Inevitably, when someone asks me why I love living in New England, I say something about the road trips we can take here. When we lived in California, the scenic drive was usually the epic part of the trip (think Pacific Coast Highway); here in New England, the destinations along the way are what make them such a dream.
When we planned our summer road trip to Maine, we were very confident about the early stops on our route. Kennebunk and Portland were familiar favorites with new-to-us places still to explore. But as we looked further north, the rest of coastal Maine remained completely unknown to us. We went with a safe choice for our home base for the remainder of the trip - Camden is the furthest thing from a well-kept secret - but we left the journeys to and from there a bit to chance. And thankfully, chance turned out to be on our side.
But I wouldn’t blame you if you didn’t want to leave your coastal Maine road trip up to chance. I’m a planner; chance gives me heartburn. Let this guide save you from reaching for the Tums.
Kennebunk & Kennebunkport
We always make a point of stopping in the Kennebunks when we head to Maine, although we rarely stay the night. (The one time we did, the B&B we stayed at wouldn’t allow us to eat in the breakfast room with our three month old, but that is a story for a different time.) Because this southern Maine destination is about a three hour drive from Newport, we usually arrive just in time for lunch, which means we make a beeline for The Clam Shack as soon as we hit town. It’s a must stop in Kennebunkport. We always debate as to whether we love the lobster rolls (order both, btw - you’ll know what I mean when they ask) or the homemade lemonade the most. It’s a tough call.
When in Rome … or Maine.
The Clam Shack is a great place to start your grand tour of all the lobster that Maine has to offer.
While we typically take a good wander through the downtown Kennebunkport area, we kept that short this time and made our way over to the magical place that is Snug Harbor Farm. It’s a well known fact that I’m a sucker for a good farm/nursery/plant shop, so my family humored my request to visit Snug Harbor, and, in the end, we all agreed that it doesn’t get much prettier than this little gem. And yes, we loved it so much that we stopped again on the way home. Let’s just say I didn’t have to twist anyone’s arm to go back.
We couldn’t leave Kennebunk without seeing the wonderful SEACRAFT, a vintage shop owned by the uber-talented couple Jackie Greaney and Paul Havel. Their vision for a collection of coastal curiosities could not be more fully realized than what they have on display in their charming shop. Located in Morning Walk with a number of other great small, local businesses, it’s a must stop when in town.
And speaking of not leaving, don’t miss out on a drive or walk down Kennebunk’s Summer Street, which is lined with over a dozen old sea captain’s homes. The star for me was the George Lord Little House (a wholesaler, not a sea captain) at No. 38, a glorious example of Victorian architecture in Maine.
Portland
The once-strong-but-now-growing-more-dormant city lover in us always makes sure we stop in Portland for a night or two. We really enjoy wandering the old port, and we have some favorite shops and restaurants that keep us coming back. They keep the charm factor going strong, even if urban isn’t strictly what you’re looking for from a trip to Maine.
When in Portland, a trip to Cape Elizabeth and Portland Head Light is a must. Go at sunset. Climb out onto the rocks. Enjoy a perfectly Maine moment.
Wiscasset
En route to our next destination, we stopped in Wiscasset, Maine. If I’m being honest, I have to tell you that this stop was selected after I saw a picture of Sprague’s Lobster on SEACRAFT’s Instagram feed, and I had to see this lobster shack for myself. That’s why I’ll always love Instagram, because it has taken me to some of my favorite destinations that I might not have otherwise stopped.
Lobster connoisseurs might have read that and recoiled. “You mean you weren’t already going to Wiscasset to go to Red’s?!?” Red’s Eats routinely wins the Best of Maine awards for their lobster, and despite a decent drizzle when we drove into town, there was a line around the block and down the hill for it. I’m guessing it’s good! But we’re terrible at waiting in line, so we stuck with our original plan to go to Sprague’s. You do you. I promise the lobster at Sprague’s did not disappoint!
Now that’s what I call a lobster roll.
After lunch, the sun came out and we explored what is now one of my favorite towns in coastal New England. Wiscasset is a shop lover's paradise. The green/blue (#grlue) door of Marston House caught my eye as we drove into town, and the interior was an antique lover's dream. What a beautifully curated selection of items for the home. The owner, Francoise, left a lovely note on my Instagram post, sharing that the kindness of her customers is what keeps her dreaming about her next trip to France, where she’ll collect more treasures for us to like. I hope she gets a chance to return home soon.
We also stopped in Michael Dunn Antiques on Middle street, which is home to an amazing collection of Asian furniture and art. When I tell you that I dream about the apothecary chest we found there …. sigh. A little prompting had the owner sharing the story of how he first started to travel to China and how he sourced his incredible collection, all while the neighbor cat, who comes over to eat and sleep while the shop is open, snoozed away. I was so taken with the shop, but I didn’t take a single photo. Good thing I can still picture that chest in my dreams.
I’m not sure which came first - the brownie sighting or our blood sugar “suddenly” dropping - but somehow we found ourselves inside Treats. While half of their space was closed, presumably as a COVID precaution, the area that was open had all the character and charm of a rustic bakery. And the brownie lived up to the shop’s name. A total treat.
Well worn and beautiful, Wicasset, Maine.
After the shops, the town is worth a wander to admire the architecture and walk off the lobster and brownies. We were all hesitant to get back in the car, the charm of Wiscasset holding our attention. But Camden was calling.
Camden
As I mentioned, Camden was our home base for the remaining four nights of the trip. And to keep it interesting, we decided to split our time between two hotels in town.
Whitehall, Camden’s summer place.
I’ll end part I of our itinerary with our first hotel, Whitehall, which is a wonderful choice if you’re staying in Camden. We loved the big front porch, the sprawling feel to the public spaces, and the incredibly friendly and helpful staff. The walk to and from town was a highlight for us; it takes you past some picturesque Camden homes that had us dreaming of living in Maine.
The history of Whitehall dates back to 1901, when a widow purchased an old sea captain’s house and started taking in guests during the summer months. Whitehall soon became the “summer home for the elite of Camden's summer visitors.”
And it was at Whitehall that the poet Edna St. Vincent Millay recited her famous poem that she wrote from the top of Camden’s Mount Battie, which inspired a guest to sponsor Millay’s studies at Vassar.
“All I could see from where I stood was three long mountains and a wood. I turned and looked another way and saw three islands in a bay.”
"Renascence" by Edna St. Vincent Millay
We didn’t dine extensively in Camden, mainly because the combination of peak-summer crowds and the lingering effects of COVID still had some restaurants closed or at limited capacity. (We ate takeout pizza twice!) The one reservation we did have was for Franny’s Bistro, which was a really lovely dining experience. Their seafood-based menu has something for everyone, but I think I’d go back again and again for the mussels. The addition of mushrooms into their white wine sauce was unexpected and absolutely delicious.
There is a lot more to say about Camden and the other destinations on our trip, including a drive down some back roads to the tiniest town that packs the biggest charm. Stay tuned for part two, coming next week! (Update: Part II is now available.)