Maine's 'Blueberry Belt' Hides A Town With A Fresh Fruit Festival, Historic Charm, And Riverside Beauty

If Maine has a "blueberry belt," then the small town of Machias is the belt's buckle, a charming, waterfront community nestled alongside the Machias River on the state's central peninsula — or "thumb," if you're picturing the state as a mitten. Known for its abundant wild blueberry crops, Machias sits in rural Washington County in "Downeast Maine," and offers more than just seasonal fruit. With a population of about 1,400 in Machias, the town blends agricultural tradition with small-town history, riverside beauty, and outdoor recreation.

Maine is the world's top producer of wild blueberries thanks to its naturally acidic, post-glacial soil, and the dense fog that often blankets the area. Centuries before they were commercially cultivated, the region's Indigenous Wabanaki tribes valued the native berries for their nutritional, medicinal, and practical purposes. In the mid-1800s, white settlers started harvesting the native berries from their naturally occurring "barrens," and over nearly two centuries, the tiny blueberry evolved into a symbol of Maine identity and of Americana. Machias celebrates this legacy each August with its Machias Wild Blueberry Festival, attracting around 15,000 visitors who come for a pie-eating contest, cooking contests, parade, and what may be considered the highlight: an original blueberry-themed musical comedy. The festival started in 1976, and has grown from a single-day event to a week-long celebration of the humble blueberry.

Machias is a little off the beaten path: about 60 miles northeast of its closest airport in Bar Harbor, Maine's artsy, Victorian-era town on the coast — gateway to the postcard-worthy Arcadia National Park with its wild shoreline and breathtaking views — and about 80 miles east of Bangor. But its remote location surrounded by nature and wild crops is what makes tiny Machias all the more charming.

In 1775, at the dawn of the founding of the United States, Machias was the site of the first naval battle of the Revolutionary War and a birthplace of the U.S. Navy. A Royal Navy ship arrived in Machias Bay and demanded lumber, but the people of Machias refused and decamped to Burnham Tavern, to strategize. The Machias patriots then sailed out to meet the British ship and successfully captured it after a skirmish. Shortly afterward, the patriots built Fort O'Brien, now preserved as a state historic site situated just outside Machias on the Atlantic Coast. The British burned the fort down in 1775, but the locals rebuilt it. Several decades later during the War of 1812, the British once again showed up and burned down the fort. The Americans rebuilt it, and it served its country once again during the Civil War. While in Machias during the summer, you can stop for a picnic at Fort O'Brien and stroll the picturesque grounds, and visit Burnham Tavern for a guided tour.

There's plenty of outdoors exploring to do, so spend a night or two at the Machias River Inn, a dog-friendly, 38-room hotel on the river that offers everything from motel-style rooms to studio suites with kitchenettes. Non-refundable rooms start at $175 per night during peak season. The Inn at Schoppee Farm is a four-room boutique hotel built into an 1800s-era farmhouse that has been carefully preserved and updated with luxurious amenities for the modern traveler, including whirlpool baths, satellite TVs, and even gourmet course meals on the weekends, using locally sourced ingredients. Goats and chickens roam the property for guests to visit, and downtown is just around the corner. Rooms start at $190 per night in the summer.

Machias sits right on the Down East Sunrise Trail, an 87-mile stretch of converted railroad that serves as a walking, ATV, and biking trail when there's no snow, and as a cross-country ski and snowmobile route in the winter. It's also a birdwatching hotspot: You can spot all kinds of shorebirds, like greater yellowlegs, northern gannets, red crossbills, ducks, and more. One of the area's most memorable birding and wildlife experiences is just offshore on Machias Seal Island, one of the only places in America where you can see Atlantic puffins. To visit, book a Bold Coast Charter cruise. Just be sure to reserve well in advance, as these charters sell out quickly. It's also worth a 10-mile scenic drive down Port Road to see Jasper Beach, a unique shoreline covered in stones that "sing" as the surf tumbles them together.

All that outdoor activity is sure to work up an appetite, and luckily, Machias delivers. Helen's Restaurant is a 75-year-old, family-run establishment on the river that serves local classics like seafood chowder, blueberry pancakes, and fried haddock, seasonal specials including lobster and lobster rolls, and beloved staples such as prime rib. Eat in for sweeping river views or order to-go — just note that they aren't open very late. Mason's is a relative newcomer in Machias. Formerly the Blue Bird Ranch Family Restaurant, this brewery/distillery has a casual gastro pub outpost in Machias, serving up its own beers like the Blueberry Ice Cream Ale, as well as a simple yet creative menu of pizzas, burgers, fish and chips, and snacks like pork cracklins. For a quintessential Maine seafood shack, try River's Edge Drive-In. Many visitors rave about the fish burger, fries, seafood baskets, and ice cream, though others note that it's on the pricier side.