Weekend in Maine
 

I'm visiting Maine in late June and staying at the Harraseeket Inn in Freeport.

What towns are recommended for visiting for scenic and culinary purposes? We really want to enjoy some great lobster shacks and restaurants along the coast.

We are also considering a whale watching tour, but were wondering if the were better uses of our time for activities?

Thanks for any help.

I'm not sure how many "lobster shacks and restaurants" you think you can fit in over just a weekend. Along with Harrasseekit Lunch, maybe dinner in Old Port Portland? If you want to combine foodie with coastal sightseeing, maybe a drive to the Dolphin Restaurant in Harpswell, or out to Cape Elizabeth for the Lobster shack.

www.lobstershack-twolights.com

We are staying there for an overnight next week-end. I love the Harraseekett! Their gourmet restaurant, The Maine Dining Room is one of the best restaurants anywhere. Do try to splurge on dinner while you are there.

We are usually there for such a quick trip that we do not travel when there, but one time we went to Bath, just 10 miles or so up the road, a pretty town with a shipbuilding history as well as the fact that Bowdoin College is there and has a beautiful campus.

Bowdoin is in Brunswick I think. Brunswick has some great dining options but nothing on the seashore which I think is what OP is looking for. A nice drive up past Bath into Rockland would bring even more dining options including Primo, one of the best restaurants in New England.

You are right, clark!!! I knew that I should not have relied on my memory!!

However, I am not mistaken about the Maine Dining Room. We have eaten there ~ 5 or 6 times and every meal was a delight!

Portland food tour of Old Port Area is fun but you can also visit/explore on your own. Unfortunately, we didn't get a list of the places we went to so I've forgotten them. There's the bakery near the brewery that is supposed to have the best whoopie pies in Maine. It's within walking distance of Duckfat, famous for the french fries.

The farmers markets should be starting up by then. Get a list from the dept of Ag. The one in Brunswick is good, as is the one in Bath. Rockland is pretty good (it was a rainy day so our mood might not have been great).

I would vote for the drive out to the Dolphin Restaurant for lunch. It in a lovely, rural area of Maine. Do some more exploring and a little hiking. Maybe Holbrooks Wharf in Cundy Harbor for dinner but check their open times. With such a short time I would vote for a place on the water with a view + steamed lobster.

Just an addendum. We got back an hour ago and while the Maine Dining Room at the Harraseeket is still very good, it is not as out of this world as it used to be. Therefore I amend my recommendation, esp if you do have the chance to go somewhere on the water. The hotel itself and the lovely afternoon tea and delicious breakfast are as good as they ever were!