The Heart of Coastal Maine is criss-crossed by quiet roads and winding ways just right for leisurely drives filled with wonderful discoveries and activities. Your route will take you along the rocky coast to sandy beaches and fishing harbors, and inland to rolling hills and valleys dotted with four-corner villages, patchwork farmland, and roadside vegetable stands.

Everywhere you go, you'll find intriguing echoes of the past. A century ago, visitors came to Belfast by overnight steamer from Boston, docking near the shipyards where multi-masted coastal schooners and other ships were launched. Today, on the waterfront, the old railroad terminal is home to the Belfast Maskers, who present entertaining plays throughout the year. The terminal is just down the hill from hundred-year-old brick storefronts that house quaint boutiques, friendly taverns, and exceptional restaurants.

In Searsport, reminders of the area's rich maritime heritage abound in dozens of antiques shops and flea markets.

More antiques shops, as well as exceptional art galleries, await you in downtown Belfast and as you travel along Route 1. And you can bid on grandma's heirlooms at great old-time auctions at the Blue Goose in Northport.

If you're into the outdoors, the possibilities are almost endless, including boating, kayaking, biking, camping, fishing, hunting, ice fishing, snowmobiling, and cross-country skiing.

Tee off at one of the area's fine nine-hole golf courses, go horseback riding, or play a game of tennis. Swim in the ocean at Bayside or Lincolnville Beach, dive into the warmer waters of Lake St. George or Swan Lake, or try the pool at Belfast City Park.

Take a hike up Bald Rock Mountain in Lincolnville, Mount Waldo in Frankfort, or Frye Mountain in Montville, or explore the footpaths along Penobscot Bay. If you prefer a less energetic pace, take a picnic to one of the many local and state parks. For dessert, find a pail and pick your own strawberries, raspberries, or apples, or learn how to rake blueberries in Stockton Springs.

Just beyond Belfast's broad harbor lie the evergreen islands and gentle waters of Penobscot Bay, acknowledged by sailors everywhere as being among the world's most spectacular cruising grounds. Even if you're a landlubber, you owe it to yourself to go out and see this beautiful edge of the Atlantic.

As the waves slide by and the salt air tickles your nose, you'll watch lobstermen hauling their traps, seals sunning on the rocks, and sea birds wheeling overhead. More adventurous types can sign up for sea kayaking tours and lessons under the guidance of a registered Maine guide.

No matter how you explore our area, you'll discover why we are the heart of coastal Maine.