New Hampshire and Maine
We have been able to explore both New Hampshire and Maine together twice now! First we visited family in Jackson, New Hampshire and added Portland, Maine on as a day trip. Second, we visited to attend a wonderful couple’s wedding in Portsmouth, New Hampshire and added on the southern Maine coast as we extended our trip to a long weekend! We have loved spending time on the New England coast and hope to continue exploring this beautiful area of the country!
For both trips we took advantage of the small yet easy and accommodating airports - shoutout to Breeze Airlines for having direct flights to both Portland, Maine and Manchester, New Hampshire! Breeze, for those who have never heard of it, is a relatively newer airline whose mission is to connect smaller metros via easy and simple direct flights. Charleston has many Breeze flights, and for our friends back in Birmingham, Huntsville also flies Breeze! Jackson, NH is much more inland and in the northern part of the state as compared to Portsmouth, NH. For Jackson, we flew into Portland, Maine which was only about an hour away. Whereas, when traveling to Portsmouth, NH, which sits on the small stretch of New Hampshire coast line, both Portland, Maine and Manchester, NH were about 45 minutes away.
New Hampshire
New Hampshire is a beautiful state with so much to do and see. You can be on the top of Mount Washington one day and on a sailboat off Portsmouth the next.
When we visited Jackson (and the surrounding areas) we went for a long weekend and spent as much time possible exploring the outdoors. Our first day there, we hiked Mount Willard which is a three mile loop hike that takes you to an incredible overlook. We then had lunch at Mount Washington Hotel which is stunning itself with an incredible view of the mountains from the lunch spot on the property. That afternoon, we drove up to the top of Mount Washington, which is only open under safe weather conditions. The drive up is absolutely stunning. I may have been terrified on the narrow road as we drove up the mountain but it truly was one of the coolest experiences. The drive provides a way for you to slow down, take your time, and truly take in the wonder of the mountain. It is the tallest mountain in the northeast and as you climb to the top you truly see the changes in weather, landscape, and most notably - the wind. However, if you are unable to drive up, there is an option to take a train to the top and have an equally as amazing experience. At the top is a weather station which has recorded some of the fastest wind speeds in the country. This is definitely a site to see, if you are able. The view from the top is breathtaking.
The next day we visited Franconia Notch State Park, which was a hike through mountain gorges and caves. We saw some incredible waterfalls and so much of the world’s natural beauty. This is a great hike for kids as there are many references to wildlife, providing lots of entertainment! There is even a wolves den which you can climb through. We then made our way over to the town of North Conway which is home to the Conway Scenic Railroad. This town has its own hosts of stores and restaurants. For dinner that night we ate at the Wentworth, which is a historic inn in Jackson. It is beautiful and you can explore the town so easily from there. We ended with a nightcap at the restaurant, Forty, at the Inn at Thorn Hill. The next day we made our way over to Portland, Maine, which will be recapped below! Now, we cannot forget the golf courses for New Hampshire. Matthew made a separate, golf dedicated, trip which you can read about in his New Hampshire in the Fall review!
When visiting Portsmouth, we saw so much of the adorable town while also traveling up to Maine each day, as Portsmouth sits on the state line with Kittery, Maine, on the Atlantic coast. I have to start this off by giving a shoutout to the Airport Diner in Manchester, NH, where we flew into. Very nice residents had told us about this spot on the plane and it lived up to the hype. Airport Dinner is apart of the Common Man Roadside family of restaurants, which are all over the state.
In Portsmouth, we stayed at the AC Hotel who had a wonderful rooftop, the Envio, which guests had a voucher to use for happy hour. This rooftop looks over the water which separates the two states. Within Portsmouth, and over into Rye, NH, we saw and toured the Little Harbor chapel, Wentworth Coolidge Mansion, and the Wentworth by the Sea hotel. All three were beautiful and added so much character to these coastal towns. The Wentworth Coolidge Mansion was the home of the first New Hampshire governor and sits right on the water. The Wentworth by the Sea hotel is stunning and has a golf course right by it, which I am sure is on Matthew’s bucket list. For dinner our first night we went to Jumping Jacks where we had incredible oysters and seafood dishes. This sat right in town and stayed bustling with locals and visitors. Later in the evening we attended a wedding event at Waterview Grill and then everyone walked down to Ledgens for a few rounds of pool before turning in for the night. Both spots were great for groups and offered some New Hampshire local beverages.
