Lily's
Stonington

Owned by a quilter and native Mainer, Lily's offers "great organic food," including fresh crab cakes, broiled halibut sandwiches, and homemade pies. Located in a "cute old cottage with a sign in the parking lot urging visitors to please park pretty, this "delightful" spot with great service attracts those wanting to find "a true taste of Maine." And if you can't stay, Lily's offers carryout and gourmet food for sale, as well as many antiques throughout the house just waiting to be snapped up. Eating and shopping in one fell swoop? Sounds like a plan.

Portsmouth Harbor Inn and Spa
Kittery

If you want to "feel like one of the family" when you're on vacation, look no further. The "charming rooms" of this "small" bed and breakfast are "beautifully decorated in warm, soothing colors" and boast "interesting prints on the walls." Upon your arrival, the "friendly owners" offer a warm wrap for your neck and a variety of teas ? and if you're around at 4pm, when the freshly-baked chocolate chip cookies come out of the oven, you're in for "a real treat. As for the in-house spa, it's "cozy," with "talented staff." Read more.

Huots Seafood Restaurant
Saco

You can't go to Maine without eating lobster, so why not eat it at the family-owned Huots? Some say it's "the best tasting and best value seafood eatery in the state." With chowder, shrimp cocktail, and "the best Lazy Man's Lobster ever, served de-shelled and drenched in hot butter with fresh lemon on the side," this casual eatery offers crustaceans "just caught off of the dock outside," along with "the best homemade cocktail sauce around." As for a tie and heels? Forget about it - most clientele just "roll off the beach" when they get hungry. After all, "the atmosphere is so casual, you can dine in a sweatshirt and jeans."

Sweet Chariot Music and Art Festival
Swan's Island

Woodstock, eat your heart out - during the first week of August, "a most unusual and intimate festival" unfolds on remote Swan's Island, which is "not cluttered with trendy bars and restaurants" and is only accessible by ferry or boat. Join visitors from as far west as California and as far south as Bolivia for entertainment that promises to "carry you back to earliest Appalachia, lilt you through Ireland, and unfurl your sails with sea shanties." This true "tapestry" comprises "the most intoxicating sounds in instruments and voice," and includes dancers, artists, and jugglers, who come together to "celebrate the music that binds them together." Remember to make your reservation for boat travel and lodging well in advance. Read more.

Nervous Nellie’s
Deer Isle

Turning out jams, jellies, preserves, marmalades, and chutneys "so good that they’re worth a trip to Maine," the tiny kitchen at Nervous Nellie’s is not to be missed; says one customer "I always take a case home and still wish I’d bought more." And if you can’t make it back for a while, take heart that you can still order online and get a taste of Maine through the mail! Read more.