9 Coziest Small Towns in Maine
Maine just might be the coziest of the fifty states in the union. Aptly nicknamed The Pine Tree State, New England's northernmost and easternmost state is not only well-known for its seemingly endless stretches of coniferous forests but also its rocky Atlantic shoreline, its iconic lighthouses, and its delectable, locally sourced seafood. But perhaps best exemplifying Maine's case for the coziest state in America are its many quaint and welcoming communities. Discover nine small towns that represent the best of what Maine has to offer visitors seeking out a snug, pleasant, and homey vacation experience.
Columbia Falls
More of a hamlet than a town, Columbia Falls, Maine, contains a scant 476 people, but if anything, this enhances its cozy energy rather than detracts from it. The community was formed in 1863 after an uncoupling with the neighboring settlement of Columbia and is built around the Pleasant River. It derives its name from that river's rapids, which some have compared to small waterfalls. The river winds throughout the entirety of Columbia Falls, providing a pleasing natural aesthetic for townspeople and visitors alike.
Tourists interested in wholesome diversions can visit Wild Blueberry Land, where all manner of blueberry-related products are created and sold, or Ruggles House, a colonial-era mansion built in 1818 that now operates as a historic museum preserving the realities of life in coastal Maine during that era. Columbia Falls is also noted for being an important supplier of wreaths and Christmas trees, with many of the former being sent to the graves of fallen soldiers throughout the United States by a local nonprofit called Wreaths Across America.
Kennebunkport
Kennebunkport (population: 3,629) is a resort town in York County, Maine, situated at the mouth of the Kennebunkport River on the Atlantic coast. Incorporated in 1653, the earliest incarnation of the settlement was initially called Cape Porpus. It was then later renamed Arundel in the mid-1700s and finally rechristened Kennebunkport in 1821. It was around this time that shipbuilding and maritime trade came to dominate the local economy, and to this day, Kennebunkport still maintains a working fishing harbor.
The presence of several nearby beaches, including Colony Beach, Mother's Beach, and Goose Rock's Beach, precipitated the building of a number of seaside hotels in the 20th century, and Kennebunkport soon developed a thriving tourism industry. Shopping districts and cultural centers catering to out-of-towners sprang up soon thereafter. The town also contains the Seashore Trolley Museum, which is the world's first and largest electric railway museum.
Kennebunkport also has the distinction of hosting Walker's Point, the summer residence of the Bush family and political dynasty. During his presidency from 1988 to 1992, George HW Bush would often retreat to Kennebunkport with his family to take a well-earned break from the hustle and bustle of Washington, DC, and because of this, the town enjoyed a certain amount of news coverage and national notoriety.
Camden
The community of Camden, Maine, is what's known as a summer colony. Positioned in the MidCoast region of the state, the town's population fluctuates depending on the season, reaching a crescendo of some 15,000 in the summer months, but shrinking back down to 5,232 over the winter. But no matter the time of year, Camden is acclaimed for its wide assortment of recreational amenities, its overarching down-home sensibility, and most of all, its visual beauty, often being described as emblematic of the quintessential American small town. For this reason, Hollywood film studios have seen fit to use Camden as the background for several major motion pictures, including Carousel, Peyton Place, In the Bedroom, Thinner, and Casper.
Camden also hosts a number of recurring festivals. The Camden Shakespeare Company puts on a festival showcasing the Bard's works every summer in the amphitheater behind the town library. Beginning in 2005, the town has also held an annual documentary film festival. For those who enjoy folksy and family-friendly winter sports, Camden is home to the US National Toboggan Championships each year during the second week in February.
Bar Harbor
Routinely cited as one of the most picturesque towns in the country, Bar Harbor, Maine, is found on the coast of Mount Desert Island, surrounded by the Atlantic Ocean to the north and east and Acadia National Park to the west and south. Needless to say, the natural beauty in the immediate vicinity of this town of 5,089 is often remarked upon by visitors. Cadillac Mountain, southwest of the town, is of particular note, the highest point within 25 miles of the coastline in the entire eastern portion of the US.
Standing in the middle of downtown Bar Harbor, several small Atlantic islands can be seen with the naked eye, and yachts, ships, and schooners can be observed sailing in and out of the harbor. The town, which has a 140-plus-year track record of attracting high-end tourists from places such as Boston, Philadelphia, and New York City, also offers a plethora of interesting activities. Whale watching is a popular pastime, as is hiking, fishing, kayaking, and taking in live entertainment in any of Bar Harbor's many theaters, pubs, and nightclubs.
Should there be any lingering doubts about whether the legendary coziness of Bar Harbor has been overhyped, the fact that Martha Stewart herself enjoys spending time in the town ought to put them to rest.
Cape Elizabeth
As one of the oldest European-settled communities in North America, Cape Elizabeth, Maine, boasts a long and storied history. Originally called Purpoodock, the settlement played a role in King Philip's War, The Nine Years' War, and The Second French and Indian War. It was officially incorporated as a town under the name Cape Elizabeth in 1765.
