Damariscotta, Maine

Eat oysters first. This is an oyster town and you should act accordingly. Drive to Glidden Point Oyster Farm on River Road and shuck your own at the outdoor picnic tables. BYOB, bring crackers, and eat the freshest oysters you will ever taste, pulled from the river that morning. If you prefer someone else to do the shucking, King Eider’s Pub on Main Street serves them with craft beer in a lively atmosphere.

Walk Main Street end to end. Damariscotta’s Main Street is one of the best small-town commercial districts in Maine. Maine Coast Book Shop is an anchor. Renys, the Maine discount chain, has its flagship store here. The Stable Gallery shows fine art. And there is enough good food within a few blocks to fill a long weekend.

Cross the bridge to Newcastle. The Twin Villages are really one town split by the river. Newcastle has the Whaleback Shell Midden, the Newcastle Inn, and Newcastle Publick House. Walking across the bridge takes five minutes and gives you a river view in both directions.

See the Whaleback Shell Midden. This archaeological site on the Newcastle side of the river is the remains of a 2,500-year-old Native American oyster harvesting camp. The midden is the largest on the Atlantic coast north of Georgia. It is open to the public, free, and gives you a sense of just how long this river has been producing oysters.

Drive to Pemaquid Point. The lighthouse at Pemaquid Point is about 25 minutes south and is one of the most iconic scenes on the Maine coast. The geological formations, tide pools, and crashing surf make it worth the drive. Stop in the fishing village of Round Pond on the way back for a lobster roll.

Food Capital of the Midcoast

Damariscotta’s food scene is driven by what the river and the surrounding farms produce. The Damariscotta River’s unique tidal mixing and cold, clean water create ideal conditions for oyster farming. Glidden Point, Pemaquid Oyster Company, and Dodge Cove Marine Farm are among the producers working the river. The oysters are briny, clean, and distinctly flavored by the river’s terroir.

Beyond oysters, the farm-to-table culture here is strong. King Eider’s Pub, a Damariscotta institution, serves seafood chowder that has won regional awards. Damariscotta River Grill does upscale seasonal cooking with local ingredients. Oysterhead Pizza Co. fires wood-oven pies with creative toppings. And Barn Door Baking turns out sourdough and pastries that are worth the drive alone.

The Damariscotta Farmers Market, held Fridays in summer at Round Top Center for the Arts, brings together the region’s growers with baked goods, produce, cheese, and flowers.

Beyond Main Street

The Pemaquid Peninsula stretches south from Damariscotta toward the sea, and it is worth a full day of exploration. Pemaquid Point Lighthouse is the destination, but the drive down passes through the villages of Bristol, New Harbor, and Round Pond, each with their own character.

Damariscotta Lake, north of town, is a large freshwater lake with public swimming, fishing, and kayaking. The Damariscotta Lake State Park beach is a popular summer destination for families.

For history, the Chapman-Hall House on Main Street (built circa 1754) is one of the oldest surviving houses in the region and is open for tours in summer.