Our friends in Freeport live on the beach and have their own local semi-secret source for lobster, so I’m covered on that front.
I so appreciate all these recommendations; it’s already shaping up to be a great trip.
well – maybe it just vaguely reminded me of chicken. I meant to compliment them on it not tasting “fishy”.
I’m not much of a fan of seafood, but that lobster roll and fish sandwich were tasty. I even ate an oyster in Boston… which was also nice – clean flavor. My wife would have none of it. She really should have tried some seafood out there…
If you are driving from Portland to Camden…you really need to stop at Moody’s Diner…for the pie.
When in October are you going? If you are going before the 14th, you will need to really plan soon as that is fall foliage time.
Second the vote for Beal’s in SW Harbor–everything there is fresh and delicious!!
Mount Desert Island - a little further out than SW Harbor, the port of Bernard. Thurston’s Lobster Pound is excellent. Unfortunately I have a shellfish allergy, but my family loved their lobsters.
@thumper, we’ll be there October 7-14. Are you saying we’ll have a hard time getting hotels, etc.?
Do lobster season run this late?
You need to check for accommodations ASAP. Columbus Day weekend is October 9-12. That is a very busy time in New England.
We’re covered for that weekend (staying with friends) but thanks for the heads up, @thumper1 ! Definitely will look into hotels for the remaining days.
If you pay attention to TV at all in NE, you hear about The Maine Diner, which is what thumper1 mentioned. Only drawback: there is almost always a line.
I know no one will go for this idea but my wife’s favorite lobster roll is not a roadside stand with the picturesque view but at a basic family restaurant in Kennebunkport named Alisson’s (that’s a last name). It’s just a big simple lobster roll in a place frequented by locals. Me, in that town I prefer Breakfast All Day, which serves guess what?
Just feel like mentioning this, but every summer we have “lobster kills”: buy too many lobsters, usually at Market Basket (a grocery chain that sells an ungodly number of lobsters for what is generally the lowest price), eat until you can’t go on and use the rest for lobster rolls. There are always lobster sellers in these towns. No difference in the quality because what varies is the hardness of the shells and how long the creatures have had to grow into them. But I always make this point: use really salty water and don’t cook for very long. I’m blown away by recipes that call for cooking for 20 minutes or more - or leaving them in heat for hours. It should take maybe 12 minutes to cook 2 or 3 ordinary ones.
I’m talking about Moody’s Diner which is north of Portland, and Freeport in a town called waldoboro. Moody’s is famous for their pies.
I am not talking about the Maine Diner located in Wells which is south of Portland. I’ve been there too…it has better food than Moody’s, but the pies at the Maine Diner are…meh.
@DrGoogle - There really isn’t a lobster season, per se, but less boats do go out during the winter due to the harsh weather. Lobsters are plentiful in Maine waters year round. IMO, summer is the worst time to get lobster because a lot of what you are going to get is soft shell (don’t tell the tourists), and I much prefer hard shell lobsters. Fall is a great time for lobster.
As far as cooking time, it really depends on lobster size but I typically cook mine more that 12 minutes, more like 15-17, and yes, take them out and serve them soon. My favorite way is to steam them in ocean water in a big pot, putting rocks or a upside down ceramic bowl in the bottom of the pot so the lobsters don’t sit in the water. All you need is some melted butter. Yum.
@doschicos, I want to travel there now. Sound too yummy.
In Portland, visit Portland Head light and Two Lights Park for the quintessential views of ocean waves crashing on the rocky shore. Definitely walk around the Old Port. I like Walter’s for lunch. For dinner, Hugo’s or Fore Street though they are a little pricey. There are so many great restaurants, I’m sure you can get a number of recommendations depending on what you are looking for.
Freeport is a shopping destination. It’s nice for what it is. The Harraseeket Inn is an elegant restaurant. There is a restaurant next to LL Beans, my recollection is it’s usually crowded. The food was good, traditional New England fare.
There are some short hikes in the area; Pleasant Mountain is one.
Also, you can take a boat road to one of the islands in Casco Bay.
Thanks, thumper. I almost always go inland at Portland - toward Bridgton or Bethel, maybe up toward Rangeley - and only rarely get as far as Boothbay. So I got confused.
My favorite lobster time is spring. They’re more “in stock” locally and I can get 2-3 lb ones fairly easily. Larger than that and I think they’re a little tough and take too long to cook.
Freeport is just an oversized outlet mall that happens to include the LLBean flagship store. To be honest, unless you like shopping overpriced outlet stores…one after the other, it’s really not all that much fun. The flagship LLBean store is fun to visit, but the bargains are actually at the factory store…or,whatever it’s called…that is just as you are entering the outlet area from the south.
It’s a nice place to stop if you are looking for a break, and walking. But really there are so many other gorgeous places to walk around in Maine. So many.
I guess if you’ve never been to Freeport, it’s worth the stop.
We have family in Camden, drive past Freeport on every drive we make.
I agree with you about Freeport, @thumper1. I’m past the age of shopping for clothes while traveling, so outlets are never a draw, particularly ones with mediocre prices! The town itself isn’t the draw either (we’ve been there a couple of times) but rather our friends’ house about 20 minutes away, on a quiet country road, practically on the beach.
Do you have any Camden recommendations? We haven’t been there before.
My husband’s father lived on the island of Vinalhaven, ME for the last twelve years of his life. Our kids went to summer camps in Maine. It’s an amazing state. My advice is: stop as often as possible as you drive through Maine, and eat blueberry pie and lobster rolls. Blueberry pie for breakfast, lobster roll for lunch and dinner. Lobster bisque or lobster casserole if you get bored of lobster roll or just want a change.
Out of curiosity the blueberry pie in Maine is that made out of wild blueberry or just garden variety blueberry that we get at Costco for example.
Sorry, @DrGoogle , I should have been clear. Eat the blueberry pie IF and ONLY IF it’s made from local wild Maine blueberries, which are little tiny flavor-packed berries of delightfulness.