Blue Hill (Maine)

The population is less than 2,500 people, but Blue Hill is quite busy during the summer tourist season. Visit historic houses and art galleries, shop for antiques, and view the small harbor. There is also a small local hospital on Water Street and a newspaper, The Weekly Packet. Additional information is available from the Blue Hill Peninsula Chamber of Commerce located at 28 Water Street. Tel: +1 207 374-3242.

By air

Nearest major airports are the Hancock County - Bar Harbor Airport near Ellsworth (about 20 miles), Bangor International Airport in Bangor (about 30 miles) and Portland International Jetport in Portland (about 120 miles). Even if you fly, you'll need to rent a car at one of these airports.

By car

You will most likely enter Maine on Interstate 95, especially if you are coming from southern New England or U.S. points beyond. The standard routes to Downeast Maine are to either follow I-95 to the capital, Augusta, and then to break east on state highways, or to leave I-95 around Brunswick, Maine, and follow U.S. 1 north along the coast toward Ellsworth and Bar Harbor. The drive along U.S. 1 is typically more scenic, but also generally slower.

By boat

Blue Hill does have a pretty tidal harbor on Blue Hill Bay that is fairly sheltered from the open ocean. The K.Y.C. yacht club welcomes members of other yacht clubs, to drop anchor there and to come ashore. K.Y.C., however, is located some distance from the center of town, and it might be preferable to ask for a ride to go shopping. There are several boat yards in Blue Hill, offering their services. By road, Blue Hill is approximately 45 minutes away from Bar Harbor. The high-speed car ferry "The Cat" links Bar Harbor with Yarmouth (Nova Scotia, Canada).

You'll generally travel around the Blue Hill area by car, as public transportation in the Blue Hill area is nonexistent and the main grocery store, Tradewinds Marketplace, is most of a mile up a steep hill.
Traffic during the summer months is incredibly busy (by Blue Hill standards), although seekers of solitude might want to visit from October to April, when the tourists and summer residents haven't come up yet.
There is a public transportation system serving Blue Hill and Hancock County. It is called Downeast Transportation. This service is offered Monday through Friday, to and from Ellsworth, the county seat. Connections can be made to other parts of the county-wide network.

• Bagaduce Music Lending Library

  phone: +1 207-374-5454
  address: 3 Music Library Ln

• Blue Hill Public Library

  phone: +1 207-374-5515
  address: 5 Parker Point Rd
  Closed on Sundays.

• Historic Jonathan Fisher House

  phone: +1 207-374-2459
  address: 44 Mines Rd
  One of Blue Hill's most famous attractions. Not always open. Phone for special appointment.

• Blue Hill Historical SocietyLocated in the 1815 Holt House at the corner of Main Street and Water Street. No telephone. PO Box 710.

• Blue Hill FallsWatch or try out the rare reversing falls created by the incoming tide funneling into a narrow channel. The water forms a standing wave, up to three feet in height. The Blue Hills Falls is safe to run on inner tube, raft, kayak and canoe, although pedestrians should beware of traffic.

• Blue Hill MountainClimb Blue Hill's namesake Blue Hill Mountain (actually, more a hill than a mountain) for nice views of Blue Hill Bay and, on clear days, Acadia National Park in the distance.

• Rocky Coast Outfitters

  phone: +1 207-374-8866
  Canoe or kayak rental.

• Activity Shop

  phone: +1 207-374-3600
  address: Ellsworth Road
  Canoe or kayak rental.

• Blue Hill Golf Course

  phone: +1 207-374-2271
  9 holes at Parker Point Road. Part of the Blue Hill Country Club.

• The Blue Hill FairHeld annually around the Labor Day Weekend. A famous local event.

• WERU-FMListen to Blue Hill's avante garde community radio station on 89.9 MHz. The station is actually in Orland, fifteen miles outside Blue Hill, but the transmitter can be seen on top of Blue Hill Mountain.

• Blue Hill Town ParkAt the end of Water Street by the hospital, and offers a beach and a large rock suitable for sunbathing. Although some brave enthusiasts risk it, swimming is not advised due to contamination due to the nearby sewage plant.

• Woods PondAn excellent place to go swimming, it can be found on the Mines Rd. (Route 15) appproximately two miles south of Blue Hill. Parking is roadside, and is denoted by a line of rocks to the right of the road, under the shade of oak trees. The pond itself is 200 yards over the hill, but once found is worth the trek, with high rocks to jump off of and sunbathe on. While there is a house along the trail, public usage has been established, although respect for others is recommended. Dogs and littering are highly frowned upon.

There are a number of art galleries and antique shops in the area. Yard sales are popular in the summer. Look for roadside signs.

• Blue Hill Antiques

  phone: +1 207-374-8825
  address: 8 Water St

• Blue Hill Bay Gallery

  phone: +1 207-374-5773
  address: 11 Tenney Hill
  Fine arts gallery.

• Gallery 66

  phone: +1 207-374-8853
  address: 110 Beach Hill Rd
  Contemporary fine art.

• Handworks Gallery

  phone: +1 207-374-5613
  address: 48 Main St
  Representing Maine artists for 30 years.

• Jud Hartmann Gallery

  phone: +1 207-359-2544
  address: 79 Main St
  Fine arts gallery, specializing in bronze sculptures.

