Local Attractions

and Things to Do

in and around Port Clyde

 Park your car, stow the keys. You're in Port Clyde -- let yourself unwind. 

Port Clyde is a classic Maine fishing village with all the sights and sounds you would expect in a working harbor.  In this small, sheltered place, seagulls soar overhead as the rugged lobster and fishing boats glide over the water.  Across the road from the Seaside Inn Bed and Breakfast, step aboard a cruise to Monhegan Island, a lighthouse cruise or a puffin cruise.  In Port Clyde, the more adventurous can rent a kayak, join a sport fishing expedition and even a shark dive.   Or, just watch the boats head out to sea.

Enjoy a treat from the ice cream shop, browse the antique shop, the art galleries, the gift shops and the general store ... or just relax.  When the weather turns damp or foggy, it's a great time to visit the lighthouse - just stand back when the fog horn sounds!  Our fireplaced library is cozy and warm with popcorn available for popping in the guest microwave.  You will often find a guest or two snuggled up with a book or working on a jigsaw puzzle. 

Old fashioned and simple pleasures abound here. 

Please keep in mind that cell phone service is very limited in Port Clyde and, though you might catch a signal out on the boat dock, it's probably best to simply put your phone away during your stay. 

A spectacular sunset view from our cupola - yes, those are real colors

Area Festivals and Events in July

St. George Ocean View Kitchen Tour

The Ocean View Grange in Martinsville will host a tour of eight of the St. George Peninsula’s unique kitchens on July 22.   All the tour homes have spectacular views of the ocean, waterways or estuaries. Tour houses are located in the town of St. George and the villages of Port Clyde, Tenants Harbor and Martinsville.  Each will be serving delicious refreshments contributed by local businesses: Craignair Inn, Cappy’s Chowder House, Harbor View Restaurant, 3 Dog Café, Granite Gardens, The Harpoon, Sul Mare, Amalfi, Port Clyde Lobster, The Dip Net and the Pastry Garden.  Tour hours are from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Tour-goers will have the opportunity to view the work of local contractors, designers and artisans. Several homeowners are encouraging visitors to view other rooms and wander through their gardens.

Tickets cost $25 in advance and $30 on the day of the event. Tour tickets contain a detailed map and houses will be designated with markers.  Tickets are on sale at the at Stonefish in Port Clyde, The Well-Tempered Kitchen in Waldoboro, The Craignair Inn at Clark Island, Rock City Coffee and Books in Rockland and Planet in Camden.  They will also be on sale during St. George Days at the library book sale on July 19 starting at 9 a.m.

Proceeds from the tour will benefit the Ocean Grange Building and Restoration Fund. On the day of the tour, tickets will be available at the grange and at each of the tour homes.

Transportation Spectacular and Aerobatic Show

Don't miss the Owls Head Transportation Museum's Annual Aerobatic Spectacular & Classic Car Show. Watch an aerobatic monoplane do inverted flat spins, vertical and horizontal rolls, torque rolls, tailslides, and tumbles. A new feature of the event is AtmosFair!, which focuses on alternative energy vehicles. There will also be up to 250 antique vehicles on the museum’s outdoor exhibit area. The well-known bicycle troupe The Wheelmen will wow the audience on antique high-wheel bicycles. All regular museum exhibits will be open, too.

July 26 and 27, 2008  at the Owls Head Transportation Museum

Call 207-594-4418 for information.

Maine Lobster Festival

The focus of the festival is, of course, fresh hot Maine lobster. The Festival runs on the scenic waterfront at Harbor Park.

Activities include a 10k race, parade, arts tent, cooking contest, live music, and much more.

General Festival Admission is charged.

The Festival runs continuous FREE shuttles from the parking lots of Rockland District High School, MacDougal School and the Rockland District Middle School to the Festival gate all day on Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday, and Sunday.

July 30 through August 3, 2008

Call  207-596-0376 for information.

