Travel

Our Convenient Location

Map of New England with location of Darling Marine Center and UMaineThe Darling Marine Center is located in Maine’s midcoast region in Walpole, 60 miles northeast of Portland and 100 miles south of the University’s Orono campus. The nearby town of Damariscotta offers year round shopping, restaurants and a theater. Walpole has a 9-hole golf course. During the summer season the Pemaquid peninsula comes alive with added opportunities for recreation, dining, art shows, music series and fairs.

Scroll down for driving directions and other travel tips.

Driving Directions

It typically takes less than 2.5 hours to drive between the main Orono campus and the Darling Marine Center following the directions below. Your navigation system may give you a longer route! If it directs you from Orono to Walpole via Augusta it will be a good three-hour drive.

From Orono and points north (via the back roads):

  • Google maps
  • Drive south on Interstate 95 and take exit 174 Carmel/Newburgh/Route 69.
  • Turn left onto Route 69, travel two miles to blinking light
  • Turn right on Route 202/9 South, travel 21 miles
  • Turn left onto Route 220 South, travel 42 miles (Moody’s Diner at corner of Route 220 & Route1-stop for pie)
  • Turn right onto Route 1 South, travel 8.5 miles
  • Turn left onto Business Route 1, travel 2.5 miles past the Hannaford on the left and the Coastal Market Place on the right
  • Just past Cheney Insurance and Adams Travel, on your left, is a large white church. Turn left at the church onto Route 129 travel 3 miles (Hanley’s market is on the left).
  • Continue right on Route 129 where Route 130 begins and travel 3.5 miles.
  • Turn right onto Clarks Cove Road, travel 1 mile and our driveway (Ira Darling Road) is on the right.

From Orono and points north (via the main roads, recommended in winter weather when snow, potholes and frost heaves make the back roads a bit treacherous):

  • Google maps
  • Drive south on Interstate 95 and take exit 180 Cold Brook Road to Hermon/Hamden.
  • Turn left onto Cold Brook Road, travel 2.5 miles to Hamden
  • Turn right on Main Street/Route 1A/9 South, travel 20 miles to Stockton Springs
  • Turn right onto Route 1 South, travel 30 miles to Camden/Rockport
  • Turn right one Route 90 West, travel 11 miles to Warren
  • Turn right onto Route 1 South, travel 13 miles to Damariscotta
  • Turn left onto Business Route 1, travel 2.5 miles past the Hannaford on the left and the Coastal Market Place on the right
  • Just past Cheney Insurance and Adams Travel, on your left, is a large white church. Turn left at the church onto Route 129 travel 3 miles (Hanley’s market is on the left).
  • Continue right on Route 129 where Route 130 begins and travel 3.5 miles.
  • Turn right onto Clarks Cove Road, travel 1 mile and our driveway (Ira Darling Road) is on the right.

From Portland and points south

  • Google maps
  • Drive into Maine on Interstate 95 and take Route 295 through Portland and north.
  • Take exit 28 “Bath/Brunswick Coastal Route 1″
  • Travel north on Route 1 through Brunswick, Bath and Wiscasset.
  • Take the Damariscotta exit and follow the exit ramp onto Main Street (Business Route 1).
  • Turn right after the First National Bank of Damariscotta onto Route 129 and travel south toward Bristol and Pemaquid for 3 miles.
  • Continue right on Route 129 where Route 130 begins and travel 3.5 miles.
  • Turn right onto Clarks Cove Road and travel 1 mile. Our driveway (Ira Darling Road) on the right.

Travel Tips: How to get to the DMC by plane, train, bus and shuttle

Plan to fly into Portland (PWM) or Boston (BOS) (not Bangor or Augusta), and take a bus or a shuttle to the DMC. Good air fares can often be found to the Manchester, NH airport, but it is not easy to get from Manchester to Damariscotta by public transportation. You will need to rent a car for the 2.5-3 hour drive.

From Boston’s Logan Airport, you can hop a Concord Coach Lines bus for the 4-5 hour trip to Damariscotta, or rent a car for the 3 hour drive. Buses to Damariscotta leave Logan Airport twice daily. Visit the Concord Coach Lines website for a current schedule and fares.

Country Coach Charters is an airport shuttle option offering door to door service. For more information visit the Country Coach Charters website or call 1-207-832-7241 or 1-207-380-7201.

It is also possible to take Amtrak’s Downeaster Line from Boston’s North Station to  Portland or Brunswick, Maine. Though the bus is the more convenient option from Logan Airport, the Downeaster is a scenic and comfortable ride. The Portland Transportation Center and the Brunswick Train Station also serve Concord Coach Lines so if the timing is right, you can easily hop a bus to Damariscotta. For more information visit the Amtrak Downeaster website.

Need a local taxi? Call Twin Village Taxi at 207.380.0050, but beware that they have limited hours of operation.