Summer is finally here! And there are so many wonderful destinations to visit, but if you are looking for a relaxing, quiet, seaside getaway, far from the hustle and bustle, the place for you is Camden, ME. Lets explore my travel guide to Camden, ME!

Why Go

Camden is a Norman Rockwell painting come to life. A picturesque marina, cute inns, lobster shacks and crashing waves, Camden is New England in a nutshell. So for anyone visiting from outside the region, you can definitely get your fill of the East Coast classics, but for all my locals, never fear, there is no kitsch here.

Truly, this is a New England town, without the clichés that we are all sick of, there are few shops selling lobster decorated totes and scarves with embroidered anchors, but rather there are shops filled with goodies from local artisans and craftsmen. Camden is unspoiled, so come visit if you need a place to unwind.

Where to Stay

Camden is filled with cute inns and B&Bs, but as you know we are big fans of the Lark Hotels, so we just had to check out Whitehall.

Whitehall is located just a stone’s throw from the center of downtown, there is parking on site, gorgeously renovated rooms, and 2 lovely outdoor fire pits. Whitehall is a great home base for your trip to Camden.

Like all Lark Hotels, breakfast is the most important meal of the day. Once again we were excited to enjoy the famous lark breakfast, a spread of tasty and creative small plates.

We love Lark because they take historic homes and buildings and bring them full circle by incorporating a modern, yet cozy design, while keeping a strong sense of place. And Whitehall is a fantastic example of that; it’s New Englandy, with a twist!

What to Do

Camden has a harbor, downtown and mountains, so there is plenty to do. The first thing we wanted to do was get out on the water. So we chose to do a Schooner Surprise harbor sail. There is seriously nothing better than sailing in Maine in the summertime! The 100-year-old schooner is a gorgeous ship and the crew does an amazing job showing you around the harbor and surrounding area.

We just sat back and enjoyed the ride in our amazing Dior sunglasses that we picked up on SmartBuyGlasses.com, they are perfect for summertime sails!

Afterwards, we wanted to soak up some of the local culture so we headed to Cellardoor Winery in Lincolnville. Just a quick drive from downtown Camden, Cellardoor offers complimentary tastings and tours at their 200-year-old barn. The knowledgeable staff is passionate about their wines and walks you through their offerings and afterwards you get to explore the winemaking facilities and learn about the history of the vineyard.

The next day we continued to take in the beautiful sights in Camden. The two places you can’t miss are the Curtis Lighthouse Lookout and Mount Battie. A quick walk from downtown, this little lookout gives you a nice view of the lighthouse.

Next, drive up Mount Battie to get a 360-degree view of the harbor. Camden has so much for the nature lover!

Talk about views for days!

Fine Dining

Camden is unique because not only is it a nature lovers paradise and a seaside village, but it is also home to some amazing dining options. And Natalie’s at the Camden Harbour Inn should be first on your list.

A Relais and Chateaux property, we went in with high expectations, but Chef Shelby Stevens far exceeded them! The menu was filled with modern Maine creations, especially focused on the local delicacy—lobster. The 5 course Maine Lobster Tasting menu celebrates the ingredients and the chef’s innovative take on the New England classic. And the standard prix fixe does the same.

We started with some fresh oysters on the half shell and then moved to the first course of the tasting menus: Maine deep sea scallops and chilled lobster with cucumber, tarragon and caviar.

The perfect opening to a perfect evening, each dish was art on a plate.

Next up was an Asian fusion lobster dish and pork belly, with a lobster bisque coming next. Again, the level of creativity and attention to detail was most evident and we were impressed that this level of cuisine was available in such a remote town. And the fact that the dishes were so well balanced, especially in the sense of the meal as a whole, was just a delightful end to the day. And we were so happy to see a restaurant truly utilizing the amazing setting and its world class local produce.

After a brief intermezzo, we moved on to halibut and pan-seared lobster Kataifi.

And for a finale we had two amazing desserts: a deconstructed carrot cake and a rhubarb sorbet creation.

Chef Stevens is also expanding their kitchen garden to include more herbs and garnishes as well as other vegetables. Initiatives like this show how creative the team is at Natalie’s is and we are excited to come back again some day! It was truly a special experience!

Getting There

About 3.5 hours north of Boston, Camden is removed from the hectic pace of daily life. So take a nice drive out of the city and unwind on a weekend this summer: take a hike, a sail, do a wine tasting and then reward yourself with a truly amazing meal!