s. Please travel responsibly, and check with state guidelines and individual businesses and organizations before making travel plans.
Summer in Kennebunkport, Maine, needs no introduction. The clam shacks and salty ocean breezes have made the tiny tourist town ninety minutes north of Boston a popular vacation destination for more than 150 years. The fun continues right through the holiday season, when Kennebunkport celebrates its annual Christmas Prelude, but what about the long months of winter that follow? It turns out that winter is still a wonderful time to visit, with opportunities for romantic escapes, less-hectic shopping, off-season rates, culinary adventures, and fun events.
Kennebunkport, Maine in Winter | Paint the Town Red
Aimee Seavey
Paint the Town Red in Kennunkport, Maine
Started in 2015, Paint the Town Red is Kennebunkport’s Valentine to those visiting the Kennebunks (meaning Kennebunkport and neighboring Kennebunk) in late January and February. In addition to a heart-strewn downtown, Paint the Town Red includes special hotel packages, menus, retail sales, brewery tours, wine tastings, culinary classes, pop-up dinners, and even a rocking ice bar kickoff party. Here’s a look at my 2016 Paint the Town Red experience.
Pops of red and festive hearts were on display all over town.
Hearts, hearts, everywhere in Kennebunkport, Maine, for Paint the Town Red.
Aimee Seavey
The Grand Hotel in Kennebunk, showing its heart.
Aimee Seavey
The Boathouse Waterfront Hotel, with its riverside views and “LOVE” sign proudly on display.
Aimee Seavey
And things got even more lovely in the evening when the hearts positively glowed. So did the ice at FROSTED!, the official Paint the Town Red ice bar kickoff party.
Evening led to glowing hearts in Kennebunkport’s Dock Square.
Aimee Seavey
A big party, featuring an ice bar, kicked off Paint the Town Red with FROSTED! at David’s KPT (now the Boathouse Waterfront Hotel).
Aimee Seavey
Where to Stay in Kennebunkport in Winter
As a guest of the Kennebunkport Resort Collection, I was lucky enough to snag a room at the Kennebunkport Inn, located just steps from Kennebunkport’s Dock Square. Built in 1899, the homey inn perfectly blends historic charm with modern convenience.
The quintessential New England inn, the Kennebunkport Inn!
Aimee Seavey
In honor of Paint the Town Red, there was a twinkling red tree in the lobby (right next to the complimentary hot chocolate) and an enormous heart outside (perfect for selfies), festooned with colorful buoys.
The Kennebunkport Inn, ready to Paint the Town Red!
Aimee Seavey
Cozy digs at the Kennebunkport Inn.
Aimee Seavey
In addition to the Kennebunkport Inn, the Kennebunkport Resort Collection also includes a variety of top-notch hotels and restaurants throughout the area to suit every style of vacationer, including The Tides Beach Club overlooking Goose Rocks Beach, the vintage-inspired Lodge on the Cove, and the luxurious Hidden Pond, with its wildly popular farm-to-table restaurant, Earth.
Things to Do in Kennebunkport in Winter
Just because you can’t enjoy your favorite fried clams under the summer sunshine doesn’t mean there aren’t plenty of other fun things to do in Kennebunkport, Maine, in winter.
STROLLING
During my stay, I enjoyed every single stroll across the Mathew J. Lanigan bridge that connects Kennebunkport to Kennebunk’s Lower Village over the Kennebunk River. Built in 1933, it was once a swing span bridge, but no longer opens for boat traffic. That’s probably a good thing considering how many vehicles and tourists it supports each year.
At the Kennebunk end of the bridge is The Clam Shack, one of the most popular and praised spots in Maine for fried clams and lobster rolls, but (alas) it closes each year for the winter.
Crossing the bridge from Kennebunkport to Kennebunk.
Aimee Seavey
Looking back towards Kennebunk.
Aimee Seavey
Love locks on the bridge.
Aimee Seavey
A sight you’ll only see in winter — the famous Clam Shack without its long lines.
Aimee Seavey
SHOPPING
During my brief visit, I enjoyed popping into the many shops in and around Kennebunkport’s Dock Square. Many, in honor of Paint the Town Red, had special hours and were holding “red tag” sales, which made picking up a few items even more enjoyable. I’ll share a few favorites…
Kennebunkport, Maine in winter still offers plenty of opportunities for shopping.
Aimee Seavey
Daytrip Society is known for its fun and quirky collection of gifts, home decor, accessories, and colorful “ooo I need this” items of every kind, and it did not disappoint.
