“There is no better place on earth – the people, the food, the nature, the vibe”
– Lobster Wharf Co-Op Bartender Mike [summers in Boothbay and winters in Key West]
**Brown’s Wharf Motel and Marina** – highly recommend
We recently made the trek to Boothbay Harbor, the quintessential coastal New England town, in mid-coast Maine, to stay at the famous Brown’s Wharf Motel and Marina.
We chose Brown’s Wharf because we had heard it was outstanding; a beautiful 70-room inn directly on Boothbay harbor that has been family owned and operated for over seventy years by three generations of the Brown family. It originally started out as a marina and then, over time, was built into a motel, with breathtaking views of the harbor.
Moreover, since it is located on the east side of Boothbay, it has a wonderful view of the sunset looking west – the perfect ending to the day (after walking downtown and eating lots of lobster!). It is also quaint and quiet; the downtown being across the bay which is great for kids and families and those looking for respite from the modern world.
As we pulled into the parking lot of Brown’s, we all felt the stress from the drive dissipate, and reality start to fade away as we looked on into the deep blue of the harbor.
We also saluted the motel’s iconic mascot, the Maine Lobster Fisherman (aka Captain Brown) donned in yellow oilskins, looked upon the various types of boats in the water, and inspected the red London-style telephone booth on the dock, as our gaze drifted to some salty captain’s drinking light beer and playing Jimmy Buffett while relaxing or working on their boats, and fathers and sons fishing.
As I walked away I noticed a Grateful Dead logo on one of the boats, “Built to Last,” which was super cool. To say we were excited, is an understatement.
As I entered the interior to check-in, I was floored with the nautical décor, historical pictures of yore, and different species of decoys by a woodcarver who used to frequent the motel from Maryland.
Brown’s Wharf Restaurant Update
Since I was checking in early, I decided to head over and check out the continental breakfast that is provided by the motel. Sadly, I later gathered, the COVID pandemic has shut down the restaurant operations, but they still offer a wonderful continental breakfast, with homemade still-warm Maine blueberry and cranberry muffins, hot coffee, yogurt, fruit, bagels, cereal, juice and more (I personally could not stop eating the muffins, they were so good!). I poked around the grounds for a little while longer and spoke with Michelle Wilson, the proprietor of the Inn, who was incredibly warm and friendly and a great conversationalist – a true Mainer, who was a great listener and attentive to our needs for our stay.
I quickly told Michelle that Brown’s “Quintessential Maine and New England nautical Inn vibe, highly recommend the motel, and will be out go-to lodging accommodations every time we go to Boothbay. I told her, “please don’t ever sell!”
I quickly checked in and wished Michelle well, and promptly unpacked and entered our room, number 104. It was a beautiful, clean room, with a picturesque panoramic view of the harbor with everything from yachts, dinghy’s, and commercial fishing and lobster boats. There was even a Grateful Dead logo on one of the boats, which was super cool.
**Lobster Wharf Co-Op (Next Door to Brown’s)** – highly recommend
After unpacking, we put on our walking shoes and decided to hit the town. Our first stop, next door to Brown’s, is the Lobster Co-Op that is actually run by lobstermen (pretty awesome to support fresh and local!). They serve great drinks, incredible lobster rolls, and have the best bartenders, locals, and tourists alike. Also, the band we saw was incredible! We hung out at the lobster cop-op for a few hours and listened to the band play some Grateful Dead, Beatles, and Dylan covers; met some cool locals, and watched the boats come in. (We hung out at the lobster cop-op for a few hours and listened to a live band play some Grateful Dead, Beatles, and Dylan covers; met some cool locals, and watched the boats come in. After, we decided to head to the famous walking bridge and head into town across the harbor.
(The nearby Lobster Wharf is next door to Brown’s, so if you have to leave early and put the kids to bed; you can still hear the music from the balcony of your room while you watch the sunset!)
After, we decided to head to the famous walking bridge and head into town across the harbor.
This is one of the reasons why Brown’s Wharf is so great – its location. The proximity to downtown is truly wonderful – only about a mile to the walking bridge. Cross the bridge and you enter the downtown area, first of which is Footbridge Brewing and food truck with delicious barbecue which is the recipe for a relaxing night.
Walking Bridge and Footbridge Brewing
The walking Bridge is beautiful and offers breathtaking views of the harbor and, at low tide, you might even see some crabs or other shellfish below. At the end of the bridge, Footbridge Brewery, is quite literally, “at your feet.” So, like most travelers do, we decided to investigate. We got a few IPAs, and then noticed there was a food truck below where we were sitting. As we walked down the steps to order some barbecue, we met some folks from Florida who summer in Boothbay and are the proprietors of Finest Kind Antiques. After chatting for a while, I came to find out they were neighbors with Tom McGuane, who’s novel I had just finished in Boothbay and is ironically about Key West, Ninety-Two in the Shade. Tom McGuane also happens to be Jimmy Buffet’s brother-in-law and my favorite musician of all time, as I am a self-proclaimed “Parrot Head.”
Stopping here was truly meant to be.
We wished our Florida friends well, and then trekked into town to see what else we could find.
Finest Kind Antiques, Down East Ice Cream Shop, Tugboat Inn
The downtown was beautiful, and we stopped by Finest Kind Antiques and got some ice cream at the Down East Ice Cream Factory, which was incredible and great for the kids.
We walked around some more, chatted with locals, and eventually made our way to the Tugboat Inn, which was highly recommended by the locals and Michelle, stop we decided to stop there, as well, as the the BBQ didn’t fill us up completely.
The restaurant, which is a floating Tugboat, is an absolute gem, and the food was terrific. We got a seat with a window view of the harbor. I got a baked potato and the baked haddock – absolutely incredible.
I couldn’t believe we ran into a gentlemen with a Mac’s Club Deuce (our favorite bar in Miami!) jacket!
After we left the Tugboat, our bellies full, we made our way back to the footbridge and made our way back to Brown’s to settle in for the night. We quickly watched the sun slide into the horizon, and slept soundfully listening to the music from the lobster co-op next door drift across the water.
We awoke recharged the next morning, sauntered over to the continental breakfast, and charted our course for the day. We decided to check out the area in our car, and eventually found a beautful shed adorned with buoys (seemingly an ode to the lobstermen) and a beautiful beach. We hiked out to the rock in the middle, caught some crabs, and aded for a bit before heading back to camp to rest up for a trip to Monhegan Island, which is 30 miles off the coast of Boothbay.
Monhegan Island
Monhegan sits off the coast of Boothbay, and is a home to poets, writers, artists, and those who need to get away from the hustle and bustle of life. The only way to get there is by ferry, and we recommend the Balmy Days II. Quick, efficient, and reliable service – and they are friendly and do it with a smile.
Isolation, breath-taking picturesque cliffs, hiking trails, historical sites, and Monhegan Brewing Company, in which you have to hike to – what more do you need?
So, if you decide to enjoy the coast of Maine, check out the Boothbay region, specifically, Brown’s Wharf Motel and Marina.
Kick back, relax, and tell Michelle Foodies sent you!
Cheers,
FSS
