Discover art, culture and some of the freshest seafood Maine has to offer in Rockland. The town is built around a picturesque harbour and combines historic charm with the energy of a working fishing port. Visit a string of postcard-perfect lighthouses, watch historic schooners sail around the harbour and eat your fair share of lobster rolls.
Things to do in Rockland
Discover an eclectic mix of shops, cafes and galleries in the historic downtown district. Bustling Main Street overlooks the waterfront and is lined with handsome brick buildings and former sea captains’ homes. Enjoy free summer concerts in Harbor Park and attend festivals celebrating everything from lobsters to blues and roots music.
Admire masterpieces by iconic painters like Andrew Wyeth and Edward Hopper at the Farnsworth Art Museum. The galleries get you up to speed on more than two centuries of American art. Housed in an architect-designed building, the Centre for Maine Contemporary Art champions modern works.
Walk to the end of the 1,200-metre-long Rockland Breakwater built in the 1890s. The historic Rockland Breakwater Lighthouse is perched on the tip of the granite seawall and guides ships into the harbour. Tour the beautifully restored keeper’s cottage and climb up to the lantern room for sweeping views over the harbour.
Owls Head Light is another photogenic landmark set in a nearby state park. Follow the short trail to the end of the rocky headland for phenomenal views over Penobscot Bay. The keeper's house is reimagined as a museum covering shipwrecks, ghosts and other local lighthouse stories.
Getting around Rockland
Downtown Rockland is pedestrian-friendly and easy to get around on foot. Taxis are a fast and affordable way to cover longer distances, or you can ride the bus. Ferries connect Rockland with ports in Vinalhaven, North Haven and Matinicus Island. Rockland is in Knox County in Midcoast Maine, a 1.5-hour drive from Bangor and Portland. Boston Logan International Airport is a 3.5-hour drive away.