<p class="ingestion featured-caption">The author visited visited Belfast, Maine.Joey Hadden/Business Insider, halbergman/Getty Images</p><ul class="summary-list"><li>I recently visited Belfast, Maine, which is full of history, local culture, and coastal views.</li><li>Belfast offers a stark contrast to busy urban life and is perfect for city escapes.</li></ul><p>When I went to <a target="_blank" class href="https://www.businessinsider.com/giant-rubber-duck-suddenly-appeared-maine-harbor-mystery-2021-8">Belfast, Maine</a>, for the Fourth of July, I expected nothing more than a wholesome, long weekend with my friends to take a break from the hustle and bustle of <a target="_blank" class href="https://www.businessinsider.com/dink-lifestyle-nyc-apartment-photos-2024-2">my life in NYC</a>.</p><p>I got all that — and more.</p><p>It was my first time in Maine, and this particular <a target="_blank" class href="https://www.businessinsider.com/switzerland-village-roggwil-hidden-gem-destination-backpacking-europe-2023-9">small town, which I'd never heard of</a> before my friends moved there last winter, surprised me with its history, local culture, and dramatic coastal views.</p><p><a target="_blank" class href="https://www.cityofbelfast.org/9/Just-Visiting">According to the city's website</a>, Belfast is a budding town on the rise.</p><p>After my trip, I've decided that Belfast is a <a target="_blank" class href="https://www.businessinsider.com/best-hidden-gem-destinations-travel-expert-samantha-brown-2024-6 ">hidden gem for tourists</a>, and I'll go back again and again for my big-city escapes.</p>