718. The Kennebunks

Where: Kennebunkport, Maine

When: August 2 - 5, 2015

With: Dave

For our first big vacation after returning from London, we decided to pick a state we'd be dying to visit while we were away and spend a week exploring it. At the top of both of our lists ended up being Maine. On top of being the last state on the east coast for me to visit, the call of lobsters, rocky beaches and perfect August weather made this the ideal location. 

The trip would basically have us looping up and down along the coastline. Therefore, to kick things off, we spent the first few days in the Kennebunks, the name given to three towns on the southern coast of Maine: Kennebunk, Kennebunkport, and Kennebunk Beach. 

The name "Kennebunks" elicits images of the blue bloods of society coming up to summer in New England on their yachts. And while we wanted to experience it, we aimed for the more low-key version. When we got in towards the end of our first day on the trip, the sun was setting over the docks and we immediately understood the beauty of this place.

After settling into our hotel in Kennebunkport, we walked through the town to Kennebunk and after dinner, ended up at Ryan's Corner House Irish Pub. A man on a guitar sang Irish folk songs while we sipped beers outside. It was magical. Are we sure we're not still in Europe?

The inside of the pub was like Maine meets Guinness. We certainly kicked things off in the non-pretentious way we had hoped!

The next day we were ready for a true exploration of the area. We started off with a view of one of the more famous sites in the Kennebunks: Walker's Point, summer home of the Bush family. 

Barbara Bush is a regular in the town of Kennebunkport and while you can't get near the house, it's close enough to get a feel for what a Bush family vacation may be like. Sadly, no family sightings while we were there. 

Pretending that we're in with presidential families. 

From Walker's Point, it was an easy and beautiful walk into the town along a rocky coastline with beautiful houses and landscaping along the way. 

We stopped to take a look at St. Ann's Episcopal Church. Built in 1887, the waitlist to get married at this quaint little church is extensive, but the views may make it worth the wait. 

From there, the road turns inland and follows along the Kennebunk River towards town. Marinas and lobster shacks give this fancy-pants town a more casual vibe along the way. 

One of the more famous lobster shacks is Mabel's Lobster Claw. We didn't eat here on this first day, but we did eventually make it and it was delicious.

Just over the bridge after crossing from Kennebunkport to Kennebunk, we decided to partake in another staple of this area: The Clam Shack. A no-frills seafood shack, there's a long line from the counter that let's you know you're in the right place. Between fried clams and fantastic lobster rolls, this is pretty much the best lunch there is. 

We sat outside with our seafood and couldn't have been happier. 

With full stomachs, we were off to explore the towns. Kennebunk and Kennebunkport straddle two sides of the Kennebunk River. The town is made up of lots of small shops selling everything from art to souvenirs to ice cream. It was an adorable mashup of white trimmed wood houses and colorful boutiques, all along the river with boats bobbing in the background. 

 

The town had a very quirky vibe rather than fancy in my opinion, with random art hidden along the tiny streets. 

Oh, and of course, lots of lobster decor.

 

After some strolling, we grabbed a drink at a bar overlooking the marina. It was so beautiful watching the boats breeze by.  

So beautiful, in fact, we decided to jump on one. A sailboat, in fact. Actually a schooner ("a schooner IS a sailboat, stupid head!"), the Schooner Eleanor. 

Sitting in the harbor, her masts sure make her stick out. 

We climbed aboard the Eleanor and cozied up on some mats for our two-hour sail. 

The BYOB aspect of this trip didn't hurt either...

We sailed down the Kennebunk River, passing by some beautiful homes along the way. Crazy to think this is where some people spend every summer. 

A line of boats.

As we left the river, we passed a jetty and watched as kids jumped off to ride in the waves. Sunset is the most fun time to swim in the ocean, in my opinion, and it was hard not to smile watching them. 

And then we were out to sea. 

Enjoying the smooth ride. 

The ocean became so glassy and beautiful as the sun started to set. 

Looking back along the coastline, we could see our walk from earlier today, including Saint Ann's Church and Walker's Point. 

The setting sun eventually broke through the clouds and bathed everything in orange light, and it became even more beautiful. 

As we turned inland for the end of the trip, we got one last treat as a Secret Service boat was spotted. 

After getting back to port, we decided to walk back along the river toward the jetty, enjoying the gorgeous sunset along the way. 

When we reached the jetty, we sat with the fisherman watching the sun go down. 

A perfect end to the day and we were officially in love with Maine.

On our second day, we actually decided to take a drive down the coast towards Olgonquit, a beautiful beach town. While it isn't technically the Kennebunks, it's worth mentioning for what a great day trip it makes.  

This beach was positively surreal, with low tide covering the beach in shallow tide pools. The sun was hot, but the breeze was cool. A perfect beach day. 

Along the coast from here was a long hiking trail called the Marginal Way. One side was lined with adorable little homes and well tended gardends. 

The other side of the trail was craggy rocks and beautiful ocean. It was a stunning walk. 

The best part about hiking in Maine are the seafood shacks along the way. Just pick up a box of lobster meat and find a beautiful spot to sit and eat it. 

As we hiked along, a fog rolled in like something out of a horror movie, but couldn't have been more beautiful or surreal. 

Final stop on this lovely drive: what would a Maine post be without a lighthouse? This one is Cape Neddick Light.

After our day in Olgonquit, we headed back to Kennebunkport for dinner at Nunan's Lobster Hut. This little shack sits a way out of the downtown in the marshes, but served up some delicious lobster. 

To close out our time in the Kennebunks, we took advantage of the front porch of our hotel. We sat out, enjoying the ocean breeze and a couple of cocktails and dreaming of what it would be like to "summer" in a place like this. It was absolutely dreamy. 

xx

I loved the Kennebunks. They were the perfect introduction into Maine summer life, and there was nothing I didn't like about it. I was also getting very used to having lobster at every meal. And good thing, since we still had many days left in our trip!