old school charm in kennebunkport (george and barbara not included)
Growing up in Vermont, my family always had a thing for Maine. There is something very special about the string of small towns scattered along the Atlantic coastline — the stunning cliffs, the old fisherman, the lobster!, the night skies filled with fistfuls of stars, and, of course, the unforgettable smell of the ocean.
Last Memorial Day, we got the chance to spend a long weekend in Kennebunkport at the Colony Hotel (open only from mid-May through October). OK, it’s quite a long drive from New York City, so we had to stay overnight at a roadside motel on our way up. But it was worth it.
The historic hotel is perched on a bluff over the ocean with beautiful grounds, an outdoor heated salt-water pool, a putting green, and a private beach. Inside it’s classic New England, with rooms filled with grand old furniture, a sprawling dining hall extending to a covered porch, and and afternoon tea and cookies served in the regal sitting room. There’s also a trolley that takes you from the hotel right into the ridiculously charming town of Kennebunkport. When we were there, the entire town was celebrating Memorial Day, complete with a parade and a president (former president George H. Bush and his wife Barbara in attendance).
There is plenty to do here for families, so I would recommend spending at least five days if you can. We are definitely going back for a lobster roll this spring.