June 22 and 23 brings the Windjammer Festival to Boothbay Harbor, a scenic seaside town in lower Midcoast Maine, about 90 minutes from Kennebunkport.  This annual festival draws historic boats into the harbor and fills the town with fireworks, parades, and concerts.

Portland’s Annual Greek Heritage Festival falls on June 24-26, tempting thousands of visitors with incredible Greek cuisine, music, and dancing.  Great activity for families!

Closer still to your Kennebunkport bed and breakfast inn, the Maine Stay, is the famous La Kermesse Festival in Biddeford, Maine.  This annual Franco-American fest runs Friday through Sunday and offers parades, dining, and live entertainment.

Just southwest of Kennebunkport lies South Berwick, home to the Strawberry Festival for the last 30+ years.  This year, enjoy bake-offs, an enormous juried craft fair, and entertainment on June 26.

July 1-5 brings Ogunquit Days to the town of Ogunquit.  An easy drive from your Kennebunkport bed and breakfast, don’t miss five days of great events and celebrations.  A great way to celebrate July 4th!

The Maine Stay Inn is looking forward to making sure your summer vacation or quick getaway is absolutely A+!

The Marginal Way - great for a walk or jog!

We at the Maine Stay Inn regularly suggest scenic runs or long beach walks to guests, but the fitness options available in the Kennebunks doesn’t stop there.  In fact, Kennebunkport is a virtual hub of fitness activities – which is a good thing, considering the incredible dining options that abound here as well!

For indoor gym fiends, you have to head outside of town to Kennebunk for two great fitness center options.  The Fitness Nut House, a rather traditional small-town gym, located on Route 1, offers the basics – treadmills and ellipticals, free weights and weight machines – as well as some great classes like Zumba, spinning and Pilates.  Personal training sessions are also available.  The Fitness Nut House is really more of a “home” because of its non-threatening, laid-back atmosphere and members that feel more like family than anything else.  One sweat session at the Nut House and you’re sure to make a new friend!  Almost directly behind the Fitness Nut House lies Quest Fitness, the mammoth new gym with all the bells and whistles.  You’re greeted by neon green walls and encouraging fitness oriented phrases on the walls and a well-staffed front desk.  They are as high tech as you get – weight machines with built-in computers to track your progress and monitor your form during exercises.  All treadmills, ellipticals, and stationary bikes (no spinning here, sorry!) come with their own TVs, and most with individual iPod docking stations.  Great classes are offered here as well (definitely a good option for all you Yogis-in-training), but the biggest draw is most definitely the indoor pool – so even if it rains, you can go for a dip!  The facility is pristine, although I can’t be certain whether this is merely due to its newness or not.  Either way, there’s always custodial staff present and working – always a good sign!  Their lockers rooms are just as high tech, with individually programmable locks, powerful hand dryers, towel service, and a sauna.  But the best part is that, even without a door, you feel as though you have stepped into a spa, filled with soft music and sweet-smelling amenities.  Of course, though, you’ll pay for the difference – to the tune of $15 for an individual day pass or $49 for a family.

But there’s still more for us fitness fanatics – think kayaking or canoeing on the Kennebunk river, open ocean kayaking, or learn-to sail classes.  For those blessed with hand-eye coordination, there are public tennis courts and private tennis clubs throughout the Kennebunks.

As for golf, there are many great options.  The Maine Stay Inn recommends The Old Marsh Country Club, a rather new course in Wells.  It has been rated as one of the nation’s best new courses and often offers special clinics and packages to our guests.  Webhannet is also a fantastic course in Kennebunk Beach with tidal water hazards and a snack bar. But let’s not forget the Bush Family’s course – the Cape Arundel Golf Course.

For those on bikes, the options are nearly endless.  A short family ride might take you past the Kennebunk beaches or out to Parson’s Beach or neighboring Rachel Carson Wildlife Refuge.  For a longer ride, head out to Goose Rocks Beach, but be forewarned, there are no restrooms out there!  Adventurous riders might choose to explore north from Goose Rocks Beach to Biddeford Pool, another spectacular Maine beach with limited parking (not to mention it requires a town of Biddeford pass).  Experienced road riders should head south from the Maine Stay and check out Wells and York beaches or Ogunquit.  But no bikes allowed on the Marginal Way – foot traffic only!

So while in Southern Maine at the Maine Stay Inn enjoying amazing food and incredible sights, make sure to take part in some of the amazing fitness activities that are just part of what makes Kennebunkport an incredible place to vacation or escape the stresses of everyday life.

The Maine Stay Inn, of course, makes it our business to make your vacation better than you imagined.  Kennebunkport is wonderful, but a stay at the Maine Stay Inn and Cottages it the key to making your Maine Summer Vacation perfect.  So this summer, from June 1 through September 15, the Maine Stay Inn will offer complimentary passes to the Kennebunk Beaches with any two or more night stay.  That means you can enjoy the glories of Southern Maine’s incredible beaches at no cost to you!

