For those of you still planning your summer vacation, I very enthusiastically recommend that you give Ogunquit a shot – I honestly think it’s just the most perfect summer town ever, and has something for everyone (carnivals, antiquing, gorgeous beaches, great food, fishing, et cetera). It’s pretty busy on summer weekends, but if you can steal away during the week you’ll find better prices on hotel rooms and shorter lines at restaurants.
A few of my favorite area must-dos:
– Stay at my favorite hotel, the Pink Blossoms http://pinkb.com (tennis courts, a heated pool and eat-in kitchens in many suites).
– Take a walk along the Marginal Way, a curving path that hugs in the ocean and is (in my opinion) one of the most beautiful trails in the world
– Ride the open-air trolleys (named Molly, Wolly, Polly, and so on)
– Tour Stonewall Kitchen and pick up some jams and cooking supplies
– Check out the animals (and old-school rides and arcade) at York’s Wild Kingdom
– Stop into Perkins Cove Candies for milk chocolate turtles and salt water taffy
– Pick up nautical-themed jewelry at Swamp John’s
– Shop for unique, curated bath products at H&M Crumpet
– Grab beers & lobsters at Lobster In The Rough, the open-air bar/restaurant behind The Lobster Barn in York
– Play mini golf at Wonder Mountain
– Check out a movie at the Leavitt Fine Arts Theater
– Hit Barnacle Billy’s for lobster rolls with a view
– Borrow a beach read or check out the art collection at the Ogunquit Memorial Library
– Check out low tide at the beach (rated by TripAdvisor as one of the Top 25 Beaches in America)
– Down steamers while gazing out at the water from the porch of Splash, which overlooks the main beach area
– Sing show tunes around the piano until late into the night at The Front Porch
(Click here for my suggestions on where to stay.)
