I started this post thinking this would be the third and last of the series of posts about things to do in New England. But after I finished the first state, I realized Maine also deserved a post all to itself!
Maine
Maine was the first state that road tripped to. We packed the car with no itinerary and just took off. Well, we did have the first destination picked out, which was the Chauncey Creek Lobster Pier in Kittery. It's on a creek, surprise surprise, and you just order fresh seafood by the pound. Given it was our first stop in Maine, we had a little bit of everything, and I highly recommend a little bit of everything! We were fans of Maine already.
Kittery - I've already mentioned the Chauncey Creek Lobster Pier. On a separate trip, we went to the Fort McClary State Historic Site because my husband enjoys that type of stuff. There's also an outlet there, but it's not really worth stopping.
York - York has a large sandy beach with a playground on it. The Nubble Light House is also in York and is very picturesque. Definitely worth checking out. I take visitors here if I have a chance, just because it's so close to Boston.
Ogunquit - for our first road trip, we ended here and just happened to be in time for the 4th of July fireworks show. So we staked out a place on the Marginal Way (a walk along the cliffs overlooking the ocean) to catch the show. What we didn't realize is that we'd see all the fireworks up along the Maine coastline, through Kennebunkport all the way to Portland. It was really cool. Ogunquit has great restaurants, a great Maine vibe, and a beautiful beach.
Kennebunk - I admit, this is such a charming seaside town, and we didn't get to stay long to enjoy it. We hopped out of the car and got the infamous lobster rolls at The Clam Shack. This roll is unique since it's not a traditional hot dog bun, but on a round brioche. I highly recommend this! Then we had amazing ice cream right behind the Clam Shack. It's the perfect Maine experience. We stopped in a souvenir shop just to check out some of the tongue-in-cheek political humor. Kennebunkport is home of the Bush family compound. I am just learning that there's another lobster roll place that's only 500 feet away from The Clam Shack in Kennebunkport that also claims to be the best lobster roll. I will have to go check this out - Allison's Restaurant.
Portland - Portland Head Lighthouse in the Fort Williams Park is my absolute favorite place in all of Maine. This lighthouse is one of a couple of lighthouses that claims to be the most photographed lighthouse in Maine. The best thing to do here is to get a lobster roll from the food truck Bite Into Maine, which is parked here. The ocean air here just makes this the real deal! There's a military bunker and the remnants of an old mansion that's pretty cool to check out. From Portland, we took a ferry to Peaks Island and walked around the island where we were first introduced to rock stacking. I highly recommend taking the ferry and exploring the islands off the coast. Finally, back in Portland, there's just a lot of good shopping and good dining. We ate at Flatbreads which is great. We also had the turkey dinner at Becky's Diner because it was featured on Diners, Drive Ins, and Dives - I actually think they made a special plate just for Guy because we didn't get the same meal. We had potato donuts from The Holy Donut, which you just have to try. One final place we ate at while passing through Portland was Duckfat. It was a long wait, but was totally worth it! Finally, the last place I always try to stop in at is Vervacious, where I pick up a bottle of balsamic vinegar (like espresso balsamic or chocolate balsamic) and any other unique spices that catch my eye. This is always a great souvenir for me. We definitely need to spend more time in Portland and try more restaurants. 2022 Update: We got lobster rolls at Highroller Lobster Co., poutine at Duckfat Frites Shack, and the best Texas BBQ at Terlingua. The TX BBQ is legit! We also had Vietnamese rice plates at Cong Tu Bot, which was on the 2021 NY Times' 50 Restaurants We're Most Excited About. TBH, I was a little disappointed, but then again, they had a later opening time and a very limited lunch menu, so I would be willing to give it another try.
Freeport - most people only know Freeport as home of LL Bean and its outlets. We camped on the oceanfront at Winslow Memorial Park; if you can get one of the spots near site #20, those are the best. There was live music on Thursday nights, and the sunset and sunrise was just incredible.
Maine
Maine was the first state that road tripped to. We packed the car with no itinerary and just took off. Well, we did have the first destination picked out, which was the Chauncey Creek Lobster Pier in Kittery. It's on a creek, surprise surprise, and you just order fresh seafood by the pound. Given it was our first stop in Maine, we had a little bit of everything, and I highly recommend a little bit of everything! We were fans of Maine already.
