Go Here: Downeast Maine

From friend of the newsletter, Narni Summerall

Narni Summerall grew up in Charleston, SC but spent summers in the dreamy village of Deer Isle, Maine at a property her grandparents purchased in the mid 80’s. Maine summers are a treat for anyone who values a slower pace and simple pleasures.

After leaving a corporate role to attend Le Cordon Bleu in Paris, she spent last summer in the kitchen at Aragosta - an inn and restaurant ten minutes from her family home.

She was kind enough to share her guide to the area with us. Longtime subscribers may recall my own Maine Primer - you can revisit part one and two.

Between those posts and Narni’s guide below (you can find her new Substack here), you should be well sorted to plan your own visit this summer or next.

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Decoding "Downeast" Maine

Summer in Maine is transcendent and almost bittersweet - it’s absolute perfection for 3 and a half months and then gone in an instant. No surprise it’s the setting of many childhood classic works of literature - E.B. White’s Charlotte’s Web was based in Blue Hill and Robert McCloskey’s Blueberries for Sal and One Morning in Maine are set in Brooksville. 

This guide focuses on towns in Hancock County, Maine, an area commonly referred to as “Downeast” – a term born out of the place’s nautical history. Downeast includes my favorite mid-coast towns that are slightly off the beaten path (Deer Isle, Stonington, Blue Hill, Brooklin, Sedgewick, Brooksville), but also much more famous destinations (Mount Desert, Bar Harbor). Today, Downeast Maine is home to some of the busiest coastal fishing and lobster communities in the Northeast and is filled with creatives making names for themselves in food and the arts. 

Navigating Your Journey

Why has most of Downeast Maine stayed so hidden and pristine? Because it’s further from Boston and NYC than Cape Cod, the Hamptons, and other nearby shore communities. Do not fear! As long as you’re amenable to planes, (not trains), and automobiles, getting there isn’t too hard.

Driving will be the most direct but can be a bit arduous - New York City to Downeast is around 8 hours and the drive from Boston is closer to 5. However, the drive from Portland, Maine is only 3 hours. If you’re able to fly directly to Portland, I suggest spending a night or two exploring the downtown food scene (recs below!) before embarking on the stunning drive up the coast. 

If you’re in the Northeast, you have the unique opportunity to fly on a Cape Air Cessna over the Maine coast to Bar Harbor and drive a short distance to your final destination from there. Cape Air has departures from Boston and NYC.