Port Clyde General Store

Boat Moorings are available from the Port Clyde General Store
-$30 per night, payable in advance-
Mooring includes hot shower, rest rooms and disposal of 2 bags of trash
Fresh water supply and gas and diesel fuel tanks are at the dock.
20 moorings are available.
Contact Paul for more information at the Port Clyde General Store

The General Store also offers lunch and dinner - eat in counter service or take out. We recommend their belly buster fish sandwiches and their pizza!  They also sell live lobster to take away with you or they'll cook it up for a $2. fee per lobster.
207-372-6543

A visit to Maine would not be complete without visiting at least one lighthouse.  One of the most photographed lighthouses in Maine, Marshall Point Lighthouse is just about one mile from the inn.  It is a working lighthouse with a charming lightkeeper's cottage and museum (open during summer and fall). Visitors can walk down the long ramp to the lighthouse itself but can't go inside. There is a large rocky coastline surrounding this lighthouse in Port Clyde, and the LOUD fog horn sounds its warning when heavy fog rolls in.

The grounds of Marshall Point Lighthouse are well kept and are open year round from dawn to sunset.  From here, you can see many of the small islands along the coastline. Numerous photographers are often found surrounding the lighthouse, trying to capture amazing sunrises and sunsets in the skies beyond - many professional photo 'shoots' take place here.  Inside the small museum is a photograph of Tom Hanks as 'Forrest Gump' taken during the filming of that movie.  Even in summer, the air is cooler around the lighthouse than in Port Clyde Village and the winds are strong. Be sure to bring along a jacket when visiting the lighthouse.

 

More info about Marshall Point and other lighthouses can be found here:

Monhegan Island

Discover memorable Monhegan Island, 'the place that time forgot'.  Take a trip with the Monhegan Boat Line aboard the Laura B or cruise on the Elizabeth Ann.  Sail out of Port Clyde, past Hupper Island and the Marshall Point Lighthouse, for a one-hour trip to Monhegan Island.  The boat departs three times a day in Spring and Summer.  In Fall and Winter, the boat runs on a reduced schedule.  

"A thriving fishing village as well as an historic artist's colony, Monhegan beckons to nature lovers, photographers, artists, writers, poets, and every traveler in search of a truly unspoiled hideaway. 

We offer Special Packages with Monhegan Boatline

Make your getaway something memorable!

Monhegan Boat Line, well known for its ferry service between Port Clyde and Monhegan Island, also offers some amazing sightseeing cruises. And we are pleased to offer our guests some great deals!

Stay at the Seaside Inn two consecutive nights or more and get discount tickets on one of these popular sightseeing cruises:

PUFFIN AND NATURE CRUISE:  June 17 through August 30, Tuesday through Saturday, climb aboard just before noon for a 2 1/2 hour cruise to see the legendary puffins and beautiful seascapes. Have you ever seen a stout little puffin busily flapping its short wings as it zooms overhead? Have you seen a minke whale rise from the water's surface in a slow arc? With expert commentary, this cruise always receives rave reviews from passengers of all ages.

LIGHTHOUSE CRUISE:  July 2 through September 19, Wednesday through Friday, the 2 1/2 hour lighthouse cruise offers amazing views of Marshall Point Lighthouse, Whitehead and Two Bush Light. For more than two centuries, lighthouses have stood guard all along the rockbound Maine coast. At night and in stormy weather, their beacons safely light the way for mariners. Even in fair weather, they are always a reassuring sight as they add their beauty to the scenery.

SUNSET CRUISE:  The beautiful sunset cruise is offered July and August on Wednesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday; and in September on Saturday only. For an additional fee, you can even enjoy a full lobster dinner on board!    Top off a summer day on the Maine coast with a sunset cruise on the scenic and protected waters surrounding Port Clyde. As the sun descends behind the mainland, the water takes on a golden hue and the land stands out in dark green contrast. Sailboats and lobster boats head for home, seals clamber onto the rocks, and ospreys settle into their nests. Just as the sun disappears, the sea and sky can turn an electric pink.

