Summer weekend in Southern Maine

When I think of Maine, I think of rocky coasts, national parks, puffin and lighthouse tours, lobster everything, epic restaurants in Portland, so many craft breweries, foggy islands, whale watching tours, and moose sightings on the lake. I’ve been up to Maine a handful of times to hike Acadia, stroll through Bar Harbor, get married on a lake, cruise around Bar Harbor, and hike the Katahdin, Maine’s tallest peak 

What I never really associated Maine with, was beach towns and boardwalks, amusement parks and family vacations. Of all my trips to Maine, this was the first time we made a point to stop at the beach, and do some of the touristy things like dinner in Ogunquit, a day at Wells Beach, and an overcast morning at the Old Orchard Beach boardwalk. After a few beach days on the southern seacoast of Maine, I can officially say I GET IT. Loud and clear. I get why families flock to the beach, why kids crowd the arcade and couples walk the boardwalk. It’s sort of like the Jersey Shore without Jersey: i.e. less people, more lobster. 

Sunset (and wedding photos) at Otter Point - Acadia National Park, Maine

Caddilac Mountain in Acadia National Park is famous for its sunrises.  Hoards of people hike or drive their way to the top of the mountain to watch the sunrise on the eastern seaboard, a claim to fame for being the first sight of sunrise in the continental United States from October to March at least. 

But what you hear less about is a killer sunset in Acadia National Park.  If waking up two hours before sunrise to drive or hike up a crowded mountain isn't how you want to spend your morning, you can catch the other end of the deal - sunset at Otter Point.  

When we were planning our wedding photos with Kat of Swell and Stone, she had the idea of pairing an afternoon hike of The Beehive with a stop at Otter Point after our hike to catch the sunset.  

Beehive Trail (in a wedding dress) - Acadia National Park

Kat Carney - Swell and Stone

The Beehive Trail in Acadia National Park is famous for its insane views, interesting terrain, and traverse across iron rungs. Let's just say the Beehive Trail is short, steep, and oh so sweet. There are handholds and ladders where you need it and while there are narrow ledges and spots that are a bit trickier, it isn't nearly as terrifying as the Precipice Trail. Of course, this hike took us about four times longer than it should have because we decided to tackle the trail in some special yet abnormal hiking attire. Adam wore his wedding suit all while carrying my bouquet in our pack. Let's not forget that he also had to help me manage ladders, rungs, and climbs in a fitted wedding dress (train included). 

Precipice Trail - Acadia National Park's Terrifying Trail

This is probably "post number 243" where I tell you how much I hate heights and then I go on some insane hike that tests my limits and my fears. People are often confused about my fear of heights as they see me standing on top of a mountain summit all the time. You see, I can deal with one edge, but I need one side of safety to feel well, safe. Steep cliffy trails - I can manage. A trail like Angel's Landing where there are steep drops on both side? I am happy to wait back at the quitter's corner. But more often than not, I try to push myself and my fear of heights when traveling somewhere new. This hike in this part was no exception. 

The Precipice Trail is one of Acadia National Park's most famous trails. After we had a taste of the Beehive Trail, we were so excited to travel among the parks rung and ladder trails. We hiked the Beehive Trail for our wedding photos and we were blown away by the amazing views and technical aspects of the trail. We hiked the Beech Cliffs trail to get on another iron rung trail while we waited for the Precipice Trail to open "some time" that day.

Beech Cliff Trail - Acadia National Park

We had just finished hiking the Beehive (in full wedding attire) just the day before.   It's easy to say we were in love with the park and were swooning over Acadia's iron rung trails that combine tricky hikes with sweeping views of coastal Maine.  Beehive blew us out of the water and I guess you could say we were quickly becoming rung trail junkies.  These famous trails offer hikers a chance to hike along cliff edges and up steep rocky paths to mountain summits via sets of iron ladders and rungs.  Our next plan was the most famous and challenging of the rung trails.  We set out bright and early for the Precipice Trail first only to realize the trail was closed with an opening date of "some time today".  Instead, we hiked a more tame iron rung trail with the intention of completing the Precipice Trail hike first thing tomorrow morning.  This little detour is how we found ourselves on the quiet side of the park and up the ladders to the views along the Beech Cliff Trail. 

