Just being here in this lovely seaside village is often all the “activity” our guests desire. If you are looking to explore, here are some of our favorites

Antiques – Whether it’s flea markets, public auctions or rustic shops Maine is a great place to antique.  We have a list of our favorites starting with Leila Day’s Antiques here in Castine on Main Street.

Biking – We have single speed cruisers for guests to use and mountain bikes can be rented from Dennett’s Wharf.  Bikes are a great way to explore the historic markers around town or take a picnic lunch to the lighthouse.  There is also island biking further a field, Old Quarry tours can take you and your bike to Isle Au Haut and the carriage trails in Acadia National Park are great for biking.

Beaches – Backshore beach is our local favorite with a tidal swimming hole and pebble beach for the hardy.  There is also stunning Sand Beach at Acadia Park.  Craig’s Pond and Alamoosook Lake are a short drive away and great for swimming.

Boating

Power Boat Tours – Belfast Bay tours has a daily boat tour of Castine.  The Old Quarry in Stonington or the Isle Au Haut ferry service can take you to Isle Au Haut.  Old Quarry also offers a lighthouse trip, a puffin search and an island archipelago tour.  There is also the sightseeing boat “Miss Lissie” out of Stonington.

Sailboat Tours - There is sailing with the “Perlandra” in Brooksville, the Pinky schooner “Summertime” in Oakland.  There are more sailing options in Bar Harbor on the schooner Mary Todd and in Camden there are more schooners with more scheduled sailings. In Belfast there is the Friendship sloop Almadea.  There are also sailboat rentals available for qualified sailors in Buck’s Harbor at Buck’s Harbor Marine.

Canoeing – There is a great canoe rental service in Acadia Park on Long Pond.  Craig’s Pond and Alamoosook Lake are also nice and close by.

Books – Our guest’s favorite is the Compass Rose Bookstore on Main St. and for antique books we enjoy the Dolphin Bookstore, both in Castine.  Further a field there is the Blue Hill Bookstore and for antiques the “Big Chicken Barn” in Ellsworth.

Festivals – Our favorite is the Fourth of July in Castine, the whole town comes alive in an outdoor festival of activities.  There is music on the waterfront, a costume parade and traditional games on the common such as potato sack races, a town tug of war and fireworks over the harbor after sunset.

In Deer Isle the hills come alive with the blossoming of lupines and the town celebrates it’s Lupine Festival on June 15, 16 & 17

In Brooklin The Annual Folk Music & Arts Festival at Flye Point, www.fpmusicfest.com, is on June 23.  It’s an all day very casual affair with national and local artists.

In the Blue Hill Fairgrounds there is The Perkinstock Bluegrass and Old Time Music Festival, www.perkinstock.com on August 17, 18, 19.

In Blue Hill over Labor Day weekend there is the Blue Hill Fair, an old Maine, county fair with traditional farm games, oxen and horse pulls, 4-H ribbon award ceremonies, pig races, barrel relays on horse and sheep dog trials.   www.bluehillfair.com

Gardens – June is when the gardens come to life.  Please start with ours, in 2000 this was an empty lot without grass, it’s been a labor of love.  I would also stroll up the street to the gardens at Leila Day Antiques.  Further afield are the Asticou and Thuya Gardens in N.E. Harbor and Merryspring in Camden.

Golf – Castine has a nine hole golf course open to the public, the oldest in the free world.  There is the White Birches in Ellsworth, Deer Isle Country Club on Deer Isle and the Kebo Country Club in Bar Harbor

Hiking – The Blue Hill Peninsula is filled with wonderful places to hike and explore.  Our guests like the Witherlee Woods and the Rene Henderson Nature Preserve, both in Castine.  A short boat ride across the bay is the Holbrook Island Sanctuary, excellent for hiking an isolated coastal bird sanctuary.  Blue Hill mountain is a more challenging hike with expansive views of Blue Hill Bay and Acadia is a must see.  Depending on your direction we can make recommendations.

Kayaking – Our guests love Karen at Castine Kayak Adventures.  Karen is a knowledgeable guide who knows the area like no other!  Castine was the birthplace of the LL Bean sponsored International Sea Kayak Symposium, it was the home for this event for it’s perfect waters and surrounding islands.  Further a field is the Old Quarry Adventures and Granite Island Guide service, both out of Stonington with trips to Isle Au haut.

Lobster rolls – The Castine Variety was awarded the coveted Maine State Lobster Roll award and holds dear to its original recipe. The Breeze is another good recommendation with seating on the Town Dock.  The Bagaduce Lunch on the reversing falls in Brooksville and the Maritime Café in Stonington are also recommended.

Lighthouses – Maine is famous for its lighthouses, visit our Dyce Head Lighthouse, it’s a beautiful waterfront stroll from the inn.  There is a lighthouse cruise sponsored by the Belfast Bay Cruises and also the Old Quarry Guide service in Stonington.  Traveling further on the coast we can provide more details.

Local Food Producers – The Blue Hill Peninsula is blessed with an abundance of local farms, wine makers, cheese producers, seafood smoke houses, jam makers and farmers markets.  Let us know, we can help you plan a tour.

Movie Theatres – It’s rare to find the old, small town movie theatre but here in Downeast we are lucky to still have our thriving, vintage movie houses.  There is the Historic Alamo Theatre in Bucksport, home of the “Silent Movie Film Festival”, The art deco Grand in Ellsworth and the Colonial in Belfast.  If you are in Rockland see the Strand, the Bayview in Camden, Reel Pizza in Bar Harbor and “The Opera House" in Stonington.

Museums – Castine is blessed with two fine museums, the Wilson Museum and the Castine Historical Society.  The Wilson museum has a plethora of worldly, anthropological curiosities.  Our guests enjoy the Castine Historical Society and their permanent installation of the Penobscot Exhibition.  In Stonington there is the Granite Museum which chronicles the age of granite commerce in the state.  Off to Bar Harbor, don’t miss the Abbe Museum and the native American narrative on the peninsula.  In Ellsworth you’ll find the Telephone Museum and the Woodlawn Museum.  In Blue Hill there is an excellent example of late early American architecture in the form of the Jonathan Fischer House.

Music – Castine is the home of jazz singer Diane Linscott and the opera singer Gladys Kuli.  In Castine there is a thriving summer concert series of guest artists sponsored by the Trinitarian Church.  The Castine Town band is well worth the flight as is the eclectic Mike and Susie Fay, the drumming ministers of soul, “The Bluebirds” and the spirited Julianne Gardner are not to be missed. 

A short hop away is Kneisel Hall in Blue Hill, the home of an international summer camp for classic music protégé’s since 1907.  “Flash In The Pans”, steel drum group from neighboring Brooksville make regular appearances as does the Bagaduce Chorale.

Spa Care – Blue Moon Body Treatments offers a full range of spa treatments.  There are also individual masseuses available for in room massages.

Tennis – The Castine Golf Club, just 2 blocks up the hill is open to the public and has three tennis courts.

Shopping – Start your shopping with us at Bird Song!  Then just a block from us is the Four Flags for the best selection of Maine gifts.  Just outside the village is “The Duck Stops Here”.