Planning a trip with wife to Boston and Maine in october

[markstanco 12,577]

Plan on leaving DFW early Wednesday morning and coming home on a Sunday. Looping back around to NH likely, still in the planning stage. We will be taking in a harvard football game against holy cross. Always wanted to do that.

 

Any restaurants and must see towns would be great to hear about. Also, places to stay.

[HenryJames 66,055]

Go to that place with the lobster.

[Beef 128]

Breakfast - Stephanie’s on Newbury
Snack (off peak hours) - Neptune for Hot Lobster Roll
Dessert - Mikes Pastry (Harvard Square location is not as busy)
Dinner - Anywhere for Italian in Northend

[Mo Horn 8,843]

Acadia National Park is one of the most beautiful places I've been.  Spend time along the coast around there. Tons of villages with great food and scenery. 

[South Austin 52,508]

3 hours ago, Beef said:

Dinner - Anywhere for Italian in Northend

I highly recommend Mamma Maria.

[Redneck Mutha 7,956]

If you can make it up to the Kancamagus Highway in NH, it's a great scenic drive.  A lot of beautiful waterfalls a short hike off that highway and, really, all throughout the state.  Mt Washington resort is a cool place to stay, but might be out of the way if you're doing Maine and Boston in a few days.

If in Manchester, Hooked and Cotton are a couple of great restaurants.

[BigDHornfan 6,548]

We loved The Friendly Toast in BackBay for brunch.  

Al Dente in the NorthEnd was a great little Italian restaurant.

And either Modern or Mike's pastry for dessert.

The Harbor boat tour was fun.  

And the Freedom Trail walking tour is a must if the weather is nice.  

If you make it to Fenway, have a beer at the Bleacher Bar.

[smoky 840]

If driving from Boston to Portland, is NH the place to stop for booze or is it comparable to everywhere else?

[markstanco 12,577]

Just found out we are going to kennebunkport as well if any of yall have recs there....

[Stunns38 3,460]

The weather there during October is great. Love the fall leaves that part of the country as well.

And oh, NH doesn’t have much, Portland has great breweries though.

[Steamboat1874 4,064]

http://unionoysterhouse.com/

This is America's oldest restaurant. The chowder is exceptional.

The Boston Sail Loft is one of the places where the locals like to eat. We enjoyed it very much.

Not fancy or expensive.

https://www.facebook.com/The-Boston-Sail-Loft-172392462786952/

Also check out one of the many Italian restaurants in "Little Italy" area.

 

[ohchaucer 1,443]

Quote

Just found out we are going to kennebunkport as well if any of yall have recs there....

My wife grew up there and her mom's still in Kennebunk, so we're there a lot.  In town, Allison's is fun as is Bandaloop.  Arundel Wharf is good, too.  For a nice meal, go to Earth at Hidden Pond - great chef and menu (we got married at Hidden Pond).  Old Vines is a nice little wine bar to sit outside.  And definitely worth driving to Cape Porpoise to go to the Ramp for some beers downstairs.   Also, check out the Colony hotel bar.  Never eaten there, but great setting for drinks.  Also down the road from there is Mabel's which is a little diner with a great lobster roll - it's where the Bush's used to eat every few days in the summer.  Also, if you drive by to see the Bush compound, please don't stop your car in the middle of the road to take pictures/selfies. 

[Shoxthemonkey 1,981]

My brother's boy is a brewer at Tributary Brewing in Kittery. They make some good beers. Tell the short, bearded hipster that I sent you.

http://www.tributarybrewingcompany.com/about

[52-80 19,159]

Ya like apples?

[Alvin89 108]

6 hours ago, Steamboat1874 said:

http://unionoysterhouse.com/

This is America's oldest restaurant. The chowder is exceptional.

The Boston Sail Loft is one of the places where the locals like to eat. We enjoyed it very much.

Not fancy or expensive.

https://www.facebook.com/The-Boston-Sail-Loft-172392462786952/

Also check out one of the many Italian restaurants in "Little Italy" area.

 

Second the Union Oyster House for the chowder. Sam Adams brews a special colonial ale specifically for Union Oyster House that's worth a try.

[El Tri 412]

Neptune in Boston is a must.

Maine is fucking awesome. We took an Uber out to the Lobster Shack REstaurant by that lighthouse.