Jordan Pond Loop Hike - Acadia National Park, Maine

 It feels like a lifetime ago that Courtney and I packed up our dogs Olive and Leni alongside our camping gear and summer clothes into my (then) boyfriend's Subaru. We had originally planned this trip with the guys but when work and commitments prevented them from joining, we decided to head north without them for a girls weekend in Acadia National Park (lady dogs included).  Acadia National Park is the only national park here in the northeast and simply put, is a New England treasure.  We had talked about making this long weekend happen and finally put our words into action as we drove north along the coast of Maine.  We stopped in Portland, Maine for a lobster roll and traveled farther north along the scenic route, driving route 1 all the way into Bar Harbor, Maine.  

Mount Phillip Loop Hike - Rome, Maine

There are many times I am grateful to be a Connecticut resident.  Mid-summer during the COVID-19 pandemic is definitely one of them.  While other states were opening up their bars and welcoming spring breakers in May, Connecticut kept a tight hold on its restrictions.  Indoor restaurants did not open until mid-June and social distancing and mask rules were strictly enforced.  Being a Connecticut Resident was is like having a European passport and being able to leave your borders.  A lot of New England states are allowing Connecticut residents, the land of lobsters included.  Maine's travel restrictions include a 14-day quarantine or a negative COVID test taken within 72 hours to enter it's state lines.  However, there is an exception for New Hampshire, Vermont, Connecticut, New Jersey, and New York.  Here in Connecticut, we have been very careful as we have been working on the house with my father who is high-risk.  Our safe habits and our license were golden tickets and we (responsibly) traveled to the state of Maine to spend a little bit of time in Portland and see our wedding venue.  Oh, and this lovely little hike which was in the middle of these two places.  

Visiting Baxter State Park and camping at Katahdin Streams, Northern Maine

So you saw my post on hiking Katahdin (Baxter Peak), the highest peak in Maine, and you want to know how you can do it too.  Well, you are in the right place.  If you read that post, you know all about the trail, the distance, the elevation and what to expect.  But with Katahdin, there is a whole lot more planning when it comes to visiting this State Park, knowing all the rules, planning your trip, and reserving a campsite.

Entrance sign, Baxter State Park

Winter Weekend in Portland Maine (eatcation)

What does a winter weekend in the pretty little city of Portland, Maine look like you ask? Well, it sort of looks like this: Fresh out of the oven donuts, french fries cooked in duckfat (and then smothered in gravy), delicious dumplings, more local breweries than you can possibly fit in a weekend, views of the sparkling Atlantic and yes, some snow.

Popular Summer Stop - Portland Lobster Co.

If you have lived in the northeast you can agree that New England winters seem to kind of drag on forever.  That fresh snowfall always gets us giddy, but by week 3 of sub freezing temperatures, icy bridges and dirty snowbanks mixed with garbage and gravel, we are beginning the countdown to daylight savings.  Sure, you can head to the mountains to ski but again, this is New England.  You can get a great powder day or a weekend filled with long lift lines, single digit temperatures and a lot (a lot) of ice.  So what do you do when the forecast is projected to be 20ish and the skiing conditions are awful?  You go on a Eatcation**. 

First official food stop on the way to Portland: Rise Donut from Congdons

* Eatcations can involve activities besides eating. However, the main reason for the trip and largest enjoyment must come from eating. For example: You can go for a nice little walk along the harbor, but you better be putting your all into Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner, with a stop at a brewery somewhere between there. The purpose: to eat some great food. Everything else is optional. Portland, Maine is just about the perfect place to go on a eatcation. Portland is Maine's largest city and has seen a dramatic transformation with the influx of foodies and hipsters that make this city what it is today. Bon Appétit named Portland America’s foodiest small town, the New York Times called Portland “one of the best places to eat in the Northeast,” and the current new title is in competition with San Francisco for the most restaurants per capita. 

In the summer, you have a lot more options as far as recreation goes from whale watching to walking tours. In the winter you are a little more limited. For this post, we are going to focus on what you can (and should) do during a winter weekend in Portland Maine. And like I said, this was an eatcation so I basically, well, ate.

