Portland, ME – Lighthouses & Lobsters!
Who doesn’t love impeccable views of lighthouses? Well, Portland’s got ’em, along with the freshest lobster your taste buds will ever experience.
The best way to get front row ocean views of some of the most famous lighthouses in Maine is by a boat cruise. We chose the sunset cruise with a bar! This 1 hour 45 minute tour routes you through the small and minimally occupied islands. Each beach-style waterfront home is beautifully designed, sitting tall with white framed windows, light and soft colored paint and large porches. And you can only imagine how much wealth is behind each one. Most of the islands only structures are homes, civilians would need to boat into mainland for groceries, etc. Talk about seclusion!
The most picturesque and well-known lighthouse is the “Head Light”. It is the oldest lighthouse (and still operating) in Main painted in a crisp white with rich red accents. It is truly the perfect picture, especially at sunset!
Back on land, Commercial and Wharf Street are where it’s at. Commercial lines the waterfront where you can stroll along, gazing at all the sailboats and yachts, step into shops and boutiques for the cutest knick-knacks you may not find anywhere else and enjoy a nice lunch or dinner with drinks right over the water.
Ri Ra is an Irish Pub that our Airbnb hosts recommended. We stopped in for an afternoon beer and app. The pub offers Victorian lounge seating and 19th century design structures all the way from businesses in Dublin! The food we did have (potato balls) was amazingly delicious and the view of the harbor offered a calm and relaxing outing.
Porthole is another restaurant with a more relaxed, casual vibe with typical bar food and of course plenty of lobster and fish & chips.
Portland Lobster Co. is located right next to Portland Discovery Tours and has an area that extends over the water where you can enjoy refreshing beer and plenty of lobster! There is also a live band most of the nights in the summer!
Kennebunkport is where you’ll discover Maine’s cutest small coast town. Beachy boutiques, lobster/clam shacks and ice cream shops fill the tiny downtown area. Make your way into David’s KPT for a fancy dinner or a more budget friendly happy hour. H.B. Provisions is the local coffee shop that’s more than just a cup of brew. Here you will find the most delicious whoopie pie ice cream, a mini market and a sandwich/deli counter.
Highly educational lobster boat tours are available and are quite fun! Captain Bob with Rugosa Lobster Tours takes you out to his lobster traps while he and his tour guide explain the process of catching, the rules and the anatomy. Maine will not keep lobsters if they are longer than 5 inches (from the eyeball socket to the end of the abdomen) as they are prime reproducers. If you ever eat a lobster longer than 5 inches and they tell you it’s from Maine, it’s a lie.
Captain Bob pulled up 3 traps during our tour and each of us got to hold one. JC even banded the claw of one! This tour was a pure hands on experience and we walked away knowing more about lobsters than ever expected!
After our tour, we drove along Ocean Ave. taking in the beauty of the gorgeous mansions and stunning ocean views. You can see the Bush Compound perfectly from Walker’s Point as it extends out on one of the peninsulas. George Bush Sr., Bush Jr. and Jeb Bush all have their homes here (Jeb’s being the most recently built). The two houses closest to the front drive are for their security officers. Their boat is also docked near the lobster boat tour!
For some beach time, Old Orchard Beach offers 7 miles of sandy shores, calm ocean waters to swim in and a wooden pier w/ souvenir shops. There are only a few months in the year, though, when the water is warm enough to get more than ankle-deep in.
Portland and Kennebunkport offer great coastal activities and views with summertime being the perfect season to visit!
Dates Visited: 6/27-7/1, 2016