Capshore Itineraries

This is a long post, folks, so settle in with a cup of coffee for this one. Frankly, it was hard enough to narrow down this list to only 40ish places; I could have easily kept going and tripled the amount, but I had to draw the line somewhere…

This roundup is a collection of the places I love most for agrotourism in Maine. Some are fancy, some are casual, some are farms, and some are inns, but every single one has a way of tying food to place. I’ve broken it down into a few categories for you: Fine Dining & Destination Restaurants, Hotels, Inns & Lodges, Casual, Local Restaurants & Markets, Oyster Farms & Raw Bars, Tours & Experiences, and Farms, Breweries & Chocolatiers.

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Fine Dining and Destination Restaurants

Aragosta, Deer Isle
On Deer Isle, Aragosta is where fine dining still feels tied to the tide. Chef Devin Finigan cooks with what her neighbors grow and catch, so every plate feels rooted in the island. Pictured below is the caviar service as well as a private dining option in one of their greenhouses.

The Lost Kitchen, Freedom
Erin French’s tiny restaurant has become world famous, but it still feels like eating in a friend’s farmhouse kitchen. Every dish highlights a farmer, a forager, or a neighbor. Reservations are by postcard only, and the experience is very special and worth it.

Nina June, Rockport
Chef Sara Jenkins marries her Italian roots with what Midcoast Maine provides. Think house-made pasta with local scallops, or island greens tossed with olive oil good enough to drink.

Front and Main, Waterville
In downtown Waterville, Front and Main shows what happens when you pair local farms with a polished kitchen. The menu changes with the seasons as does their extensive cocktail program.

The Alna Store, Alna
What looks like an old general store is now one of the best spots to eat in Midcoast. The food is farm-driven, seasonal, and creative, but the vibe stays down to earth.

Crown Jewel, Great Diamond Island
This island restaurant serves a very seafood-driven menu that lean on local catch, paired with a cocktail program that is as colorful as the dining room itself. Arriving by ferry makes it feel like a getaway, even if just for dinner.

Chase’s Daily, Belfast
A Belfast institution that is entirely vegetarian. Market vegetables become bright, thoughtful plates, and the sandwhiches are piled high with local goodness.

Gather, Yarmouth
Set in a restored Masonic hall, Gather builds its menus around Maine farmers and fishermen. The high ceilings and long tables make it feel communal, the food hearty and thoughtful.

Blair Hill Inn, Greenville
Perched above Moosehead Lake, the Blair Hill Inn pairs sweeping views with a carefully crafted menu. It is refined dining in the Maine Highlands, where the scenery is every bit as memorable as the food. After dinner, have a cocktail on their porch and watch the sunset over the lake.

Earth at Hidden Pond, Kennebunkport
Hidden among the birch trees, Earth serves farm-to-table meals that are equal parts rustic and elegant. The focus is on wood-fired flavors, seasonal produce, and a setting that truly feels like a secret in the woods.

Paid subscribers can dig into hotels, inns, experiences, aquaculture, tours, farms, breweries, raw bars, markets, and so much more below!

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Watercolor Cruise Aboard The Angelique

Kristin F. Simmmons — Sat, 17 May 2025 17:28:44 GMT

Book Now to Adventure with us this Summer

Watercolor Cruise Aboard The Angelique ~ A Colorful Windjamming Adventure

Day One - Embarkation: We arrive in the early evening at The Angelique in the Camden, Maine harbor and unload our supplies. The crew is busy preparing the vessel for guests and welcomes us with a smile and a safety check so that we are secure and prepared for the days ahead. We unpack and bring dozens of bags full of art supplies to the deck. We are on a special watercolor cruise as the Art teachers. Sixteen of the 27 guests have opted in for daily lessons to learn how to paint Maine's iconic seascapes.

The Midcoast's Windjammers are no strangers to specialty cruises. The Angelique offers photography cruises, special farm-to-table dinners, yoga, stargazing cruises, and a signature watercolor sail. Windjammers like the J. & E. Riggin, the Stephen Taber, and the Mary Day can be chartered by special interest groups who knit, rug hook, or birdwatch, and many of Maine's boats offer other unique events like wine tastings or jazz music as part of their regular summer scheduling.

