Summer days on the shore in Ogunquit, Maine
Why is New England so cute? Honestly, I cannot get over how picture perfect all the coastal New England towns are. Lighthouses and lobster rolls make my heart happy. New England = Summer! A good friend of mine grew up in MA and his family has a cottage in a beach town in Maine. One summer weekend, he asked me to join him and his family and they pulled out all the stops to make my first Ogunquit trip memorable. Stick around to see my favorite sites in this cute as a button coastal town.
One of the major tourist attractions in the area is Nubble Lighthouse. Named for the nub of land it was built on, the lighthouse serves as a guiding light over the rocking Maine Coast. It is now on the National Register of Historic Places and is owned and maintained by the town of York, with the help of the US Coast Guard. Viewing the structure from across the water is about as picture perfect as you can get.
A quintessential New England experience has to involve boats and bridges. The wooden pedestrian drawbridge in Perkins Cove brings you back in time and also provides entertainment while you relax along the harbor after a long afternoon of shopping in downtown Ogunquit. Perkins Cove started as a fishing village and artist colony and signs of its beginnings are still visible today. Charter a fishing boat and spend a day on the water, or shop one of the local, independent art shops on the main drag.
Perkin's Cove is still a fishing village and a lobster harbor so the seafood is out of this world. For a taste of New England with beautiful water views, take a seaside seat at Barnacle Billy's. Beachy cocktails, bacon wrapped scallops, and lobster rolls amp up the summer vacation vibes.
Perkins Cove connects to a stunning coastal cliff walk and this journey is a must after your big ole seafood feast. The views are spectacular from The Marginal Way (in either direction). Named after the margin between the land and the sea, the coastal walk is only a bit over a mile long and is relatively flat, making it an easy hike to stretch your legs and take in the views. You'll catch locals fishing, reading, or just enjoying the view from one of the lovely benches alongside the cliff edges. Keep walking and you'll end up at some wide open beaches, perfect for lounging, picnicking or playing sand games (we ate sandwiches & summer salads and played ladder ball).
While lobster rolls will hit the spot, you can't leave Maine without having live Maine Lobster. There are various seafood shops in town, but my friend's family took us to Beach Plum Lobster Farm where we picked our own lobster and took them home to cook on the patio. The shop is a little house with helpful and knowledgeable staff and immediately makes you feel like part of the community. We stocked up on lobster and other seafood and then added our own extras, like potatoes and veggies. There is nothing better than a seafood picnic outside your own New England cottage.
Thank you, James, for inviting me into your family for the weekend. I am in love with your home away from home (and all the Maine blueberry donuts!)
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