Old Orchard Beach, Maine

We have finished up our stay in Old Orchard Beach and have moved on to Trenton, Maine which is just a few miles from Acadia National Park.  With the move let me get you caught up on our activities of the previous week.

The theme, for me, continues to be eat as much seafood (lobsters and clams) as possible.  We started our visit with a trip to Sanford, Maine.  This is where my parents were born, met and married.  We came to pay tribute to my two aunts who passed away within the last two years.  From Sanford we drove back to the RV park via the coastal highway which took us through some very nice little towns, specifically Kennebunkport.  It was Saturday and very busy in the town so we decided to come back during the week (read on).

As a child I had always heard my parents and other relatives talk about Old Orchard Beach.  In fact here is an old picture of my uncle (one on the right) and my future stepfather at Old Orchard Beach.

Back in the time my understanding is that this was the place to go during the summer and it does not seem like much has changed.  The main draw is the beautiful beach a small amusement park on the beach plus the shops and restaurants.

The beach

The pier

Lunch was at a famous seafood market, Bayley’s, that serves to go food you can eat out on their small pier.  I had a lobster roll with a to go order (for dinner) of lobster mac-n-cheese.  Only non-seafood item was a salad for Fran.

Our next adventure took us up to Freeport, Maine home to L.L. Bean.  The town is quaint with a bunch of shops and restaurants.  The L.L. Bean stores are huge and dominate the town.  Since their stores bring in so many tourists many of the upscale chain stores have come in. 

Fran at the L.L. Bean store

Lunch for this visit was at Linda Dean’s restaurant.  She is the grand daughter of L.L. Bean.  I had a Lobster Cheesen sandwich (lobster grilled cheese) and Fran had hot dogs and was taken aback when they arrived as the color was not what she expected.

Our last outing was back to Kennebunkport.  Many of you may recognize the town name as this is where the first President Bush has his summer home.  It is very prominent on a point just outside of the main part of the town.

Small town that you can easily walk around and stop in the various shops.  The original plan was to have lunch at the famous “The Clam Shack”.  However “The Clam Shack” is just a take out place that has some picnic tables nearby.  The non-seafood menu is limited to chicken fingers. 

It was just before lunch so the line had not formed yet.  Generally in the afternoon there is always a line at both windows.

As it was such a nice day we found a nice restaurant, Tia’s, with an outside upper deck that overlooked the town.  We were glad we stopped, it was a great lunch with a nice view.

 

Lobster for lunch, of course ($13.95).