20 things to do on the midcoast this summer

We at the Midcoast Beacon have compiled — admittedly abridged — a list of low-or-no-cost, family-friendly things to do this summer in our area.

1. Boat. In Rockland, Station Maine on Mechanic Street offers free rowing to adults. The next date is 6 a.m. Thursday, July 7. Station Maine can be reached at 691-2037. Belfast’s Come Boating offers free rowing at 6 a.m., 9 a.m., 3:30 p.m. and 6:30 p.m., Tuesdays; 7 and 8 a.m. Saturdays and various other times.

. Visit Camden Hills State Park. For $3 a head, you can hike Mount Megunticook or Mount Battie, or you can drive up Mount Battie. At the top is a castle and amazing views of Camden Harbor. If you hike Megunticook, bring a kite and a lunch. The state park has water, electric and dumping capabilities for RVs.

3. Tour local lighthouses. Rockland Breakwater Light  is open 10 a.m.-5 p.m. weekends through Columbus Day. Owls Head State Park is open throughout the summer and Port Clyde’s Marshall Point Lighthouse gift shop is open 1-5 p.m. Sunday through Friday and 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Saturdays through the fall. Marshall Point Lighthouse is an ideal place for a picnic, which brings us to our next point …

4. Take a picnic and head to the seaside for lunch. In Rockland, stop at the Buoy Park, and in Rockport, the Marine Park — both give views of schooners. In Lincolnville, drop your blanket on Lincolnville Beach.

5. Pop in at the Farnsworth. For Rockland residents museum admission is free. Currently, the museum has black and white shots of  places in Maine, beautiful Wyeth paintings and even an Andy Warhol sketch or two. The Farnsworth also has the most comfortable reading chair in the whole world in its library on the main floor.

6. Surf — the Maine way. Thorfinn Expeditions in Rockland gives “paddle boarding” lessons on a pond at the Camden Snow Bowl. As far as we understand, they give you a long, floating board and you stand on top of it and paddle along the pond.

7. Join a roller derby league. A new all-women roller derby league started in Rockland last winter. It needs people to act as referees and volunteers.