidal bore made it too difficult to keep track...got to more than 400 jellies before I quit doing that. The word “bore” in that term has nothing to do with “boring” state of mind.

You have a chance to see something very coastal Maine-ish, unlike tourist shops.

While we’re on the subject of rare things, find an operating old-fashioned trestle bridge like the one at Trevett. That bridge was shown in the movie In the Bedroom (a very depressing movie, BTW—but good).

[svband76]

Originally Posted by pikabike

The shops and restaurants might be of some interest, but the reversing falls is a RARE natural phenomenon. You will be on foot or bike, so watch it from the bridge like I did way back in the ‘70s. I counted the jellyfish that flowed through until the speed of the tidal bore made it too difficult to keep track...got to more than 400 jellies before I quit doing that. The word “bore” in that term has nothing to do with “boring” state of mind.

You have a chance to see something very coastal Maine-ish, unlike tourist shops.

While we’re on the subject of rare things, find an operating old-fashioned trestle bridge like the one at Trevett. That bridge was shown in the movie In the Bedroom (a very depressing movie, BTW—but good).

Is there another "reversing falls" other than in Pembroke? That's the only one I know of.

[AustinB]

Originally Posted by svband76

Is there another "reversing falls" other than in Pembroke? That's the only one I know of.

Blue Hill has one and there may be one in S. Thomaston.