Make a Maine Memory. 

Dip Net Restaurant

Dip Net Restaurant Port Clyde

 

Enjoy a meal at The Dip Net Restaurant, across the road from the Seaside Inn.  This restaurant is so popular, they don't even have a SIGN out on the sidewalk.  You'll see a few signs on telephone polls in the area pointing the way.  Once in Port Clyde, you'll find the Dip Net on the boat dock, tucked away behind the Port Clyde General Store and the Monhegan Boat landing.  It has mainly outdoor seating with just eight tables and counter service inside. 

On a warm or hot summer day, we recommend eating at a dockside table.  The smell of good things cooking is so enticing, it's hard to resist!  In the evening, be sure to walk over and book an inside table ahead of time or we will call and reserve one for you.  To avoid disappointment, reservations are strongly suggested for indoor dining.  Open for lunch and dinner, they close their doors at 10 PM. The Dip Net is open throughout the Summer through Columbus Day weekend.

  

 

 

Port Clyde Bicycle Tours

 

Bring your bike and pedal along Route 131.  Head over to the beach or up to the lighthouse.  The ride from the Seaside Inn to Marshall Point Light is mostly uphill getting there, and a nice downhill ride along the coastline coming back (just the way we think a great bike ride should be!) 

Bike rentals are available in Camden and Rockport.

 

Port Clyde Kayaks

We offer special packages with Port Clyde Kayaks. See our Rooms & Rates Page for Details

Join your registered Maine Guide and explore the waters around Marshall Point at the southern tip of the scenic Saint George Peninsula.  Kayak amid abundant wildlife such as seals, porpoises, osprey and maybe a bald eagle, as you take in spectacular scenery. Though not guaranteed, we hear guest reports of porpoises swimming alongside the kayaks - seemingly as curious and interested in the people as the people are about the porpoises. Port Clyde Kayaks is located across the road from the Seaside Inn.  They offer 2 1/2 hour and 4 hour guided tours, as well as custom and private tours, multi-day island camping, and kayak rentals.

 

 

Sea Ventures Charters

 Ready for a real adventure?  Captain Dave Sinclair and the crew of the Lady Anne offer sportfishing, charters, and dive trips, including a wreck site for advanced divers.   Dave Sinclair, a PADI Master Scuba Diver Trainer, has more than 40 years of commercial and recreational diving experience and is a registered Maine guide.  He and his crew have received RAVE reviews from guests of the Seaside Inn. Board the ship from the dock across the road from the inn. 

 Shark cage dives are scheduled throughout August. Yikes!!

    

 Visit their website for more information.

 

 

Greg Mort

Greg Mort - Mirrored Islands

 

Local artist and astronomer, Greg Mort, spends summers with his family at their home in Port Clyde.  His artwork can be viewed in the Smithsonian Museum of American Art, the Corcoran Museum of Art, the Portland Museum of Art, and the Smithsonian Air and Space Museum. A serious amateur astronomer, Greg serves on the boards of the McDonald and Lowell Observatories and Carl Sagan included Greg's works in his book "Pale Blue Dot" and as part of other Sagan Production projects.

 Visit his website for art work available for purchase.

 

 

 

Imagine paddling along a secluded shore while loons call, or drifting silently along a saltwater ledge, 
seeking stripers while seals bob nearby. 
 
Maine Outdoors specializes in creating cherished memories with you and provides an excellent way
to reconnect with family or friends.  Delighting folks like you in Mid-coast Maine for over 20 years. 
Maine Outdoors offers fishing trips on fresh and salt water, canoe trips and custom adventures for
your family. Make a reservation today to create your memory!

