The Quiet Season Comes to Castine

Castine is one of those Maine towns that is so stunning you may find your jaw literally drop. Quiet streets filled with well-preserved homes, most of them at least a couple of centuries old, slope gracefully down to the water, where a deepwater port of great historic significance sits at the confluence of the Bagaduce River and Penobscot Bay. The imposing brick buildings of Maine Maritime Academy meld seamlessly into the gracious clapboard houses. A short stroll down Perkins Street reveals long winding driveways that lead to classic shingled summer cottages that are surrounded with perfectly manicured lawns.

In the summertime, these streets are comparatively bustling, as the sprawling homes are once again filled with vacationers from places like Philadelphia, Boston, and New York. But in winter Castine takes on an entirely different feel. Many of the actors are gone, but the stage remains. A handful of businesses remain open for at least some hours in the wintertime, including the T&C Grocery and gas station on Water Street.

Castine is worth a visit anytime, but the quiet season offers a truly one of-a-kind perspective.