Belfast & Camden

We have been visiting Belfast and Camden, Maine for decades. Both have had massive changes over the years. When we started first going to Belfast, it was known as the “chicken plucking capitol of the world”. A total exaggeration, but chickens were slaughtered and plucked in big warehouses on the waterfront area. It smelled atrocious. Those businesses closed many years ago and were left in disrepair for decades.

Belfast has come such a long way. Belfast (and Camden) went through a massive revitalization thanks in large part to Camden summer resident Charles Cawley. He was President of MBNA (now owned by Bank of America). He built new buildings, revitalized the waterfront, brought the Soap Box Derby back to Camden, and brought many good paying jobs to the area.

French and Webb, a boat building company, moved to the Belfast waterfront in 1996. The Front Street Shipyard moved onto the waterfront in 2013. These two businesses have radically changed the waterfront area in Belfast.

It remains one of our favorite areas of the country, and holds a special place in our hearts for a couple of reasons. On a personal note, the first time Dave and I ever met, it was in downtown Camden. From the second I saw him I knew he was “the one”. Decades later, he is still is.

Another reason Belfast is important to us, is that our maiden RV camping experience was in Belfast, at the Moorings RV Resort. The back story to this that Dave broke his right ankle in two places 25 hours into our maiden trip. To read more about this story, please go to our blog from 2/22/2022: Why Both of You Need to Know How to Drive Your RV.

There are many things to do in this area. We have cut down on the descriptions so we could include them all!!

Area Attractions

Belfast City Park is a 17-acre waterfront park that is open to the public except during the winter.

Belfast Harbor Walk runs from the Belfast Boathouse downtown to the Armistice Footbridge

Belfast Rail Trail runs from the Armistice Footbridge to the old Train Depot on Oak Hill Road

Bennett’s Gems and Jewelry (Belfast) is a store small business owned by Kim Bennett. There are lots of local Maine gems (tourmaline) and jewelry, much of the jewelry is made in Maine-by-Maine artisans.

Camden (town) anywhere in Camden. Find a parking space and just walk.

Camden Hills State Park is just outside of Camden. Mt. Battie is here. There is a campground at the state park.

Colonial Theater (Belfast) has been a staple in downtown Belfast for many years. It has a huge gray elephant on the roof. It closed for a while after covid, and now it is back open. It is being operated by the Belfast Parks and Recreation Department.

Perry’s Nut House is a throw back to the 60s and 70s. It is next to Bennett’s Gems. If you are at Bennett’s, you might as well take a walk through Perry’s Nut House!

Food and Drink

The following are restaurants we have eaten at many times, some many dozens of times:

Alexi Pizza (Belfast) is on one of the corners at the only streetlight in downtown Belfast. It has been around for decades, a staple to the Belfast community.

Darby’s Restaurant (Belfast) is another staple of downtown Belfast. The food is always good, plentiful and at a reasonable price. Locally owned and operated with a full menu (not just seafood).

The Holey Donut (Belfast) is a unique donut shop on the southern outskirts of Belfast. Thick, donut options include maple bacon, pistachio, blueberry, etc.

Nautilus Seafood & Grill (Belfast) was open years ago on Route 1. When a restaurant on the waterfront moved out, Nautilus quickly moved in. Traditional seafood options. Casual dining. Inside and outside options.

Seadog Restaurant and Brewing Company (Camden), this used to be the location of Cappy’s Chowder House in the main intersection downtown. The Seadog now has many restaurants in Maine. The food is always good.

Youngs Lobster Pound (Belfast) is dining in the rough. They offer boiled lobsters, steamers, corn on the cobb, everything you would find in a traditional Maine lobster dinner. Picnic tables. On the waterfront.

Home Base: The Campground

For us, a campground is not our destination. Our RV is self-contained. Except for water, electric and sewer rarely do we use campground services or amenities. We are explorers, not campground reviewers!

We stayed on site 4 at Moorings II. The park is clean and well-maintained. The staff was very accommodating. Simple check in. Our back in or drive in site was a FHU (water-electric-sewer) on unlevel gravel. We drove in so our front window could face Penobscot Bay. Travel travelers and 5th wheels had to back in. The sites are wide apart with a wide grass separation. 30-and-50-amp service was available. Good Verizon cellphone coverage. We did NOT have an open sky for our satellite, there were some smaller trees that obstructive the western satellites. But who cares with the view? This is our third time here. We will return. Great location, great experience.

We have also stayed at Searsport Shores just down the road a few miles. The last time we stayed there in 2021 was our last time going there. The owner told us because of covid we could not have our granddaughters visit us at our site, but of course, the campground was still having live entertainment open to campers and the public.

Fun Facts

Some fun facts about Belfast and Camden, Maine:

• Three movies have been filmed in Belfast, include Peyton Place (1957), Thinner (1996) and In the Bedroom (2001).
• Three movies have been filmed in Camden, including, Casper (1995), Captains Courageous (1937) and Carousel (1957).
• Camden is the location of the 2000 HGTV Dream Home.

	Belfast	Camden
Population:	6,993	5,243
Founded:	1773	1797
Elevation:	85 ft.	207 ft.
Average Income:	$58,627	$82,841
Average Housing:	$399,000	$657,216
Average Age:	36 yrs.	53 yrs.

Websites:
www.CityofBelfast.org
www.camdenmaine.gov

Summary

The Belfast/Camden area is one of our favorite areas of the country. They have quaint, thriving downtowns, waterfront parks, plenty of public access to the waterfront, plenty of food options, multiple locally owned shops, and a pride in their community not really found in other areas of the state. Route 1 goes through the center of downtown Camden. If you are at one of the sidewalks in downtown, and you start to cross the VERY busy Route 1 traffic, cars and trucks coming from both directions stop immediately!! Pedestrians have the right of way and Camdenites take this very seriously!

These are two gems not to be missed!

Since beginning our full-time journey to discover the country, we have found something to appreciate in every city and town we have passed through. We hope you enjoy reading about them as much as we have enjoyed discovering them!

Your partners in travel,
Kathryn and Dave
RVing Nomads

It’s a lifestyle

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• We have visited each town, attraction and restaurant we are writing about. • No person, business or attraction has paid us for an endorsement. • AI has not been used to write any of the content of this blog. • All the photos in this blog were taken by Dave or Kathryn Harrington.