The Angelique's co-owner, Candace Kuchinski, states: "We want to offer something special to guests that would be a unique way for them to experience The Angelique and their time sailing in Maine." As a natural extension of the vibrant arts community of Midcoast Maine, Captain Dennis Gallant and his wife Candace embraced the idea of a watercolor cruise. We collaboratively planned for daily lessons and ample time for practice, inspiration, and relaxation.

Guests came to paint and sail aboard The Angelique from as far as Illinois, Canada, and Florida, with many returning guests from the Northeast.

Jess Barton from New York, New York, states: "The Angelique is so chill. I was here for a yoga cruise and loved how I felt. It's relaxing and wonderful, so I returned and brought a friend."

Day Two: The sunrise over Camden is beautiful. We listen to Captain Dennis talk about The Angelique's history and his family's stewardship of the vessel. The tide is in. We pass Curtis Island while heading out into Penobscot Bay. Everyone is eager to assist in raising the rust-colored sails that give The Angelique its unique appearance. We eat a hearty and delicious breakfast of buckwheat pancakes, sausages, and fresh fruit to fortify ourselves for the day ahead.

We begin with an art lesson in the galley, demonstrating how to use the supplies and stone-ground paints. We compose a simple composition of sea stones and beach glass that helps everyone ease into their painting tools and build confidence. I see everyone's focus narrow as their painting practice starts in earnest.

Out on deck, we eat an incredible lunch of tomato soup and avocado, edamame, and sesame salad, finished off by the most decadent S'mores cookies - a sweet concoction of graham crackers, cookie dough, marshmallows, and chocolate bars. (The Angelique boasts some of the best cooks in the Maine Windjammer Fleet.) Some of us sneak a second cookie and settle on deck to continue painting. The views in the Fox Island Thorofare are sublime. I see guests taking photos for painting inspiration for the days ahead. Captain Dennis is easy to talk to (and laugh with), and the afternoon sail is lovely.

Small groups form, and the beautiful and natural group feedback process begins. Final compositions start to emerge, and I am amazed at how many painters can capture the light in their brushstrokes.

We finish the day in Hell's Half Acre and dip in the (very) calm waters off Devil's Island. After a pork loin dinner with bacon jam and peach cake, we practice our brushstrokes with a short exercise on painting seaweed. The guests paint their bookmark keepsakes. Everyone turns in early after a full day.

Day Three: The Angelique was built for comfort - perfect for smooth sailing with its deep draft hull and full keel. It is an ideal vessel for watercolor painting. The 95-foot deck provides ample space to grab a quiet space to work. We enjoy exceptional weather during this cruise, and it is a dream to be on deck for our second morning. Energy levels are high, as almost everyone slept well. We begin the morning with a lesson on detailed brushwork and the task of painting seaweed wreaths. I do a demonstration, repeating the techniques twice and answering questions before we break to help hoist the sails.

We quickly stop in Stonington on Deer Isle to stretch our legs. We row the Angelique's dories to the town dock, working hard to stay in sync with one another. A friendly harbor seal follows, and we grab photos to include in our seascape paintings.

Back on board, we head West towards Bucks Harbor and continue our compositions.

Leslie Cuthbertson of Ottawa, Canada, asks if we can practice an advanced technique of tree painting. She states: "I love the materials you gave us, and I want to push myself further in my skills while we are here." The afternoons onboard provide time for open studio work, and Leslie and I sit down one-on-one to discuss washes, wet-on-wet painting techniques, and fine line work. A few other guests gather. We end up with an impromptu mini-lesson.

The Angelique's daily schedule is built for this.

"We are all about ease and flexibility here," states Captain Dennis Gallant. While some guests relax on deck with a book (or a nap) after the morning's painting session, our small group takes turns with the small brushes and tree techniques with direct group feedback - practicing and perfecting the look of the twists and gnarls of the pine trees on the islands all around.

Our group is kind and friendly - a collective energy that Dennis and Candice strive to cultivate with every cruise.

Each guest was given all they needed to paint on board, including paper, brushes, water jars, lapboards, and sketching materials. When planning the watercolor cruise, Candace and I discussed the desire for each person to arrive without the need to haul a large amount of supplies on board. We wanted it to be a turnkey experience with premium supplies. The idea was: "Easy to come on board—easy to fall in love with sailing and painting."

