Written by Stephen Ondich
Belfast is a small classic town on the coast of Maine. It has boardwalks framed with a working waterfront. This hidden gem of coastal Maine has a laid-back vibe.
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Belfast, Maine
Location
The coastal town of Belfast is 53.4 miles from Acadia National Park.
The Best Coastal Town in Maine: Belfast
“Belfast, Maine”by Dougtone is licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0
7 Reasons Why Belfast is the Best SECRET Coastal Town in Maine
First, there are several criteria we used to determine the best coastal town in Maine.
- Location.
- Quality of life.
- Amenities.
- Commerce.
- Safety.
- Resilience.
- Popularity
In many ways, identifying the best coastal town in Maine is like selecting the prettiest wildflower. Of course, plenty of Maine towns excel in multiple categories. However, the best waterfront township maintains an optimal combination of all six of our selection criteria.
As a result, Belfast wins.
Next, read below to see why it ranks number one.
"Belfast_Trail_Bridge"by Michael M Stokes is licensed under CC BY 2.0
Location: Belfast by the Sea
Located on a scenic stretch of midcoast Maine, Belfast is a charming seaside stop. The town of Belfast is situated where the Passagassawakeag River feeds into Penobscot Bay. Additionally, the sprawling Armistice Bridge connects the town’s East and West sections while providing a majestic view of the working waterfront.
Quality of Life: Vibrant Seaside Village
With a population of 6660, this seaside village serves as the seat for Waldo County. Somehow, the community maintains its rural feel despite a steady stream of tourists and a growing local population.
Significantly, many people describe this coastal enclave as a fun and friendly place to live. Not surprisingly, it has a youthful vibe which appeals to both the young and the young at heart. Additionally, as is the case with most of Maine, residents love walking their animal companions.
There is an active nightlife and the village is dotted with mom and pop stores which give the town a community-oriented feel.
Walking Around Belfast
If you’re into cool independent bookshops and traditional New England architecture, park your car on High Street and get ready to walk! Not surprisingly, the Belfast Downtown Business District is a ideally set up for pedestrians. Surely, the best coastal town in Maine is an easy place to walk.
Prior to 2014, the Harbor Walk allowed limited access to the working waterfront. However, after a $1,500,000 redevelopment project, pedestrians now along the water. Kudos to city planners for a successful effort. It’s a beautiful scenic area where you’re certain to make friends if you walk long enough.
The Belfast Historical Society and Museum offers free self-guided walking tours. Maps can be picked up at two places:
- The Belfast Historical Society & Museum
- The Belfast Area Chamber of Commerce
Here is how the Historical Society & Museum describes the Downtown and Waterfront areas:
Belfast was first settled in the spring of 1770, and by 1805, when the first downtown street plan was drawn, it was the market town for the area. Since that first plan was drawn, the downtown and waterfront have grown tremendously. Our downtown is considered to be the best extant brick commercial district in Maine, meaning- the buildings haven’t changed much and most are still here!
source: belfastmuseum.org, https://www.belfastmuseum.org/walking-tours/, accessed 4 October 2019.
“Main Street View”by Althewebmaster is licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0
Amenities: Dine & Shop Local
Within the business district is a host of amazing eateries. Last time our family was in town, we enjoyed a casual lunch at Rollie’s Bar and Grill. However, there are plenty of great places to eat within a few mile radius: Young’s Lobster Shore Pound Wharf, Daily Soup, Chase’s Daily, Bell the Cat, Perennial Cider Bar and Farm Kitchen, etc. Young’s Lobster Shore Pound lured in Wall Street Journal Reporter Polya Lesova. Read her culinary tour through Mid-Coast Maine here.
For your shopping needs, the only thing you may miss in are big name retailers. However, many locals and visitors like it that way and want to keep it that way. Moreover, once a town loses its local flavor, its character follows, to some extent.
The town does an admirable jobs of maintaining its unique coastal heritage charm. Accordingly, grocery shopping is done in stores like the Belfast Co-op, Jack’s Groceries and Belfast Variety. However, there is also a Hannaford just of Route 1.
After walking the Belfast Harbor Walk, you may be inspired to cruise the bay like we did. Fortunately, The Back and Forth is a local water taxi company that offers tours of the bay as well as basic transportation between the best coastal town in Maine’s most popular destinations.
"Belfast, Maine"by Dougtone is licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0
Commerce: Show us the Maine Money
Unfortunately for many communities in Maine, a picturesque backdrop does not guarantee a bustling local economy. You can’t eat the scenery, as the old saying goes.
Belfast has healthy commercial activity in an alluring location. Accordingly, people do not come to this community solely to retire. There is an active workforce and an equally active job market.
The median household income is $56,260. It is above the national average of $55,322.
Additionally, the cost of living is substantially below bigger cities like Portland. According to Bestplaces.net, an annual income of $50,000 stretches 15% further here than in Portland. It follows that your buying power is greater in the best coastal town in Maine.
“Belfast, Maine”by Dougtone is licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0
Safety: No Big City Problems in Belfast
For a bustling township, Belfast has little in the way of crime. As a matter of fact, Belfast is listed as one of the top ten safest cities in Maine. With a violent crime rate of .45/1000 and a property crime rate of 14.6/1000, it’s understandable why residents of the best coastal town in Maine rarely lock their doors. In 2012, Movato.com ranked Belfast as the seventh safest city in Maine. That speaks volumes considering Maine is already one of the safest states in the US. Here is what Movato reported:This beautiful city has attracted both tourists and new residents for generations with its architecture, historic districts, and of course, underlying safety. In 2012, Belfast reported no violent crimes. That’s no murders, rapes, robberies, or assaults per 100,000 people.source: Grigson, N. n.d. www.movato.com, https://www.movoto.com/guide/me/safest-places-in-maine/Accessed 5 October, 2019.
“Belfast, Maine”by Dougtone is licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0
Resilience:
Newcomers to Belfast are often surprised to discover that it was not always the thriving community we see today. Belfast in 2019 is the product of diligent revitalization efforts.
In the late 1970-1980’s Belfast was hit hard by unemployment. Consequently, the lack of jobs shut down commercial activity. The local food processing plants closed.
Not to be discouraged, city officials took advantage of their attractive waterfront location. They made improvements to the infrastructure without sacrificing the coastal town’s historic architecture. By the 1990’s businesses came back.
Belfast is a model community for other Maine towns facing similar economic adversity.
That is why Belfast is the best coastal town in Maine!
Heidi
27 Sep 2019I am ready to head back to Belfast for sure! They have that really cool ice cream shop too!
ALICE Robbins
4 Oct 2019Alice Robbins—I WAS BORN HERE AND I just love it. The pictures I JUST SAW ARE BEAUTIFUL THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
Stephen
6 Oct 2019Thanks for commenting. Did you move out of the area? I’m kind of curious what day-to-day life was like before the revitalization of the 1990’s.