Elly's Guidebook
Food scene
Meanwhile in Belfast
2 Cross StDelicious, authentic Italian food! The pizza is divine!
Neighborhood
132 High StAwesome Tex-mex with vegetarian options and delicious cocktails!
Delicious Thai and Laotian food! Offers takeout or limited patio seating. Hours are limited, so plan ahead.
11 locals recommend
Laan-Xang Cafe
19 Main StDelicious Thai and Laotian food! Offers takeout or limited patio seating. Hours are limited, so plan ahead.
Moonbat City Baking Company
137 Main StAmazing baked goods in a cozy bakery setting!
Absolutely amazing vegetarian food, grown on their own farm! Outdoor seating, farmer’s market in the back. A beloved Belfast institution.
71 locals recommend
Chase's Daily
96 Main StAbsolutely amazing vegetarian food, grown on their own farm! Outdoor seating, farmer’s market in the back. A beloved Belfast institution.
Downshift Coffee
39 Main StExcellent coffees! Also bike rentals!
Great spot for a hearty, healthy sit-down brunch or lunch. Extensive locally-sourced menu caters to lots of different diners. We love the outdoor patio seating on a warm summer morning!
26 locals recommend
The Hoot
144 Bayside RdGreat spot for a hearty, healthy sit-down brunch or lunch. Extensive locally-sourced menu caters to lots of different diners. We love the outdoor patio seating on a warm summer morning!
Fresh from the boat seafood and picnic-style waterfront dining! Bring your own side dishes and alcohol and watch the sunset over Belfast harbor.
94 locals recommend
Young's Lobster Pound
2 Fairview StFresh from the boat seafood and picnic-style waterfront dining! Bring your own side dishes and alcohol and watch the sunset over Belfast harbor.
Popular seafood restaurant right on the harbor with a large outdoor seating area. A few creative options, but mostly the classic meat and seafood dishes.
41 locals recommend
Nautilus Seafood & Grill
3 Main StPopular seafood restaurant right on the harbor with a large outdoor seating area. A few creative options, but mostly the classic meat and seafood dishes.
A very fun spot to grab a delicious local beer and tapas! Outdoor, waterfront beer garden is a popular summer hangout with a great relaxed vibe. Located right on the Harborwalk, so take a stroll down to the footbridge after!
41 locals recommend
Three Tides - Waterfront Dining - Live Music - Cocktails - Lobster Rolls - Oyster Bar
40 Marshall WharfA very fun spot to grab a delicious local beer and tapas! Outdoor, waterfront beer garden is a popular summer hangout with a great relaxed vibe. Located right on the Harborwalk, so take a stroll down to the footbridge after!
Open Saturdays 9-1. So much more than a farmer’s market!
31 locals recommend
United Farmers Market of Maine
18 Spring StOpen Saturdays 9-1. So much more than a farmer’s market!
Open Fridays 9-1, traditional outdoor farmers market and art market too! Located in the field next to Waterfall Arts.
23 locals recommend
Belfast Farmers' Market
256 High StOpen Fridays 9-1, traditional outdoor farmers market and art market too! Located in the field next to Waterfall Arts.
Crumbs Provisions
2 Spring StDelightful baked goods and brunch!
Perennial Cider Bar + Farm Kitchen
84 Main StMmm...local ciders and tapas!
Wild Cow Creamery
31b Front StYummy yummy yummy homemade ice cream right on the Harborwalk!
A tad out of town (south on Route 1) but worth the extra trip! Super rich and unique donut flavors!
8 locals recommend
The Only Doughnut
225 Northport AvenueA tad out of town (south on Route 1) but worth the extra trip! Super rich and unique donut flavors!
Sightseeing
Ride to the top of the elevator for beautiful views of the Penobscot Narrows!
34 locals recommend
Penobscot Narrows Bridge
U.S. 1Ride to the top of the elevator for beautiful views of the Penobscot Narrows!
Favorite swimming holes!
Sometimes you just need to take a dip in a lake on a hot summer day. Here are a few of our favorites!
Quiet, secluded pond with a small course sand beach. Excellent swimming and kayaking! About 15 minutes outside of Belfast.
Knight Pond
Quiet, secluded pond with a small course sand beach. Excellent swimming and kayaking! About 15 minutes outside of Belfast.
Easy to access public lake in Camden with a Sandy beach. Lake Megunticook is beautiful and clean. Or access Lake Megunticook from the other end at Fernald’s Neck preserve (hike in about a half mile to reach the lake—our favorite!)
17 locals recommend
Barrett's Cove Public Beach
104 Beaucaire AveEasy to access public lake in Camden with a Sandy beach. Lake Megunticook is beautiful and clean. Or access Lake Megunticook from the other end at Fernald’s Neck preserve (hike in about a half mile to reach the lake—our favorite!)
Family-friendly State park beach with lifeguard and full park facilities.
16 locals recommend
Swan Lake State Park
Family-friendly State park beach with lifeguard and full park facilities.
Ocean access
These are favorite local spots to access the ocean. Enjoy beachcombing, picnicking, sunbathing and swimming!
Roadside fine sand ocean beach! The best ocean swimming around. This is the closest sand beach—about 15 minutes south on Route 1.
