Calais (Maine)

city in Maine, United States

Calais (pronounced "Cal' lus") is a coastal town located in the Down East region of Maine at the Canadian border across from the town of St. Stephen, one of Maine's busiest border crossings. Calais and St. Stephen have a close relationship, celebrated with a multiple-day International Festival each year. A parade crosses Ferry Point Bridge, with the mayors of both communities shaking hands across the border.

Get in

By car

The direct route from Bangor, ME is via Route 9, locally called "The Airline."

By bus

  • West Bus. Bus service from Bangor. (updated Jul 2024)

By plane

The closest airport is Bangor International Airport (BGR).

Get around

See

  • Saint Croix Island International Historic Site, Route 1 (south of downtown), ☏ +1 207 288-3338, fax: +1 207 288-8813. Daily dawn to dusk, but displays are covered in winter. Saint Croix Island International Historic Site marks the first presence by Europeans on mainland northern North America and is part of the United States National Park System. It is composed of a mainland site and 6.5-acre Saint Croix Island. Travel to the island is discouraged due to its fragile ecosystem. The mainland site includes an outdoor interpretive shelter, picnic tables, a pit toilet, and an unimproved boat launch. A short, accessible interpretive trail features bronze figures of the French and Passamaquoddy, as well as displays discussing historical events and the interaction of the two cultures. Free. 
  • Holmes House, 527 Main St. Built 1804. 
  • Whitlock's Mill Light. Three miles south of Calais. Northernmost lighthouse in the U.S. and still a working light. While the light cannot be visited, it can be seen from the St. Croix View Rest Area on U.S. Highway 1. 

Do

  • St. Croix Country Club Golf Course, Route 1, ☏ +1 207 454-8875. Public, nine holes. 5534 yards, par 70, slope 107, rating 65.2. 

Festivals

  • International Festival. Early August week-long festival with cross-border neighbor town, St. Stephen, New Brunswick, Canada. 

Buy

Eat

Drink

Sleep

Go next

Routes through Calais
Fort Kent ← Houlton ←  N  S  → Jct E → Ellsworth → Brunswick
END ←  W  E  → → St. Stephen → Saint John


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