Here’s the breakdown: four girls, four days in Maine. We’re seeking to immerse ourselves in the culture + experience as much as possible in this short amount of time. I hope this blogpost serves as a guide to a ‘girls weekend’ in Maine, a list of ideas for an upcoming trip, a spark for locals to ‘tour’ their own state or simply an invitation to add Maine to your bucket list because it truly is amazing!

As you make the final turn into Kennebunkport, you’re greeted by a inviting little town dotted with small store fronts waiting your arrival. I beamed with excitement in a new place! I arrived to the Yachtsman Marina and Hotel  on Thursday afternoon, only to be met by the three other gals moments later as they arrived from Boston! Two of them had flown in from Nashville that morning and all were excited to be there!

First impression of the Yachtsman ? This place is darling! And it got better from there. This lovely hotel is newly renovated old motel property in walking distance to downtown Kennebunkport and a bike ride away from the beach. It has pops of color + screamed FUN from the get go! Also, every single human that worked there was so kind and welcoming. The bold statement pieces in the rooms felt fresh + vibrant and the beds were heavenly. Their happy Hour was lovely – fireside cocktails, right next to the canal, lovely views!

We left happy hour to go to the most recommended spot in town – The Boathouse. Again, everyone there was so friendly, had great recommendations and made us feel welcome. The menu had a bunch of different options for different pallets – including fresh seafood, great apps + even *plant-based* options for those who don’t eat meat which I loved. We practically shut the place down because we enjoyed everything so much + the atmosphere yielded for the kind of night that you just sit and relax a while. We enjoyed the ambiance of the restaurant and got an epic sunset!

Before heading out of town, we took the complimentary bikes at the Yachtsman and biked the short ride into town. We had breakfast at Salt and Honey then cruised down to the beach in front of the Cape Arundel Hotel to dip our feet in and take in the views. It’s so captivating here! I haven’t spent any time in Kennebunkport before so I am really looking forward to going back and exploring more! It’s such a quaint, lovely town.

Next Stop: PORTLAND! We headed up the coast, stopping at Pier 77 before departing sweet Kennebunkport. We had a lobster cruise booked with Lucky Catch Lobster Cruise that afternoon and were so excited! We walked around Old Port for a bit + grabbed a six pack of Sea Dog Blueberries before boarding. I’ve been out on lobster boats + fishing boats on the east coast before but I loved this experience and recommend it for those visiting Maine for the first time! The team on the boat breaks down the process of lobstering and allows you to get real hands on with the whole process. You get to bag bait, pull traps, hold lobsters, talk with the captain about his trade – all while taking in gorgeous views of Portland Bay!

I’ve spent quite a bit of time in Portland but I loved that this trip we went all out + got to experience so many new things! Following the lobster cruise, we went on the Maine Brew Bus and toured three local craft breweries. Fun fact: Maine has more craft breweries per capita than any other state in America! We stopped at …, Geary’s + Lone Pine – all had phenomenal beers and a fun atmosphere. Our tour guide Tom – shout out to Tom for being a bad ass history teacher with so much pizzazz – was wonderful at sparking conversation and making the others on the tour quickly feel like friends! We closed the night out with dinner at Solo Italiano which was delicious!

We woke up early the next morning and decided head to Portland Head Light for the last glimmers of sunrise. The view is spectacular in the morning + there’s barely anyone there. It’s so peaceful and serene, you’ll often find retirees on a stroll and furry friends on their much anticipated walk. We fueled up in two stages: Bayside American Cafe for breakfast (Chelsea will shake her head at me if I don’t mention to get the cinnamon bun pancake! It’s her + her hubby’s nostalgic favorite.) and then we grabbed coffee at one of my favorite spots: Tandem! Kudos if you bring your own reusable coffee mug – click here to find a few ways you can reduce your waste when traveling.

Next Stop: CAMDEN! We took our time winding up the coastline, stopping a few places along the way + asking ridiculous questions to one another in the car while belting out our favorite jams. It was fun for the girls to see the lush, green, forest parts of Maine opposed to just the seaside towns! We arrived just in time for happy hour at Sea Dog Brewing Co. which I had already introduced the girls to the day before on the boat. We stuck with the same, blueberry wheat ales all around!

For dinner, I absolutely had to take them to my favorite dinner spot in Camden: Long Grain. Take note for this restaurant: MAKE A RESERVATION AHEAD OF TIME. There will be a wait. Takeout even takes a long time. Sometimes they don’t answer the phone because they’re that swamped. And yes, it’s worth it.

It’s authentic, scrumptious Thai food that I think about and crave when I’m across the world. They just opened a brand new (larger) location a few weeks ago and this was my first time visiting the new spot! I think the bigger size will help with the wait times but just remember, this place is a hot commodity and both locals and tourists love it so call ahead.

We stayed at the 16 Bay View in their luxurious, big, cushy beds with the balcony looking over the iconic Camden Harbor. Ahhh, home. It felt good to be here! Aaron and I have stayed at 16 Bay View + you can read about the experience here!

Before the girls headed back to Boston, we had to stop at Boynton-McKay Food Co. to grab breakfast + a dirty chai latte. It was wonderful having them in my ‘home town’ here in Maine but wish they could have stayed longer. If you’re looking for more info on Camden, be sure to read this travel diary.

Here are the three women I had the pleasure of exploring with:

Alexis Teichmiller – Creator of The Laptop Lifestyle Podcast

Chelsea Scott – Lifestyle Blogger at Millenial Miss

Sarah Eichelberger – Video Content Creator

Be sure to check them out to see their perspective of our trip + more of the images we captured along the way!