Kennebunkport has been on one of our top New England destination lists and it is only until a couple of weeks ago that we were able to plan a quick getaway there. Only about 90 miles from Boston, I am not sure why we dint visit this place earlier, but now that I’ve been there once – I want to visit again hopefully in the summer. I know many of you have trips upcoming, so hopefully this guide will help and if you don’t have one planned, I highly recommend checking out this destination out for a getaway. Summers here are said to be epitome of New England summer charm.
Where we stayed : Captain Fairfield Inn
Captain Fairfield Inn is a part of the Lark Hotels chain – you may remember, we visited the Attwater in Newport, RI last year. Design and decor are the primary theme that sets them apart and not to mention the hospitality.
Captain Fairfield Inn is part classic and part modern and the innkeepers , a husband wife duo are what make this place a second home for their guests. Their recommendations and stories about the town will get you all the more excited for your getaway. We were given an iPad with all the useful information, bookmarked locations, town map, etc. which I thought was pretty cool.
The room decor at Lark Hotels always blows my mind. Each detail is so pinterest-worthy =))
The included breakfast is cooked by the innkeepers and is very farm-to-table style. Locally grown Maine products are used in every dish and our lovely innkeepers even shared a recipe book with all their popular dishes which is so cool, because the scones and breads were to die for!
Oh and yes, every afternoon they have their rather famous freshly baked sea-salt cookies laid out – I’d go back all the way just for those.
They have a cozy lounge area where I spent quote a few hours on Friday, attending work related conference calls. The inn is conveniently located, just about 10 minutes walking distance from the town center which makes it ideal since finding parking in the center can be a tad bit difficult.
Where to Eat
Kennebunkport is well-known for its gastronomy offerings. While the popularity can mainly be attributed to seafood, there are tons of other options as well that got an approval rating from this vegetarian. Note: I am a vegetarian and my husband eats some meat ( none of us do seafood though. Almost all places we went, there were a few vegetarian options available on the menu and customizing wasn’t an issue ) There are just so many places to eat that you either need more than a weekend to try everything or do what we did – don’t stop eating! Which isn’t’ a bad way to spend the weekend if you ask me =))
Allisons : This is hands down the most popular restaurant in the town. They serve breakfast, lunch, dinner and are open until late in the night.
Ports of Italy : I cannot even begin to talk about how much I loved their minestrone soup here. Is it crazy that I want to go back just to have that again? =)) We had the most wonderful lunch here – it is right on the water, has a beautiful rustic decor and the food is delicious. Pizza, pasta, soup, dessert, wine selections – something for every italian craving you have. Must try! And the head chef of the restaurant owns a Vespa which he very generously allowed us to ride ( read take pictures with ) for a while.
Bandaloop : We heard so many great things about this place but sadly it was still closed for the season when we were there and due to open the next week. So if you are going there after mid-April, you will get to try it out.
Boulangerie : Oh sweet boulangerie. This is in the town of Kennebunk which is separated by Kennebunkport by a small bridge. We stopped by at this charming bakery twice in the 2 short days we were there, to grab coffee and fresh from the oven croissants. Try the chocolate oozing ones and the almond chai latte.
Pier77 : While this is mainly known for its seafood ( as the name suggests ) but the views of the harbor are so tempting that we stopped by for a quick dessert.
Pedro’s : I took a good nap on Saturday evening ( can you blame me after all that eating? ) and woke up around 8.30 and was starving! Not many places in Kennebunkport or Kennebunk are open for dinner after 9pm, Pedro’s was one of the few ones and although it dint have the best reviews on Yelp, we both love Mexican food and decided to give it a try. I actually liked it quite a lot – good music, good food and perfect for a laid back dinner.
Litchfield’s Bar and Grill : This was another place that is open past midnight and they have an extensive late night bar menu which includes pizza! We usually have late dinners, so it was nice to have a few options in Kennebunk to choose from.
What to Do
There’s so much to do in Kennebunkport and at the same not much to do either. You know what I mean? It’s a quaint little town, very laid back and has this relaxed vibe – where no one seems to be in a hurry, people actually take the time to stop and smile, shopkeepers seem genuinely interested in chatting with you! There are cute stores to explore ( you simply must stop by at the homemade fudge store ), the beach ofcourse and has a charming harbour filled with boats and dinghies.
The Wedding Cake House is a 5 minutes drive from the center of the town – such a cute photo opp. You can’t go inside the house but there are cars parked outside invariably with people taking pictures – you won’t miss it!
Aside from this town being a New England summer favorite, we were told that the Christmas parades in Kennebunkport are apparently amongst the top 5 in the country. I can’t wait to visit again. Let me know if you have any questions that I dint cover here – comment below and you can always send me an email – neha@loveplayingdressup.com – xo Neha
A big Thank You to Lark Hotels for hosting us and for the memorable weekend
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