Maine attraction: A heckuva lot of lobster
The Kennebunks on southern coast offer plenty for kids to do and adults to eat
KENNEBUNK BEACH, Maine -- Sandy beaches, plenty of things to keep kids occupied and lobster. Lots of lobster.
This pretty much sums up the southern coast of Maine -- and my idea of the perfect family summer vacation.
PHOTO GALLERY
The Kennebunks, Maine
Find out more about Maine's southern coast at www.visitmaine.com or (888) 956-2463.
Maine is about as big as the other five New England states combined, but my husband, 7-year-old stepson and I were perfectly content to confine ourselves to this tiny area, a short drive south of Portland.
I'll just call it the "Kennebunks" area, which my trusty Fodor's guide defines as a cluster of seaside and inland villages called Kennebunk, Kennebunk Beach, Kennebunk- port, Goose Rocks, Arundel and Cape Porpoise. It's home to former President George H.W. Bush's summer retreat -- a fact that didn't go unnoticed by my stepson Ben.
Ben does a pretty good impression of the current president, and he was chomping at the bit to perform it for H.W. if we ran into him and Babs on the street. I'm sure the elder Bushes would've loved watching a first-grader regale them with, "Heck of a job, Brownie!"
During our June trip to the Kennebunks, we never did see the Bushes. But we did see sandy beaches. There were plenty of things to keep Ben occupied. And we had lobster. Lots of lobster.
Here's our guide to the perfect family summer vacation on the southern coast of Maine:
Afternoon tea, cheese and crackers, complimentary bikes, rocking chairs on the front porch looking out on the Atlantic coast -- touches like these make the Beach House feel more like an intimate B&B than a 34-room inn. And you can't beat the location: across the street from Kennebunk Beach. Built in 1891, the Beach House has the same owners as the nearby White Barn Inn, a pricier, Relais & Chateaux property that caters to adults and children older than 12.
If you ask for dinner recommendations, the Beach House staff will likely steer you toward its other sister property, Grissini Italian Bistro, which serves up some seriously good Tuscan food. Don't miss the brick-oven pizza.
Nightly rates start at $199 and go up to $399 in summer. The inn is open year-round. Kennebunk Beach; (207) 967-3850; www.beachhseinn.com
Hop aboard for a three-mile ride on whatever trolleys they have running that day. This is billed as the world's largest electric railway museum, with more than 250 streetcars, trackless trolleys and buses from around the globe -- including some gems from Chicago. Ben could've spent all day here climbing into the vintage trolley cars and playing conductor.
Admission costs $8 for adults, $5.50 for children. Ice cream and sunset trolley rides at 7 p.m. Wednesdays and Thursdays in July and August.
Kennebunkport; (207) 967-2800; www.trolleymuseum.org
Take a 90-minute cruise down the Kennebunk River and into the Atlantic on the 65-foot Kylie's Chance. Former President Bush keeps his boat docked on the river next to a couple of Secret Service vessels that follow him whenever he ventures out.
You'll cruise past brightly colored bobbing buoys attached to lobster cages dotting the ocean. The captain will haul a few cages onto the boat so you see how these delicious bugs of the sea get plucked from their watery home. This part of the tour riveted Ben, a big fan of "Deadliest Catch."
We learned that lobster trapping in Maine -- the source of nearly 90 percent of American lobster -- is more complicated than it sounds. Fishermen have to measure each lobster they catch, and if it's deemed too small or too big, it must be thrown back into the ocean. Ditto for female lobsters with eggs.
The cruise also gives you the best view of the Bushes' sprawling summer compound, Walker's Point. I was surprised to see that the man who made millions in the oil industry has installed a windmill on his estate.
Tours cost $21 for adults, $16 for children ages 3-12. Longer whale-watching tours also available. Call ahead because trips can get canceled due to weather or insufficient passenger numbers.
First/Second Chance is at the bridge in Kennebunk; (800) 767-2628; www.first chancewhale watch.com
The lobster boat tour should have left you hungry for you know what. Lucky for you, the dock is right by one of the best seafood shacks in the country. The Clam Shack is just what is sounds like: a tiny white shack that sells crispy fried clams and phenomenal lobster rolls. Unlike traditional lobster rolls, these are served on hamburger buns. But they could've served it in an old shoe for all I cared: the sweet, freshly shredded meat from a 1.25-pound lobster is why folks line up to pay $16.50 for a sandwich with no sides.
Kennebunkport; (207) 967-3321; www.theclamshack.net
Tie on your plastic bib and dig into a nearly 2-pound lobster for $25 at this casual eatery, open seven days a week for dinner only. The price is low but the quality is high, which might be why Nunan's has been in business for more than half a century. The wood paneling and lobster buoys make it feel like you're eating in the galley of a boat. Lots of locally brewed beer on tap and fresh, homemade pie. It's a little out of the way in Cape Porpoise but worth the trip. Nunan's doesn't take reservations or credit cards. Cape Porpoise; (207) 967-4362.
More than two miles of sand make up this uncrowded stretch of real estate along the Atlantic. Because it's in a largely residential area that lacks non-permit parking, Goose Rocks isn't nearly as populated as some of the other beaches in the Kennebunks.
Take Maine 9 north from Cape Porpoise and make a right on Dyke Road (a big white barn with a clock tower will be on your left). When we visited in June, there were plenty of open parking spaces along the beach. This time of year, you'll need a permit to park here. A local told us that for $5, the nearby General Store near the Citgo station will let people leave their cars there all day. Goose Rocks; www.visitmaine.com
So the town of Ogunquit isn't technically one of the Kennebunks, but it's just a few miles south and worth the drive for at least two reasons.
No. 1: The large, sandy beach here is arguably the best in Maine -- no small feat in a state with 5,500 miles of coastline. If your kids aren't quite ready for a dip in the Atlantic, the much tamer Ogunquit River is just a short stroll away.
No. 2: You haven't seen the southern coast of Maine until you've walked the mile-plus oceanview path called Marginal Way, which you can access right downtown. You'll be torn between looking at the impressive houses to your right and the crashing waves along the rocky shoreline on your left. The path ends at Perkins Cove, where you can raise the wooden drawbridge with the push of a button.