Planning Your Trip to the 75th Maine Lobster Festival

With the 75th Maine Lobster Festival back on again after a two-year hiatus, the week of Aug. 2-7, 2022 is going to be bigger and better than ever. Since summertime is the peak season for the state’s tourism industry, it’s a good idea to start planning now to book your travel to and lodging in Rockland, Maine.

Getting Here

The two major airports are the Portland International Jetport (PWM), which is 80 miles/1.5 hours drive to Rockland; and the Bangor International Airport (BGR), which is 65 miles/2-hour drive. The airport closest to Rockland is the small Knox County Regional Airport (RKD), which is 3.3 miles/7-minute drive. Each airport offers rental cars, and airport transport is also available via local car services and shuttles.

Concord Trailways provides bus service from Boston to Rockland. And Amtrak Downeaster will also get you from Boston as far as Brunswick with a New York company proposing to offer daily passenger rail service from Rockland this summer.

The Midcoast does not typically have Uber/Lyft service, nor does it have public transportation, but during the week of August 2-7, 2022, the Festival will have free parking and a free shuttle. Park at South Elementary School or Oceanside High School, and a school bus shuttle will arrive every 15-20 minutes to take you downtown and back.

Lodging

With another robust tourist season anticipated, hotels and motels in the area begin to fill their rooms for the summer now, so make your reservations as soon as possible. Check out this past blog post for an extensive list of where to stay in the area.

What To See and Do

What else is there to do around town when you’re not at the Festival? One word: plenty. Rockland is not only a hub of Maine’s creative economy, it’s a primary destination for outdoor enthusiasts and foodies.

Culture
Check out The Farnsworth Art Museum, with its nationally recognized collection of artwork, featuring works of Andrew, N.C. and Jamie Wyeth. Nearby, Center for Maine Contemporary Art (CMCA) is the state’s pre-eminent contemporary arts organization with vibrant, ever-changing offerings of exhibits and events. And for the kids, they’ll love the Children’s Art Museum.
Outdoors
See sailboats, ferries and lobster boats up close when you take a walk along the 4,346-foot granite Rockland Breakwater built in 1900 and follow it to the Lighthouse at the end. The 7/8-mile breakwater is uneven, so wear sturdy shoes and watch your step. Or stroll along the scenic 3.5-mile Rockland Harbor Trail, which travels along the city park and wooden boardwalk with ocean views.
Restaurants
A number of new restaurants have popped up in the last few years in downtown Rockland. Check out The Grey Owl, an American restaurant serving seasonal fare, or The Eclipse of the Pearl with ocean views. Read more about Rockland’s changing downtown landscape.