Just a short drive from East Wind Inn lies one of Midcoast Maine’s best-kept secrets: Port Clyde, a picturesque working fishing village at the very tip of the St. George Peninsula.
With its colorful boats, weathered wharves, local shops, art, and classic Maine scenery, Port Clyde is an easy place to spend a few hours—or an entire day. It’s also one of our favorite places to recommend to guests looking to experience the character of coastal Maine.
Start with Coffee in the Village
Begin your morning with a stroll through the village and a stop at Squid Ink Coffee, our personal favorite for a great mocha, quality coffee, and fresh pastries.
From there, wander toward the harbor and take in the view. Port Clyde remains a working waterfront, so alongside visitors exploring the village, you’ll see fishing boats coming and going and plenty of reminders that this is a community shaped by the sea.
When it’s time for lunch—or an afternoon treat—stop by The Village Ice Cream. Despite the name, there’s more than ice cream to enjoy. It’s a local favorite for casual lunch fare, including Maine classics like haddock chowder, followed, of course, by ice cream or a blueberry dessert.
Visit the Barbara Prey Projects Gallery
One of the highlights of a visit to Port Clyde is the Barbara Prey Projects Gallery, featuring the work of acclaimed American artist Barbara Ernst Prey.
Housed in a historic property, the gallery itself is part of the experience. Prey’s striking paintings and watercolors fill rooms and hallways, inviting you to slow down and look closely at the extraordinary detail in her work.
Her art captures so much of what makes this corner of Maine special: boats resting in quiet harbors, weathered buildings, buoys, fishing villages, and the men and women whose livelihoods are tied to the sea.
The gallery also offers a fascinating look at Prey’s career and accomplishments, including photographs, exhibition history, notable installations, and some of her monumental watercolor works. Visitors can browse original artwork as well as prints, books, and other pieces to bring a little of Maine home with them.
Even if you don’t consider yourself an art enthusiast, it’s worth visiting. Her ability to capture the light, texture, architecture, and working waterfront of coastal Maine is remarkable—and some pieces are the kind you can stand in front of for quite a while, discovering new details the longer you look.
Take to the Water
No visit to Port Clyde is complete without spending some time near—or on—the water.
Monhegan Boat Line departs right from the village and offers trips to legendary Monhegan Island, along with scenic cruises and opportunities to experience the wildlife and natural beauty of the Maine coast from the water.
A day trip to Monhegan can easily become an adventure of its own, but even if you aren't making the trip to the island, simply watching the boats come and go from Port Clyde is part of the charm.
Barbara Prey at East Wind Inn
We’re especially proud to have a connection to Barbara Prey’s work right here at East Wind Inn on the Water.
Guests will find her artwork displayed throughout the property, including Rooms 2 and 4, our hallways, lobby, and Harborview Bistro.
Her depictions of Maine’s harbors and coastal communities feel particularly at home here, overlooking our own working waterfront in Tenants Harbor. We’re grateful to have such an accomplished artist in our community—and especially appreciative of her friendship and support of East Wind Inn.
Make a Day of It
Port Clyde is only minutes from East Wind, making it an easy addition to your Midcoast Maine stay.
Grab a coffee. Wander the harbor. Visit the gallery. Have a bowl of chowder. Treat yourself to an ice cream. Catch a boat or simply find a spot by the water and watch the working harbor go by.
Sometimes the most memorable days in Maine are also the simplest.
Staying at East Wind Inn? Ask us for our favorite stops and recommendations for your day in Port Clyde.
