There’s something about the Maine coast that feels instantly calming, the salty air, the rocky shorelines, and the charming seaside towns make it the perfect destination for a long weekend. My travel buddy Dawn and I try to go up a couple times a year, usually in the off-season. And December encompasses exactly that. We missed out on Christmas by the Sea a couple weeks ago and we really wanted to see the lights and lobster trap trees, so we headed up to Ogunquit for a long weekend right after Christmas.
Here’s how our “itinerary” played out. (I use itinerary very loosely since we mostly just create a list of places to see and foods to eat, then play it by ear as to how we will accomplish it.)
We kicked off our road trip from Central Massachusetts and stopped for lunch at The Maine Diner in Wells. The homemade chicken pot pie was absolutely delicious, although I couldn’t seem to stop putting my hand in my butternut squash. Four times!!! We didn’t have room for dessert, but I really wanted to try the “Maine Indulgence”, a homemade waffle with blueberry ice cream with semi-sweet chocolate chunks, topped with chocolate syrup, Maine maple syrup, and whipped cream. There’s always next time!
After lunch, we headed to Kennebunkport to see the lobster topped Christmas tree, because what’s a Christmas tree without a lobster on top? We walked around and then over the bridge into Kennebunk where we took a break from the cold and stopped off at Mornings in Paris for a caramel turtle latte with almond milk for myself and a creme brulee latte for Dawn. The cozy café atmosphere paired with excellent coffee made it the perfect afternoon pick-me-up.
Then it was time to head back to Ogunquit so we could check in to our hotel. Seacastles Resort, less than a mile from Ogunquit Beach and only a 9 minute walk to Marginal Way, was a great home base for our weekend.
After some exploration of the resort (there’s a hot tub and indoor pool!), we headed over to spend some time walking around Perkins Cove. Most of the shops in the Cove were closed for the season, but it’s still such a cute area, such fantastic coastal vibes. We walked along Marginal Way, which was easily one of the most beautiful parts of the trip. The ocean views, crashing waves, and coastal paths were absolutely stunning and felt like a quintessential Maine experience.
For dinner, we went to East Restaurant in Wells, where we enjoyed a relaxed and satisfying meal of General Tso’s chicken. Sure it wasn’t your typical coastal Maine fare, that’s for tomorrow night, but it was a good way to warm up after the. After dinner, we made our way to Nubble Light in York where we got to view the lighthouse all done up in Christmas lights as well as a lobster trap tree.
The next day began with breakfast at Raspberri’s, located inside the Gorge Grant Hotel. Absolutely fantastic food. Homemade lemon blueberry bread topped with fresh blueberries and dusted with powdered sugar was my choice of the morning. While Dawn indulged in the raspberry cream cheese french toast, french bread stuffed with raspberry cream cheese, topped with fresh raspberries and whipped cream and dusted with powdered sugar. It was a great way to fuel up while making plans for the rest of the day.
We decided to head up to Portland, always a good choice for food related adventuring. We spent the day walking around in the bitter cold and taking it all in. After a couple stops in some shops like The Blue Lobster (where I picked up yet another plushie), we headed to The Holy Donut, where I grabbed a sweet potato ginger glazed donut and a blueberry tea with oat milk.This was the first time I had a successful trip to The Holy Donut because there’s always just too much of a line, and for me, the hype was definitely worth it. Delicious!
After finishing up in the downtown area, we visited Portland Head Light at Fort Williams Park, one of the best known lighthouses in Maine. Even with the cold, it was a great opportunity for photos.The views were incredible, and it felt like one of those moments where you just stop and appreciate where you are.
A brief stop back at the hotel to relax and watch some Ghost Adventures and then dinner Pepper’s Seafood Co. Now as time for some seafood! Clam strips with extra tartar sauce is always a must for me at least once. Some drinks and some chicken wings slathered in blueberry barbeque sauce rounded out the evening.
On our final day, we checked out of Seacastles Resort and made one last stop at Mornings in Paris, this time at their Ogunquit location. From there, we headed to Kittery Premium Outlets for some shopping before making our way home. It was a fun and easy way to wrap up the weekend and transition back to reality. Ah reality…..