02/26/2024
Fall in Maine. This is the time we elected to bring my 90 year old Mother In Law five years ago. Our goal was two fold. 1. View the fall foliage. 2. Show her out of the way areas most tourists miss.
We decided to fly into Boston arriving October 2 through October 12. After collecting our bags and easily navigating through Boston traffic with our rental car...we beelined it to Southern Maine.
Our first stop will always be at Stonewall Kitchen in York, Maine. https://www.stonewallkitchen.com We have followed their journey since they opened in 1991. Their products are exceptional and presentation is charming. We picked up plenty of snacks for our next 10 days and a few souvenirs. We may or may not have stopped on the way home for more!
Our next stop is the Old Port in Portland, Maine. This area offers cobblestone streets, 19th century brick buildings, and fishing piers. There is an active ferry line that takes you to islands in the bay. Most visitors find themselves walking the narrow streets to shop and visit the many restaurants.
Our first restaurant stop always includes a lobster roll from Portland Lobster Company. https://portlandlobstercompany.com/ Their vibe is very relaxed. Order at the counter, grab a number, make your way out to the patio seating to enjoy your drink and listen to live music most days. They bring the lobster roll to you while you take in the waterfront vibe. There are other restaurants that offer formal seating. I like the relaxed atmosphere. Before I forget. Oddly enough, they also have the only coleslaw I will eat. It is so good!
From here, we move away from the water to our AirBNB in Western Maine. The Bethel area offers that mountain town experience in the fall. An extremely small town with large ski resorts. Local restaurants are all you will find here. Local breweries. With the exception of a Dunkin. Breakfast was always at Gemini Cafe on Main Street. https://www.thegeminicafe.com/
Our days were spent on this trip negotiating our way up Mount Washington in New Hampshire. This is the highest peak in the Northeastern U.S. And is well known for its erratic weather. The Weather Station reports from here often. The views in the fall are stunning. Take the drive up. You will not regret it.
We spent some time driving in the White Mountains, Franconia Notch, and what is considered parts of the Northern Appalachian Trail.
We did not do it on this trip, there are many hiking trails and canoe/kayaking in this area. I will include that on my next post. This one is reserved for foliage and low-key adventures.
From here we made our way to Central Maine. We found another AirBNB in Liberty, Maine on Lake Saint George. Keep in mind, this was before we purchased our AirBNB property. Now, we would stay in Searsport. Just know that there are a lot of options. All with their own positives! The fall foliage followed us to this area. We spent day 5-9 here. The colors were spectacular. We ate lunch at a tiny local restaurant Lori's Cafe. Very few chairs. Homemade food with down to earth locals serving you. Have dessert! Their pies are just like grandma made.
This location made it easy to avoid Route 1 traffic. Our day trips involved going to Boothbay Harbor. Which is always very hard difficult to navigate. The Harbor area is mostly one way traffic. The shops are plentiful. You have to experience it once. Harborside 1901 https://harborside1901.com/ is a restaurant with a diverse menu. Lovely view. My mother in law enjoyed watching the view and enjoying her dessert while we walked the footbridge nearby. Take the time to drive out of the heart of the downtown and into some of the back bays.
We ventured up to Lincolnville/Camden/Belfast a few days. Sat on the beach, drove up Camden Hill and watched the ferries pickup/deliver vacationers. This is an area I am very familiar with and will share in a separate post on midcoast Maine. Including Camden Hills State Park. Which is often overlooked due to its proximity to Bar Harbor. The locals love that it can be forgotten. It is a sleepy harbor town with so much to offer.
If you find yourself wanting to view the fall foliage. Watch the foliage charts that are posted annually. Most years it will start in the west and work to the eastern side of Maine. Depending on your travel dates, look at what has happened historically to gain optimal viewing.
As always, I hope this helps!
Where the locals go for Maine lobster, steamers, Maine shrimp, lobster rolls, Peekytoe crab cakes, and New England clam chowder, Casco Bay lobster stew, Portland Fisherman
