A special thanks to our Chamber of Commerce for their help in organizing some great activities and diversions, specially tailored for the broader Pop!Tech community and participants who are extending their stays. The days and the venues are, of course, interchangeable.

For more information, please contact the Camden-Rockport-Lincolnville Chamber of Commerce for a copy of The Jewel of the Maine Coast, a great guide to the region. When in town, feel free to stop by their information center – located at 2 Public Landing in Camden, to ask questions, or have a personal tour planned for you.

Day One:

• Get your bearings. Take a walking tour of downtown Camden. Visit the shops, on Main, Bay View, Washington and Mechanic Streets – all just minutes away from the Camden Opera House.

• Rent a kayak and take a few hours to explore the coastline, or the lakes and rivers during peak foliage season. Few regions in the U.S. enjoy the unique and historical geographical mix as this place, where the mountains meet the sea.

• Get those endorphins going with a hike on trails at the Camden Snow Bowl, Maiden's Cliff, Bald Rock Mountain or Mount Battie: or grab a bicycle and head up Route 52, where sheer cliffs stand guard over enchanting Megunticook Lake. You can also visit Aldermere Farm (home of the Belted Galloway cattle) and enjoy Rockport – a quintessential New England village that is home to the Maine Photographic Workshops, Center for Maine Contemporary Art, and Élan Fine Arts.

• Venture north a few miles and enjoy a delicious meal at one of Lincolnville’s outstanding restaurants. Options range from traditional New England fare to exquisitely prepared entrees – all with views of the ocean and mountains.

Day Two:

• Find your muse. Take a look around and you will quickly find our region is a living exhibition. Artists and artisans have understood this for centuries and their work is on display and sale throughout the Camden-Rockport-Lincolnville area.

• In Rockport you will find high-design glass and brass art available at Prism Glass Gallery & Cafe (Route 1) or The Foundry & Glass Studio (Park St. just off Route 90).

• Rockport is also home to the Center for Furniture Craftsmanship, an elite woodworking school and studio that attracts the world’s finest furniture and wood artists. The Center for Furniture Craftsmanship also operates the popular Messler Gallery (Mill Street). Make your way into Rockport Village and you’ll find spectacular work in two and three dimensions at Élan Fine Arts (Pascal Ave.) and Center for Maine Contemporary Art (Russell Ave.).

• To get a sense of our oldest craft, make your way to Rockport Marine, where the replica of Godspeed, one of the three ships to make their way to the New World in 1607, was built and launched last year.

• Camden offers an exciting mix of art, all just a short walk from the Camden Opera House. Stroll down Main Street and you will discover Camden Falls Gallery. Across Bay View Street, you will see the work displayed at Artemesia Gallery, Bay View Gallery, Ducktrap Bay Trading Co., or Spirit & Art Gallery. Head down to the Public Landing and visit Small Wonder Gallery across from the Chamber information office, or head out to Riverside Drive and take in the work of local artist Carol Sebold.

• Lincolnville provides a similar experience with J.M. Rogers Art Gallery and H. Swanson Studio & Gallery. To see some of the finest chairs in the world, visit Windsor Chairmakers and their exciting Shaker Gallery.

Day Three:

• Wine, dine and be entertained. Historical venues host world-class entertainment; local restaurants offer fare guaranteed to please even the most discerning palate; and our regional wineries offer aficionados a unique taste of the region.

• Southwestern, French, Thai, Continental, Italian, traditional New England, lobster! – you can find it all here. Whether you want a window seat overlooking the crystal blue waters of Penobscot Bay, or a picnic lunch to take to Laite Beach Park on Bay View Street, we can accommodate. Consult the dining and catering sections of The Jewel of the Maine Coast for a complete list restaurants and services.

• After dinner, take a trip up Route 52, bear right onto Youngtown Road. About a mile down on the left, you’ll find Cellardoor Vineyard. Maine’s largest winery produces an array of vintages. Their tasting area features a spectacular view of their vineyard, framed by coastal mountains. Upstairs, you’ll find an art gallery displaying the work of our region’s rising stars.

• Once sated, prepare to be entertained. Shows at the Rockport Opera House and Strand Theatre in Rockland – both of which have undergone historic restoration efforts – offer performance art and music, as well as independent, mainstream and documentary films. Local pubs move to the music of local bands, and the Strom Auditorium at Camden Hills Regional High School hosts a variety of live performances.

Day Four:

• History Centers and Societies in Camden, Rockport and Lincolnville provide a complete and unique look inside our region – an area that served as the breadbasket of America in the 1800’s.

• Tour Camden’s Great Fire District (Washington Street to Atlantic Avenue). Period facades give way to contemporary retail spaces offering a diverse mix of offerings. For an explanation of the Great Fire of 1893, duck into the Camden Public Library and ask for David Jackson.

• Meander down Bay View Street or to the corner of Washington and Mechanic Streets to visit local bookstores – many of which feature bestsellers penned by local authors. You’ll find historical titles and a wide variety of selections for the kids.

• Get the Christmas shopping started early. Maine-made products like Maine Gold Maple Syrup or blueberry jam are great stocking stuffers. High-design jewelers like Etienne Perret and Michael Good have an international following and do custom work for discerning clients. Fine fabrics and chic designs are available throughout our region and Planet Toys provides something to spark every child’s imagination.

Spectacular natural beauty, a talented community of artists and artisans, and an eclectic and diverse mix of products and services are all waiting for you. We hope you enjoy your time in The Jewel of the Maine Coast.