Forget Portland! Visit Maine’s Oldest City With Secret Islands
As Portland has turn into a stylish hotspot in recent times, the remainder of Maine is actually the final frontier of the East Coast.
Maine vacationers do not sometimes enterprise past Portland, excluding Acadia, one in every of America’s prettiest Nationwide Parks.
However there’s a lot extra to discover away from the charismatic brick roads winding by means of the Previous Port, ample blue-water seashores, and infinite lobster distributors of Portland.
Maine’s small towns are actually pleasant, and among the finest is usually missed, although many roadtrippers go by means of on the best way to Portland.
Simply throughout the New Hampshire-Maine border lies the state’s oldest city, relationship again to the 1600s, over a century earlier than America was, nicely, America and the Gulf of Mexico was nonetheless…
Ahh, by no means thoughts.
Not solely is that this hidden gem nonetheless exuding the appeal of a bygone period, standing the check of time, however it beholds quite a few secret islands and a treasure trove of maritime historical past and coastal charm ready to be (re)found.
Welcome To Kittery, Maine: The East Coast’s Greatest Saved Secret
Ever heard of Kittery? Except you are from the area, probably, you have not. With Portland hogging Maine’s journey scene, it is fully comprehensible.
However Kittery has existed for a whole bunch of years, and gatekeepers have accomplished an exceptional job of remaining tight-lipped about one of many East Coast’s best-kept secrets and techniques.
Being a city of solely 10,000 residents, there is no business airport right here, however there’s in neighboring Portsmouth, New Hampshire, one other charming coastal city in its personal proper with connecting flights from finances airways, Breeze and Allegiant, from in style hubs equivalent to Orlando (MCO).
In any other case, Boston Worldwide Airport (BOS) is barely an hour away and has much more choices.
Kittery has a captivating timeline spanning centuries from previously being named Amiciskeag by Native Individuals years earlier than tribes engaged in armed conflicts with French and English settlers for rights to the land, and everyone knows how that finally turned out…
Moreover, what might seem to be a tall story is definitely true. Pirates (sure, real-life pirates!) like notorious Blackbeard, as soon as traversed Kittery’s isles, so chances are you’ll need to carry a steel detector alongside as there have lengthy been rumors of misplaced treasure left behind.
As Kittery stands right this moment, you possibly can’t assist however discover the aesthetics of seafarer appeal and the palpable sense of historical past all through city, with websites like Fort McClary, a army fort used way back to the Revolutionary Struggle.
However even with all of the historic significance, do not anticipate Kittery to be a boring glimpse into the previous.
Downtown (a.ok.a. Kittery Foreside) has been remodeled with quirky artisan retailers, upscale cafes serving craft espresso concoctions, and a surging meals scene leaving one travel guide to basically describe Kittery as a mini Brooklyn.
Kittery’s Secret Islands: Barbecue, Seashores, And Waterfront Stays
Some islands of Kittery’s scenic shorelines are off-limits for tourism therefore the key. The excellent news is there’s loads of islands no person ever appears to speak about that make for superior spring and summer time getaways.
Let’s begin with Gerrish Island. Go to Fort Foster Park for less than $25, one other historic web site, however this one boasts small tranquil seashores and sweeping coastal surroundings, together with quintessential lighthouses.
Your finest wager for the total Gerrish Island expertise is to e book a trip rental on Vrbo or Airbnb since public entry is closed (apart from Fort Foster).
Subsequent up is the Isle of Shoals, a sequence of islands spanning throughout state strains however that includes fun-to-say Smuttynose Island and Appledore Island on the Maine facet of the dividing line.
To get right here, although, you will have to cross over to Portsmouth and hob aboard a ship from Isle of Shoals Steamboat Company.
Sadly, they depart us hanging with the dreaded “coming quickly” message on their calendar, however because the climate will get hotter, it is all however sure they’re going to restart service sooner relatively than later.
Right here is the place I stated you would possibly need to carry a steel detector ,as these are pirates’ outdated stomping grounds,
Circling again towards city, there is a pair of islands value visiting: Badger Island (Maine) and New Fort (New Hampshire).
Badger is linked by bridge, so you possibly can drive right here, and boasts nice eats like native favourite Ore Nell’s Barbecue served ‘Central Texas model’, whereas New Fort gives an excellent collection of waterfront inns like Wentworth by the Sea with rave evaluations claiming it is a ‘charming historic lodge with a water view’ and has ‘pretty clear rooms vintage model’.
Cheaper Than Portland
Perhaps I am in an unique membership, however after I visited Portland, I used to be sticker-shocked by lodge costs. In actual fact, it is the one metropolis I’ve chosen to remain in a Motel 6 to economize.
Worst of all, they did not depart the sunshine on for me! What a sham!
Portland has turn into so fashionable, there is no means I am the one one noticing the town’s excessive costs whether or not or not it’s top-rated lobster rolls or lodge rooms.
Vacationers do not have to fret about that in Kittery. In actual fact, one in every of its claims to fame, apart from being Maine’s oldest metropolis, is its procuring.
East Coast residents from throughout make day journeys to buy ’til they drop on the Kittery Outlets. Reasonably priced costs do not cease there, although.
Keep on the revamped Kittery Inn & Suites for simply $64 this spring or The Water Street Inn, holding an ideal 5.0 Google score, for $128.
Final however not least, it is a should to have lobster, proper? Dave’s Maine Cafe has lobster rolls for simply $18!
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Opinions expressed listed here are the writer’s alone, not these of any financial institution, bank card issuer, lodge, airline, or different entity. This content material has not been reviewed, accepted or in any other case endorsed by any of the entities included inside the put up.