Kissing in the Kennebunks
The romantic villages of Kennebunk and Kennebunkport will thaw any deep freeze.
By Joshua F. Moore
GetawayWhoever invented Valentine's Day must have been a Mainer. Just when winter really has its teeth in us, when snowbanks have lost their luster under a layer of road-sand, this romantic holiday appears and provides Mainers with an excuse to snuggle -- and the Kennebunks are the perfect place for it.
DINING
If you really want to impress your near-and-dear, do whatever it takes (and it may take a bunch, depending on when you call) to get a reservation at The White Barn Inn (37 Beach Ave., 207-967-2321, www.whitebarninn.com), home of arguably the most elegant and delicious meal ever served inside a barn. Windows on the Water (12 Chase Hill Rd., 207-967-3313, www.windowsonthewater.com) is perched right on the wharves in the Kennebunk River, while across the bridge Hurricane (29 Dock Square, 207-967-9111, www.hurricanerestaurant.com ) will make you and your beloved feel like you're dining among close friends. The youthful energy of owners and chefs Brian O'Hea and Shanna Katherine Horner O'Hea has transformed the dining room of the Kennebunk Inn into Academe (45 Main St., 207-985-3351, www.thekennebunkinn.com/dining.html), a top-notch brasserie where the quality of the cuisine is matched only by the cozy fireplace-warmed atmosphere. And when you're looking for comfort food or just an afternoon snack, pony up to the bar at Federal Jack's (8 Western Ave., 207-967-4322, www.federaljacks.com ), where Shipyard Brewing Company first poured its famous suds.
LODGING
At least once, we all deserve to stay someplace like the Captain Lord Mansion (6 Pleasant St., 207-967-3141, www.captainlord.com), where the meticulous furnishings and colonial charm set the standard for romantic bed-and-breakfasts statewide. If such elegance will have to wait until next year, the Kennebunkport Inn (1 Dock Square, 207-967-2621, www.kennebunkportinn.com) puts you right in the heart of Kennebunkport. The Waldo Emerson Inn (108 Summer St., 207-985-4250, www.waldoemersoninn.com) has only improved since it was built by poet Ralph Waldo's great-uncle. Finally, the rooms inside the gracious Maine Stay (34 Maine St., 207-967-2117, www.mainestayinn.com ) provide a taste of the way life was back when shipyards and sailors ruled the Kennebunks.
SHOPS
There's something special about independent booksellers, and Kennebunk Book Port (10 Dock Square, 207-967-3815, www.kbookport.com) makes buying a bestseller fun again. Lavender Creek Trading Company (13 Western Ave., 207-967-9191, www.lavendercreektrading.com) has enough bath and beauty supplies to keep anyone smelling sweet. In Kennebunk, the Tom's of Maine factory outlet store (52 Main St., 207-985-6331, www.tomsofmaine.com) lets you take home a piece of this all-natural Maine success story. And if you're feeling guilty for leaving the little ones with the grandparents, drop by the Kennebunk Toy Company (30 Main St., 207-985-1465) to find the perfect present for little Sophie or Max.
ACTIVITIES
Even in winter, few can resist the urge to gawk at the Bush compound on Walker's Point, but better views of the bold Atlantic are actually found on the benches in front of the Colony, on Ocean Avenue. If the weather turns against you, drop by the Brick Store Museum (117 Main St., 207-985-4802, www.brickstoremuseum.org ) for a trip through the Kennebunks' colorful past. If you want to work off more steam, take a stroll over to the Rachel Carson National Wildlife Refuge (321 Port Rd., 207-646-9226, www.fws.gov/northeast/rachelcarson) in Wells, where even in winter the area's natural splendor is unbeatable.
