Chase’s Daily, a restaurant in downtown Belfast, serves up delicious lunches and breakfasts, such as the omelette with peppers, swiss chard and gorgonzola cheese pictured above. Chase’s also has a small bakery in back.

Main Street in Belfast, only an hour’s drive east on Route 127, features an impressive array of independent bookshops, boutiques, art galleries and restaurants. But even more impressive: it’s the type of town where everyone knows each other.

If you’re looking for a break from inland Maine, a visit to coastal Belfast is an opportunity to breathe in salty sea air and say hello to some sea gulls. You can see the ocean from almost any shop on Main Street.

Aarhus Gallery provides a space for members of the community to showcase their art. Above, Meg Kruitoff ’12 takes a ride on a turquoise swing featured in the current exhibit. If the artist is there, he’ll even give you a push.