Take a Maine vacation!

Relax, on our front porch when the weather is warm, or by the fire in the drawing room when it's cold outside. Pop some popcorn in the guest pantry and watch a movie, tune in your favorite radio station, or put your feet up and read.

Or take a walk, we're located in a beautiful residential neighborhood with many impressive homes just a few blocks from downtown Rockland and the harbor... Hunt for antique treasures or that perfect gift for Aunt Minnie in one of the downtown shops or tour the Farnsworth Museum and nearby art galleries.

More into wheels than Wyeth? Check out the classic and vintage cars and planes at the Owl's Head Transportation Museum, bone up on your boat building at the Maine Maritime Museum, or visit  the General Henry Knox Musem, the home of a revolutionary war hero who served under George Washington.

Love lighthouses? Six are local, with another three just an hour's drive away. We can offer maps and directions to drive to all or help to arrange a scenic lighthouse tour by air or boat. Rockland is also home to the largest and most significant collection of lighthouse lenses and artifacts in the United States so a vist to the Maine Lighthouse Museum is a year round "must do" when visiting the area.

If a vacation isn't a vacation without golf, tee off at the Samoset Resort, named the seventh most beautiful course by Golf Magazine in 1995, or reserve your tee time at Rockland Golf Club, Goose River Golf Course, or Northport Golf Club.

You can enjoy the coast by land or by sea, in a plane, on a bike, by car or on foot, or do your sightseeing on horseback.

In the summer, rent a sea kayak or take a schooner cruise. Several day sails leave from  Rockland Harbor, including the Morning In Maine and the Bugeye Schooner Jenny Norman, or plan a longer sail on one of the Maine Windjammer Cruises, such as the J. E. Riggin. Leave a day for a ferry ride on the Monhegan Boat Line to beautiful Monhegan Island, or travel to the islands of Vinalhaven, North Haven, or Matinicus. Hop aboard an authentic downeast lobster boat and experience firsthand the life of a lobsterman with Captain Jack Lobster Boat Cruises or enjoy a lighthouse tour or sport fishing aboard Big A Charters.

Don't want to get your feet wet? Rent a bike at Bikesenjava and take a bike tour of the St. George River Watershed, hike Mt. Battie State Park, walk the Rockland breakwater, or Rockland's Harbor Trail. Or hop on a train for a tour of the midcoast by rail, on the Maine Eastern Railroad. Arrange a scenic carriage ride through downtown Rockland with the St. George Carriage Company, or go fishing! The Georges River Outfitters will set you up with gear, guide, and bait. The more adventurous might opt for a parasail ride courtesy of Extreme Water Sports. If there's snow on the ground, bundle up and head for the Camden Snow Bowl, the only ski slope in the country commanding a view of the Atlantic Ocean and the 'thousand' islands of Penobscot Bay. While you're there, take a run down the same toboggan chute that the national champions train on!

Animal lovers may enjoy a trip to Aldemere Farm to see why Belted Galloways cows are nicknamed "oreo" cows, or a boat ride to see puffins. Gardening enthusiasts will enjoy a trip to Merryspring Park, a busy, 66-acre nature and horticultural center complete with arboretum. And bird lovers will find lots to watch on and offshore.

And don't forget the festivals!

Schooner Days and the North Atlantic Blues Festival draws blues fans and acts from all over, while lobster lovers won't want to miss the five-day long Maine Lobster Festival held the first weekend in August in Rockland, lobster capital of the world! The newest addition to Rockland's festivals, the Maine Boats and Habor Show, has already become another "don't miss" for an August visit. Union, Maine, is home to the annual Maine Antiques Festival as well as the Union Fair & Blueberry Festival, both held in August each year. Labor Day weekend in Camden hosts the largest single gathering of windjammers at the Windjammer Weekend and back to Rockland Harbor in Mid-September for the Habor Festival. The festival season officially concludes Thanksgiving weekend with the Festival of Lights where you can geta jump start on your holiday shopping, visit Santa, and tour all the historic inns decked out in their holiday best!

Check with the Rockland-Thomaston or Camden Chamber of Commerce for dates and details on these and other scheduled local events -- and some great places to stop along the way for a quick bite, or a gourmet meal.

Of course seafood is on almost every "must eat" list, but local restaurants boast more than just the catch of the day. With tempting selections from Moroccan to Mediterranean fare, Amalfi's and Cafe Miranda are repeat favorites for many of our guests, as is Primo Restaurant, owned and operated by award-winning chef Melissa Kelley and baker/pastry chef Price Kushner. All three restaurants have been featured in Gourmet Getaways and other regional publications, and reservations are usually necessary.

Regardless of the season, there's something for everyone to enjoy in mid-coast Maine, including spending a quiet morning, lazy afternoon, or romantic evening at the Berry Manor Inn.