Kittery - I've already mentioned the Chauncey Creek Lobster Pier. On a separate trip, we went to the Fort McClary State Historic Site because my husband enjoys that type of stuff. There's also an outlet there, but it's not really worth stopping.
York - York has a large sandy beach with a playground on it. The Nubble Light House is also in York and is very picturesque. Definitely worth checking out. I take visitors here if I have a chance, just because it's so close to Boston.
Ogunquit - for our first road trip, we ended here and just happened to be in time for the 4th of July fireworks show. So we staked out a place on the Marginal Way (a walk along the cliffs overlooking the ocean) to catch the show. What we didn't realize is that we'd see all the fireworks up along the Maine coastline, through Kennebunkport all the way to Portland. It was really cool. Ogunquit has great restaurants, a great Maine vibe, and a beautiful beach.
Kennebunk - I admit, this is such a charming seaside town, and we didn't get to stay long to enjoy it. We hopped out of the car and got the infamous lobster rolls at The Clam Shack. This roll is unique since it's not a traditional hot dog bun, but on a round brioche. I highly recommend this! Then we had amazing ice cream right behind the Clam Shack. It's the perfect Maine experience. We stopped in a souvenir shop just to check out some of the tongue-in-cheek political humor. Kennebunkport is home of the Bush family compound. I am just learning that there's another lobster roll place that's only 500 feet away from The Clam Shack in Kennebunkport that also claims to be the best lobster roll. I will have to go check this out - Allison's Restaurant.
Portland - Portland Head Lighthouse in the Fort Williams Park is my absolute favorite place in all of Maine. This lighthouse is one of a couple of lighthouses that claims to be the most photographed lighthouse in Maine. The best thing to do here is to get a lobster roll from the food truck Bite Into Maine, which is parked here. The ocean air here just makes this the real deal! There's a military bunker and the remnants of an old mansion that's pretty cool to check out. From Portland, we took a ferry to Peaks Island and walked around the island where we were first introduced to rock stacking. I highly recommend taking the ferry and exploring the islands off the coast. Finally, back in Portland, there's just a lot of good shopping and good dining. We ate at Flatbreads which is great. We also had the turkey dinner at Becky's Diner because it was featured on Diners, Drive Ins, and Dives - I actually think they made a special plate just for Guy because we didn't get the same meal. We had potato donuts from The Holy Donut, which you just have to try. One final place we ate at while passing through Portland was Duckfat. It was a long wait, but was totally worth it! Finally, the last place I always try to stop in at is Vervacious, where I pick up a bottle of balsamic vinegar (like espresso balsamic or chocolate balsamic) and any other unique spices that catch my eye. This is always a great souvenir for me. We definitely need to spend more time in Portland and try more restaurants. 2022 Update: We got lobster rolls at Highroller Lobster Co., poutine at Duckfat Frites Shack, and the best Texas BBQ at Terlingua. The TX BBQ is legit! We also had Vietnamese rice plates at Cong Tu Bot, which was on the 2021 NY Times' 50 Restaurants We're Most Excited About. TBH, I was a little disappointed, but then again, they had a later opening time and a very limited lunch menu, so I would be willing to give it another try.
Freeport - most people only know Freeport as home of LL Bean and its outlets. We camped on the oceanfront at Winslow Memorial Park; if you can get one of the spots near site #20, those are the best. There was live music on Thursday nights, and the sunset and sunrise was just incredible.
Rockland - home of the Maine Lobster Festival! This would be a great place to start your Maine lobster experience. Definitely check out downtown Rockland. After the festival, we drove to Red's Eats in Wiscasset to check out what everyone's talking about. We had the worst experience, since we waited in line for 2 hours (yes, 2 hours, I've never done that before!) and then the rain poured down on us as soon as we got our food! Even drenched, huddling in our car, eating the roll, it was pretty good, so I know I will have to try this again, but I hope not to have to wait 2 hours next time. Just a tip, there's a pretty great place across the street at Sprague's that's pretty good too and apparently it never has a line.