BaoBao Dumpling House- Portland, Maine

We arrived in Portland, Maine just in time for lunch.  I knew Portland was famous for it's food scene and the  biggest issue would be how to fit as much food as possible in 48 hours (first world problems).  With high expectations and building excitement, it is quite easy to look at the long list of 4 to 5 star rated restaurants and be a little overwhelmed by the options.  

The thing about Portland is there is more than a little bit of everything.  In the mood for Asian?  Pick from one of these five restaurants with rave reviews.  Seafood?  I don't even know where to begin with the choices.  I decided to consult "The Bible" (Fodor's New England travel guide if you are new to the blog) with this tough decision.  The book had yet to disappoint me so far, with an awesome stop at Congdon's donuts and a nice little walk at Rachel Carsons preserve to start the day.  

While perusing through the food section, two restaurants really jumped out at me: BaoBao for their dumplings, and Duck Fat for their fries.  The idea was set and I was not leaving Portland without dumplings or french fries.   And so, our first real stop (if you don't count the donuts) became BaoBao. 

General Info

BaoBao Dumpling House

Rating:  4.5 Stars 

Address: 133 Spring Street, Portland, ME 

Contact: 207.772.8400  info@baobao-maine.com
Open:  Wednesday through Sunday, Closed Monday and Tuesday

Reservations:  Parties of 8 or more

Vegetarian Friendly:  Yes

Gluten Free Friendly:  Dumplings no, but some options 

Parking:  On the street (metered)

Special Events

1/2 Price Dumplings: 2:00-4:00 (Wed-Fri)

Happy Hour: 4:00 - 6:00 (Wed-Fri)

Monthly Tap Takeover (currently featuring Oxbow Brewing)

Pop Up Events 

Why The Name?
"BaoBao 包宝 in Chinese translates to “wrapped treasure”, or in our case, dumplings (jiaozi 饺子), served in a historic townhouse in Portland’s West End.  We offer Asian inspired comfort food, designed to satisfy both the midnight foodie, or discerning dinner diner.  Our core menu is supplemented with ever-changing daily specials and a wide variety of teas, beers, wines and specialty cocktails".

Allagash Brewing Company

When heading north to Maine in the winter, I knew our options of outdoor activities were a little limited.  With temperatures hovering in the high 20s, this trip was going to be mostly about eating and drinking our way around Portland.  When the temperatures are below freezing and you want to take off on a foodie/boozie adventure in New England, Portland Maine is the perfect place to go.  

The weekend was a mix of good food and great local beer.  Looking at a map of breweries, the list of local brews in Maine can almost be overwhelming (so much beer, so little time I am afraid).  While the microbreweries are popping up at an alarming rate, there are the big names like Shipyard and Allagash who are well known and have been around for a while.  To start our tour in Portland, we decided to stop into Allagash to see the space and of course, sample some Maine brewed beer. 

Entrance to Allagash Brewing Company

A great and very busy brewery in an awesome space.  On a "campus" or I guess you could call it an industrial area with several other breweries and distilleries.  Free tours, FREE TASTINGS and a really cool tasting room and patio (covered and with heaters in the winter).  I loved that the patio was dog-friendly and I can see how this would be an amazing spot in the summer, making your way through the various breweries, distillery and food trucks.  While here in January, we tasted four beers, all delicious with my favorite being their classic (and first beer!) Allagash White.  Little Brett was a close second and the porter was a delicious winter treat.  White makes it pretty far across the U.S. and it is pretty common to see it bottled at various restaurants in New England. 

While most breweries are just trying to sell beer (and it seems to be all about IPAs these days), Allagash is working on expanding on and perfecting Belgian Ales.  If you like Belgian beers and want to taste and tour the operation, this is a great stop in Maine.  While the tours were booked up, we were told we absolutely have to come back to see the operation.  Tours are free but book up quickly (reserve in advance online).  While the tastings are free, you cannot order a pint at the bar, beer is only sold to go.  They have some various merchandise and snacks available for sale as well.  If you love the local beer scene after your tasting at Allagash, you can turn this into a full out Maine Brew Tour.  Head across the street to try out Foundation Brewing Co, Austin Street Brewing, Bissel Brothers Brewing, New England Distilling and Geary's Brewing. 