In the present day, Cape Elizabeth has a population of 9,535. The town is replete with beaches and green space, featuring easy access to three major parks: Crescent Beach State Park, Two Lights State Park, and Fort Williams Park. An extensive network of trails meant for hiking and non-motorized transportation links these public spaces with the town proper. For those interested in examples of architecture from past centuries, there are many interesting locations to explore, including Victoria Mansion and the Portland Observatory. For those who have little ones to entertain, Cape Elizabeth is home to the Children's Museum and Theatre of Maine.
But the true star attractions of Cape Elizabeth are its historic lighthouses. Although Portland Head Light is the oldest lighthouse in the state and the best-known of these marine marvels, Ram Island Ledge Lighthouse and Two Lights — a rare instance of a lighthouse consisting of twin luminous heads — also sit along the town's coastline. Guided tours of these sites are available, but visitors can also choose to explore them on their own.
Belfast
With 6,938 permanent residents, Belfast, Maine, encapsulates the ideal of small-town New England. This homespun burgh is widely recognized for the visual appeal of its main street, which has been praised for retaining its early-to-mid 20th-century feel. Most of the building edifices have been preserved in their original or near-original state, giving the town an undeniable charm.
Some other factors contributing to Belfast's reputation as a go-to vacation locale for those seeking a distinctly cozy vibe are its multiple certified historical districts, its harbor-side boardwalk, and both of its major farmer's markets (the United Farmer's Market of Maine and the Belfast Farmer's Market). The town is also recognized for its many open spaces perfect for picnicking, as well as a trifecta of used and rare bookstores (Left Bank Books, Bellabooks, and Craig Olson Books) that have gained almost legendary status among regional literati.
Castine
Castine is another of Maine's tucked-away waterfront communities that radiates a wholesome and slow-paced way of life. Positioned on the tip of a scenic peninsula in Penobscot Bay, Castine advertises itself as the perfect union between the coast and inland, where the beauty of the woodlands meets the rolling hills that lead to the harbor. This description is neither a misrepresentation, nor is it an example of overselling, as anyone who has ever stayed in Castine can attest. The whole village is walkable from one end to the other, and taking such a walk is highly recommended, as it provides a fantastic overview of the community's many colonial, Georgian, and Victorian buildings. Architecture aside, Castine is noted for its hiking trails in the warmer months (such as the nearby Greenbie Natural Area) and its snowshoeing and cross-country skiing trails in Witherle Woods in the colder months.
Containing only 1,320 souls, Castine is more accurately classified as a village rather than a small town, but it still has space to accommodate visitors. Check in to the historic Pentagoet Inn and Pub or The Castine Inn, open from May to October.
Swan's Island
Swan's Island is less a municipality and more a combination wildlife refuge/maritime ghost town. The entirety of the island falls under the purview of the Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife, and it is filled with a panoply of birds, forest animals, and marine life, all moving freely through the protected lands and waters. The village itself was once a prosperous fishing hub and peaked at 1,000 residents around the year 1900. By the time of the 2020 census, the population had shrunk to a mere 355, although it swells to more than twice that number during the summer.
The major manmade attraction on Swan's Island is Burnt Coat Harbor Light Station, which is a fully-restored 19th-century lighthouse compound, complete with a light tower, a keeper's house, a red brick bell house, and an authentic oil house. Guided tours of this certified national historic site are available between June and September, and visitors can even rent out the keeper's house as an Airbnb during that same period of time for a minimum stay of one week.
The only access between Swan's Island and mainland Maine is via a state-run ferry, but for those who decide to make the journey, a peaceful and relaxing time awaits.
Ogunquit
Named after a term in the Native American language Abenaki, meaning "beautiful place by the sea," Ogunquit is a charismatic town of 1,577 souls in the extreme south of Maine, only a short drive from the New Hampshire border. The town is known for its top-rated resorts, its vibrant pottery and antique shops, as well as its easy access to nearby coves and gorgeous coastal cliffs.
Ogunquit is also renowned for its museums and cultural centers, including Captain James Winn House (built in 1785), the Historical Society of Wells and Ogunquit (established in 1862), Barn Gallery/Ogunquit Art Association (founded in 1928), as well as more modern institutions like the Ogunquit Playhouse, the Ogunquit Museum of American Art, and the Ogunquit Memorial Library.
In recent decades, the town has garnered a reputation as a vacation destination for LGBTQ tourists, boasting many proudly LGBTQ-owned restaurants, bars, hotels, and other small businesses. In 2016, Bloomberg referenced the town as being one of the state's most trendsetting.
The official state motto of Maine is "Dirigo," which translates from the original Latin to "I direct" or "I lead" in English. True to this slogan, Maine leads the US in many areas, including shellfish production (especially lobster), blueberry farming, and forests as a percentage of overall land coverage. Beyond these concrete and measurable triumphs, though, it could easily be argued that Maine leads the country in the somewhat more abstract concept of coziness, as well.
Whether it be the lighthouses of Cape Elizabeth, the period-specific architecture of Castine, or the beaches of Kennebunkport, The Pine Tree State captures the essence of what it means to be cozy, which is a large part of the reason why more than 15 million tourists choose to visit Maine each year.
