After staggering through some stuff this winter, including a prolonged period of jury duty (still mid-stagger on that), I want to get away from everything in early June at a nice New England hotel or inn near a beach. I know CCers will have some great recommendations.
I want to do two things while I’m away - read and walk on the beach. I want a room that’s so nice I’ll hate to leave it (unless it’s to walk on the beach). Ideally, I’d like an ocean view with a balcony. It would be nice to have a fridge, and to be close to different restaurants so I don’t haunt the same dining room 2 or 3 times a day. A B&B is fine as long as it’s not a place where a solo traveler would feel uncomfortable.
I’m not looking for a bargain - this is a trip I’ve wanted for a long time, and I really need it! I don’t want to spend $500/night for the worst room on the property, though, which is the impression I got when I looked at the Chatham Bars Inn website.
We’ve stayed at the Inn by the Sea on Cape Elizabeth in Maine previously, and loved it. I could go back there, but wanted to know what other possibilities there are. I do need it to be the New England coast because of other travel plans around that time. Many thanks for any help/suggestions!
I’m a big fan of Maine. Here are a few to look into. All are waterfront but not necessarily beachfront - that rocky, craggy Maine coastline and all.
http://www.sprucepointinn.com/lodging Boothbay Harbor has plenty of dining and a wonderful botanical garden. A good day trip from the area is going up to Camden/Rockland area and going to the Farnsworth Art Museum if such things interest you.
http://www.beachmereinn.com/ In Ogunquit, great dining in town and also in nearby York and Kittery. Portsmouth NH (25 minutes) and Porltand, ME (45 minutes) are great, vibrant, small cities with a great dining scene. Also Kennebunkport is nearby.
“Boothbay Harbor has plenty of dining and a wonderful botanical garden. A good day trip from the area is going up to Camden/Rockland area and going to the Farnsworth Art Museum if such things interest you.”
We stayed at the Spruce Point Inn (my niece was married there.) It’s lovely but there is no beach and it’s far if you want to walk into town.
Thanks for all the suggestions. I’ve kept Chatham Bars Inn on my list just because it does look so wonderful. And they had a 4th night free deal if you use American Express, which would make the cost much more reasonable.
Museums are certainly of interest, @doschicos, so thanks for that tip. Looking forward to checking out the other towns and properties suggested here!
You know weather is still on the cool side in June, right? And the water is bracing, for a swim. I love Rockland, Maine, but it’s a harbor town. For fun, you can look at Berry Manor Inn, there. And agree the Farnsworth is a delight, not too big but always has something interesting.
Provincetown in June is nice. Less crowded than the rest of the summer. Another good choice is Ogunquit in Maine or Kennebunkport. Can’t name any particular hotels but many in Ogunquit face the water and are situated in Perkins cove where good restaurants abound. There is a trolley that you can ride up and down the street lined with shops and restaurants and a wonderful ocean walk along the cliffs.
Consider Nantucket–there are many great beaches to explore, and in early June you won’t find many people on those beaches. June is still off-season–the earlier you go, the lower the room rates and you might be able to get a room close to the water at your price point. There are only a few hotels in town that would have an ocean view–White Elephant Hotel, the Cliffside Galley, and the Boat Basin Lofts. Out of town–Wauwinet and The Summer House.
B&Bs–Veranda House hotels is a nice group of three B&Bs. These are in town–close to shops and restaurants. Lots of other B&Bs in town and even if you aren’t on the water for most places on island you can get to a beach in 15-20 minutes at the most. There’s a central reservation number for island lodging that can give you lots of info about B&Bs and hotels. Weekends of 6/19 and 6/25 are the Book Festival and the Film Festival–rates will be up but they are both great events.
You don’t need a car–the bus shuttle starts in May and goes out to three beaches. Lots of taxis to take you places as well. The more upscale hotels often have a car service that will take you to the beaches or pick you up from the ferry., which you get in Hyannis.
I think June and September (after Labor Day) are the best times to be on island.
There are a lot of good B&Bs in Kennebunkport, according to what I’ve heard, although I don’t know anything specific. The White Barn Inn in that area is reportedly a great restaurant.
I was also going to suggest Wentworth-by-the-Sea. Stayed there when I was 10, and never forgot how much I loved it. Though I can’t speak for it more recently, by all reports, it’s fine, and the rocky beaches near it are gorgeous.
^^White Barn is excellent! We took our D there for her 22nd birthday. She was working as a camp counselor (she has a late July birthday) and she met us at the restaurant. The wait staff was great–really helped make it a celebratory evening. The food was very good.
