Rockport, Maine in Fall
- Fernanda Fisher
- Sep 29
- 4 min read
Early fall is a great time to visit Maine. Tourism slows down, the weather is glorious, and the black flies and mosquitoes seem to have vacated the premises.
After sailing on a boat for a week, I was ready for a little pampering. A good soaking tub, ample choices of places, and things, to eat and some beautiful hikes were just ticket to help me get readjusted.
Rockport, a stones throw from Camden and Rockland, are full of quaint shops and restaurants. Rockport is a smaller less touristy town but it has a couple dining options and a lovely set of local walks that are right in town.
We stayed at the Rockport Harbor Hotel just off the water. Built to look like an old building, the hotel is charming both inside and out.
If you are able to stay here, make sure you check out the old Scottish bar that was brought to the hotel.
From the second we parked our car, Jovan was outside to greet us and take our luggage upstairs. At check-in we were met with freshly made chocolate chip cookies and a warm welcome by the receptionist. Brian secured us a room overlooking the harbor with a deck and a fireplace.
I was bone-tired from all the fun I’d had on the Windjammer Angelique and just wanted to fall asleep as soon as our room was ready. The room had a bedroom and a sitting room that were separated by a double sided gas fireplace.
It was cool enough that we used the fireplace every night before bed as well as first thing upon waking up. There is something so soothing and yet magical about the shadows of a fireplace playing off the ceiling and walls.
The bathtub in our room was long and deep It was the perfect soaking tub after a week of speed showers on the boat. As the hot steamy water filled the tub, I tested all the pillows to find just the right one for my nap.
I went out on the balcony to see a view of the water and recognized several landmarks from where I had sailed that morning.
Back in the bathtub, the water rose to the correct depth for me to sink in up to my chin. I could barely reach my toes to the end of the long tub so I sank down just a little bit further. A long groan of pleasure escaped my mouth before I could stop it. Brian asked if everything was alright and I just sighed and said yes.
We both had lobster on our minds and so after a couple short hikes from the hotel we went to Claws for dinner.
Claws, is a typical Maine lobster pound with colorful buoys hanging from the walls and signs about Maine being the lobster capital of the world festooned next to the front door.
I learned recently that lobster is really low in calories, provided you don’t dip it in a pound of butter. For dinner I got a lobster with no butter and a good sized cup of clam chowder.
Just like the lobster on our sailing trip this was sweet and tender. The clam chowder had loads of clams (not just pieces) and a smattering of potato. What a great celebratory meal to eat with my husband.
The next day we had a lazy breakfast and then Brian selected several hikes for us to do. Using the Coastal Mountains Land Trust website, he located the Beech Hill and the Bald Mountain Preserve hikes.
Over the weekend we visited both hikes and enjoyed each equally. Both of these trails were full of a variety of trees and terrain.
Beech Hill is mostly flat but with so many beech trees that it gave off a beautiful dappling effect as we walked through them.
Bald Mountain Preserve is a moderate/difficult steep trail with a some rock scrabbling to reach the summit.
As we made our way up the path, we navigated around both rocks and roots.
At one point, a young man swiftly walked past us with a bag and a shovel. To my dismay, he pointed out that the top of the trail was not where we were but farther up the mountain! We followed him for as long as we could until he moved too fast for us.
When we reached the top we breathed in deeply to recover our breath. The views were breathtaking in every direction. Far in the distance, I saw the water and several windjammers sailing out of Rockland. There were many other sailboats in view and the brilliant blue sky was dazzling.
Of course, after all that hiking, we were both hungry and needed to find another lobster to eat! We made it just before closing to Young's Lobster Pound in Belfast.
Tonight we dined on two lobsters each with no sides (but a little bit of butter) while sitting at a picnic table outside.
As the sun set, we ate morsels of lobster while remembering all the lobster dinners spent with family in Massachusetts.
We each raised a claw and looked heavenward to toast those no longer with us. I sure hope there is sweet lobster in Heaven.
Over weekend, we spent time driving through coastal Maine’s backroads. I found something online that said there was a beautiful drive not far from Rockport so we set off.
The drive ended long before we stopped driving on the road and we did a few detours just to see what was there. Just like old-time drives through New England, we drove along with no plan or destination in mind.
Our time in Rockport was a perfect blend of relaxation and adventure, leaving us rejuvenated and eager to return next fall. We wandered through shops, visited a Museum of Maritime Pets,
and looked at huge sailboats and catamarans that were being winterized and wrapped.
Most importantly, we were able to take time to sit and enjoy each other’s company. Vacations like this one help us remember why we got married in the first place.
Thanks for taking the time to read this and have a great week.
Comments