• Laura Balombini Studio

  phone: +1 207-374-5142
  Sculpture at Wattson Lane.

• Leighton Gallery

  phone: +1 207-374-5001
  address: 24 Parker Point Rd
  Recently voted best gallery in Maine.

• Liros Gallery

  phone: +1 207-374-5370
  address: 14 Parker Point Rd
  Specializing in Russian icons, since 1966.

• Randy Eckard Gallery

  phone: +1 207-374-2510
  address: 29 Pleasant St
  Local water color artist.

• Rebekah Raye Arts

  phone: +1 207-374-5944
  Studio located in East Blue Hill, on Route 176, towards Surry.

• LaFreniere's Nature Art of Maine

  phone: +1 207-374-5773

• Andean Downeast

  phone: +1 207-374-2313
  address: 27 Water St
  Alpaca wool products, jewelry, pottery and textiles.

• Bella Colore

  phone: +1 207-374-5343
  address: 27 Water St
  Hand-crafted gifts and jewelry.

• Blue Hill Books

  phone: +1 207-374-5632
  address: 26 Pleasant St

• Blue Hill Co-op Community Market & Cafe

  phone: +1 207-374-2165
  address: 4 Ellsworth Rd
  Community-owed natural food store, plus cafe.

• Ken Woisard Photography

  phone: +1 207-374-5174
  address: 15 Schoolhouse Ln

• North Light Books

  phone: +1 207-374-5422
  address: 58 Main St

• Rackliffe Pottery

  address: 132 Ellsworth Rd
  Classic pottery mugs, blueberry ware, bowls, plates and gifts, made from native clay.

• Rowantrees Pottery

  phone: +1 207-374-5535
  address: Union Street

• Tradewinds Marketplace

  phone: +1 207-374-5137
  address: 15 South St
  Small supermarket & shopping center.

• WEM Woodworks

  phone: +1 207-374-3763
  address: 64 Penny Ln
  Handmade Shaker tables.

Situated right on the ocean and in Maine, fresh seafood is widely available and often a specialty here. There are few chain restaurants in town, so you should be prepared to eat at local establishments, unless you want to drive in to Ellsworth. Here are a few:

• Arborvine

  phone: +1 207-374-2119
  Fine dining and brewpub.

• Blue Hill Co-op Community Market & Cafe

  phone: +1 207-374-2165
  address: 4 Ellsworth Rd

• Blue Hill Subway

  phone: +1 207-374-3269
  address: 15 South St
  Submarine sandwiches.

• Fish Net

  phone: +1 207-374-5240
  address: 162 Main St
  Take-out sea food restaurant.

• Merrill and HinkleyBlue Hill's oldest grocery store, still in original building. Offers pre-made sandwiches and a delicatessen, however the convenience of being downtown comes at a tradeoff of higher prices.

• Pantry Restaurant

  phone: +1 207-374-2229
  address: 27 Water St
  Breakfast and lunch.

• TradeWinds MarketplaceHannaford grocery store with deli, also houses a Subway and Baker's Cafe.

• Marlintini'sMarlintini's is 1 mile South of Blue Hill and offers great food at good prices. Famiy friendly with plenty of parking.

• The Boatyard Grill

  phone: +1 207 374-3533
  address: 13 East Blue Hill Rd
  A casual, family friendly restaurant and bar located on the water. There is lots of open-air seating as well as inside seating. Specialties include steamed lobster, grilled fish and burgers, fresh, locally procured salads.

• The Blue Hill Wine Shop

  phone: +1 207 374-2161
  address: 138 Main St

• The Blue Moose

  phone: +1 207 374-5226
  address: Main Street
  Restaurant and full bar.

Blue Hill has a number of inns and bed and breakfasts. Even more numerous than those options, however, are private vacation homes for rent, although for many these are cost-prohibitive. Blue Hill is typical of Downeast Maine in this regard. You often have more choices of lodging in renting private homes than you do for motels, hotels and inns, especially in small towns like Blue Hill. Backpackers and those looking to take the path less travelled, camping out on their own are unlikely to be hassled, as long as they pack light and keep out of sight of houses. The edges of blueberry fields are excellent in this regard.

• Barncastle Hotel and Restaurant

  phone: +1 207-374-2300
  address: 125 South St
  Building listed on National Register of Historic Places.

• Blue Hill Inn

  phone: +1 207-374-2844
  1830s building, high-quality bed & breakfast establishment, operating continuously as an inn since 1840! Featured on TV.

• Coastal Cottage Rentals

  phone: +1 207-374-3500
  address: 1 Music Library Ln

• Davis Agency

  phone: +1 207-374-5850
  address: 70 Greene's Hill

• Maine Vacation Rentals

  phone: +1 207-374-2444
  address: 107 Main St

• Peninsula Property Rentals

  phone: +1 207-374-2428
  address: 15 Main St

• The Gatherings Campground

  phone: +1 207 667-8826
  Just off Route 172 in nearby Surry, directly on the ocean.

• Acadia National Park - the first National Park east of the Mississippi. Busy during tourist season but one of the most beautiful parts of the Maine coast.
• Bar Harbor
• Ellsworth - the local center for shopping.
• Mount Desert Island