Castine
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It’s hard to imagine a more perfect seaside town than tiny historic Castine. Despite its isolation (by land), the village is a favorite destination for day-sailers from around the Maine Coast, and the presence of the Maine Maritime Academy ensures a regular influx of cosmopolitan students from around the globe.
Named after a French nobleman who married a local Native American woman and ran the town in the late 1600s, Castine values its history as a prize fought over by French, Dutch, British, and American seamen throughout the colonial period. After things settled down in the 1800s, it used its deep-water harbor and active East India trade to become the second-richest port in the country.
Today its waterfront downtown is a mix of historic buildings, grand captain’s houses, and swanky restaurants and galleries catering to the yachting set.
© Michael Blanding and Alexandra Hall from Moon New England, 2nd Edition
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Moon Travel Guides make independent travel and outdoor exploration fun and accessible. With expert and adventurous travel writers delivering a mix of honest insight, first-rate strategic travel advice, insider travel tips and an essential dose of humor, Moon Travel Guides ensure that travelers have an uncommon and entirely satisfying experience. Each travel book is filled with unique trip ideas, easy-to-use maps, and detailed information on sights, restaurants, and accommodations. Moon Travel Guides not only point you in the right direction, they inspire new ideas and adventure. Whether you are seeking a relaxing beach trip to Hawaii, or an adventure travel trip to the rainforests of Costa Rica, Moon guidebooks—and Moon.com—are with you every step of the way. Founded in 1973, the Moon Travel Guides series includes Moon Handbooks, Moon Outdoors, Moon Metro, Moon Living Abroad and Moon Spotlight travel books. Moon is based in Berkeley, California and is a proud member of the Perseus Books Group.