Maine has so. Much. Coastline. If you take the coastal route 1 toward Bar Harbor–which many savvy folks “from away” do–you’ll pass right through Belfast. Though this isn’t the place referenced in the Irish folk song, Jerry and I can’t help but humming whenever we pass by…
Historically Maine has made much of its living through seafaring and fishing, and the riverwalk along Belfast’s harbor is a good reminder of days gone by. It also ends (or starts?) in a footbridge across the harbor. Our papillon, Milo, accompanied us on our stroll (and broke some leash laws, oops). Belfast was settled in 1770, so it’s fairly old by American standards– though some large fires in the 1800’s destroyed many historical buildings.
Jerry and Milo. My heart.
Fiddleheads are the young, still unfurled shoots of the ostrich fern. They’re usually steamed and served with butter, salt and pepper. They’re sort of a local delicacy, so if you like your veggies, I’d recommend them. Just one word of caution if you see them in a supermarket up her and think you’ll DIY it. You don’t eat these things tender-crisp like some veggies. You want them well done. Otherwise you could end up with a seriously upset stomach. I might know from experience. Enough said.
And speaking of food, if you’re a pizza lover, you’ll want to check out Meanwhile in Belfast. Best pizza I’ve had since I visited Italy! You can walk it off on the river front and scout the shops in town. Wear comfy shoes!
I am happy to tell you that the snow has melted away since these photos were taken. Spring is long in coming this year, but the sun feels warm again and that means it’s not far away!
We moved to the Bangor area from Auburn, Maine, when I was a senior in high school. It seemed large and exciting then, and I still enjoy going to the little shops, parks, and restaurants around town.
If you’re looking for an evening bite, you can get a great hamburger at Nocturnem and then walk across Main Street to Specialty Sweets for a few hand made chocolates. They’re both worth it. My husband and I found a list of Best Burgers in Downeast Magazine and we’ve been joking that we’ll go across the state just eating hamburgers! You can get your first one at Nocturnem if you’d like to aspire to this worthy goal! Ha!
Stephen King is our local celebrity, and Bangor offers special “tours” related to him. Everyone around the area knows where his house is on West Broadway, but whenever I go by there, it just seems like a normal neighborhood without any super fans hoping for a selfie…King is known to be a private person and I have a theory that that’s part of why he lives here. Mainers are pretty stand-offish and I think we do pretty well at giving him his space to breathe. Here’s fun fact about the King movie “It.” The story in that film is set in a fictional place in Maine called “Derry.” Derry is based on Bangor.
Bangor was a logging town back in the day, and its iconic statue of Paul Bunyan reminds everyone of the city’s heritage. Logs used to be floated down the Penobscot River and milled for lumber that was shipped all over the country. Summer is admittedly a better time to visit, but even “mud season” it’s pretty easy to spend a pleasant afternoon here. I hope that since spring is here, I’ll soon be featuring some more of Maine’s lovely towns. Can’t wait!