We flew to Portland, Maine in October 2018. The trip focused on the area between Kennebunkport and Camden.
We only spent a partial day in Portland, but would definitely recommend more time in this lovely city. There is a lot of history here, with amazing old buildings and cobblestone streets near the port that offer more to explore.
Travel tip: being in the area during the beginning of the off-season offered us the ability to get to and from most of these areas easily, with ample parking. If you visit during the busier tourist season (between June & August), be prepared for more difficulty getting around. This area lives by the tourist season; you’ll want to verify that places are open if you plan to go in the fall or spring, as some of the restaurants, shops and activities are seasonal and close over the winter.
We stayed at an Airbnb rental in Harpswell, less than an hour drive from Portland. Located right on the coast, this lovely apartment above a garage has ocean views, and the property is gorgeous. The weather during the trip was windy and cool with periods of rain, so we didn’t have the opportunity to enjoy the firepit and patio. However, we did make it a point to be on the shoreline at sunrise; the early wake-up did not disappoint.
Things To Do & See
Camden
Search Maine, and you are likely to find Camden listed as the most beautiful or best town in the state. The reviews are not wrong: this is a gorgeous seaside town. While here, you must visit Mount Battie and check out the fabulous panoramic views of the town, port and surrounding areas. Camden is a small port town with a quaint downtown area. As expected, it has it’s share of tourist shops and restaurants, but also some great old buildings. If you can, check out the library on the hill above downtown; the original building dates back to 1796 offers a look at the town’s history, and the grounds offer yet another great view of the town and harbor.
Mount Battie is a must-see. You have to pay the State Park fee but it’s not much ($6/person, out of state) and it’s 100% worth the views. An easy drive up the mountain (or a really small hill. for those of us from Colorado) and there is ample parking on top in the late-season. Parking may be an issue in the summer. There is a lot of hiking available in the general area of the park, but we just had time to hang out at the lookout. The colors were not quite as far along as we’d hoped, but we can imagine that it must be unreal during the peak of the change. The view from the lookout is spectacular! In the area, you can get nearly 360 degree views. Looking down onto the harbor and town, up and down the coastline and watching the sail boats in and out…..we just sat there for a while and enjoyed it all. A wonderful spot to stop by for a bit or for longer.
Portland Head Light – Cape Elizabeth
The park and area are free, and you can’t beat the spectacular setting of this lighthouse. The lighthouse and attached structures are very well kept. There’s a museum in the buildings that is a small fee, but entry fee is not required to enjoy the grounds. The lighthouse itself is beautiful, but walking away and seeing this place from all the areas away from the structures is what is truly amazing. Perched on the rocks over the water, you can see and hear the waves crashing and spraying in the air. The views from the trails is very impressive, and really what really makes this place worth a visit. An awesome place for photos and views. While you’re there, walk the grounds to see the old military structures from decades gone by and the past wars. Take some time to read the plaques and see what else is around.
Schooner Alert Sailing Trip
Taking a trip like this is often dependent upon the daily weather. The day we sailed on the Schooner Alert, we had amazing weather!…which unfortunately does not lend itself to great sailing, as we had very little wind. The weather aside, which cannot be planned in advance, we’ll focus on the experience otherwise. The owners/operators were great people. We had a good time discussing the area and history with them throughout the trip with our small group. The experience was lovely, and a perfect East coast excursion. The boat is well-kept and a great specimen of an old–school schooner. A beautiful boat without doubt.
Giant’s Stairs Trail – Bailey Island
This cool spot does not take much time to visit – if you have an extra hour or two, add this to your list of places to stop. We only needed about 30-40 minutes to hang out here. The Giant’s Stairs trail is very short but it is an interesting location on a 2.5-acre strip of land on the coast. Part of the trail is surfaced and maintained, and the other half runs across rocky ledges. We found ourselves sitting on the rocks above the water and just watching and listening to the waves crash hard against the rocks below. It was mesmerizing. Having spent most of our vacation beach time on sandy shores, the unique rock formations along the coastline of Maine are a very different experience.