Fun shopping awaits at Daytrip Society.
Aimee Seavey
Minka Home boasts beautiful and artistically-inspired all-natural and locally made accessories, home goods, art, and even skincare items. Truth be told, I think I wanted to buy everything in Minka.
Minka Home.
Aimee Seavey
Have a furry friend at home? Just next door to Minka is Scalawags, and they’ve got everything you need to pamper your pet, from leashes, collars, jackets, and toys to treats that look alarmingly like cookies and donuts. Human-friendly gifts like prints and mugs are available, too.
Scalawags, where you’ll find “this and thats for dogs and cats.”
Aimee Seavey
Why not show your canine you love them with a Valentine cookie?
Aimee Seavey
And for that perfect hand-painted real lobster claw Christmas ornament (plus other nautical-themed decor), Stem to Stern had me covered, with pleasant staff to boot.
Hand-painted lobster claw holiday ornaments at Stem to Stern.
Aimee Seavey
Places to Eat in Kennebunkport in Winter
Sure, many of the popular local seafood spots along the Maine coast close after Columbus Day, but there are still plenty of wonderful dining options in winter. I only made it to a few, but I had no complaints!
On my first night, I enjoyed a delicious dinner of pan-seared scallops, sautéed mushrooms, and creme brûlée for dessert at the Kennebunkport Inn’s on-site restaurant, One Dock Prime (now The Burleigh). The hotel has a traditional dining room, plus a cozy bar, and seating adjacent to a fireplace just off the lobby.
The cozy bar at the Kennebunkport Inn.
Aimee Seavey
Pan-seared sea scallops served with gremolata and an English pea puree, plus a side of sautéed mushrooms in garlic and butter.
Aimee Seavey
We also attended a pop-up dinner at Table (a now-closed spot for culinary classes and events), this time hosted by then-Chef Justin Walker and his Earth at Hidden Pond team. Note: Chef Justin Walker left Earth at the end of the 2017 season. The hotel and restaurant are closed during the winter season, so hosting pop-up dinners is a wonderful way to satisfy an eager (and hungry) public.
The upstairs dining room at Table looked like a glowing, warm slice of heaven.
One of many family-style dining tables at Table.
Aimee Seavey
A pop-up dinner at Table offered not just a delicious meal, but the perfect ambiance, too.
Aimee Seavey
The four-course meal, with a “Tuscan Table” theme, was served mostly family-style. Some of my favorite (non-meat) dishes? Lobster and octopus served with scallions, fermented black bean aioli, and sweet peppers. Wood-fired asparagus served with hearts of palm, black truffles, mead vinaigrette, and pecorino. And key lime pie topped with vanilla pastry cream for dessert. It was an impressive and delicious feast, to be sure.
On my second and final morning, breakfast arrived at my door at the Kennebunkport Inn courtesy of Mornings in Paris, a cafe also located in Lower Village. What a spread! Good thing I was able to bring some of the goodies home so not one crumb or spoonful went to waste.
A terrific spread of hand-crafted pastries, macarons, yogurt, and fresh orange juice from Mornings in Paris. A girl could get used to this!
Aimee Seavey
In between meals, I refueled with lattes and snacks from H.B. Provisions, the trusty general store also located in Kennebunk’s Lower Village.
H.B. Provisions, a classic New England general store, has everything from coffee and sandwiches to groceries, local beers, and jigsaw puzzles in progress.
Aimee Seavey
And I suppose I should also confess that my sweet tooth got an extra boost thanks to The Candyman. I didn’t try any of the fudge, but I cannot resist bins of gummy candy.
The Candyman
Aimee Seavey
After all, what’s a little extra sweetness when you’re already enjoying a romantic weekend in one of New England’s most charming coastal towns?
Have you ever visited Kennebunkport, Maine, in winter? What are your favorite things to do, see, and eat while you’re there? Let us know!
This post was first published in 2016 and has been updated. Special thanks to the Kennebunkport Resort Collection for facilitating a wonderful winter visit!
SEE MORE:
The Kennebunkport Festival | The Unofficial Start of Summer in Southern Maine
We Toured the Ultimate Glamping Tents at Sandy Pines Campground in Kennebunkport, Maine
10 Prettiest Coastal Towns in New England
The post Kennebunkport, Maine, in Winter | Paint the Town Red appeared first on New England Today.
#Christmas #Boston #Kennebunkport #Fudge #ClamShacks
