Lighthouses, Lobsters, L.L. Bean and Lumberjacks are what I think of when I think of Maine. Ok, I also think of blueberries and rocky coastlines but those didn’t start with L. Matt and I went to Maine 2009 and had such fond memories we were excited to come back with our kids. Matt’s mom planned such a great trip that we copied a lot of the same things we did 14 years ago.
Cape Elizabeth, Maine
We started our trip with lobster rolls at The Lobster Shack at Two Lights in Cape Elizabeth, Maine. I remember coming here in 2009 and seeing lighthouses from the restaurant. So, I thought ok we should get family pictures with the rocky coastline and a lighthouse in the background. When I was looking for photo locations, I mistook the Portland Head Light lighthouse as the one you can see from the restaurant, but I was mistaken. You can see two lighthouses from the restaurant though. The restaurant is located right next to Two Lights State Park in Maine.
We got to the Lobster Shack in between lunch and dinner so we had smaller lines. With less crowds we were able to sit right next to the coast and a beautiful bush of rose hips. My in-laws were actually at the Lobster Shack the day before and told us the line was huge for lunch. After eating, we let the kids play on the rocky coastline. It was windy with a slight breeze.
After the Lobster Shack, we got ready for family Photos at the iconic Portland Headlight in Fort Williams Park. As I researched places to take photos, I learned that the Portland Head Light is the most photographed lighthouse in the country. With good reason– it’s gorgeous and big. It was first constructed in 1791. I love that it’s also one of the oldest light houses as well. I’ll post more family photos after our Christmas Card get sent out. After family photos, we took the kids to get ice cream at Willard Scoops for a job well done.
Portland, Maine
The following morning, we checked in for our Lobster Boat Tour then got breakfast at The Holy Donut. We LOVED our lobster boat tour from 2009 so we booked the same company Lucky Catch Cruises. We had different tour guides, but they were just as fabulous as before. The whole experience is interactive and so interesting to learn a little bit about the history of catching lobster. It was sad to learn that even though Lobster cost more from the previous year the ones catching the lobster didn’t see that extra profit.
We were able to help put the bait in the nets and in the lobster traps, then we pushed the lobster traps in the ocean. The kids got to put rubber bands on the lobsters. Once the lobsters were safe to hold, we held lobster and helped measure them to see if they were large enough to keep. We were also able to hold Jonah Crabs. We learned if we rubbed their bellies, they would fall asleep. For some reason this reminded me of the Fluffy in Harry Potter. If you played music for the three-headed dog it would also fall asleep. We learned some history of Portland and Lobster Boating, saw seals, lighthouses, sailboat racing and enjoyed a beautiful boat ride.
After the boat tour we stopped at the Promenade Portland Maine Playground for a picnic lunch before we drove to Acadia. It was a beautiful view, the kids got to play at the playground and there was even a bus library for the kids to read some books.
Lumberjack Show
Acadia deserves it’s own post. One of the evenings we went to Timber Tina’s Great Maine Lumberjack Show. It really is fantastic. Tina wasn’t there that night but apparently at a Santana Concert in Maine. Good for her to get out. The show is set up like a competition. Apparently being a Lumbarjack or Lumbarjill is a real thing and colleges compete in multiple lumbar events. There are a series of events the athletes compete against and they do a great job keeping the audience entertained. Even my one-year-old niece was captivated the whole time. The cast invited the kids to saw wood. They each got a certificate at the end to say they cross-cut sawed at the show.
Lobster Dinner
After Acadia we went to Canada to go whale watching (which will also get its own post). On the way back from Canada, we stopped at Union River Lobster Pot in Ellsworth, Maine. Since we didn’t do a clam bake (like 2009), Matt got a whole lobster to eat. Let’s say it was an education for the kids to see him crack open the lobster and eat it. We would definitely recommend the restaurant. The grounds are beautiful to walk around (it’s on a river). Also outside the restaurant is the cook and all the different lobster so you can watch the chef cook your dinner. My kids thought the process was quite interesting.
We stopped to see the capitol building of Maine and just took a quick photo. We tested to see if the the L.L.Bean flagship store really is open 24 hrs (we got there at 10pm so it appears to be)!
What do you think of when you go to Maine? Would you agree with my Lighthouses, Lobsters, L.L. Bean and Lumbarjacks?
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