Maine is truly breathtaking and picturesque. I was in awe as we drove around. The towns were out of a story book and the color of the leaves was unreal. My little family took a trip there last weekend an I’m sharing a few of my tips and must-do’s while you are there. Trust me when I tell you that you will fall in love with Maine’s beauty and charm. I can’t wait to go back and I’m so glad we made it there in time to see the leaves changing.
Kennebunk and Kennebunkport Maine
First of all my biggest piece of advice is to book an Airbnb online. This is by far the best value for the most space and location. I went in with a few family’s and we wanted to have ample space for our 9 kids, 6 adults. We found the cutest beach house, literally across the street from the beach, that had 7 bedrooms and 4 bathrooms. The house was built in 1925 and had a lot of charm and character. The kids loved the house because of the older layout there was “maze” like ways to get around and endless places to hide and seek. Another great part about a house is making meals there and saving money by not going out every meal. I also love the fact that after the kids go to bed, adults can enjoy games and drinks with our interruption. Our kids had so much fun playing along the beach and jumping the waves on the beach across from the house. We also took advantage the beautiful location buy walks along the shore and kids taking daily scooter rides. I loved falling asleep to the crashing waves and feeling the ocean air. The above picture is my little family standing on the grass in front of our Airbnb looking out to the ocean. AHHHHMAZING!
Everywhere you drive in the fall pretty much anywhere in Maine is absolutely stunning. The leaves, the colors, the contrast… its all just heavenly. I was told the fall in New England was a must see but I had no idea the extent of it. I feel like the best time to see the fall leaves in Maine is around the first 2-3 weeks of October. The cool is in the air and the leaves are at their peak colors along with the contrast of the green tress that have yet to change. My kids were amazed at all the vibrant colors they saw as we drove around town.
My second must do while near Kennebunk Maine is the Portland Head Light Lighthouse, located on Cape Elizabeth. This lighthouse was first lit on January 10th, 1791, marking it the oldest lighthouse in Maine. There is a cliff walk which our kids loved walking along and searching for flowers, shells, and rocks. The trail features a lot of sitting areas and huge trees where the kids can climb on. The kids really enjoyed playing with the piles and piles of leaves. That is every kids dream right…… As your exiting the park area are some large swings, so of course we stopped to enjoy the feeling of air blowing through our hair as we left our worries in the car an enjoyed the swings for a few minutes.
The town of Kennebunkport was so welcoming and warm. Every house and doorstep along with storefronts and common areas were decorated for Halloween and Fall. My kids were squealing with delight as we drove through the neighborhoods.
The third thing that is a must is antiquing. Antique shops are everywhere you drive. We went antiquing for the whole day and had a blast. We figured out that most dealers opened around 10am, and placed a huge “open” flag on their lawn and usually closed around 430/5p. It was such a fun experience searching through old items trying to find that gem I was looking for. I wished I lived closer and I would have filled my whole car to the top with finds.
The fourth thing I loved and is a must see is The Nubble Lighthouse, Cape Neddick Lighstation in York, Maine. Construction on the lighthouse was completed July 1st, 1879. The lighthouse is its own little island and not accessible by public, but the views are incredible. My kids enjoyed crawling around the rocks along the water and watching the waves crash into them. We stopped by this Lighthouse on our way back home to Rhode Island. It was a great ending to our trip.
These are just a few ideas you could do for a long weekend in Kennebunk and Kennebunkport Maine. These two towns are very close in proximity. Kennebunkport is the town closest to the ocean. Like I said earlier I fell in love with the place the second we drove into the town. This is a must see place and you won’t regret it. I’m already planning my next trip back in the Spring.
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