Maine, sweet Maine — A trip we look last Labor Day that truly exceeded my expectations! It’s SO fun to explore new-to-me areas with my children in tow. I love seeing the world through my kids eyes and traveling really makes me feel so full of life – and Maine did just that! We actually found strangely inexpensive flights out of XNA to Portland, Maine, which really surprised me since they are both smaller airports. After leaving XNA around 7 A.M and connecting through Washington, D.C., I was eating a lobster roll next to Portland Head Lighthouse by 2:30. 😂 Not a bad first day!
One thing I always do when we travel is research the food beforehand – somewhat obsessively. I love figuring out what the locals eat, where we should try it and what we absolutely shouldn’t leave without having. So yes, I had already done my lobster roll research before we even got on the plane. 😂 Once we got our rental car, we drove straight to a cute little food truck called Bite Into Maine at Fort Williams Park right next to Portland Head Lighthouse – where I tried my first lobster roll ever. I have to admit, I was expecting warm lobster covered in melted butter. So imagine my surprise when I got a cold lobster roll mixed with mayonnaise. Apparently there are different ways to prepare a lobster roll, and the cold lobster salad version is a common Maine style. I tried it, but I kept thinking about the hot, buttery lobster roll I had pictured in my head. So naturally, I had to try another one later in the trip. I ordered a hot buttered lobster roll a few days later, and THAT was much more my style. Give me the warm lobster and melted butter! Either way, eating my first lobster roll outside with the Portland Head Lighthouse nearby was a pretty memorable way to start our Maine adventure.
We stayed in Sanford, about 30 minutes inland from the coast. We loved having a slower-paced place to come back to each night while still being close enough to explore all the little coastal towns. One of the days we just laid low at the airbnb and the kids enjoyed the rope swing, kayaking on the lake, the cozy fire pit and playing in the yard. There isn’t great swimming right from the dock since the home is on a shallower arm of the lake, but there’s still plenty of ways to have fun! Choosing not to stay right on the coast definitely helped keep the cost of the trip down, too. The Airbnb we stated at is linked here. It was also really close to Bauneg Beg Mountain, which we hiked during our trip. It was a very family-friendly 2 mile hike that had beautiful views at the top.
Marginal Way + Ogunquit
This was probably one of my favorite days of the entire trip. Marginal Way is a 1.25-mile coastal cliff walk in Ogunquit, and it was very easy with the kids. We brought the stroller, walked along the paved coastal trail, stopped to take in the views and, of course, admired ALL of the gorgeous mansions along the way. Maine really knows how to make a pretty house. We also spent time at Ogunquit Beach, where the kids played and swam in the ocean. The town of Ogonquit is VERY charming and so fun to walk around and explore all the little shops. Make sure you don’t miss Perkins Cove! There were lots of things we didn’t do in order to save money and because we had six young children under the age of 7 (fancier restaurants, bike tours, antique shopping)- but the lighthouse cruise looked very fun!
Exploring Kennebunkport
I LOOOVED the little town of Kennebunkport. The town is SO cute, with little coastal shops, bakeries, a narrated trolley tour, good eats and beautiful homes along the beach and flanking the roads. There were some cute kids stores, too – and plenty of shops to pop in to grab souvenirs. SeaCraft was probably my favorite store, and we also grabbed a bite from The Clam Shack while we were there. We also drove by the Bush Family Compound at Walker’s Point, which was a fun thing to see while we were exploring the area. Not far away was Mother’s Beach in Kennebunk, where there is a little lighthouse park. You can grab sandwiches at Bennett’s Sandwich Shop and take a picnic down to the beach.
Other things our group did; explored around Portland, drove up to Freeport to visit the LL Bean Flagship store, did a sailing tour and found multiple playgrounds along the way.
TIPS!
One thing to consider when you are traveling is the time of year you are headed to Maine. We arrived on Labor Day, and SO many of the summer crowds had seemingly died down. The weather was still beautiful and the temperatures were comfortable, but we weren’t dealing with the peak summer crowds everywhere we went. With kids, I really appreciated being able to wander through the little towns, explore the coast and stop wherever we wanted without feeling overwhelmed by summer crowds.
One of the GREAT things about being an Amazeum member is that our membership can come in handy when we travel. While we were in Portland, we visited the Children’s Museum & Theatre of Maine, and our Amazeum membership got us 50% off admission! Depending on the museum and which reciprocal program they participate in, you may get free or discounted admission, so it’s always worth checking before you travel.
A Few Things I’d Do Again
If I were planning this trip again, I’d absolutely:
Stay a little inland to save money on lodging and make time to just chill at the airbnb!
Go after Labor Day if our schedule allowed.
Get an ice cream flight from Scoop Deck
Spend time walking Marginal Way and exploring Ogunquit & Perkins Cove
Give yourself at least a few hours to shop and eat in Kennebunkport
Visit Portland Head Lighthouse
Hike Bauneg Beg Mountain
Research the local food before you go!
Not overfill my schedule!
Maine is one of those places I still find myself thinking about all the time. The salty air, the rocky coastline, the little towns, the food, the beautiful homes and that slower pace—it was everything I hoped it would be. Next time I’m heading North from Portland to explore a different part of the state! If you’re a family in Northwest Arkansas looking for a trip that feels completely different from home, I’d definitely put Southern Maine on your list.