Visiting Boston, especially in the Fall, always makes me very nostalgic to when I went to school there. The students rushing to class, the T operating at full capacity, the autumn leaves and chill in the air. It's my favorite time of the year to go back.
The one trip I never did while in school was Maine. I'm not sure why I didn't because it was so close, but it was on my list to do this time around. I had heard from some friends that Kennebunkport was a beautiful town to visit during this time of year, too. We decided to make a day trip, with a loose plan of where we were going and headed to Kennebunkport on Saturday.
We left at 9am from Boston to avoid a lot of traffic, and it just about 1.5 hour drive. When we got to Kennebunkport, it was already very crowded with people walking the streets and standing in line. But, it was charming as can be. It's a very small fishing town, so we grabbed a couple bites and walked around all of the shops before heading out. Here is everywhere ate in Kennebunkport and what is on my list to try the next time I'm there:
Alisson's Restaurant - Kennebunkport: Alisson's came to us as a recommendation from someone who spends a lot of time in Kennebunkport, along with the quote "INSANE lobster rolls." We walked in and were able to get a table right away, with the perfect window for people watching. Alisson's has great hospitality. Our waitress was so warm and inviting, and I enjoyed watching her interact with the mix of locals and tourists. I ordered a spicy bloody mary, and I have to say I was pretty disappointed with it because it seemed to be pretty watered down. I wouldn't order it again. I ordered the Petite Lobster Trio, because there is no better option when you are as indecisive as I am about food. The Trio comes with their lobster roll with mayo, the lemon chive lobster roll, and the lobster bisque roll. That last one really piqued my curiosity. When it arrived, there was not a whole lot that was "petite" about this trio. But I wasn't mad about it, not even a little. My favorite (shockingly) was the cold lemon chive lobster roll. Alisson's actually serves most of their lobster somewhat chilled. By the time we left, there was almost an hour's wait for a table, so I think we got lucky. They don't take reservations, so I'd plan ahead or try to go at an off time.
Dock Square Coffee - Kennebunkport: Dock Square is located in the heart of town. It's a very small coffee shop that constantly has a line out the door. I needed a little midday pick me up, so I grabbed an iced latte with their homemade maple syrup. The coffee was good, but it wasn't as strong as I was hoping it would be. Because of the line, getting a coffee took about 30 minutes. I would definitely go back, but I would want to try a different drink off the menu. They also have a matcha with blueberry, which is one of the things Maine is known for, and it looked very good. It's a good spot if you want to stay right in the center of everything. Conor and I loved their little mascot so much, we bought a sticker.
Mascot photo taken from Dock Square Website
Federal Jack's - Kennebunkport: Before heading out, we stopped at Federal Jack's, a brew pub and restaurant right on the water. They have a wide variety of beers, so we tried one of their small flights, and the standout was the blueberry ale. I have grown to generally like beer, but taste wise, this is my favorite one I've ever had. It truly tasted like wild blueberries. Our waitress was incredibly nice, and we started chatting with her about where we should head next. We had thought Portland, but it was 45 minutes north of where we were, and none of us were tied to the idea because we were enjoying the smaller towns. She told us she grew up in a small town called Ogunquit, back on the way to Boston, with a gorgeous coastal walk we could do. We were sold, so we jumped into our cars and headed there.
More photos of Kennebunkport
Ogunquit was about a 25-minute drive from Kennebunkport. The town was definitely pretty busy too, but felt a lot more spread out and less busy than Kennebunkport. Here is everything we did and ate in Ogunquit to wrap up our day in Maine:
Marginal Way - Ogunquit: Our waitress told us to walk Marginal Way, a coastal cliff walk that runs 1.25 miles. This was exactly what we were looking to do. It was such a calming and beautiful walk. It was just a little chilly outside, but we had a great time. It has beautiful views of the ocean, and there are so many pretty houses to look at. It reminded me a little of the lake path walk in Lake Geneva that I love to do. I highly recommend this walk.
We walked around the different neighborhoods and shops for a little while. The shops are pretty similar to the ones in Kennebunkport, but it was fun popping into each one and appreciating all of the great Halloween decor. We stumbled on a piano bar, The Front Porch Piano Bar and Restaurant, which seemed like a really fun atmosphere. We were going for something a little more relaxed, especially because we had the drive back ahead of us. However, when I go back to Ogunquit, I will definitely be checking out The Front Porch.
Cornerstone Pizza - Ogunquit: We ended up walking into Cornerstone Pizza, located right next to The Front Porch. They had a cute patio with a fire going, and it had the perfect cozy autumn vibes. They had a wide variety of pizzas and let you do half and half, so we got to try four different kinds.The pizza was good, but I was hoping it would have been a little bit more crispy.
https://www.cornerstoneogunquit.com/
While both towns were absolutely great to visit (especially during Autumn), my favorite was Ogunquit. I loved the Marginal Way walk, and I could definitely see myself spending another cozy weekend up there. I'll be back, Maine.