Boothbay Harbor, Maine

Boothbay Harbor, Maine 

My trip to Boothbay Harbor was a rather last minute one.  I was flying home for work, and suggested to a few friends that we do a little trip down to Gloucester/Rockport, MA to do a little bit of diving and enjoy some time by the water.  Well, turns out it is nearly impossible to book a hotel in that area last minute for an August summer weekend.  So Boothbay Harbor somehow became the trip.  No complaints here!

I had never been to Boothbay so I was so excited.  I had been to Portland, Maine's Capital, and even all the way up to Acadia and Bar Harbor.  Boothbay is somewhere in the middle of Portland and Bar Harbor and is about 5-5.5 hours from where I lived in Connecticut. 

Friday we made the drive north and arrived in Boothbay.  We left around lunch time Friday and hit a bit of traffic but was up in Boothbay before dinner.  It was pretty much exactly what I expected for a small coastal town in Maine, except smaller and more charming than I envisioned. 

We started the day by checking into our hotel, the Tugboat Inn. 

 

The rooms were clean and large, breakfast was included, and we had a gorgeous view overlooking the harbor.  The rooms were basically right off the dock and waking up to ocean views just puts a smile on your face, especially when you miss the ocean as much as I do.  First thing we did was go for a walk to stretch out legs.  We went for a walk over the footbridge to see the other side of Boothbay, stretch our legs and watch the sunset.

The first night we ate at a casual restaurant with outdoor seating overlooking the bay.  Between the mussels and the swordfish I was in seafood heaven that first night.  Lobster was on my brain but I was holding out for a lobster roll for lunch.  All the deliciousness without the mess at the dinner table. 

All of the lobster boats and lobster buoys in the Bay remind you how much Maine depends on lobster.  More than that, what would Maine be without lobsters and crusty old fisherman.  Iconic New England tucked away in adorable Boothbay Harbor.  One of the harbor cruises even let you be a "lobsterman for a day" where you could haul traps with a local fishermen for a few hours and see how the locals make their living.

Saturday we went for a Harbor Cruise out of Boothbay.  The cruise toured around Boothbay Harbor with views of several lighthouses, islands, and a trip to see the seals. It was a perfect way to see the Harbor and get a glimpse of the harbor seals in Maine. 

 It was pretty amazing how many islands are scattered around the harbor.  Some are public, and some are privately owned, some have a house or two and some have about 100.

Harbor Seals sunning in Maine!

I definitely reccommend taking one of the cruises around the harbor.  There is something for everyone from Puffin Cruises, to Whale Watching, to Seal and Lobster Hauling cruises. Next time I visit I will be sure to check out the puffin cruise to see these adorable Maine birds. 

After our Harbor Cruise, we asked one of the guys selling tickets where the best lobster roll in town was.  He directed us to Shannons Unshelled, a little lobster "hut" by the foot bridge.  There was one thing on the menu,and one thing only.  Lobster rolls, the only way they should be served, with butter.  I will never understand why people take something as great as lobster and dunk it in Mayo.  

They certainly were not cheap at $18 a lobster roll (just the roll, no sides) but they were absolutely delicious.  The most packed lobster roll I have ever eaten, overflowing with claw and tail meat, with a side of hot butter.  Our only complaint was that the lobster meat was still chilled, not warmed or even room temperature.  

We ended our trip to Boothway with shopping around the tourist traps, and viewing all of the various Inns, B&Bs, and houses around the harbor.  

Wouldn't you just love to live in "Little House" with a garden and a view like that?

Harbor House Inn came highly recommended from a local working at one of the bars so we stopped by to take a peak.  This gorgeous B&B had a gorgeous view of the harbor. 

Boothbay Harbor is the perfect Maine getaway.  Lobster rolls, harbor cruises, shops, delicious foot and beautiful scenery.  If you are looking for a relaxing weekend away, this is a great spot to see.  When I can take a nap on vacation, it ranks pretty high in my books.  It always feels good to be back in that New England charm I miss SO much.  

Thanks for a lovely weekend, Maine.