[South Austin 52,508]

47 minutes ago, 52-80 said:

Ya like apples?

Yes, but you’ll be serving my kids fries at a drive thru on our way to a ski resort.

[52-80 19,159]

22 minutes ago, South Austin said:

Yes, but you’ll be serving my kids fries at a drive thru on our way to a ski resort.

Bam how u like dem apples

[idahorn 26]

The lobster place is the Olgunquit Lobster Pound in Olgunquit.  You pick your bugs from a concrete tank--way fresh.  Locals suggest two 2 pounders rather than a 4 or 5 pounder--not so gamey.  They put the bugs in a nylon mesh bag and hang it in boiling vat (salt water?).  On the way to your plate, they snip it several times with some tin snips.  The lobsters are served with lots of butter and lemon and a pointed stick a little smaller than a golf pencil.  After the snips you can easily eat the whole thing with the little sticks.  No fuss and not much muss.

[Mr.Hovis 70]

Just got back this afternoon from a week on the Maine coast. Went from Portland to Acadia NP/ Bar Harbor. You can't throw a rock without hitting a great seafood place and almost all of them have a few local beers on tap. We rented a house from a guy in the lobster business and he gave us as many as we wanted, so aside from a lobster roll on the first day we went with everything but lobster when eating out up and down Hwy.1. I really liked the whole clam bellies and scallops the best, but that just me. There are so many places we'd just pick one that looked good to us. Had a damn good scallop po boy at Claws in Rockland, a pick and choose seafood platter at the Wharf in Castine that was legit. Bar Harbor after hiking  Acadia on a Friday  was a mistake. Parking didn't exist, got tired of looking so we left. Don't know if it's always like that. Nice bakery in Searsport for breakfast, the Coastal Café was solid. In Portland we headed down to the Old Port District, had pizza at the Flat Bread Co. Cool place and the pizza was good,had a Liquid Riot DIPA that was really good. That area was a blast. Hell, it was my first trip to Maine and it was so easy to find great, cool spots you won't have any problems if my old ass didn't. 

[Ghost of LL 15,531]

So you're heading to Maine as soon as you land and then getting back to Boston by Saturday?  Have I got that right?

I haven't done Maine in October, but I think it's starting to get pretty brisk by then.  So a lot of the places I might otherwise recommend may not be desirable, as it involves sitting outside on a pier eating lobster.  But regardless--here goes:

I presume you're going to Portland.  You should go to Portland.  It's the biggest town in Maine with the most to do.  You can get up to Bar Harbor, but that's a long way to go for just a day or two.  

So if you're going to Portland, you want to head up I-95 to New Hampshire.  You'll want to stop at the state liquor store.  Don't worry--it has its own exit; you won't miss it.  Stock up there for booze and wine, because New Hampshire doesn't have a sales tax, and plenty of lobster shacks are BYOB.  So if you like a nice chardonnay with your lobster--and who doesn't?--stock up in New Hampshire.

Up one exit is the Smuttynose Brewing Company (you have to loop back down on Highway 101).  It's pretty sweet to get a growler fill at the brewery.  

Having filled up on your booze, you're ready to head up to Maine.  Get back on I-95 and head north.  Take Exit 1 in Maine to get onto Highway 1.  On your left is Bob's Clam Hut.  You'll want to stop, if for nothing else than to get some whole belly clams for the drive.  That place is an absolute must-stop once you enter Maine.

Keep driving up Highway 1 and check out some of the towns. 

So depending on how late you are, you can stop at the Fox Lobster House in Cape Neddick.  The view out over the lighthouse is great, and that time of year it may be really attractive as it has an inside dining room.  Or maybe you want to head up to Ogunquit, which is discussed above.  The Lobster Pound in Ogunquit may be a bit of a tourist place, but justifiably so.

Kennebunkport is a great little town.  But for food, I like going up to Cape Porpoise just up the road.  The Cape Pier Chowder House is great.

In Portland, Eventide is probably the best place in Portland.  I can't recommend that highly enough.  

It's a little bit touristy, but I still think you have to go to the Lobster Shack at Two Lights.  It's overpriced--sure.  But you sit out on a rocky beach underneath a lighthouse and eat lobster as the waves crash.  It doesn't get more Maine than that.

