To people from all over the country, Camden is one of Maine’s must-see tourist towns. To Paul Doiron, it’s home.

Doiron is a native Mainer and author of the Mike Bowditch mystery novels, focused on a Maine game warden. The 17th book in the series, “Storm Tide,” goes on sale June 30.

He’s also the former editor of Down East magazine, based for years in nearby Rockport. So his list of favorite spots in town includes places where locals go year-round, not necessarily the travel guide attractions vacationers seek out.

Where do you like to eat?

Chicken and waffles probably isn’t the first dish people think of when they hear “Maine coast” (OK, it’s not even the 50th dish). But Buttermilk Kitchen at Marriner’s does excellent Southern comfort food — biscuits and gravy, fried green tomatoes. The owners are from Atlanta, Georgia, proving that even small towns like Camden are benefiting from the influx of new Mainers. The location used to be home to a beloved breakfast joint. Buttermilk is quickly becoming an institution.

Where you like to get a drink?

I don’t drink, but my wife enjoys the cocktails at 40 Paper, a bistro and bar located in the old Knox Mill at the outer edge of downtown. Happy hour is a nightly thing there. They do a lot of drink specials, but her go-to is the Old Port Fashioned, which adds tawny port and a touch of maple to the familiar recipe. Grab a seat outside on one of the few, precious, balmy evenings of the year. 

Where do you like to connect with nature?

Tucked behind Hannaford, of all places, Merryspring Nature Center is a real local treasure with great walking trails in the woods and fields, an arboretum, and gardens so pretty that many couples choose to get married there. I like it for the birding — warblers descend on the apple trees — and for close looks at normally reclusive Maine wildlife. If I want to show a city person a porcupine or a barred owl, Merryspring is where I take them.

Where do you like to shop locally?

Camden doesn’t have big box stores. What we have is Maine’s favorite retail adventure, Renys. The little shops on Main Street are charming, don’t get me wrong, but if I need Muck boots, lawn chairs, or clam juice for my signature fish chowder, this is where I go.

What’s a hidden gem in Camden?

Right next to the Camden Public Library (itself a gem), at the head of the harbor, The Harbor Park and Amphitheatre are genuinely historic (they were designed by the Olmsted Brothers) and always lively. They offer musical and theatre performances, craft shows, and windjammer watching all summer. I go there when I need to remind myself how lucky I am to live in one of the most photogenic towns in America.

Five Things is a feature in which locals give our readers suggestions for exploring the state of Maine, town by town. Have a city or town you think we should explore in the future? Tell News & Culture Editor Katherine Lee at [email protected].