Numerous regions off the coast of Maine have received wonderful accolades from a popular recreational website.

Travel site bettersailing.com, a site dedicated to all things that don't need a lame engine to aid in movement, has tabbed three different locations off Maine's coast as some of the best places to sail in the United States.

The site included Mount Desert Island (MDI), Penobscot Bay, and Casco Bay on this distinguished list that includes famous sailing spots like Newport, Rhode Island, Chesapeake Bay, and San Fransico Bay.

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It's great to see MDI get cited for its wonderful sailing. The area, which is the home of Acadia National Park and Bar Harbor, has a first-class reputation for outdoor activities and sheer beauty. So, it should come to no surprise that the sailing is top-notch. It also includes beautiful harbor towns that you can easily access from a boat. It truly is an ideal Maine community.

Here is a little of what bettersailing.com had to say about MDI.

You will see amazing breathtaking mountain views, but also seals, seagulls, and other wildlife even if you never leave the boat...Bar Harbor offers commercial moorings and a few anchoring areas, the island’s major town, and well worth a visit.

If we head south down the shoreline, we will come across the next Maine region included on the list: Penobscot Bay. The Midcoast region of Maine has an extensive maritime history that includes shipbuilding, trade, and some seriously good sailing. I have had the fortune of sailing the region, and it's some of the most fun I have ever had.

First off, Midcoast Maine is criminally underrated, and I imagine the locals don't mind that. However, if you do spend time in the region, I suggest chartering a schooner or taking out your own boat. The scenery is exquisite, and the wind just seems ideal.

Here is a little of what bettersailing.com had to say about sailing in Penobscot Bay.

Penobscot Bay is surrounded by natural beauty and wildlife, with easy access to charming waterfront communities. With eleven large islands and a plethora of minor islets and bays, the terrain and shoreline are diverse and one-of-a-kind.

Finally, we get to Casco Bay in Greater Portland. This is where you will find the most traffic with its working waterfront and large population base. While it can be busy in the bay, it doesn't take away the fun and excitement of sailing the region. Island-hopping, lighthouse sightseeing, and even some encounters with local wildlife all make sailing around Casco Bay a pretty special experience.

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Here is some of what bettersailing.com had to say about Casco Bay.

This archipelago is dotted with hundreds of islands, so many that it was originally known as the “Calendar Islands,” with one for each day of the year. As you leave the city, you’ll come across rocky coasts with deep forests, communities situated in the heart of islands, pristine waterways, and the occasional fog.

These three sailing regions are a wonderful representation of what you can find and enjoy here off Maine's coast. All three are certainly worthy of being listed in this article.

Make sure you get out on the water this year. And may you have fair winds and following seas.

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