Maybe it's because it's where we always went when I was a kid, so there's a nostalgia factor, but I still really like DiMillo's on the Water in downtown.  

As far as bars go, check out The Snug on Congress & Washington (though I hear that Michelle is gone, which is a loss).  It's a great local bar if you want to watch local traffic.  Or if you want to sit privately, the booths are all surrounded by 6-foot high paneling, which is great for conspiracy.

On your way back, I think Portsmouth is worth a stop.  There are lots of interesting places downtown, and especially along Bow Street.  We really liked Surf Portsmouth.

 

[Dangit 23]

Following as my wife and I are headed up in early September. Boston for the weekend, Cliff House outside of Ogunquit for a couple days and finishing in Portland. And thanks GoLL and others for the recs. I made notes from the old site before leaving. Lots of the same recs on this thread. 

I imagine we'll have plenty of lobster and seafood in Maine so looking for other notable options while in Boston. Probably going to try to book Mamma Maria's. We're going to 'Stros v Sox the first night we get there so likely no time for a big/fancy dinner that night. If looking for 1 great dinner in Boston would Italian be the way to go (since seafood will be on the agenda elsewhere)? 

Anyone know if Maine Beer Company's beer is available at retail places or just bars and the brewery itself? 

[dmtx 159]

Maine is sooo awesome.

Lobster Shack at Two Lights

Duckfat for lunch

Holy Donut for some brek

Eventide Oyster Co

[RollLeft 5,045]

On 7/8/2018 at 6:14 PM, markstanco said:

Just found out we are going to kennebunkport as well if any of yall have recs there....

Kennebunkport Inn is the way to go.  

[markstanco 12,577]

^^^^planned. 

[Underdog 28,644]

Name escapes me but remember there being a clam stand in Kennebunkport that was good.  The chowder at Maine Diner was good. 

[DAG 0]

Going from South to North

Boston: Neptune Oyster House, Freedom Trail, Harbor Tour. If the Sox are in the playoffs at that point, head to Fenway and hang out for the atmosphere. I dont have any specific recs, but I have enjoyed the bars around there

On your drive to Kennebunkport, stop at the Nubble Lighthouse and Congdons Doughnuts. I second the Kennebunkport Inn recommendation. We enjoyed the Clam Shack and Alisson's (specifically for this ridiculous version of poutine with clam chowder). There is a beautiful drive down the coast by St. Ann's church and the Bush compound

Acadia is unbelievable in the fall, but with only Wednesday-Sunday, you are taking a big chunk out with the drive. If you decide to do it, go to Owl's Head General Store for a burger on the way

[markstanco 12,577]

Flights booked tonight, still paying attention to the thread. Killed miles and did 1st class both ways, used more for final night in boston at the Ames. I may get laid once, maybe even twice.

[gecko 1,104]

If driving from Boston to Portland on a Friday or Saturday in October......well, I wish you luck.

[Jive Turkey 12,598]

Belfast, Maine was a cool little town I stopped in on the drive from Acadia back to Boston.

We hit up 3Tides for some food and beer from Marshall Wharf Brewing next door.  Oysters and crabmeat quesadilla FTW.

http://www.3tides.com/menu.php

You can also hit up some of the breweries on the Maine Beer Trail.

http://mainebrewersguild.org/map/

[wood 11,225]

Santarpio's Pizza on Chelsea. That's all I got.

[markstanco 12,577]

crustaceans will be the main diet for the week. Unless I find a lobster pizza.

[RollLeft 5,045]

Leave the pizza take the cannoli.  Also Boston Chowda is better than San Fran Sourdough chowder, imo and lastly i'd get a lobster roll at a small hole in wall place.  Plenty on the way to Maine.

[lemonlime 5,503]

If you’re going to Acadia, Trenton Bridge Lobster Pound.  

[Underdog 28,644]

I thought Gloucester was a neat little town, a bit out of the way. 

[MidTexHorn 822]

Just got back from a quick trip to Bar Harbor. Place was a bit of a traffic and crowd cluster fuck and probably won't get better until the end of the season. If I was you, I wouldn't waste time on this trip going that far. Traffic will suck and there are plenty of cool farther south places to get your Maine coastal experience. Hit up Kennebunkport and Portland. If you want to go north of Portland, Belfast and/or Camden is far enough.

