All the places mentioned in this article lie within the boundaries of Waldo County in the region known as mid-coast Maine. For more information, plus listings of places to stay and eat and enjoy various diversions, go to www.waldocountymaine.com. Because this area is halfway between two of the state’s most popular tourist centers—the classic seacoast town of Camden and Bar Harbor, on the edge of Acadia National Park— it has in the past felt somewhat overlooked. Waldo County aims to be a destination in itself, where visitors will plan to stay a couple of nights, not just pause to spend an hour in the shops of Belfast or hurry through the Maritime Museum. This is coming to pass, with the most recent official statistics showing an average 2.8 days’ stay in the vicinity, more than double what it was a few years ago.

It’s well worth going for those 2.8 days. The informative Belfast Area Guide, available from the town’s Chamber of Commerce (or info@belfastmaine.org), lays out a series of seasonal itineraries that include some charming nearby towns, among them Lincolnville and Northport, and an expanse of state parks. Not mentioned in the brochure is Temple Heights, a curiosity or a must, depending on your point of view. This tiny spiritualist community high on a hill overlooking the sea goes back to 1882, and it feels that way. You can arrange overnight stays in modest rooms for a mere $25, and you can attend free group-healing sessions or sign up to join a message circle (and possibly succeed in checking in with the departed) for $8. Seemingly unaltered through its 125 years, Temple Heights is a strangely appealing detour from the traveler’s normal route.