Bristol, often referred to as Pemaquid, is comprised of eight villages: Bristol Mills, Round Pond, Chamberlain, New Harbor, Pemaquid, Pemaquid Harbor, Pemaquid Beach, and Pemaquid Point. Each of these at one time had their own post office. The remaining post offices are in Bristol Mills, Round Pond, Chamberlain, and New Harbor.

The villages can be defined by their centers, but their boundaries are defined by tradition and are quite unclear. Most of the villages have restaurants and small businesses.

Bristol Mills, the northernmost, located on Route 130, has the Town Hall, a volunteer fire station, and several businesses at its center.

Round Pond, east of Bristol Mills, located on Route 32, has the Little Brown Church, a volunteer fire station, a working harbor, and several businesses.

Pemaquid, south of Bristol Mills on Route 130, has the Bristol Area Library, Bristol Consolidated School, and several businesses as centers of interest.

Pemaquid Harbor, south of Pemaquid on a separate peninsula between John's River and the Pemaquid River, has the Fishermen's Co-op.

Chamberlain, south of Round Pond on Route 32, has its own summer community residing on its own small point of land.

New Harbor, located at the junction of Route 32 and Route 130, south of Chamberlain and Pemaquid has the main volunteer fire and rescue station, a working harbor, and several businesses.

Pemaquid Beach, located West of New Harbor has Fort William Henry as well as the Sand Beach.

Pemaquid Point , at the southern end of Route 130, has the Pemaquid Point Lighthouse and Fisherman's Museum, and spectacular views of the ocean.

 Map of Bristol, Maine