Winter Weekend in Kennebunkport
There’s nothing like Maine. End statement. It’s one of the most beautiful places with so much to do. From the forests to the coasts, you can see it all in this massive state. I’ve been to Maine a lot but this was my first time exploring in the winter. Most of my life we have gone to Maine around Labor Day weekend. My dad sets the alarm for 4am, we pile in the car and drive the 8 hours from NJ to Boothbay Harbor. It’s further north than Kennebunk and Portland but after seeing signs for Kennebunk or Kennebunkport for years, it was finally time to experience it. And living in Providence now, I’m so much closer to the rest of New England. I fell victim to the big February/Valentine’s Day marketing push by the Kennebunkport Instagram and I booked it. I mean, come on, it’s so cute!
We stayed at the Seaside Inn with contactless check in/check out. Our rates were super affordable and we paid just over $150 for two nights in an oceanfront room, which is why I love off season traveling. It’s the oldest family run (nine generations) lodging in the state or even the country. While being very basic in comparison to some of the fancier new hotels and Airbnb listings, the location is unmatched. It’s the only inn actually on Kennebunk Beach. Even in winter, driving along the beach was breathtaking. I can’t wait to see it in the spring or summer!
Earth at Hidden Pond
I had originally seen a few restaurants in the Instagram promotion but this one stuck out like crazy. The interior is jaw-droppingly gorgeous. The texture of the wood wall and the overall hygge/coziness vibes I got made it impossible to stop thinking about. The weekend I had booked they were doing a pop-up menu from another restaurant of theirs called Ocean that’s closed in the off-season. It was 5 courses (including the amuse-bouche) for $90 a person and let me tell you, it was worth it. From amuse-bouche to dessert: smoked salmon blini with caviar, crab veloute with mushrooms and leeks, lobster thermidor with king trumpet mushrooms and sherry cream, scallop with foie gras and blood orange, rack of lamb with escargot in phyllo cups, citrus creme de caramel and opera hazelnut torte. The crab veloute was the stand-out for us because they served the crab, leeks, mushrooms and a single tortellini in a warm shallow bowl then poured the thin, creamy broth over it. It was crabby and lemony but also not heavy. The whole experience was unforgettable.
Above photo from Hidden Pond Website
Fish Shacks at Batson River
A friend had mentioned this place to me before I saw the adorable little fish shacks available for private outdoor dining. It is definitely a popular place in the town and they supply some of the restaurants with liquor since they’re a distillery. I had a Batson River gin & tonic at Earth that was amazing. I am a total sucker for unique, photographable things so I tried to get reservations to no avail. Thankfully on Friday, my cousin said to check again and I noticed they had some mid-afternoon Sunday availability so I snatched it up instantly.
These little huts are the perfect idea for winter dining, especially during a pandemic. They gave so much privacy but still allowed us to enjoy a restaurant atmosphere. I ended up getting the same gin & tonic I had at Earth with pink peppercorns and grapefruit. Amazing! We opted for the smoked salmon dip and splitting a brown butter lobster roll. When I say run, do not walk, to get the house bourbon pickles, I’m not exaggerating. They are an appetizer option on their own but they came on the dip board and blew our minds. The pickling brine is so unique, probably because of the bourbon, but they’re the best pickled veg we ever had. The lobster roll was also A+ with the brown butter and tempura flakes. We loved dipping the chips into the dip as well. Mmmm.
Love Shacks and Gondolas at Boathouse
Next, we went to Boathouse, a famous restaurant in the same family as Earth at Hidden Pond and Ocean. This is the place I had originally seen pics of on Instagram when I decided I had to go. I had really wanted to dine inside one of the super cool gondolas but we got a love shack instead. It was still very cute and decorated for the month of love. The table was glass and underneath they had little printed off love letters. We went at happy hour and got the wings with goat cheese ranch, french fries, and short rib bao buns. The food was good but did not knock my socks off. I’d love to try again and have a regular entree because they sounded really good.
The town had a great push towards safe outdoor dining for the cold weather. There were a few places that shacks or even gondolas. It was so fun to see the town decorated for Valentine’s Day with hearts everywhere. I’ve read that Christmas time is also very popular in Kennebunkport and I definitely want to book next December for our anniversary. I didn’t get to photograph the gondolas too much but the insides were so spacious. I hope they bring them back next year!
Kennebunkport and Kennebunk are two separate, very small towns but both sides have so many things to see and do. We spent a lot of time driving around the entire area including Arundel and Cape Porpoise. It is so picturesque and genuinely the most New England vibes out there. Kennebunk Beach was enormous during low tide and its prime for mansion gazing. I can see the area would be absolutely mobbed during the summer but shoulder season is a really nice option!