[Shoxthemonkey 1,981]

I'm in York Maine this morning.we watched the sunrise at Short Sands beach and then had breakfast at Goldenrod Kisses at the beach. Good start to the day.

[Bateshorn 9,927]

Sorta depends on when in Maine.  The leaves on the coast should hold till mid October. Kennebunkport might even hang in there till the 3rd week of October.  Mid  Maine will be peak early October.  Bar Harbor, Rockport, & Camden will have a few places open for leaf peepers. But Winter is coming, shits gonna be shutting down.  

 

Theres a a lot of Summer advice on this thread. 

Edited August 17, 2018 by Bateshorn

[Telegraph_it 3,357]

Bath is pretty cool. If you are lucky you can watch a destroyer launched into the Kennebec. 

Edited August 17, 2018 by Telegraph_it

[Shoxthemonkey 1,981]

We had lunch at Warrens in Kittery yesterday. Very good lobster and fixings. My brother had a shindig following his daughters wedding catered by Ore-Nells BBQ in Kittery. Owner is from central Texas and the  brisket was pretty good. I would hope you are here for the seafood but if you just have to get a beef fix its the best that I have found up here.

Edited August 20, 2018 by Shoxthemonkey

[lemonlime 5,503]

Just got back from Maine--camping near Acadia.  Bar Harbor is cute--probably would have liked in 20 years ago.  But it was a crowded, expensive tourist trap.  Acadia itself is beautiful.  It's worth going up there if you're going to hike/do outdoors activities.  But if you're looking for cute Maine coastal towns, I would skip. Also, if you do go, Trenton Bridge Lobster is legit.  

http://trentonbridgelobster.com/

 

 

 

 

Edited August 26, 2018 by lemonlime

[Underdog 28,644]

Heading to Maine tomorrow for Jr's. wedding on Wednesday, hitting up the Sox game on Tuesday, fucking mid-90s in Boston on that day...  fuck! 

[Frieda’s Boss 181]

Eventide in Portland has been mentioned a few times in this thread. And for good reason, it was fantastic. We were a group of 6 and most everyone was in agreement that they liked it more than Neptune in Boston. 

Holy Donuts in Portland was really good.

We only stopped in Portsmouth to eat dinner but what little we saw (at night) I would have wanted to go check it out again    We ate at a place called Cure and 2 folks in our group thought that was the best meal they had on our trip. 

In Boston, Freedom Trail is a must and I would follow it all the way over the bridge to Bunker Hill monument and USS Constitution.  Our other meals in Boston, unfortunately, were not well-planned so I can’t be much help with restaurants other than I did really like Neptune  

Thats about all I’ve got.  we were there during the marathon this year and weather was brutal.  Still got to Fenway which was awesome (it snowed, which was way preferable to the rain).

 

 

 

 

[Underdog 28,644]

Got back yesterday from Junior's wedding on Wednesday.  We stayed at a B&B in Poland, Me about an hour NW of Portland  beautiful area, highly recommend it if ever in the area.  We had a family dinner at The Lobster Shack, pretty cool  to see a lone whale swimming along the coast.  We stopped at a burger joint in Portland yesterday before heading home, place was called BRGR Bar off Brown St.  I got the Nashville Hot chicken sandwich that was good, everyone else seemed to enjoy their burgers, onion rings were outstanding, very crisp. 

A couple of photos of the B&B, Wolf Cove Inn.  Owners and Staff were fantastic and did an outstanding job with the wedding and post wedding party. 

Link to Burger Bar in Portland. 

https://www.yelp.com/biz/brgr-bar-portland-3

 

[Dangit 23]

Just got back from Boston/Maine trip last weekend. Started in Boston, midway point was a resort in Cape Neddick (near Ogunquit) for a couple days and finished in Portland. 

Thanks to all who posted (especially Ghost of LL) as I used this and prior site's recs for the trip. 

Highlights (food) included Mamma Maria in Boston, Alden & Harlow for brunch near Harvard. Bob's Clam Hut in Kittery was fantastic. We also stopped at Row 34 in Portsmouth for a dozen oysters and a beer. Solid place. Ogunquit Lobster Pound was okay. Lobster was good but the rest of the food was average at best. Simple fixes could really upgrade the place. Maybe my expectations were too high. 

