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FEBRUARY 2015 | COMPLIMENTARY
Chocolate!
How sweet it is
The Maine
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Road Trip on the
Lobster Coast
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Greater Portland CVB
bliss
Marina on Portland’s waterfront
PART 2
road trip
Cruisin’ Athrough
Coastal three states
New England
By Debra Simon and Brack Johnson
Greater Portland CVB
R
Portland Head Light
28 carolina woman | february 2015 | www.carolinawoman.com
ocky coasts. Charming villages. Picturesque harbors. White-steepled churches.
Meandering through Rhode Island, Maine and Connecticut, we paused to admire
compelling views at every turn. From rumpled docks in Maine to swanky towns in
Connecticut, we traced the Atlantic coastline in a Yukon SUV rented from Hertz. In last
month’s issue, we took a look at Rhode Island. Here’s a glimpse of Maine and Connecticut.
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but also ranks as the “Top City for Empty Nesters”
(Kiplinger’s), “America’s Foodiest Small Town” (Bon
Appétit) and “America’s Most Livable City” (Forbes).
Greater Portland CVB
What to See?
Portland beach
Maine
Check out antique shops, yacht basins, fishing
piers, vintage houses, funky craft stores, historic
churches, coastal museums and locavore eateries.
Discover greater Portland and its islands via
charter boat. Or ship out to enjoy kayaking,
whitewater rafting or sailing. Take a walking tour.
Explore the working harbor. Venture out to the
railroad museum. Catch a glimpse of buildings in a
catalog of architectural genres.
Simplicity and sophistication coexist in the area’s
stroll-worthy neighborhoods. We easily navigated
Portland
Greater Portland CVB
Lobster. Lobster. Did we say lobster? Mainers
celebrate the ubiquitous crustacean, hauled from
their backyard, the Atlantic Ocean, in every way
they can imagine – from refined cuisine to
downhome festivals. But that’s not the half of it.
Maine’s largest city has way more to offer than
delectable seafood. Rough-hewn yet boutique-y
Down East charm, a walkable city center and a
flourishing restaurant scene blend with rugged
seascapes, windswept beaches and bluff-side trails
to create a must-see spot.
Over the past decade or so, there has been a
sea change in easygoing Portland. Its 70,000 hardy
locals are justifiably proud of the salty origins of this
once-sleepy industrial town. Situated on a mile-wide
peninsula that juts into Casco Bay, the city is now a
destination with a distinct personality.
Portland is counted among “America’s Best
Cities for Hipsters” (Travel and Leisure magazine)
Old Orchard Beach
Greater Portland CVB
Why Visit?
bliss
The West End boasts some of the maritime city’s
biggest historic houses. The most eye-catching is
the opulent Victoria Mansion, constructed in 1859
for a native of Maine who made his fortune in New
Orleans hotels. The stately Italian-style villa, complete
with its original furnishings, is a national historic
landmark.
We drove across a bridge to take in the drama
of the craggy coastline on the beaches of South
Portland and Cape Elizabeth, a hamlet that’s home
to two lighthouses. The sound of fog horns and the
sight of seagulls greeted us during visits to the
lighthouses: Maine’s oldest, Portland Head Light
(built in 1791) in 90-acre Fort Williams Park and Two
Lights (1874) in a 41-acre state park that’s named
for it.
Within an hour’s drive of Portland, we admired
traditional fishing villages as well as high-gloss
tourist towns. A midnight run to the cavernous
home of L.L. Bean, which never closes, took us to
Freeport, where outlets rule. And we got a daylong
kick out of Old Orchard Beach Amusement Park,
which happily retains the feel of a midcentury pier
and arcade with rides, carnival food and a broad
stretch of sand.
Exchange Street
Portland’s pleasantly compact downtown, which is
bursting with independent shops, galleries,
restaurants, bars, clubs and coffee houses.
Our major focus was Old Port, a revitalized
commercial district marked by cobblestone streets
and brick warehouses. This center of tourism
features both the boat-filled harbor and docks on
Commercial Street as well as the handmade vibe
of shops on Exchange, Market and Temple streets.
The vibrant Arts District, a few blocks from the
waterfront, is home to the Portland Museum of Art
(designed by
famed architect
I.M. Pei). We spent
a lovely afternoon
browsing a fine
collection of
French
Impressionists and
American
landscapes. In
addition, the
museum operates
the two-story
clapboard studio
where Winslow
Homer lived and
painted.
Inn by the Sea
Where to Stay?
As one of Maine’s top lodging destinations, Inn
by the Sea in Cape Elizabeth is true to its name. We
couldn’t have slept closer to the water unless we
had pitched a tent on the beach.
The 5-acre, eco-friendly lodge is small enough
(just 61 guest rooms) to provide individualized
service. Highlights include a swimming pool that’s
solar heated; a clubby lobby lounge; farm-to-fork
Sea Glass restaurant; and a state-of-the-art spa.
The inn has rightfully received many accolades.
It was voted one of the World’s Best by Travel +
Leisure and one of the top 20 resorts in the
Northeast by Condé Nast Traveler.
Our luxe suite lived like the beach house of our
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bliss
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The pet-friendly hotel has more than 100 posh
guest rooms and suites. Our garden-view retreat,
which looked into the courtyard below, boasted a
granite walk-in shower, a hardwood floor and a
fireplace.
Westin Portland Harborview lounge
Guest of the inn
Portland Harbor Hotel
Confirmation of just how upscale this place is:
Free car service is offered to all downtown restaurants
and attractions.
