My amazing 3-day trip along the Maine coast could surely be conveyed in pictures alone. Lots of gorgeous scenery and tasty food. Maine really is dotted with picturesque lighthouses that peer out over a rocky blue ocean. And my big discovery may be that three days in Maine is just not enough!
Driving up from Massachusetts, we took the first full day to linger along the coast, driving slowly toward our Portland destination with the goal of arriving by dinnertime. We made strategic stops along the way, drawn by food and iconic scenic views. It was thrilling as we officially entered Maine. Despite having grown up in New England, I had surprisingly never been to Maine before. So, I was excited for this coastline adventure that took us as far as north Portland, for a quick two-night stay.
York, Maine
It wasn’t long before we hit the coastline of York and soon reached our fist destination of the historic Cape Neddick Lighthouse on Nubble Island.
The wind was whipping as we pushed our way out of the car, and a cloudy sky threatened rain. It was summer and we were freezing. Luckily, CJ knows the Maine temperament, and we had come well-prepared with windbreakers to fend-off the notorious Maine weather elements.
Ogunquit, Maine
Back on the road, our next stop was the charming little town of Ogunquit less than 10 miles up the road.
The diminutive town village is lined with appealing restaurants and cafes, but we headed further down the road to Perkins Cove.
MC Perkins Cove
We were starving and lunch was our first priority. We parked the car in a convenient lot and grabbed our umbrellas in response to a slight sprinkle of rain. We didn’t have far to walk to the recommended MC Perkins Cove and climbed the steps almost as if to someone’s home. The large, airy dining room with its wall of windows that gaze over the ocean was bustling with staff, but fairly quiet with patrons. Our timing was perfect, and we lucked into a window seat with a perfect view onto the dramatic cove.
MC’s lunch menu was casual and tasty. For my first Maine meal, I was intent on diving into a Lobster Roll. MC’s was pretty good, but a bit over-loaded with mayo for my taste. Had I known this was their style, I would have asked them to dial it back. But the crispy golden fries that came along with it were killer and made the meal. I had been looking forward to checking out the Maine local craft beer scene, but MC’s menu was surprisingly thin with interesting options.
CJ and I also shared some pretty tasty Pekytoe Crab Cakes with Spicy Remoulade. And she had one of the most amazing BLTs I’ve ever seen, piled high with Bacon and Avocado. CJ said it was probably the best BLT she had ever had.
The Marginal Way
Our blood sugar levels now back to normal, we headed off to the reason why we had targeted Ogunquit – the Marginal Way. Maine certainly has its abundance of cute towns, but Ogunquit’s cliffwalk made it an iconic and essential stop. As we began our gentle hike along the Marginal Way, we curved along the cove and out over the ocean. The view is mesmerizing and the path provides abundant restful benches. We decided to turn back when the path hit the town center – and happy to retrace our steps along the Marginal Way, lured by the stunning view and path lined with wildflowers.
We had whiled away the afternoon in Ogunquit, but it was time to head to Portland. Our 2-night whirlwind stay will be relived in a separate blog post. But suffice to say, Portland was pretty much spent eating and drinking.
Portland
As we left Portland to head back down the coast to Massachusetts, we were armed with a strategic itinerary of new sights for the return trip. Before we left Portland, we had two scenic stops to make.
Fort Allen Park
The first was a drive out to Portland’s Eastern Promenade, overlooking Fort Allen Park to admire the view from the hill over the vast Portland Harbor.
Portland Head Light
Next we drove a little out of town to see what turned out to be one of my very favorite stops of the trip – the Portland Head Light, a stunning lighthouse which lives in Fort Williams Park on Cape Elizabeth. The Portland Headlight is the oldest lighthouse in the state of Maine and is maintained by the U.S. Coast Guard. It was a gorgeous day for a drive and we could have lingered at the gorgeous lighthouse all day. But with still much left to see in Maine, we reluctantly departed.
Kennebunkport, Maine
Of course by the time we made it to our next destination, we were happy to be there as well – since all of Maine is stunning. We spent most of the rest of the day in the areas of Kennebunk and Kennebunkport, which is fairly expansive.
Arriving in the village of Kennebunkport, we found street parking in the tiny tourist town with its gift shop-lined streets. These are not my favorite sorts of towns, so at first I was little dismayed despite the picturesque nature of the two towns that lie side-by-side. Happily, the visit yielded two amazing food experiences.
The Clam Shack
The first was The Clam Shack, which had been on my list for must-try Lobster Rolls. This little shack, where you order at the window, is quintessentially New England summer – and notorious for long lines. But with our arrival in mid-afternoon, we were able to walk right up and order.
I love that The Clam Shack explains that it will make your Lobster Roll to order. We could have warm melted butter poured over the top of the fresh lobster and toasted bun – or tossed with mayo. Whatever way we wanted. I went with the butter version and this was one of the best Lobster Rolls I had in Maine, with its tender and ultra-fresh Lobster meat. CJ had fried Clam Strips with Tartar Sauce, which were light & crispy and reminded me of childhood. We grabbed our seafood booty and took them down a long narrow dock alley with casual wood benches that overlooked a picturesque channel.
We grabbed our seafood booty and took them down a long narrow dock alley with casual wood benches that overlooked a picturesque channel.
Rococo Ice Cream
But my happiest find in Kennebunkport, which we practically stumbled upon, was the Rococo Ice Cream shop. This charming hole in the wall shop features serious artisanal ice cream with compelling flavor profiles.
CJ had the quintessential Maine Whoopie Pie flavor. And indecisive as ever when faced with myriad amazing flavor options, I went for Rococo’s 4-taste ice cream option and chose: Spicy Rocky Road, Earl Grey Tea & Rose Jam, Goat Cheese & Blackberry Chambord, and Lemon & Pink Peppercorn. All of these flavors were phenomenal. Rocco alone is destination-worthy.
The Backroads
We continued on our way through Kennebunkport down a lovely country road that was empty on a Wednesday, and nearly unreal in its beauty.
Along this stretch of road we stopped to gaze at the infamous President Bush Kennebunkport Compound, which is truly in a gorgeous setting that sits out on a point in the middle of the sea. It’s almost surprising that you can get that close.
Goose Rocks Beach
Our destination though was Goose Rocks Beach, which had been recommended by a Kennebunkport local. It took a little wandering to get there, but was well worth the roam. Hidden in a residential setting, Goose Rocks is expansive and was beautifully desolate, practically deserted in the late afternoon.
The sun remained high in the sky, and I took the opportunity to wade into my first Maine tide. It would have been nice to arrive earlier in the day when it was warm and lounge on this gorgeous, lazy beach. But the sun was receding, and it was time to get back on the road.
We wended our way back toward Massachusetts. There is something so compelling about Maine – its pristine beauty and laid-back sensibility that just makes me relax. And yearn to return. Next time my sights are set even further northward …and for much longer.
One thought on “The Ups & Downs of the Maine Coast”
Love the photos and sharing the progress of your drive along the coast. I have added Maine to my bucket list!