On Saturday we had breakfast at The Goods Cafe where we got breakfast sandwiches and coffees to start our day of exploring. This sat right on a walking path through the center of town. We drove north up the coast before the wedding, which will also be recapped below! Upon returning to Portsmouth from our day exploring, we went to see the USS Albacore which was a historic navy submarine, and a historic navy sailing ship, the Eagle, which was docked in Portsmouth on its series of rotations. Both vessels were very interesting to see. The Wedding was at the Seacoast Science Center in Rye, NH, which was like an aquarium themed museum and had the most stunning view of the water from the sprawling yard where the wedding was held. The drive between downtown Portsmouth and Rye was only about fifteen minutes. Portsmouth is laid out like a quaint coastal city and it was so easily walkable. There were so many places that we would love to see next time we are there which will be listed below as well.
Maine
When visiting Portland, Maine, we did not have a ton of time to explore much, but were able to see so much of its character. It is a coastal town but larger than the other coastal towns in Maine. It has become a hub for so many people in all different walks of life. We had to go to Luke’s Lobster on the Portland Pier, which was outstanding. I got the Luke’s trio which was a lobster roll, crab roll, and a shrimp roll. All three were amazing. We then went to Fort Williams Park to see the Portland Head Light and amazing view of the ocean. The weather was incredible and we got to walk around downtown Portland and in so many of their local shops.
Kittery is just over the boarder from New Hampshire and has a cute town which is situated right on the harbor. Kittery also has a ton of great outlets to shop at. The Kittery trading post is massive and has any outdoor gear you could possibly need for your trip.
York was one of my favorite towns in Maine. York is where stonewall kitchen began and they have an adorable cafe right where their HQ building is and some of the flagship stores. There is a beautiful overlook over Harbor Mason Reserve which we saw multiple times. Highly recommend getting breakfast from the Bagel Basket and eating it at Harbor Mason Reserve. The view is outstanding.
Driving north up the Maine coast, you’ll hit the Nubble Lighthouse which is a must see spot. The lighthouse sits out on its own rocky island and there is a cable car which would take the workers over to the lighthouse for their shifts. Just north of the lighthouse is a stunning hotel called the Cliffs House Hotel which sits right on a cliff on the water, making it a very relaxing spot. They had a coffee shop on property which we stopped at to fuel up for the rest of our day trip.
Kennebunkport is where we spent most of our time. We briefly came up for lunch one day and then came back after the wedding to spend our extra day. We stayed at the Kennebunkport Captains Collection hotel and had a wonderful experience. There are a number of historic homes which all have stunning rooms in them. There are freshly baked cookies every day and a wonderful spread of breakfast every morning. If you are visiting and need anything for your stay, the HB Provisions is a general store in town!
Coming into town on Highway 1 (also can drive up 95) first we hit Snug Harbor Farms which had a plethora of flowers, plants, and vegetables for your enjoyment or for your home garden. There was an adorable shop as well as lots of wildlife to see. For lunch one day, we had to stop at the Clam Shack, which is famous for their lobster rolls and sits right on the water that flows through town. There are live lobster to see inside and you have to pick - butter, mayo, or both! We cannot forget about the beer that Maine is known for which just so happens to pair perfectly with a lobster roll on a sunny day, like we were fortunate to have! When eating at the Clam Shack they hand out a voucher for ice cream at Aunt Marie’s, which is right around the corner and has the best Maine blueberry ice cream! Between touring around and shopping another day, we grabbed a quick lunch at Federal Jack’s, the brew pub attached to the brewery right in town.
