Think Southern Maine Coast When Warmer Weather Returns to New
England
Nubble Lighthouse, Cape Neddick, Maine
by Eric J. Hurwitz. Article updated on Dec. 31, 2016.
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When warmer weather returns to New England, we travel
directly
to the southern Maine coast. Seeing the first glimpse of ocean at Long
Sands Beach in York Beach creates a rebirth of the soul and senses,
well-deserved after a cold, demoralizing, often-too-long New England
winter. It's really one of the best ways to fall in love with coastal
Maine and convenient, too -- you don't have to drive far to experience
an authentic coastal Maine experience as the New Hampshire and
Massachusetts border are within close proximity.
Nubble Lighthouse, off in the distance, suggests a close friend
that we will soon be reacquainted with, and the quarter-mile of sand
and ocean water at Short Sands Beach Beach -- framed by arcades, fried
food aromas, salt water taffy making, cool, salt sea air and happy,
"real" people -- give us back our beloved coastal playground.
We New Englanders find ways to have fun year-round, but none can quite
match the feeling of being by the southern coastal Maine sea in the
warmer weather, sampling a classic Downeast seafood dinner at one of
the many seafood shacks and restaurants dotting the coast, and watching
the sun go down behind the rocky coast. It's the kind of experience
that will make you dream all winter about this lively, distinctive and
incomparable region.
It turns out, however, that the southern Maine seacoast also turns out
to be a nice vacation getaway in the
colder weather, too. Some people (a few elitists in the mix) seem to
think we're crazy traveling to York Beach when we could be in the warm
environment of the Bahamas or Aruba. Not that there's anything wrong
with that, but somehow putting up with a bunch of over stressed,
narcissistic drunk people dancing to "Hot, Hot, Hot," leaves us "Cold,
Cold, Cold." And what better way to be cold than at Maine in the
winter? Our stays at York Beach have offered us a perfect romantic
getaway, void of crowds of people and traffic. It's just you and the
Maine coast, leaving unobstructed views and experiences so pure that
you wonder if you're looking at the same beaches, towns and general
lifestyle. It's the anti-cookie cutter way to vacation, in our humble
New England opinion.
Whatever time of year, the southern Maine coastline abounds in
spectacular beaches with rocky coastline, picture-perfect lighthouses,
seafood shacks with lobster and New England clam chowder, quaint towns
with interesting local shops and endless fun for all walks of life.
Some attractions may be seasonal, but you'll always find places to
visit. The south-to-north stretch starting in York and ending in Old
Orchard Beach should be enough to satisfy the biggest fans of the sea. York Beach is perfect for the family
with two fine beaches (Long Sands and Short Sands Beach), York's Wild
Kingdom (vast and fun with a great zoo and amusement park),
arcades, bowling, family motels, souvenir shops, and The Goldenrod which makes salt water taffy on the
premises, has an old-fasioned soda fountain and a restaurant serving
New England clam chowder and lobster rolls. Does it really get any
better than that?
Long Sands Beach, York Beach, Maine
Up the road from the center is the famous Nubble
Lighthouse, one of Americas most photographed lighthouses. It's a
beautiful sight, a stately white lighthouse, solid as a rock and at
peace with its companion, the sometimes turbulent rocky Maine coast.
Fox's Lobster House
(Nubble Point, York Beach, Maine. Tel. (207) 363-2643) serves lobster
dinners and a partial selection of delicious Dunne's ice cream within
view of the Lighthouse-- what a great indoor/outdoor summertime
experience! A minute's walk will lead you to Dunne's (Nubble Rd., York
Beach, Maine. Tel. 207-363-1277) where you can find a complete
selection of some of the best ice cream in the region -- including
wild, Maine Blueberry.
Our favorite restaurant in the York area is Clay Hill
Farm (220 Clay Hill Rd., Cape Neddick (York), Maine, Tel.
207-361-2272), one of the best restaurants in the area and possibly in
New England. Clay Hill Farm's lovely gardens and warm intimate dining
rooms in an old and elegant farmhouse set the tone for the freshest
food we've encountered in many years of dining. The spinach salad is so
alive with straight-from-the-garden taste and just the right amount of
dressing. The lobster bisque jumps right at your taste bud's joy
center. The roast half duck and seafood scampi are particularly
amazing, so flavorful and memorable with all the right seasonings and
sauces. Deserts, largely of a chocolate theme, will leave you
breathless, and a great way to complete a truly romantic dining
experience. On the more informal side, we love the Inn on the Blues,
directly across from Short Sands Beach at York Beach. Inn on the Blues
is known for its live blues entertainment, but is also serves up some
of the best food in York Beach, including pesto salmon, lobster dinners
and rolls, baked scallops, clam chowder accented with bacon and a good
selection of sandwiches (the chicken salad is excellent).
Nearby York Harbor and York Village are more laid back than
York Beach, The York Village shopping district has a quaint, relaxed
feel -- some prefer the quiet, understated feel with its small town
feel, tree-lined side streets, spectacular oceanfront homes sporting
many different types of architecture, and meandering sidewalks leading
to small, independently owned shops. A small ocean beach at York Harbor
is just a short walk away, as well as a fun cliff walk which requires
walking over rocks, while enjoying sweeping views of the Atlantic ocean.