Boothbay Harbor - We made the detour onto one of the fingers of Maine to visit the Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens. They had 5 ginormous trolls, and the boys had a wonderful scavenger hunt hiking through the garden to find all of them. They completed the challenge and won the grand prize - a package of bee balm seeds. The town of Boothbay is also so quintessential Maine. We got lobsters and ate on a working wharf and watched as boats come in. We lucked out and were there on a Friday night when they had buck-o-shuck and live music!
Acadia - Acadia is located on Mount Desert Island, and Bar Harbor is the main town that is on the island. The eastern half of the island is where most people spend their time, and the western is much less developed. Acadia will always hold a special place in my heart. For my first mother-son solo trip to celebrate his 8th birthday, we road tripped to Acadia with no campground reservation and not much else other than a pop up 2 person tent and a bike strapped to the back of the car. I had read about a no-reservation campground near Bar Harbor. When we showed up, the lady told me that she thought the site overlooking the ocean had just checked out, and that we could have that spot. We just absolutely fell in love with this spot, it overlooked the ocean and had a nice field in front. Now, everytime we go back, that's the spot we look for. On a different trip, all of those sites were taken, so we had to take a different spot, but the next morning, we were able to move over as soon as one of the people checked out. It doesn't have electricity or running water but the view is so worth it! I'm sure I could write a whole 'nother blog post about Acadia, but here's the highlights. The best part of Acadia is the Beehive Trail!!! My kids have been doing this since they were 7 and 8, and I see many young kids on this trail, but it is not for the faint of heart. The Park Ranger also basically told me I couldn't take my 8 year old, but he says "well my classmate just did it." And my neighbor says "well Martha Stewart just did it." So, I think it's pretty safe. You basically are scaling up the side of a mountain using iron ladder rungs and there's nothing to catch you should you fall. It's about a mile vertical ascent and a one way trail - only up - because it's that narrow. The view out into the ocean though is amazing though!!! There's a second iron rung trail - Precipice - but I think it's much more scrambling and harder, so we haven't tried that one yet. After the Beehive Trail, take the hike down by the Bowl, it's a beautiful lake that is worth stopping at. Across the street from the Beehive trailhead is the parking lot for Sand Beach. We did a Junior Ranger program here and learned so much about this beach and Acadia by digging in the sand and studying the ocean water. We also came back for a star presentation at night. You must do this to really appreciate the dark sky here. Ok, other highlights, which you'll see in every tour guide is popovers at the Jordan Pond House Restaurant. We also hiked around Jordan Pond, which has a nice boardwalk, is full of frogs, boulders, loons nesting. It takes longer than it looks. The other stopping point is Thunder Hole and Bass Harbor Lighthouse (another one that claims to be the most photographed lighthouse) which is on the other side of the island. And if you go, you must bring your bikes because they have a great network of trails that wind throughout the park on old carriage roads built by John D. Rockefeller. In Bar Harbor, my kids love Geddy's because their meals come on frisbees and it's just a fun atmosphere. We also had amazing Maine blueberry pancakes at Jordan's. My favorite place to get lobster on the island is The Travelin' Lobster, which I go to every time. However, this past time, we decided to go to C-Ray because it was closer to our campsite, and it definitely right up there! The guy in front of me told me it was his third time there in 3 days. Lol! It had a nice firepit and there's a vineyard next door that we'll have to check next time we're there. Finally, there's a Pirates Cove mini golf that the kids love. If you lose at mini golf, you can take your scorecard across the street for a discount on your ice cream at Udder Heaven. Next door to Udder Heaven is Mainely Meat, which is some legit BBQ. We've had breakfast AND dinner there! Go to Long Pond and rent some kayaks and stand up paddleboards!
Shawnee Peak - this is the one ski resort we went to in Maine. It is great, small, and very family friendly. We went with some friends who were great ski instructors for our kids and helped us figure out how to get our kids up ski lifts for the first time.
I didn't intend to write so much, but summers in Maine are absolutely wonderful. I hope this helps anyone planning a trip to Maine. And it's so true, lobster rolls are better in Maine!