The contemporary Westin Portland Harborview,
in the Arts District, opened last year after a $50
million renovation of the nearly century-old Eastland
Hotel.
Greater Portland CVB
dreams: a transitional one-bedroom that contained
a well-appointed living room with a glass door out
to a large seaside porch; a kitchen with a bar and
dining table; a generous bathroom with walk-in
shower and soaking tub; even a fireplace.
We didn’t bring our dogs to the spacious
accommodations. But Fido is allowed – even
encouraged with pet-pampering amenities.
mecca is believed to have the most restaurants per
capita of any city in the United States.
Yes, we ate our way across the region. We
couldn’t help but indulge in Maine’s stalwarts, such
as wild blueberry desserts and whoppie pies. But
we also found time to dig into the innovations
served in Portland’s abundance of chef-owned
spots with bright, open kitchens.
Innovations with fish
Foodies have long venerated Hugo’s, at the
edge of the Old Port, which was one of the first hot
spots to present tasting menus. The chef/owner has
expanded with the opening of neighboring
Eventide Oyster Bar.
Portland Harbor Hotel guest room
Early one morning, we woke while it was still
dark, slipped on flip-flops and sauntered along the
private boardwalk and trail to Crescent Beach,
where we threw down a towel in time to watch the
sun rise.
The Portland Harbor Hotel, centrally located a
block from the waterfront in the Old Port district,
blends old-world charm with modern amenities. It’s
home to Eve’s at the Garden, a restaurant that
offers fresh, local ingredients.
30 carolina woman | february 2015 | www.carolinawoman.com
Greater Portland CVB
Balcony of spa suite
With almost 300 rooms, the Westin houses the
city’s newest day spa, Akari, as well as a gym and
C2, a restaurant named for its Congress Square
location.
After a full day of Portland-mania, we enjoyed
panoramic views of the harbor and downtown in
the Westin’s Top of the East rooftop lounge before
calling it a night in our corner deluxe king with walls
of glass overlooking the city.
What to Eat?
Portland’s love of good chow is evident from
brew masters to cheese makers, bakers to wine
makers. With close to 250 eateries, the culinary
Lobster roll trio
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The James Beard Award-winning executive chef
and co-owner of Fore Street, a powerhouse built
around a massive wood-burning brick oven, cooks
with an approach that lets the ingredients shine.
While retaining an emphasis on products
sourced from local farms, dairies, smokehouses and
fishing grounds, young chefs prepare artful fare
from all corners of the globe. Their menus are
typically drawn up according to what’s available
that day.
Native seafood appears in original
preparations on the menu at cutting-edge places.
Meanwhile, Maine classics, such as chock-full stews
and chowders and lightly fried clams with whole
juicy bellies, are still everywhere.
In Two Lights State Park, we grabbed a picnic
table outside the rustic Lobster Shack high on a
peak overlooking the lapping waves. Then, we
tucked into no-frills steamed crustaceans before
traipsing down to the beach. In Fort Williams Park,
we devoured lobster rolls from a food truck.
Browsing the posh shops felt like being Julia
Roberts in “Pretty Woman”…except without the credit
card. Sigh.
bliss
What to See?
The sidewalks of historic Southport as well as its
postage-stamp village center are worthy of a
Norman Rockwell painting.
Parks, beaches and other cute towns in Fairfield
County deserve a look. Venturing farther, we drove
a half-hour north to New Haven and were rewarded
with Yale University’s fine-art museums and ivycovered buildings.
Delamar Greenwich Harbor
Where to Stay?
The Delamar Greenwich Harbor Hotel boasts
luxurious rooms with lovely balconies overlooking a
private pier that offers accommodations for sail
and motorboats.
We arrived in a Hertz rental, but guests who
breeze in by watercraft can employ the services of
full-time dock attendants. A spa offers every
fabulous treatment under the sun.
What to Eat?
Anything your palate desires. Connecticut is
one of the New England states, so specialties of the
region, such as clam chowder, are easy finds.
But so are French and Italian cuisine as well as
the latest dishes from the Big Apple. After all, New York
City is just 45 minutes away on a Metro North train.
Delamar Southport
Where to Stay?
The Delamar Southport is a boutique hotel
offering first-class comfort with just 44 rooms and
suites. The spacious guestrooms feature beautiful
furniture and Italian linens.
We were offered complimentary champagne
upon arrival. Also free are bicycles, breakfast and
additional niceties. The spa provides the best in
massages, facials and other body treatments.
What to Eat?
The Grey Goose, a tavern across the street from
the Delamar, is locally loved for burgers as well as
hearty mains, such as beef Wellington and a
16-ounce, center-cut pork chop.
Shopping in Greenwich
Connecticut
Greenwich
Why Visit?
To see how the 1 percent lives. The sparkling
waterfront is awash with yachts while the tony
downtown is ringed by magnificent estates.
What to See?
Bellevue Avenue, known as “the Rodeo Drive of
the East Coast,” has 600 swish stores, such as the
jeweler Tiffany & Co. We consumed an entire day
windowshopping on “the Avenue.”
Southport
Southport
Why Visit?
The cobblestone streets of this waterfront
enclave are flush with Georgian, Greek Revival,
Victorian and Federal mansions that were once
home to sea captains. Yet, somehow, the town of just
3-1/2 square miles maintains a laid-back ambience.
Artisan bar
Although we stopped by the hotel’s Artisan
restaurant just as it was closing, we were graciously
escorted to the bar area. A thick, rich seafood
chowder was presented tableside with the shellfish
in one bowl and the liquid elixir in a second. The
waiter skillfully poured one into the other. In a region
of primo chowders, it was matchless.
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