The “Maine” Event

In celebration of Kaveri’s birthday, Kaveri, Ivory, Lucy, and I journeyed to Maine in late June for some much needed R&R. We have been looking forward to this trip for many months!

While we were ready for a real vacation, the trip started off a bit rocky. Mine and Ivory’s flight was delayed from 6:45pm to 9:15pm so we did not fly into Portland, Maine until after midnight. We then picked up the rental car and finally reached our bed&breakfast in Kennebunkport at 1:30am. Kaveri was already there and Lucy’s flight was the next morning. One thing I noticed when driving to the inn was that the streets were narrow and not properly lit at all. Be alert!

Our residence for the weekend was the Inn at English Meadows. We had our own private bungalow behind the main inn and were served a gourmet 3 course breakfast each morning. My favorite course was the cinnamon pecan pancakes. In the afternoon, we were treated to delicious homemade cookies and lemonade. Our host, Elizabeth, was very friendly and hospitable. She provided the step-stools I needed with no issue. We really had a lovely stay, and I strongly recommend this place to anyone who is looking for a relaxing getaway to Maine. It is also conveniently located; a lot of the popular restaurants/attractions in Kennebunkport is either just a 10 minute walk or 3-5 min car ride over.

We started Friday off with breakfast at the inn and picking up Lucy from the airport. Most of our day was spent in the Portland area. For the later part of the morning, we caught up on each other’s lives at Tandem Coffee. Then we strolled to the Eastern Promenade which is a waterfront trail complete with views of the ocean and boats on the harbor. The weather was cloudy and in the low 60s. Kaveri especially enjoyed sitting right on the dock and touching the Atlantic Ocean. It was a peaceful time. Lunch was at the Great Lost Bear in Portland; I had a Thai grilled chicken wrap with decadent sweet chili peanut sauce. Following our meal, we explored another side of the Eastern Promenade. Then, we quenched our thirst at a soda and cocktail bar called Vena’s Fizz House. I had the cucumber reviver fizz, which consisted of cucumber, pineapple, mint, agave, lemon, bitters. As refreshing as it sounds, I could taste more pineapple and not as much cucumber as I hoped. The rest of the afternoon and early evening was spent souvenir shopping and walking around the downtown Portland area. Our day ended back in Kennebunkport with dinner at Alisson’s Restaurant. You can’t go to Maine without having their famous lobster of course; my meal was a lobster bisque lobster roll. The lobster bisque was drizzled on top of lobster chunks in a grilled roll – tasty!

On Saturday, the sun was shining and summer was in the air. It was a great day to go whale watching! We bought our tickets through First Chance Whale Watch. The boat tour was 4.5 hours long and most of the time involved travelling to the middle of the Atlantic Ocean and back. But the blue waters were so calm; I felt such serenity being on top of them. And yes, we saw humpback whales, and in fact a whole bunch!! Some were breaching at the surface where you can see their blowholes. I loved when they would do their deep sea dives. To get a better view of the whales, I had to stand on the bench, but I held on to my friends for support. It was such a breathtaking sight and an unforgettable experience. The relaxation continued with soothing massages, facials, and foot treatments at the Cottage Breeze Day Spa and Boutique. After the massages, we stopped for coffee at Mornings in Paris and ice cream at Rococo. In terms of accessibility, there are curb cuts for wheelchair users, but brick paths are not conducive for smooth travel. There are also no Ubers or Lyfts in the area, so it was beneficial for us to have rented a car. After recharging at the inn, we drove up to Cape Elizabeth to visit the Two Lights Lighthouse. We came at the perfect time for the sun was setting; the sky was painted with beautiful shades of pink, purple, red, orange, and yellow. The views of the water on the cliff with the lighthouse in the distance was magical. Dinner was at the Duffy’s Tavern and Grill back in Kennebunkport; I delighted in fried haddock tacos.

After breakfast on Sunday, Ivory and I headed to the airport for our 1pm flight back to Chicago. But first, we dropped by Holy Donut for some handmade potato-based donuts. What a satisfying end to a wonderful trip to Maine! I definitely want to go back again, and I hope you have a chance to visit the “Vacationland” as well!