Fall is looking golden in Maine's Kennebunks

October 19, 2008|Hilary Nangle, Globe Correspondent

KENNEBUNKPORT, Maine - The kids are back in school, the crowds are gone, the leaves are turning, the weather's inviting, and - a big plus - beach permits are no longer required. Fall is an ideal time for a visit to the Kennebunks, the collective name given the southern coastal communities of Kennebunk (and its Lower Village), Kennebunkport, Kennebunk Beach, Goose Rocks Beach, Arundel, and Cape Porpoise.

Renowned for its summer residents from the social elite, especially George H.W. Bush, the region is equally famous for its eclectic shopping, sand beaches, and architectural riches. Settled by Europeans in the mid-17th century, it became a shipbuilding and seafaring center, which left a legacy of grand homes, many of which are now inns or bed-and-breakfasts, and fishing shacks that have been transformed into tony shops.

Early morning Get the lay of the land before rubber-necking crowds arrive with a leisurely drive or pedal through K'port's Dock Square, along Ocean Avenue (there's a pullout opposite the Bushes' Walker Point estate for serious gawking), looping out to Cape Porpoise to watch lobstermen at work and view Goat Island Light, then perhaps continuing out Route 9 to Goose Neck Beach. Greet the day with a morning stroll along one of the region's prime swaths of sand, perhaps 3,346-foot-long Gooch's Beach, bordered by the breakwater on one end and rocky tidal pools on the other, or Parson's Beach, framed by salt marsh and backed by beach rose-covered dunes, making it especially popular among birdwatchers.

If breakfast doesn't come with your room, invent your own omelet or crepe or, better yet, sink your teeth into the awesome French toast at All-Day Breakfast (55 Western Ave./Route 9, Lower Village, 207-967-5132), a cheery cafe where the waitresses might call you "Dear" and know all the locals by name. It's a great spot to pick up local news and gossip. On Sundays through Nov. 30, Nonantum Resort (95 Ocean Ave., Kennebunkport, 800-552-5651, nonantumresort.com) is offering a Breakfast with an Artist series, a buffet and the opportunity to chat with and view works by an area artist.