The Lobster Shack at Two Lights was good and fun. Great views and Cape Elizabeth is a beautiful place. In Portland we ate at Eventide, Duckfat (lunch), Central Provisions, Hot Suppa (breakfast), Holy Donut and Fore Street. Had a couple other meals but those mentioned were all great. Eventide is a must and was just damn good. Central Provisions is a small plates place. Some items were big hits but there were a couple misses. Fore Street has a very cool ambiance and was a fantastic meal. Didn't take many food pics but I'll see what I have and post them if I have anything good. 

We really enjoyed taking Hwy 1 up from Kittery to Portland (most of the way). Lots of cool coastal towns and beautiful real estate on the coast. Takes longer but not significantly. 

Re: Beer - hit up Oxbow in Portland and picked up some to go at Trillium in Boston. Drank local everywhere we went but didn't get to as many breweries as I had wanted...with my wife we focused on scenic views vs. sitting in a warehouse taproom. 

 

[kopp0e 1,135]

If you slide down toward NYC, on a connecting flight, you might try this new fad:

 

[BamaSucks 12]

Reviving the thread. Lot's of good info here. Looking for some ideas and suggestions to fill in the blanks. It's our 25th Anniversary celebration.

Late August leave NC and fly into Portland, Maine on Thursday. We will sail on Schooner LaDona out of Rockland and need to be in Rockland by later afternoon Friday. Set sail for 3 nights Saturday. Arrive back in Rockland on Tuesday and drive to Kennebunkport where we have reservations for 2 nights at Old Colony Inn. We are ok just knocking around Kennebunkport, will go to beach 1 day.

So, looking for info for the drive Portland to Rockland or a great hotel for one night on the way up. Also, places to eat dinner that night. It's not a long drive, will stay off interstate, but it's mid-summer so assume traffic will be heavy around beach towns? Or is there enough to occupy is or a day or so in Rockland?

Also trying to decide whether or not to go into Boston on Thursday, return the car and stay 2-3 nights in Boston. 2 nights (really only one full day) doesn't feel like enough to make it worth it. Coming home on Sunday may be just too much with going back to work on Monday. I've been to Boston several times, my never has. I love the food and the history. She says she'll go to a Red Sox game if they are in town but that just takes away more time. Not sure how to maximize time in Boston.

Sorry for the ramble. Any feedback is appreciated.

[texanbychoice 354]

Reviving the thread. Lot's of good info here. Looking for some ideas and suggestions to fill in the blanks. It's our 25th Anniversary celebration.
Late August leave NC and fly into Portland, Maine on Thursday. We will sail on Schooner LaDona out of Rockland and need to be in Rockland by later afternoon Friday. Set sail for 3 nights Saturday. Arrive back in Rockland on Tuesday and drive to Kennebunkport where we have reservations for 2 nights at Old Colony Inn. We are ok just knocking around Kennebunkport, will go to beach 1 day.
So, looking for info for the drive Portland to Rockland or a great hotel for one night on the way up. Also, places to eat dinner that night. It's not a long drive, will stay off interstate, but it's mid-summer so assume traffic will be heavy around beach towns? Or is there enough to occupy is or a day or so in Rockland?
Also trying to decide whether or not to go into Boston on Thursday, return the car and stay 2-3 nights in Boston. 2 nights (really only one full day) doesn't feel like enough to make it worth it. Coming home on Sunday may be just too much with going back to work on Monday. I've been to Boston several times, my never has. I love the food and the history. She says she'll go to a Red Sox game if they are in town but that just takes away more time. Not sure how to maximize time in Boston.
Sorry for the ramble. Any feedback is appreciated.

Personally, I wouldn’t go t Boston unless you have a specific reason (love us history and have never been etc. or whatever) as everything you get in Boston could be had in Maine (food, beer etc.).

I think you could easily find things to do around Rockland that time of year. Hell, book a spa morning for your wife and go golf or something.

[Kennythetiger 9,384]

So basically you're saying Please Don't Come to Boston?

[BearSchlong 8,097]

Anyone been to the following places in Boston?

SRV
Ostra
The Atlantic Fish company


First of October my wife, her mom, and her Godmother are taking a 8 day NCL cruise from Boston that stops in Bar Harbor, Halifax, Sydney, Cape Briton Isle, Charlottetown, PEI, and Saguenay before ending in Quebec City.