Rockland has quietly become one of the Midcoast's most interesting stops: a real working harbor that's also an art town, with a lighthouse you can walk out to and the state's biggest lobster party every summer.
What Rockland is good for
- Rockland Breakwater Lighthouse — walk nearly a mile out on a granite breakwater to the lighthouse at the end of the harbor.
- Farnsworth Art Museum — a surprisingly major museum, with an unmatched collection of Wyeth family paintings.
- Maine Lobster Festival — early August, five days of lobster, music and crowds.
- Windjammers and islands — schooners sail from the harbor, and ferries run to Vinalhaven and North Haven.
- Owls Head Transportation Museum is a short drive for vintage cars and planes.
Best time to visit
Summer for the harbor, the islands and the Lobster Festival; fall for foliage and a quieter downtown. The Farnsworth is worth a stop any time of year.
Where to stay in Rockland
Stay downtown along Main Street or near the harbor to be walkable to the museum, restaurants and the boats. Lobster Festival week books up well ahead. Compare options on the Rockland where-to-stay map.
Getting there
Rockland is about 1 hour 30 minutes up Route 1 from Portland, and makes a great base for exploring the Midcoast and its islands.
Best for: art lovers, lighthouse and lobster seekers, island day-trippers, and anyone using it as a Midcoast home base.