Residents Find Peace in
Charming New England Seaport of Camden, Maine
Cost of Living: Above the National
Average
Approximately 5,000 people call Camden home.
Many of its residents have previously lived along the Eastern
seaboard and were familiar with Camden's reputation as a quaint
coastal sea community with restored Victorian homes and
jaw-dropping ocean views.
Maine is really almost two separate states.
Inland Maine is rural, with small towns, many located on lakes,
dotting the countryside. Maine's rocky and majestic coast
is what attracts tourists and vacationers. From the
southern border to about mid-coast, exploring waterfront towns,
some affluent (the Bushes live in Kennebunkport) and some
working class, makes for a wonderful journey, and Camden is one
of the nicest towns you will find along the way.
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In many ways, visiting Maine is stepping back in
time. On our last visit, we found a couple of cabins for
rent along the coast not far from Camden and went into the
office to inquire about rates. The office was built in the
1920s, the walls covered in photos and memorabilia, with old
magazines and lobster traps stacked in the corners, the wooden
floors creaking with nearly every step. The woman
proprietor must have been 85 years old and told us she'd managed
the cabins since 1947. She wrote down our names in
pencil in a large ledger book and accepted only cash. When
we inquired about internet service, she said, "Heard of it.
Ain't got it." There were no phones in
the cabins and only one line to the office. This is
typical of much of Maine. |
One main road runs through Camden (Route 1), and
in the summer, it can get quite congested. Residents live
to the east , south and north of the downtown area where you
will find single family homes in woodsy neighborhoods, and no
tourists, except a few who get lost. Downtown Camden
is full of shops, boutiques, coffee houses, restaurants and bed
and breakfasts. The Camden Library sits atop a hill
as you come into town from the north and has a lovely park that
overlooks the waterfront where small sailing boats and tall
ships are docked. One can wander down to the water and
find several benches to rest upon as boats come and go.
Rooms for rent for around $550 or so. Because
most dwellings in Camden are single family, expect rents to be
fairly high.
In general, Maine has no true Spring, and Camden
is no exception. Summers are not too hot as breezes from
the Atlantic keep temperatures from soaring. Humidity is
in the 60% range. Winters are cold, with temperatures in
the 20s and 30s, and about 35 inches of snow fall each year.
Still, this is mild compared to northern Maine. And what
can you say about the autumns? Nothing compares to
strolling through the Maine woods on a fall day, leaves
crunching under your feet, colors blazing, air crisp and clean,
and then stopping at a roadside stand for some hot apple cider.
Just can't be beat.
Penobscot Bay Medical Center is located in
Rockport, about 10 miles south, and is a
full-service community hospital offering inpatient and
outpatient care.
Camden itself offers shopping, dining and most
amenities you will need, but for serious shopping or
entertainment you will need to venture to Bangor, the capital
city, about two hours away, or to Portland, about three hours
away (depending on traffic). Up and down the coast
you will find much to keep you occupied. Antiquing is a
way of life here, and there are lots of fun antique auctions.
Boating is also a way of life, and lakes all over the state
provide excellent canoeing and fishing getaways. In
August, blueberry stands pop up all over, and you can even do
some picking yourself. Just up the road from
the town of Camden is Camden State Park and Mt. Battie,
providing plenty of and hiking and cross-country skiing
opportunities.
A few miles to the north of Camden there is
Moose Point, a peaceful oceanside state park. Not many
people visit, so it's a wonderful spot for hiking, seashell
collecting, reading or just gazing out over tranquil Penobscot
Bay. Numerous passenger schooners offering summer sails up
and down the rocky Maine coast are anchored in Camden, and the
town is port to several boating events each summer.
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