There are a number of little shops all around the downtown square in Kennebunkport but some of my favorites were the Portwalk Shops, including Lupine Books, Local Color, and Beach Grass, and then also Dock Square Clothiers. We did not get a chance to go, but the Kennebunk Outfitters also looked like a cool place to shop. If you walk or drive farther towards the mouth of the Kennebunk River on Ocean Avenue you’ll pass another section of cute shops such as Dannah. A must see photo spot close to here would be the lighthouse sitting on the river on the property of the Nonanthum Resort. Continuing down Ocean Avenue you will wind around St. Ann’s Episcopal Church, a historical chapel on the water with an outdoor amphitheater as well. This was a great place to watch the sunset as well. Even farther around Ocean Avenue, you come to Walker’s Point, which is where the Bush family has stayed for generations. If you see the Texas flag flying, you’ll know they are there! Many locals say they are very involved in the community and frequently walk around town with everyone else. If you continue driving further you can eventually get to Bickford Island to see the Goat Island Lighthouse.
Now we all know Matthew had to get a round of golf in. He played at Cape Arundel Golf Club so I explored a bit more on my own! The Kennebunkport Historical Society is housed in a historic home right in the heart of the town. They hold tours of the home but also lead walking tours of the town. I did a tour of the house and absolutely loved hearing the history of not only the town but also of this house and its neighborhood as well. The house itself was in the same family from the time it was built all the way until it was donated to the historical society, which is extremely unique nowadays. The Bush family is passionate about the preservation of the history of Kennebunkport and to show their support they have donated some of their family artifacts and money to the historical society so the tour ends in a room dedicated to their family’s history as well in Kennebunkport. I was also fortunate that there was a local women’s artist art show going on that afternoon which I attended. It was wonderful to see the locals all coming out to support the female artists in their town and the surrounding towns.
On our trip to Kennebunkport we ate dinner at the White Barn Inn, which was outstanding. Whereas all the Kennebunkport restaurants are very coastal themed, the White Barn Inn is more in the woodsy parts of the town and they have engaged the experience so well with the natural landscape. Prior to dinner, we had cocktails and appetizers at Ocean, which also sits along Ocean Avenue right across from Walker’s Point. Our family has since also traveled to Kennebunkport and ate at Ocean for an exquisite dinner. Definitely a spot for a special occasion. A few other restaurants they checked out were Boathouse and The Pilot House, which was a favorite! The majority of the town shuts down around 9pm but the Pilot House carries on karaoke on Thursday nights, which is certain to provide some entertainment!
Per usual, we packed these trips out but there was still so much to see, so we hope to be back soon! In the meantime, here is our list of other spots, that we did not go to, but which have been recommended to us!
Portsmouth, NH / Rye, NH:
Ice House Ice Cream
Strawberry Banke Museum
Library Restaurant
Cafe Mediterranean
The Oar House
Martingale Warf
River House
Surf Seafood
Summer Sessions Surf Shop
The Green Room
The Friendly Toast
Rye Harbor Lobster Town
Kennebunkport, ME:
To Stay:
Nonanthum Resort
White Barn Inn
Restaurants:
Dock Square Coffee House
Latitudes at Nonanthum Inn / 95 Ocean Restaurant at Nonanthum Inn
Heckmans at Nonanthum Inn
Cape Porpoise Kitchen
Earth at Hidden Pond
50 Local
Alison’s Restaurant
Musette
Tides Beach Club
Stripers Waterside
Chez Rosa
Hurricane
Mabels
Arundel Warf
Ultramar
Casa Seventy Seven
Activities:
Beaches: Goose Rocks, Parsons, Kennebunk Beach, Colony, and Mother’s
Whale Watching with First Chance
Kayak with Coastal Maine
Spa at Cottage Breeze
Brickstore Museum
Hiking: Mount Agamenticus, Rachel Carson Preserve, Wells Reserve at Laudholm Farm, James Wood Trail, Emmons Preserve
Old Vines wine bar
Schooner Eleanor Sailing
The Pineapple Ketch boat tours
Sebago Brewing
Baston River Distillery and Brewery: known for the G&Ts
Wedding Cake House
Maine and Vine: wine tastings on Thursdays
Galleries at Morning Walk
Kittery, ME:
Bob’s Clam Hut: lunch
Tributary Brewery
Fort McClary
Fort Foster
Wells, ME:
Maine Diner
