Summer Escapes: Rockland, ME

If the only thing the harbor town of Rockland had to offer was its Lobster Festival—an annual celebration of bisque, ’bakes, and people in head-to-toe weather-inappropriate red fur—it would still be worth the trip. For decades, Rockland was largely known as a crime-torn, working-class town, a collection of odorous fish-packing plants, red-light districts, and lifelong Mainers embittered by decades of harsh winters. But a shopping and dining renaissance fueled, in part, by the success of the Lobster Festival has transformed Rockland into a booming destination that skips the ultratouristy shops in favor of more authentic visitor appeal. The drive from Boston is four hours, but scenic, and includes 53 miles of coastal Maine highway.

Summer in Rockland is too pretty to spend your time there holed up in a hotel, so settle in quick and head outdoors. Perfect for a morning stroll, the 2-mile Harbor Trail starts at the edge of Rockland Harbor and snakes through town along piers dotted with Coast Guard vessels, sleek windjammers (some offering day charters), and private yachts. If the skies are sunny, pack a basket of lobster rolls from Rockland Caf (207-596-7556), or clam chowder from Penobscot Bay Soup Company (207-594-7233), along with a nice vintage from the Wine Seller (207-594-2621, www.thewineseller.biz), which shelves bottles from around the world. Take your picnic to the beach at the Harbor Trail’s end for a day of lounging in the sand and, perhaps, a postlunch kayak tour along the coast (207-596-6895, www.breakwaterkayak.com).

As for the summer weekender’s perennial worry—what if it rains?—Rockland has you covered. Start out a dreary day with warm scones and breakfast tea at the Atlantic Baking Co. (207-596-0505, www.atlanticbakingco.com) as you map out your shopping route—contained, conveniently, to the single bustling Main Street. Pick up colorful sweaters and tees at the Black Parrot (207-593-9370, www.blackparrotonline.com) and eclectic accessories, many by Maine clothing designers and jewelry makers, at Caravans (207-594-0293). At Second Read Books & Coffee (207-594-4123, www.abebooks.com/home/2NDREAD), browse the expansive stacks of first editions while sipping an iced coffee. Lunch on a steaming bowl of udon noodles at Oh! Bento (207-593-9216, ohbento.com), then head to Harbor Beauty Bar (207-596-9913, www.harborbeautybar.com), a serene space that stocks high-end bath and makeup lines—Kiehl’s, Bliss, Acqua di Parma—and where makeovers for women and men perk up any rainy day.

Dining in Rockland offers proof there’s more to Maine cuisine than lobster. In Good Company (207-593-9110) serves up snacks including fennel-steamed clams and dozens of imported cheeses in a cozy, neighborhood setting. Local standout Primo (207-596-0770, www.primorestaurant.com), prized for its Mediterranean-inspired take on New England fare (salt cod and potato fritters, Winter Point oysters with roasted poblano aioli) is always a good bet. Fish purists might opt for the new Suzuki’s Sushi Bar (207-596-7447), where savory rolls and ceviches—Maine crab roll, Maine shrimp nigiri—show off local catch.

At night, see a current indie flick at the historic Strand Theatre (207-594-0070, www.rocklandstrand.com), which helps celebrate Maine Lighthouse Week this month with a playbill of local musicians, including folkie Gordon Bok and Brazilian-influenced jazz quintet Serafina (6/23, www.rocklandlighthouse.com). In July, the annual North Atlantic Blues Festival returns for its two-day party featuring jazz and folk performers (including John Lee Hooker Jr., and Tinsley Ellis), a club crawl, and a Sunday Blues Brunch (7/15–7/16, www.northatlanticbluesfestival.com). But it’s the Lobster Festival’s annual (and reportedly cutthroat) beauty and talent pageant, in which high school grads under age 20 compete for the title of Sea Goddess, that intrigues us most. You just might find yourself on the road to Rockland more than once this summer. —Alyssa Giacobbe

WHERE TO STAY: LimeRock Inn, 800-546-3762, www.limerockinn.com, doubles from $130; Captain Lindsey House, 207-596-7950, www.lindseyhouse.com, doubles from $99–145.