A two-night Getaway to Kennebunkport, Maine
Last year, for my husband’s birthday, we visited Charleston, SC. This year, we could only manage a quick two-night getaway. Approximately five hours northeast of Glen Rock, NJ, you’ll find the charming coastal town of Kennebunkport, Maine.
Day 1: Travel Day to Kennebunkport, Maine - All packed and ready to go the night before, we departed Glen Rock, NJ at 7:45 AM. We arrived just in time for lunch at Allison’s Restaurant, right in downtown Kennebunkport. They sat us on the second floor where we had views of the town. It was a beautiful and perfect start to our short getaway. I had the lobster roll, my husband had the steamed lobster special, and the kids had the fried shrimp basket.
We could not check-in to the hotel until 4 PM, so we waisted no time and started to explore town. We took a leisurely stroll through the beautiful streets down Ocean Avenue (Elm St., Pearl St. and Green St.) to admire all the historical homes and marvel at the sailboats and fishing boats along the Kennebunk river. We also took a drive to St. Ann’s Episcopal Church, a beautiful seaside chapel with breathtaking views. Inside you can admire the many stained glass windows that date back to the late 1800s.
We checked into the Nonantum Resort around 4:30 PM. The staff was lovely and welcoming, getting us to our room in minutes. Ready to enjoy the heated pool, we changed into our suits and headed downstairs. We headed first to Camp Nonuntum (a kid’s club with endless activities) to snatch the kid’s free welcome bag (included were a water bottle, candy, sunglasses and a few activities) and get the lay of the land. While the kids enjoyed playing in the pool, we listened to a fantastic live band play and savored a poolside cocktail. I will stop here to say that this resort is PERFECT for families. They have activities planned throughout the day and they even offer a camp from 5:30 PM-8:30 PM (with a choice of dinner) for parents that want to enjoy a date night. Pictured below is their must have Mariner Mojito made with Cold River Blueberry Vodka, Wyman’s Blueberries, Mint and Lemon. Cheers!
We ended the day with a delicious dinner at the cove-side Mabel’s Lobster Claw, only a two-minute walk from the Nonantum Resort. We started with the mussels marinara and then ordered Mabel’s Signature main dishes - The Duke for my husband, The Dutchess for me, the Mabel’s Burger for our son and the buttered pasta for our daughter “the picky eater.” We gave her props for trying everything we offered. One day her palate will develop…we hope! We ended with a blueberry pie a la mode for desert - another must have. It was all AMAZING! We loved the cove-side and the evening walk back to the hotel was beautiful.
Day 2: My husband’s birthday! We started off with the resort’s included breakfast buffet, which offered plentiful selections (pastries, toast, pancakes, eggs, fresh fruit, yogurt with toppings, etc.). The resort offers a full schedule of activities for children and one of them is crabbing. Most of the activities require a fee, but crabbing was free and we took full advantage! Make sure to book your activities in advance.
After crabbing, we got ready for the beach! We grabbed sandwiches at Bennet’s Sandwich Shop and headed to Goose Rocks Beach. This was a great beach with tiny waves and tide pools for children. You can park in posted spaces on King’s Highway, Dyke Road, and New Biddeford Road. A parking permit can be purchased at the kiosks and costs $30 for the day. The beach did have plenty of stone and hermit crabs that the kids enjoyed watching, until my son got bit. He then happily sat and read with me while my daughter and my husband took a long walk along the beach.
After a few hours at the beach, we headed back to the hotel, jumped back into the pool, and had another pool-side cocktail while the kids enjoyed many games of basketball, ping-pong, frisbee, and cornhole with the other kids that were staying there.
We then showered and got ready for my husband’s birthday dinner at The Lost Fire, an Argentinian steakhouse led by chef German Lucalerri. Not only is the restaurant beautiful, the food is delicious! Be sure to also checkout Luca - their patio space.
To top off the night, we headed to Rococo Ice Cream. Rococo has fourteen flavors in their rotation. My husband and the kids had the dark chocolate, but I had the Goat Cheese & Blackberry Chambord Swirl (another must) and it was perfection. It was so good that we went back the next day.
Day 3: Travel Day Back to NJ - We took our time waking up, enjoyed the breakfast buffet, checked out at 11:00 AM, and headed to town for some souvenirs. I had to get a buoy (they were all over), Kennebunkport t-shirts, and a few other knickknacks including a small sailboat and a small cast iron sperm whale. My favorite shops were Lobstore, Go Fish and Home Ingredients. We then had a simple lunch at Federal Jack’s. They had the perfect outside seating by the river and it was a beautiful day to enjoy one of their daily brewed beers. I had the Goat Island Light and it was delicious.
I highly recommend a trip to Kennebunkport. We found that 2-nights and 3-days was plenty of time to see a lot of this gorgeous coastal town. A few more days and we would have definitely enjoyed other activities such as kayaking, a lobster tour, or whale watching. But you don’t need to do any of these activities to see all the beauty this New England town has to offer. It’s incredibly family friendly, walkable, and there is plenty to do that does not require endless cash to enjoy. There is something for everyone! It’s truly a town out of a magazine.
Thank you for reading!
XOXO, Paloma
