Things to Do

Bath- A National Trust Historic Destination!

Visit Main Street Bath's Calendar of Events-

Visit Freeport's Things To Do List - lots of information in a really compact package

To help you plan your activities while you stay with us, I have put together a "List of Things To Do" which you will find if you scroll down to the end of this section. This list includes local area restaurants, several of which are within a ten minute walk from The Inn.  I am happy to assist you in arranging your plans or you can contact the companies directly. 

I also thought it useful to discuss a few specific things to do which I believe make Bath a special place to visit. When people call and ask what is there to do in our area, I start by telling them about our two extraordinary ocean beaches as I am always amazed how few people know about them.   Reid State Park, on Georgetown Island is both a rugged and rocky and a sandy beach.  Popham State Park and Popham Beach are at the end of our peninsula, where the Kennecbec River meets the ocean, and have a marvelous pristine quality with a beautiful five-mile stretch of white sand.  Rated one of the most beautiful beaches in New England, Popham Beach is particularly noteworthy because it is close to the site of the unsuccessful 1607 Popham colony as well as Fort Popham, a Civil War bastion, and Fort Baldwin, a World War I redoubt.

Fall foliage enthusiasts should also know that the states of New Hampshire and Vermont do not have a corner on the foliage market (the same can be said for maple syrup).  The great advantage of visiting Maine in the fall is that you can combine the beauty of autumn leaves with the grandeur of our beaches.

Called a city, but really a small town, Bath is located on the Kennebec River about 10 miles inland from the sea with which it has had a romance for centuries.  Because of its location on the Kennebec River and the river's inland proximity to timber, Bath became one of the largest centers of wooden-hull shipbuilding and shipping commerce on the eastern seaboard in the 1800's.  Today, Bath still boasts a major shipyard - The Bath Iron Works.  Tying us to this past is the fascinating Maine Maritime Museum which is located just two miles from The Inn at Bath.  This past is also reflected in the wonderful architecture of Bath's residential Historic District where you can take a Sagadahoc Preservation sponsored tour of its beautiful homes or follow a detailed map which takes you on a self-guided tour of the District.

Something very special that we have here in Bath is The Chocolate Church Performing Arts Center whose diverse year-'round program offers the traveler a wonderful evening of entertainment, and is easily within walking distance from the inn.  This Gothic Revival Church was built in the mid 1800's by part of Bath's Congregational Parish.  Today it is painted a deep chocolate brown.  Our area is also fortunate to have the Maine State Music Theatre which presents a full summer of musical productions at its home stage on the Bowdoin College campus in Brunswick.

New to our area is the Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens, on Barters Island Road in Boothbay. You are invited to visit and watch their gardens grow. Even in winter, there are sights to see and trails to walk or snowshoe. The gardens are full of interesting textures, shapes, and colors.  And starting in late spring of 2007, you will be able to spend the day wandering the gardens, having a lovely lunch, wandering some more! 

High on the list of activity favorites for travelers visiting Maine are exploring lighthouses and whalewatching.  I highly recommend that you take a lighthouse water tour on the Kennebec River with one of the many local guides, or with the Maine Maritime Museum.  Whalewatching is a popular summer and fall adventure that can be booked out of Boothbay Harbor.

Another special aspect of Bath is that the Kennebec River is a major spawning ground for striped bass, attracting worldwide sportsfishing interest.  Fly and spin fishing guides are available for full or half day trips.

A very popular and growing sports activity in our area is kayaking; professional outfitters can provide you with a full range of services, including kayak and canoe rentals, beginner's classes and guided excursions. The Winnegance Creek, a 3 1/2 mile stretch of natural beauty running from the Kennebec River to Casco Bay is one of our area's little known jewels.  Rental equipment is available from  Up the Creek Canoe and Kayak Rental.  Kayaking is also popular around Baily's Island, Robinhood Cove and in the Boothbay / Christmas Cove region.  Seaspray Kayaking has three locations in our area, providing a myriad of options.

A favorite place to go hiking in the immediate area is Morse Mountain, a land trust and bird sanctuary managed by Bates College and located near Popham Beach. The "Mountain" is not really a mountain at all, but rather a forested and hilly trail periodically intersected by marshland. At the two mile mark, halfway through your hike, you will find yourself at Popham Beach overlooking the ocean. For those wanting a greater challenge, there are some wonderful hikes within a reasonable driving distance.  Cloe Chunn's "50 Hikes in the Maine Mountains" is a great reference, and we have a copy available at The Inn.


A trip to the Maine Coast is not complete without a day sail or overnight cruise out of Boothbay or Camden.  There are many anchorages such as the islands of Monhegan, Vinalhaven and Isle au Haut that make sailing the coast of Maine so unique.

Another great activity is biking.  We've some wonderful roads and neighborhoods, and The Inn has two adequate trail bikes you can borrow.  For bike rentals, equipment and trail suggestions, Bath Cycle & Ski is just across the river in Woolwich.  If you want to be challenged and are willing to venture out a bit from the Bath area, the book "Mountain Bike! Maine: A Guide to Classic Trails" is a good resource.

For golfers there is a nice 18-hole public course at the Bath Country Club.  To reserve a tee-time call 207-442-8411.  There are also three municipal hard-tru tennis courts which are available on a first come, first serve basis.

  Ski areas that are within two hours of The Inn include Sunday River, Sugarloaf, Camden Snow Bowl and Lost Valley.

Halcyon Yarn, the largest distributor of yarns in New England, is located within a 10-minute walk of The Inn. They conduct classes and sell equipment for knitting, spinning and weaving.  Another special member of our community is the Shelter Institute which for over 25 years has been conducting classes on the design and building of houses, including post and beam structures. Last but not least, we have a very special treat for those who love gardens.   In West Bath, about a 10-minute drive from The Inn, is Tom York's Nursery (207-443-5865) which specializes in rhododendrons, azaleas and magnolias.  His collection is phenomenal and, of course, is particularly interesting for those of you who struggle with hardiness issues.  Tom even has particularly hardy rhododendron stock he brought from Finland.

Bath's central location on the Maine coast makes it ideal for day trips to major points of interest.   A wonderful trip is to travel up the coast to the Camden / Rockland area, and to make stops along the way.  There are excellent antique shops in the area, from Bath to Hallowell, Wiscasset and the Damariscotta/Bristol area.   And of course, don't forget L.L. Bean and the retail outlets in Freeport, only 20 miles away.

Other Things to Do
-Take in a performance at The Chocolate Church Performing Arts Center in Bath (207-442-8455) or a musical at the Maine State Music Theatre in Brunswick (207-725-8769) at Bowdoin College.
-Walk the rocky beaches at Reid State Park or the white sands of Popham Beach State Park; cook-out facilities are available at Reid.
-Relive our forefathers sailing past at the Maine Maritime Museum in Bath (207-443-1316).
-Treat yourself to a day or overnight sailing charter to explore the Casco Bay islands.
-Check out the all natural groceries at Bath Natural Foods in downtown Bath. (207-442-8012)

• "Editors' Pick" 2001 Yankee Magazine's Travel Guide to New England
• Described by Fodor's as "...convenient and comfortable..."
• Recommended by"House Beautiful" as The place to stay in Bath, Maine and one of the quality inns in the midcoast region.
• Described by Lonely Planet as "Bath's most splendid B&B".