Rockland Breakwater Lighthouse – Rockland
What do you do in Maine? Eat lobster and check out lighthouses. We stopped at Rockland on our way through. It’s nice that it’s a free activity, as we might have been disappointed if there had been a fee. The walk is much longer than it appears and very uneven. It’s not difficult for anyone used to walking longer distances, but we saw several older and out of shape people who were not doing well with the combination. The walk itself if it was flat and is only 0.8 miles (1.3 km) each way, but the uneven terrain makes it feel much more than that. Per the Rockland Harbor website, the breakwater is made of granite blocks, and it’s recommended that visitors “keep your eyes on your feet because there are spaces between the blocks and some blocks are uneven”, adding that falls are usually a result from not paying attention. Out at the end of the jetty at lighthouse itself, there’s not much to see. At the time that we visited, the lighthouse wasn’t open, and there’s no museum or guide to answer questions. We knew about the details via the internet. Ultimately, it was nothing special; cool for those of us living in the middle of the country because it’s a lighthouse, but not as impressive as many others in the area.
Eats
Hopefully, you like lobster and seafood; you will find it everywhere. Maine is known for lobster rolls, and we tried them every time we had the chance. Maine is also famous for wild blueberries, which are smaller than the variety you find in the grocery store but just as delicious.
Estes Lobster House – Harpswell
We tried lobster rolls in three different towns along the coast during this trip, and the rolls at Estes were our favorite. The way they buttered and toasted the roll was the best and made a difference overall in terms of taste. The sauce with the meat was light but added just a little flavor without overpowering the meat itself. Generous portion compared to the others we had, and at a middle price comparatively. We went there late so did not get to see the view. Sadly, Google now lists this restaurant as permanently closed.
Peter Ott’s on the Water – Camden
We started by getting a seat outside on a busy, but not full, Saturday afternoon late in the season. Not impressed with the service at Peter Ott’s; a server had been at the adjacent table at least three times while we sat without acknowledgment. We considered leaving before our server finally came for our order, but decided to stay since the harbor view from the patio is fairly spectacular. We had New England Clam Chowder for an app. Wow! That was the tastiest chowder we’ve ever eaten. A lighter cream than many other’s, but very flavorful and it didn’t leave us full. We’ve tried lobster rolls in many locations in the mid-coast and thought we’d try them here, too. Sadly, we were disappointed. They were the most expensive of several we had between Camden and Portland, and were the smallest. The rolls were our least favorite of the bunch, in part because the sauce was a little too lemony. While we’ve never had a bad lobster roll on the east coast (as the nature of it simply does not allow), this was definitely the one we would not go back for.
Cook’s Lobster & Ale House – Bailey Island
A solid meal. A cool location with a view of the bay and the unique cribstone bridge. Being in Maine, we, of course, opted for fresh lobster while at Cook’s (and most other places). Can’t go wrong with that. We also had the snapper with pepper sauce. That was not as good – a little dry and the flavor was a bit bland. We had come to eat after a long day on the water so were hungry and decided to go for two desserts, the blueberry pie and Indian pudding. Both were good choices and we would recommend them.
Hurricane Restaurant – Kennebunkport
Stopped here for light lunch while in the area for the afternoon. The town is beautiful, even on a cloudy fall day. As expected, it’s very touristy. We started off sharing Hurricane’s house salad. Fairly tasty for a basic salad and the dressing was good. We had the scallops and a crabmeat and Havarti sandwich. The scallops were OK. We had to send them back as they were way undercooked the first time. A little disappointing for a seafood place on the east coast. The second time around they were still cooked to the bare minimum but the flavor was good and had a nice mix of greens. The crabmeat and Havarti sandwich was edible but unfulfilling; it didn’t have as much flavor as anticipated. The crabmeat was fresh, which helped our overall opinion.
Dolphin Marina & Restaurant – Harpswell
Good lobster, great blueberry muffins. We had the scallop fritters for an appetizer. Nice blend as there was not too much breading and you could actually taste the scallop meat. Then went on to have full lobster dinners with a side of mac and cheese (again, when in Maine…). The lobsters at Dolphin Marina were of course fresh and there’s not much to do for flavor in preparation. Good stuff. the mac and cheese was very good as well and a nice complement to the sweetness of the lobster. The meals came with blueberry muffins, as there’s pretty much blueberry everything around here….. We saved them and had them as our dessert. Best blueberry muffins we had on the trip. Nice view from the restaurant at the end of the point.
Petite Jacqueline – Portland
We found ourselves at Petite Jacqueline the morning of our flight home. We were looking for something different from seafood for at least one meal and very glad we ended up here. Opted for fairly traditional French breakfast fare, Croque Madame and Quiche Lorraine. We were extremely happy with both; the full and rich flavors just melt in your mouth, and the staff was wonderful.
Portland Lobster Company – Portland
Our second favorite lobster rolls in the mid-coast. That’s all we got on this day – a good snack before heading to the airport. The meat was good; not too much sauce, but enough to add to the flavor. The rolls were a little less buttery than others we had.