Ogunquit
is more upscale, and
offers a great, easy 1.5 oceanside walk along Marginal Way framed by
the water on
one side and brilliantly colored flowers and stunning seaside homes on
the other. If you were given one thing to see in Ogunquit, this
beautiful spot would be the top choice, in our opinion! Perkins
Cove in Ogunquit is a great desintation, too, with its quaint shops and
art stores that
combine with seafood restaurants like Barnacle Billy's (50 Oar Weed
Rd., Ogunquit, Maine, 207-646-5575) that serve up lobster and other
Down East seafood cuisine with outdoor dining in the summer. The three
miles of beach just off the town center is surely one of the most
spectacular in New England with its wide expanses and stunning views.
It's rare to find this much beach in Maine. The downtown section is
also worth visiting with its nice mix of gift shops, boutiques,
galleries, cafes, restaurants and inns. Ogunquit does get quite busy in
the summer and parking can come at a premium. Don't let that stop, you,
however, from seeing one of New England's most appealing coastal towns.
Spring and fall, however, appeal to us more as the crowds are fewer and
the feeling less hectic.
Marginal Way, Ogunquit. Photo by Sarah Diment, owner of the Beachmere Inn,
in Ogunquit.
Wells
is primarily a beach town
with seven miles of oceanfront. It's a place where people have summer
homes and love to swim in the chilly Maine waters. Wells does have a
significant number of seafood restaurants, plenty of lodging by the sea
and on commercial Route 1, great hiking opportunities at the Rachel
Carson National Wildlife Refuge, and many stores that include antiques,
collectibles, and books. There's no real central, downtown district,
but that's OK as the beach is the real draw. When in Wells, we like to
dine at the Maine
Diner (2265 Post Rd., Route One Wells, Maine. Tel. 207-646-4441). The
Maine Diner offers out-of-this world seafood chowder, lobster pie, clam
cake plates, fresh fried clams, yellow fin tuna steak and "Phantom
Platter," an assortment of some of the Phantom Gourmet's (of New
England Cable News) favorite items: a cup of seafood chowder, an eight
oz. sirloin steak, two baked shrimp, five oz. of baked scallops and
homemade onion rings. Don't forget to leave room for the memorable
blueberry pie, traditionally a Maine favorite. There are also many
other fine restaurants along Route 1 offering a wide variety of food --
everything from seafood to steaks to Asian cuisine to amazing donuts at
Congdon's at 1090 Post Rd.!
Kennebunkport
might just be the
southern Maine Coast's most appealing town. It has several beaches (the
three-mile long Goose Rock's Beach is quiet and beautiful), a visually
appealing downtown with water views, colorful shops and terrific
restaurants (Alisson's Restaurant at 11 Dock Square), should please the
whole family with its diverse menu and friendly, skilled service --the
fresh seafood dishes are especially impressive). Kennebunkport is a
great year-round vacation destination -- nice fall foliage in the
surrounding areas, a famous tree-lighting ceremony during the holiday
season, spring bringing the rebirth of gentler salt sea air breezes
and, of course, the beaches and recreational opportunities in the
summer. Kennebunkport is a wonderful place to walk -- the beaches, old
neighborhoods boasting spectacular bed and breakfasts, the live fishing
village of Cape Porpoise, and the more working class small-town feeling
on Kennebunk. Tom's of Maine has its headquarters in Kennebunk. There
is nothing "touristy" about the main street. Rather a stroll by the
shops and restaurants, well-maintained homes, churches with tall white
steeples and green areas will gently suggest perhaps checking out the
local real estate. While in Kennebunk, we recommend trying the Academe
at the Kennebunk Inn for dinner (at 45 Main Street, Kennebunk, Maine
04043, Tel. (207) 985-3351). The Academe offers wonderful contemporary
American cuisine that's worthy of the best dining normally found in
urban areas. Start the evening with some delicious homemade breads and
a mixed greens salad and you're on your way to dining nirvana. For
dinner there's the roasted rack of lamb with rainbow orzo, baby
carrots, and rosemary oil; the cider planked seared salmon with potato
rosti, apple chutney, and fried leeks; and the seared Filet mignon with
Vermont cheddar and bacon gratin potato, house roasted tomatoes, wild
mushrooms and bordelaise. Wonderfully displayed and incredibly
flavorful, these entrees have us coming back again and again on special
occasions. The warm, inviting outside glow of this 1799 Inn (with
charming guest rooms upstairs) is worth the price of admission on its
own!
Dock Square, Kennebunkport.
Old Orchard Beach
is one of the
great honky-tonk summer seaside vacation towns in New England with
miniature golf,
cotton candy, fried dough, French fries, cheeseburgers, carousel,
arcade games, amusement rides, festivals, fairs, concerts, fireworks,
boardwalk and miles of unusually sandy beach for Maine that makes this
a
great family summer vacation destination. While Old Orchard Beach might
not be for everyone, as the crowds can get a bit much in the summer, it
seems like everyone comes here! Those we know who do not like the
arcades and amusements find solace at the beach -- there's no denying
the beauty of the sea in Maine, and no matter how crowded it gets here,
there always seems to be an open spot with enough elbow room.
There's no way to go wrong with any of these southern Maine seacoast
towns. Each one is unique, but yet combine seamlessly to create a
wonderful travel experience. Try one out and soon you'll try them all
as prime New England
vacation destinations!
Sunrise at Long Sands Beach, York Beach, Maine.
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