Eastport

Maine island city at the country's eastern edge, shaped by Bay of Fundy tides and borderland quiet.

Eastport is the easternmost city in the United States, perched on Moose Island at the mouth of the Bay of Fundy where the tides are among the highest on the American coast -- over 20 feet between high and low water. The town has a quiet, end-of-the-road character that appeals to artists, writers, and travelers looking to get genuinely off the beaten path. You are closer to New Brunswick, Canada than to any city in Maine.

The downtown waterfront is compact and walkable, with a mix of art galleries, a good bookshop, and a handful of restaurants serving fresh seafood. The Tides Institute and Museum of Art is worth a visit for its focus on art and culture of the Passamaquoddy Bay region. In summer, whale-watching tours head out into the Bay of Fundy where you have good chances of spotting finback and minke whales, porpoises, and bald eagles. The Old Sow whirlpool, the largest tidal whirlpool in the Western Hemisphere, churns in the waters between Eastport and Deer Island.

Getting here requires commitment -- Eastport is about three hours from Bangor and the last stretch of Route 190 crosses a causeway to Moose Island. But that remoteness is the point. The town hosts a lively Fourth of July celebration and a pirate festival in September. In winter it is very quiet indeed, but the light on the water and the drama of the tides make it worth a visit in any season.

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Day Trips

Eastport's position on the US-Canada border makes for unusual day trip options. The ferry from Eastport's waterfront makes a quick crossing to Deer Island, New Brunswick, from where you can connect to Campobello Island — home of Franklin D. Roosevelt's beloved summer cottage, now preserved as an international park jointly managed by the US and Canada. The grounds, gardens, and cottage interiors are open in summer. The drive back via Lubec (the only land crossing) passes West Quoddy Head, the easternmost point of the contiguous United States, with its striped lighthouse and dramatic clifftop views over the Bay of Fundy.

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Eating Out

Options are limited but the seafood is as fresh as it gets — you are eating what was in the water this morning. Lobster, clams, and scallops from Passamaquoddy Bay are the standouts. The waterfront has a handful of restaurants ranging from casual chowder houses to slightly more ambitious kitchens. In summer the demand from visitors fills tables quickly; reservations are a good idea at the better spots. In the off-season, some places close or operate reduced hours — check before you go.

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Getting There

Eastport requires commitment. There is no train, no bus service of any note, and no commercial airport nearby. The closest airports are Bangor International (about three hours by car) and Presque Isle (about two and a half hours). You will need a car.

From Bangor, take US-1A north to Ellsworth, then US-1 along the coast to Whiting, and finally Route 190 east across the causeway to Moose Island. The final stretch of Route 190 — the causeway crossing — signals that you have arrived somewhere genuinely apart from the rest of Maine.

From the Canadian side, the ferry from Deer Island, New Brunswick, connects to Eastport's waterfront in summer. This is a small passenger/vehicle ferry and times vary; check the East Coast Ferries schedule before relying on it.

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Things to Do

Eastport packs a surprising range of experiences into a small island city. The drama begins with the tides themselves — 18 to 28 feet of rise and fall twice a day, among the largest tidal swings on the American coastline. The working waterfront, the Tides Institute, and a handful of genuinely distinctive attractions make this one of the most rewarding small towns in New England.

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When to Go

Summer (July and August) is prime time: whale-watching tours run, the weather is as warm as it gets on the Bay of Fundy, and the town has the most life. The Fourth of July celebration is a genuine small-town spectacle — Eastport throws a big parade and fireworks for its modest population. The Pirate Festival in mid-September draws a crowd and adds colour to the waterfront. Shoulder season (June and October) brings fewer visitors, lower prices, and the full dramatic swing of the tides without summer competition.

Winter is very quiet. Many businesses close, and the town retreats into itself. But if you want solitude, dramatic tidal ice, and the kind of light that photographers travel far to find, January and February on the Passamaquoddy Bay have a severe beauty. Pack for cold and wet in any season — this is Maine's coast, and the Bay of Fundy keeps things cool even in July.