Maine Outdoors 
Fun, knowledge and value outdoors 
PO Box 401 
Union, ME 04862 
207-785-4496 

Maine Sailing Vacations available with Goddess of the Sea Cruises

Cruising on the Harvest Moon allows you to get in tune with nature as you glide past offshore islands while thundering waves crash on rocky shores. Photographic opportunities abound with chance to see whales, dolphins, seals and a wide array of waterfowl in their natural habitats. See fisherman hauling their lobster traps full of Maine's world famous ocean delicacy. Leave your stress behind, sit back and enjoy the beauty of sailing Maine's naturally sculpted coastline. If you so choose, you can take a turn at the helm and trim the sails.

Interested in learning to sail? - Lessons are tailored to your level of knowledge

 

(207) 649-2628

 

 

 

Schooner Olad

Doesn't this look awesome?

The captain, Aaron Lincoln, is a local Mainer. Aaron will talk about the history of the area and the schooner trade while you sail to one his favorite locations.

Schooner Olad also offers custom charters. Whether it is for two-hours, a half day, or a full day, Olad is the perfect place for an office outing, family get-together, wedding, or wedding party. Catering is available.

(207) 236-2323

The General Henry Knox Museum

The General Knox Museum is a grand old building full of antique furnishings and volunteers in period costume who re-enact early American history.  It is located at the corner of Route 1 and Route 131 in Thomaston.

 

 

Maine State Prison Showroom

Continue along Route One into Thomaston and you will find a nice place to visit  that has tree-lined streets, cafes, shops and the popular Maine State Prison Showroom.

Yes, it's still there on Route One. The Prison Showroom has over 600 crafted products, including hundreds of woodcrafts like toy boats and ship models. Their program enables participating prisoners to earn money which goes toward reimbursing the state for their room and board expenses, as well as paying victim restitution and child support.  Please consider buying things from this showroom instead of imports.  They are a great source for gifts and furnishings.  When you visit, don't be put off by the uniformed guard standing in the doorway.  The guards and the staff are all friendly and helpful.
The Showroom is open year round 7 days a week 9-5 except for a few major holidays and two inventory days.    (207-354-9237)  Parking is behind the building.

 

Throughout the year, the Farnsworth Museum and the Wyeth Center offer a wide range of activities for its members and visitors to enjoy. A full schedule of lectures and films complement exhibitions. Classes and workshops are offered through the Education Department and an exciting concert series is sponsored by the Farnsworth Art Museum Music Committee. Many parties and benefits grace the yearly schedule of activities. In addition, members enjoy private receptions and events especially tailored for them.  Some events may require an advanced reservation.
356 Main Street
Rockland, ME 04841
Phone: (207) 596-6457

The Historic Strand Theatre, open year round and located in downtown Rockland, has been entertaining moviegoers since 1923. Independently owned and listed on the National Register of Historic Places, the theatre underwent a recent extensive historic restoration. The Strand was updated with state-of-the-art sound and projection equipment, the interior and exterior were restored, and a new marquee was added.
Offering independent and world cinema, documentary, classic and retrospective film. The Strand hosts live musical performances & concerts, comedy, conferences, and other special events.

Owls Head Transportation Museum

We offer discount admission tickets to our guests

The "Captain Jack" is a 30 foot authentic downeast lobster boat. Experience a unique adventure on board a traditional working lobster boat. Join Captain Hale on a 1-1/4 hr. cruise. Catch a glimpse of seals, harbor porpoise, an occasional sunfish and maybe a whale. Watch as Captain Hale hauls his traps, get up close and personal with the lobsters, crabs, starfish, sea urchins and other exciting creatures from the sea.

Bring your camera to take panoramic pictures of the Owls Head Light house and the Rockland Breakwater Lighthouse. Enjoy the sounds of herring gulls, black back gulls, terns and osprey. Learn a little local history and experience the daily life of a local lobster man. There are fishing poles on board. You can try catching a mackerel or maybe a cod. Captain Jack's cannot haul traps on Sunday, but they do offer fishing trips and Lighthouse tours.

    800-279-5041