Kittery, Maine Attractions, Lodging, Dining

Separating the Atlantic coasts of New Hampshire and Maine is the Piscataqua River. On one side lies Portsmouth, New Hampshire, on the other is the historic, seaside village of Kittery, Maine, the state's oldest community.

Just as the early settlers were drawn to Kittery, back in 1623, by the beauty of its coastline, so too are tourists, today. But, it's not just the dramatic waterfront that attracts visitors, it's also the abundance of things to do and see in the Kittery area.

Kittery, Maine Attractions - Kittery Outlets

Undoubtedly, one of the major attractions of the southern Maine coast is The Maine Outlet. Most often referred to as the Kittery Outlets...

...this group of discount stores extends for nearly a mile along U.S. Route 1.

And, alongside the Kittery, Maine Outlet stores is...

...the famous, 90,000 square foot complex of the Kittery Trading Post, where you will find a treasure of outdoor gear. Whatever your hobby - fishing, hunting, boating, camping, or traveling - you are likely to find the needed paraphernalia here.

However, Kittery has much more than shopping waiting for you...

• sail, kayak, and canoe along Kittery's many waterfront inlets
• take a stroll by the historic Lady Pepperell Mansion, and the John Bray, and William Whipple homes
• on Kittery Point visit the recreational parks of Fort Foster and Fort McClary
• explore scenic Route 103 and take detours to visit Haley's Art Gallery and Perrin Fine Art
• swim and sunbathe at Seapoint Beach, Crescent Beach, or at Fort Foster Park
• pass historic cemeteries as you hike the Kittery Town Forest Trail
• visit the Kittery Historical and Naval Museum
• dine at one of the many seafood and specialty restaurants in the area

Because of Kittery's proximity to Portsmouth, New Hampshire, just a short drive over one of the New Hampshire to Maine bridges...

You can easily take advantage of what that city has to offer...

• climb aboard a whale watching cruise, or a ferry headed to the Isle of Shoals
• take the kids to Water Country, New England's largest water park
• explore the famous Strawberry Banke Museum
• enjoy summer concerts on the waterfront at Prescott Park
• shop cobblestoned streets lined with unique boutiques and galleries
• dine in historic harbor front buildings, or at one of the many downtown restaurants and cafes

Heading in the other direction...

The Yorks, and the town of Ogunquit, are just a short drive north of Kittery. You can easily spend a few days exploring both of these areas, or just lazing on some of their wide open, white sandy beaches.

As of July, 2011...
...Memorial Bridge, connecting Kittery, ME and Portsmouth, NH, is closed. Until a replacement bridge is constructed use Route 1 Bypass (Sarah Mildred Long Bridge), or the Interstate 95 high level bridge. Construction updates at: memorialbridgeproject.com/index.php/information-center

Update 2013...
Word is that the bridge will be reopening sometime this summer!

Kittery, Maine Lodging

Whether you are heading to Kittery, Maine on a family vacation, or it's just the two of you, OR you are traveling solo, in and around Kittery you will find some great, affordable lodging accommodations and vacation rentals.

What's your favorite?

A quaint bed and breakfast, an ocean view room, a romantic country inn? Or, would it be a small motel or cottage, filled with Maine charm? In the Kittery area you will be able to find all of these, and more.

You can step back in time at the...

...Enchanted Nights Bed and Breakfast, an 1890 Princess Anne Victorian, located at the beginning of scenic, coastal Route 103 in Kittery.

Or, enjoy a stay at a "classic Maine motel" like the Northeaster that also has a few rental cabins on its property.

The Liston Villas offer "comfortable, clean, lodging" in a central location, or you may want to stay a night at the Coachman Inn, in the heart of the Maine Outlet shopping.

And, if you don't mind a short drive York Beach, Maine, with its seaside ambience, and the more cosmopolitan Portsmouth, New Hampshire, are also home to some wonderful hotels, motels, inns, and B&B's.

Kittery Maine Restaurants

Is it possible to visit the seacoast without indulging in some of the freshest seafood it has to offer? If you are like me, the answer is NO! And you will be lucky - there are plenty of places in Kittery, Maine to indulge, many of them open year round.

Definitely not to be missed on U.S. Route 1 - Bob's Clam Hut, founded in 1956 and winner in the 2006 edition of Restaurant Business, of the Best of Everything Award, for its fried clams.

As their name implies, Bob's serves a lot of clams, but the menu does not stop there. Scallops, haddock shrimp, oysters, cod and calamari are offered, as well as chicken, hamburgers and hot dogs, for the non-seafood lovers!

And if the lines at Bob's are too long...

Right across the street is their other restaurant, Robert's Maine Grill and Market.

Or, enjoy another Kittery landmark restaurant. Across from the Kittery Trading Post is the Weathervane Restaurant, the original location of this small New England chain of seafood eateries.

Will you be arriving in Kittery, Maine by boat?

Warren's Lobster House, which has been serving lobster, seafood, steak, chicken and other specialties since 1940, offers 150 feet of free boat docking, along the Piscataqua River.

If the Maine tide permits, Chauncey Creek Lobster Pier (one of my favorites) also has room, for you to tie up.

Sitting hillside on Chauncey Creek, this secluded lobster pound began as a working lobster pier and in the 1950's started selling simple boiled lobsters, and lobster rolls, to local patrons. But, it is no longer just the locals that are coming here, and it's easy to understand why. Maybe because...

It is not necessarily what Chauncey Creek Lobster Pier has that makes it so special, it is what it doesn't have that makes it such a great place.

On their open decks, and under a canopy, the lobster pound simply serves boiled lobster (lots of it), other very basic seafood, a few landlubber menu items, and a handful of accompaniments. But what THEY don't serve, YOU are welcome to bring in your own cooler, or brown bag it, with a few bottles of beer, or some wine.

Or, for a little more sophistication...

You may want to try the contemporary menu of Anneke Jans, served in a bistro style restaurant, located in the Wallingsford Square in Kittery.

You will be sure to find your own favorite - breakfast, lunch, or dinner - as you travel along U.S. Route 1, Route 103, or any other coastal road in Kittery, Maine.