Maine: Southport Island

Boothbay Harbor ranks as one of the busiest tourist havens on Maine’s Mid Coast, but nearby Southport Island, accessed only via a swing bridge, has a more low-key vibe: old Cape Cod–style Colonial houses; small country stores; winding roads. On the way to town, you’ll spot the 40-year-old Robinson’s Wharf (20 Hendricks Hill Rd.; 207/633-3830; lunch for two $65), one of the state’s most revered seafood shacks, serving fresh lobster, shrimp, and oysters. Snag a table on the dock facing Townsend Gut. A 20-minute walk away, Ocean Gate Resort (800/221-5924; oceangateinn.com; doubles from $104) has free canoes for self-paddling tours of the Gut’s sheltered waters. Toward the island’s far end, the 30-room, oceanfront Newagen Seaside Inn (60 Newagen Colony Rd.; newagenseasideinn.com; doubles from $140), with three clapboard cottages, abuts a quaint fishing harbor. This is classic Maine at its best.

T+L Tip: Plan a picnic on Southport Beach, overlooking Hendricks Head lighthouse. —Jeff Wise