First off, it’s easy to get to.  Kennebunkport is just 86 miles from Boston and 35 miles from Portland.  That mean’s it’s accessible to everyone.  There’s no worrying about ferry schedules (hello, Martha’s Vineyard!) or twisting mountainous roads (can you say “White Mountains?”).  You can leave Boston after work and get to the Maine Stay before dinner. Or fly into Portland (possibly the world’s most navigable airport) and bite into our famous chocolate chip cookies in under 40 minutes.

Second, dining options abound.  If you’re a regular Maine Stay Inn blog reader, you know how much I love good food!  Kennebunkport offers amazing options for all kinds of eaters of all ages, and most within easy walking distance of the Maine Stay.  That means that you don’t have to venture far from the inn or beach for a wonderful meal.

Which brings me to reason number three – the beaches.  The beaches of the Kennebunks are fantastic.  I mean truly spectacular.  And there are so many options!  If you visit with kids, head to the Kennebunk beaches for easy access and minimal schlepping of beach toys.  For avid runners and walkers, the small beaches and coves along Ocean Avenue are not to be missed.  Those bringing or renting bicycles should head to Parson’s beach, a treasure with impossible parking.  And couples looking for peace and quiet along the shore should hit up Goose Rocks Beach in Kennebunkport.

An explanation of the appeal of Kennebunkport would not be complete without mentioning the incredible shops of Dock Square, the spectacular galleries dotted throughout town, or the plethora of outdoor activities, like kayaking and canoeing, running and biking, whale watching and sailing, and golf.  But the part I have most trouble explaining is Kennebunkport’s charm.  This town is so quaint and endearing, with just the right amount of history and architectural appeal, but also the pop of spectacular sands and edible creations.

My words just don’t do Kennebunkport justice, so come to the Maine Stay Inn to see all that Kennebunkport has to offer and find out why Kennebunkport is the perfect summer vacation destination.

The staff here at the Maine Stay Inn wants to make sure your visit to Kennebunkport, Maine is one to remember! So we have compiled this featured list of events that you may want to take part in during your time here. The summer season is a busy one for Kennebunkport and there are many activities to choose from. The Front Desk Staff is more than happy to help you in finding the right activities for the occasion.

Go on a Whale Watch or a Scenic Lobster Cruise! Take part in this true Maine experience and don’t forget to bring your camera! Visit www.firstchancewhalewatch.com to find out more.

Get on board Schooner Eleanor for a day out on the water! Travel down the historic Kennebunk River and then along the scenic coastline from Cape Arundel to Cape Porpoise on a 55’ Schooner. Visit www.gwi.net/schoonersails

Cast Away with Captain Niels Jacob on a Guided Fishing Charter! Whether you are a fishing enthusiast or want to experience something new, nothing beats a day out on the open waters reeling in fish. Also great for families! For more information and to make reservations visit www.castawayfishingcharters.com

What better way to experience Maine’s coastline than to go on a Sea Kayaking Excursion. Guided tours with a Registered Maine Guide are available, or if you prefer, you can rent your own kayak and explore for yourself! Whether it’s a day trip or a sunset paddle, kayaking is a peaceful way to enjoy your getaway. Visit www.portpaddle.com

Take a Horse-Drawn Carriage Ride around town and learn about Historic Kennebunkport! Or set up a carriage ride for a special event, whether it is for a wedding or just a romantic night out. Visit Rockin’ Horse Stables at www.rockinhorsemaine.com

Learn more about the area aboard Intown Trolley. This narrated sightseeing tour visits all the hotspots in Kennebunkport including President Bush’s Estate, the Franciscan Monastery, and of course, the beaches! Private charters are also available. For more information visit www.intowntrolley.com

Rent a Bike and explore Kennebunkport on your own schedule! Visit www.capeablebikes.com or call the Maine Stay Inn at 207-967-2117 to arrange your bicycle rental. 

Spend a day at the beach! The Maine Stay Inn supplies all the necessities for a day in the sun from beach towels, to chairs and umbrellas, to parking passes… so stop by the Front Desk before heading to the beach!

Spend a night out on the town and go to a musical at one of the nearby theaters.
A Chorus Line, a Broadway Musical, is playing at the Ogunquit Playhouse through June 13th. For show times and tickets visit www.ogunquitplayhouse.org
Suds, a Rockin’ 60’s Musical Soap Opera, is playing at the Arundel Barn Playhouse through June 20th. For show times and tickets visit www.arundelbarnplayhouse.com

This is a list of only a few of many things that Kennebunkport and surrounding areas has to offer. The Staff at the Maine Stay Inn will gladly help you in planning your time here. Stop by the Front Desk and we are happy to assist you in any way we can!