Boothbay Harbor - We made the detour onto one of the fingers of Maine to visit the Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens. They had 5 ginormous trolls, and the boys had a wonderful scavenger hunt hiking through the garden to find all of them. They completed the challenge and won the grand prize - a package of bee balm seeds. The town of Boothbay is also so quintessential Maine. We got lobsters and ate on a working wharf and watched as boats come in. We lucked out and were there on a Friday night when they had buck-o-shuck and live music!
Acadia - Acadia is located on Mount Desert Island, and Bar Harbor is the main town that is on the island. The eastern half of the island is where most people spend their time, and the western is much less developed. Acadia will always hold a special place in my heart. For my first mother-son solo trip to celebrate his 8th birthday, we road tripped to Acadia with no campground reservation and not much else other than a pop up 2 person tent and a bike strapped to the back of the car. I had read about a no-reservation campground near Bar Harbor. When we showed up, the lady told me that she thought the site overlooking the ocean had just checked out, and that we could have that spot. We just absolutely fell in love with this spot, it overlooked the ocean and had a nice field in front. Now, everytime we go back, that's the spot we look for. On a different trip, all of those sites were taken, so we had to take a different spot, but the next morning, we were able to move over as soon as one of the people checked out. It doesn't have electricity or running water but the view is so worth it! I'm sure I could write a whole 'nother blog post about Acadia, but here's the highlights. The best part of Acadia is the Beehive Trail!!! My kids have been doing this since they were 7 and 8, and I see many young kids on this trail, but it is not for the faint of heart. The Park Ranger also basically told me I couldn't take my 8 year old, but he says "well my classmate just did it." And my neighbor says "well Martha Stewart just did it." So, I think it's pretty safe. You basically are scaling up the side of a mountain using iron ladder rungs and there's nothing to catch you should you fall. It's about a mile vertical ascent and a one way trail - only up - because it's that narrow. The view out into the ocean though is amazing though!!! There's a second iron rung trail - Precipice - but I think it's much more scrambling and harder, so we haven't tried that one yet. After the Beehive Trail, take the hike down by the Bowl, it's a beautiful lake that is worth stopping at. Across the street from the Beehive trailhead is the parking lot for Sand Beach. We did a Junior Ranger program here and learned so much about this beach and Acadia by digging in the sand and studying the ocean water. We also came back for a star presentation at night. You must do this to really appreciate the dark sky here. Ok, other highlights, which you'll see in every tour guide is popovers at the Jordan Pond House Restaurant. We also hiked around Jordan Pond, which has a nice boardwalk, is full of frogs, boulders, loons nesting. It takes longer than it looks. The other stopping point is Thunder Hole and Bass Harbor Lighthouse (another one that claims to be the most photographed lighthouse) which is on the other side of the island. And if you go, you must bring your bikes because they have a great network of trails that wind throughout the park on old carriage roads built by John D. Rockefeller. In Bar Harbor, my kids love Geddy's because their meals come on frisbees and it's just a fun atmosphere. We also had amazing Maine blueberry pancakes at Jordan's. My favorite place to get lobster on the island is The Travelin' Lobster, which I go to every time. However, this past time, we decided to go to C-Ray because it was closer to our campsite, and it definitely right up there! The guy in front of me told me it was his third time there in 3 days. Lol! It had a nice firepit and there's a vineyard next door that we'll have to check next time we're there. Finally, there's a Pirates Cove mini golf that the kids love. If you lose at mini golf, you can take your scorecard across the street for a discount on your ice cream at Udder Heaven. Next door to Udder Heaven is Mainely Meat, which is some legit BBQ. We've had breakfast AND dinner there! Go to Long Pond and rent some kayaks and stand up paddleboards!
Shawnee Peak - this is the one ski resort we went to in Maine. It is great, small, and very family friendly. We went with some friends who were great ski instructors for our kids and helped us figure out how to get our kids up ski lifts for the first time.
I didn't intend to write so much, but summers in Maine are absolutely wonderful. I hope this helps anyone planning a trip to Maine. And it's so true, lobster rolls are better in Maine!
1 comment:
Thank you for sharing your NE experience. All is so helpful in planning our trip in October.
Post a Comment