Maine. Vacationland. The state known for maple and moose and…lobster. My summer trip to Maine was like living inside of a postcard. I can see why they call it Vacationland.
We stayed in an adorable inn called York Harbor Inn in the town of York Harbor. Two of my friends personally recommended this place to us, and it proved to be as perfect as they depicted. Situated right on the water, it overlooks a gorgeous rocky beach. After checking in to our dollhouse-looking rooms, we went for a walk around the rocky beach and sands down by the water.
A co-worker of mine, who is originally from Maine, recommended a great place to get fresh lobster in an area called Two Lights. Lobster Shack was a nondescript shack, sort of in the middle of nowhere. And it was a wonderfully authentic experience. We cracked our lobsters open on a picnic table right on the water. It was exactly what we all pictured we should be doing in Maine. (Though I saw parts of a lobster I never wanted to see!)
Our first stop on the ride up the coast of Maine was Nubble Lighthouse. Maine is well-known for lighthouses, and this one was very close to where we were staying in York Harbor. We walked around the beautiful grounds and took lots of pictures. It looked like we were standing in front of a postcard. The colors were so vivid and the lighthouse very picturesque.
As we drove up the coast, we passed many beaches that were packed to the brim with people. What I didn’t realize before visiting Maine was how hot it could be. It was around 90 degrees almost every day we were there. But the summer season is shorter, with fall coming more quickly that far north, so the beaches are packed every day for the time that they can be enjoyed.
We popped in and out of most of the cute little towns dotting the coastline on our way up to Kennebunkport. We visited antique shops, candle stores, and coffee shops in these towns. We also stopped by the Bush family vacation home. Their home is on a small island just off the main road, so it isn’t accessible by car, but we did our damn best zooming in to see the house in as much detail as possible. It was huge! And beautiful.
The next day we took a drive up to Freeport. This is where L.L. Beans is headquartered. We spent the afternoon wandering their stores, and I was lucky enough to leave with a brand new pair of Bean boots and a raincoat. Very special purchases that I will treasure and use forever (they are coming with me to Ireland in just a few weeks). We ate ice cream and tried to escape the heat, before heading back towards York.
Not far from where we were staying was a cottage called Chapman Cottage. We explored the grounds and sat on an expansive deck and ordered appetizers and fruity drinks as the sun set on our rocking chairs. It was so relaxing.
The following morning we took a daytrip to Portland. Portland was very different from the small towns on the coast, though the people were still just as kind. We ate a delicious breakfast a local place called Bintliff’s American Cafe. Portland was an artsy city. I liked it, but I was also glad to be staying in a quieter town. It felt more unique to be out of a larger city since I live so close to one.
Traveling to Maine was one of the most peaceful trips I have ever taken. On one of our last nights there, my sister and I took a walk to the beach after spending some quality time in the basement bar of our inn. We climbed up onto the lifeguard stand and listened to songs by one of our favorite artists at the time, Robyn. We looked out onto the dark sea and, though it was a little freaky at the time, we were both so happy. I hope to go back to Maine someday and explore more of its towns (and maybe even see a moose!). It really was Vacationland.
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