42 locals recommend
Lincolnville Beach
2402 US-1Roadside fine sand ocean beach! The best ocean swimming around. This is the closest sand beach—about 15 minutes south on Route 1.
Belfast City Park
City Park RoadGreat spot for an oceanfront picnic, access to shore!
Access to shore, easy loop walk through the woods and along the shore, great views and tables for picnicking. Small entry fee.
52 locals recommend
Moose Point State Park
310 W Main StAccess to shore, easy loop walk through the woods and along the shore, great views and tables for picnicking. Small entry fee.
At the end of Allyn Street in Belfast, there is a nice public beach access point! Shhh...it’s kind of a locals thing.
Allyn Street
Allyn StreetAt the end of Allyn Street in Belfast, there is a nice public beach access point! Shhh...it’s kind of a locals thing.
Mosman Park
Mosman park has a nice Sandy beach!
Favorite walks and hikes
Here are some favorite local homes and walks in the Belfast area. Be sure to check out the brochure our daughter Eva made that provides more detailed information about the trails within the city limits!
This gem of a preserve offers both several miles of walking trails through the woods and a couple of spots to jump in Lake Megunticook! We recommend wearing your swimsuit under your clothes, as there is no place to change.
20 locals recommend
Fernald's Neck Preserve
This gem of a preserve offers both several miles of walking trails through the woods and a couple of spots to jump in Lake Megunticook! We recommend wearing your swimsuit under your clothes, as there is no place to change.
Camden Hills State Park offers miles of great hiking to views of the ocean and lakes. There is also an auto road that you can drive to top of Mount Battie to access beautiful views of the bay and Camden below.
163 locals recommend
Camden Hills State Park
280 Belfast RdCamden Hills State Park offers miles of great hiking to views of the ocean and lakes. There is also an auto road that you can drive to top of Mount Battie to access beautiful views of the bay and Camden below.
This is an easy and relatively flat several mile walk along the Little River in Belfast. There are several access points; the simplest is to park at the Belfast Water District property on route 1 just over the line in Northport.
6 locals recommend
Little River Trail
7 Perkins RoadThis is an easy and relatively flat several mile walk along the Little River in Belfast. There are several access points; the simplest is to park at the Belfast Water District property on route 1 just over the line in Northport.
This is a neat and easy walk up a gravel road through an wild blueberry barren to an old stone hut. The views from the top of the hill are gorgeous and the stone hut is magical. Take a sunset picnic. About a half hour from Belfast.
45 locals recommend
Beech Hill Reserve
316 Beech Hill RdThis is a neat and easy walk up a gravel road through an wild blueberry barren to an old stone hut. The views from the top of the hill are gorgeous and the stone hut is magical. Take a sunset picnic. About a half hour from Belfast.
Coastal Mountains land trust manages numerous preserves with trails in the midcoast area, including many in Belfast, two of which are right outside our door! Check out their website for a full list.
9 locals recommend
Coastal Mountains Land Trust
101 Mt Battie StCoastal Mountains land trust manages numerous preserves with trails in the midcoast area, including many in Belfast, two of which are right outside our door! Check out their website for a full list.
If you find yourself on the Blue Hill peninsula, take a hike up this unique hill! Google it for directions to the trailheads.
33 locals recommend
Blue Hill Mountain Trail
Blue Hill Mountain TrailIf you find yourself on the Blue Hill peninsula, take a hike up this unique hill! Google it for directions to the trailheads.
Another great spot on the Blue Hill peninsula! Easy walk through woods and fields to gorgeous oceanfront beach access! Take a day trip and explore the whole peninsula.
16 locals recommend
Harriman Point Preserve
Unnamed RoadAnother great spot on the Blue Hill peninsula! Easy walk through woods and fields to gorgeous oceanfront beach access! Take a day trip and explore the whole peninsula.
This place is magic and well worth the drive to Deer Isle/Stonington! A mile walk through a mossy fairyland delivers you to a gorgeous sand beach and protected island accessible at low tide via a sandbar. Swim in the refreshing, clear shallow ocean after the short hike in on a hot summer day and you will have experienced the very best of coastal Maine!
30 locals recommend
Barred Island Preserve
Goose Cove RoadThis place is magic and well worth the drive to Deer Isle/Stonington! A mile walk through a mossy fairyland delivers you to a gorgeous sand beach and protected island accessible at low tide via a sandbar. Swim in the refreshing, clear shallow ocean after the short hike in on a hot summer day and you will have experienced the very best of coastal Maine!
If you bring a bike, this is a Belfast must do! About a five mile round trip from City Point to the Belfast boathouse—so pretty!
11 locals recommend
Belfast Rail Trail
Footbridge RoadIf you bring a bike, this is a Belfast must do! About a five mile round trip from City Point to the Belfast boathouse—so pretty!
City advice
Don't miss
Belfast Summer Nights waterfront concert on Thurs evenings!
The concerts are usually Thursdays from 5:30-7:30 at Steamboat Landing but there are a couple of shows on the footbridge and a couple of shows on Tuesdays. Check the Belfast Summer Nights Facebook page for information on who is playing and where each week!