We end the day with a swim. Almost everyone on board jumps in. It is a beautiful, clear night, and the Milky Way puts on a spectacular show.

Day Four: Guests arrive early on deck; art supplies are spread out, accompanied by hot coffee from Camden's Coffee on the Porch and the crew's daily pre-breakfast treats. With muffins and paintbrushes, island landscapes appear on watercolor paper, built upon the previous day's lessons and practice.

It is a blanket of color, focus, and skill woven amidst the deck ropes and the crew's goings-on as we get underway for the day's sail. The wind cooperates, and we make our way towards Burnt Island, North Haven's public park and perfect locale for a lobster bake and afternoon swim.

We work hard to finish each of our paintings as we plan a post-dinner art show. We anchor off Burnt Island and row ashore for an abundant lobster bake. We hear that the ship's record on lobster consumption is 17 by a former guest, and we try our best to match. Most of us top out at two each.

Back on deck, we tack our paintings to the salon's walls to view each other's work. I unroll a large-scale painting I did of the Maine Islands while onboard, using cuttings and green-colored scraps from each guest's paintings. We snap a happy group photo. It is a beautiful sight as the sun sets over Penobscot Bay. Chef Bradley treats us all to a baked chocolate pudding with whipped cream, an over-the-top welcome sweet treat.

Day Five -Disembarkation: We arrive back in Camden Harbor, and it is another bluebird day. Guests pack up their supplies and share their feedback. We collect one another's emails and prepare to dock and head home.

As we pass the Curtis Island Light, a calm comes over us, taking in the harbor scenes and the myriad boats moored in the wharf. Captain Dennis warmly shares his thanks. Hugs are generously passed around.

Lisa Ekus of Hatfield, Massachusetts, states: "Sailing on The Angelique's unique windjammer watercolor cruise was the perfect marriage of great adventure and immersion in the beauty of the Maine Islands. I was way out of my comfort zone when signing up regarding my sailing and artistic abilities. The four days were sheer, colorful magic! To gently ride the waves while capturing the ever-changing landscape of the Maine coastline was an extraordinary and rich experience. It's unique, it's fun, it's creative and magical. The crew, passengers, and our watercolor teacher were all extraordinary. I can't wait to book my return voyage and pick up my paintbrush again."

Find out more about the unique cruises aboard The Angelique at www.sailangelique.com/

The Watercolor Cruise will repeat in 2025. Dates are on The Angelique Website

Guests can pay the base fee to sail or add on the watercolor class option. All are welcome.

Written by Kristin Fuhrmann-Simmons. Kristin is a Writer, Artist, and Teacher who lives on the Maine coast. She is passionate about Maine's Midcoast and its unique geography, art, and cultural history.

Photos by Capshore Photography is a Southern Maine duo whose passion is creating authentic images and videos to tell stories using traditional and aerial drone photography.

This article was originally published on Maine’s Midcoast and Islands Website.

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This cruise was conducted on the Wabanaki Nation's unceded ancestral lands and waters. Kristin Fuhrmann-Simmons and Amy Welch-Olsen of Capshore Photography would like to thank the Wabanaki People for their historic stewardship of these lands and waters.

A Taste of MidCoast

Amy Welch-Olson — Tue, 01 Apr 2025 16:40:06 GMT

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A Taste Of Midcoast Sea To Table

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2024 Christmas in The Kennebunks

Amy Welch-Olson — Mon, 02 Dec 2024 21:25:22 GMT

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Coastal Tours from Ogunquit to Eastport

Amy Welch-Olson — Mon, 16 Sep 2024 14:35:42 GMT

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Mini Coastal Maine Summer Tours

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Kennebunk & Kennebunkport Coastal Summer

Kristin F. Simmmons — Thu, 15 Aug 2024 00:38:20 GMT

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Mini Guide Summertime In Kennebunkport

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Welcome to Capshore Itineraries!

Amy Welch-Olson — Thu, 25 Jan 2024 21:44:48 GMT

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We share interactive, regional Itineraries in each newsletter. Take a look at the Midcoast Arts & Culture Guide we created in partnership with Visit Maine.

Click on the Guide to see the full interactive PDF Guide.

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