View of Cape Porpoise Harbor 

Other GREAT stuff to do

Goose Rocks Beach (permit parking only) is a pretty 7-minute drive east on Route 9. It is one of the most beautiful beaches in Southern Maine. You will be spellbound. Visitor permits are available at the police station on Rte. 9 or at the Goose Rocks Beach General Store at the end of Dyke Rd. Farther up Route 9 are Biddeford Pool and Hill’s Beach – a beautiful bike ride away! Runners, walkers and cyclists will wonder which route to take next.

 

Dock Square, Kennebunkport is 5 minutes west on Route 9. Shops, galleries, restaurants and excursions can be found in the ‘Port. Just across the Kennebunk River bridge is Kennebunk’s charming Lower Village. From there you can walk down to the beautiful Franciscan Friary, which has walking trails along the Kennebunk River, or to Kennebunk Beach, where the little ones frequent Mother's Beach and teens love to swim and surf at Gooch's.  A long seawall makes a brisk walk easy and safe.

 

Golf and tennis can be found a short drive away. The Cape Arundel Golf Course has public tee times and is famous as George Bush's home course when he's in Maine. Well maintained public tennis courts, along with a playground and basketball court, are just minutes away as well.

 

The neighborhood of Cape Arundel (nowhere near the golf course of the same name), is home to the Bush family. It's a 19th century enclave of wonderful shingle-style homes. Ocean Avenue winds through this neighborhood and affords stunning views of the rocky coast and the open Atlantic. Geological curiosities such as Spouting Rock are interesting for the kids. The hilly side streets make a nice walk, particularly  for those interested in architecture.

 

Numerous marshes in the area are owned by the Rachel Carson federal conservation agency. Birdwatching is popular.  Route 9 affords sweeping views across the marshes in many places throughout the Kennebunks, Wells and Biddeford. It's not uncommon to see artists set up for some plein-air work right along the road.

 

There's a very active daily flea market in Arundel about 10 minutes away, along with other antique shops.

 

Farther afield, Ogunquit and its famous Ogunquit Playhouse musical theater and Perkins Cove harborfront are about 25 minutes south, while Maine's largest city, Portland, makes a great day trip. 40 minutes north of Pier Road, Portland frequently appears in "best places" lists focused on dining and culture. The Portland Museum of Art, a wonderful small museum, has an incredible collection of Maine artists including Homer, Wyeth and Charles Woodbury and frequent high-quality exhibits. Dining choices abound. Knowing that you are returning to one of Maine's best-kept secrets will make your day in the "city" even better!

 

The waterfront

The property has one of the biggest docks in Cape Porpoise Harbor. Seals have been known to appropriate the float for a morning. Relax in the breeze and enjoy the views out to the Harbor Islands, most of which are owned by the Kennebunkport Conservation Trust.


Cape Porpoise Harbor is the ideal place to kayak. You can paddle out to the islands and hopefully see seals, or hug the shore and go up and down the harbor and the neighboring inlets of Paddy's Creek and Sampson's Cove.


Striped bass ("Stripers")  frequent the tidal inlets in Kennebunkport and the harbor is no exception, so bring your fishing rods. Current "keeper" information can be found online or call Chuck. 207-286-5414.

 

If you're travelling with kids under age 8, we require that they wear life jackets anywhere on the dock. This is the way our Yacht Club does it and it works out great.  We will have a few life jackets but if you think the kids might enjoy fishing, kayaking or crabbing, please plan to bring your own. The dock also tends to be splintery, so Crocs or swim shoes are recommended. Also, swimming off the float is fine but no diving and no jumping off the higher dock.

how we rent

Vacation rentals in Maine are traditionally rented from Saturday  -  Saturday. It's hard to make exceptions to this rule because of cleaning, etc. We especially are unable to honor any requests that include an entire weekend because that messes up 2 weeks of rentals. We hope you understand and remember us when you have a longer break.

 

The kitchens are fully equipped with toasters, microwaves, coffee makers, pots and pans, utensils and dishes.  If you have an idea for a special dinner, you might want to bring along any unusual equipment. Sheets and towels are provided, with the exception of sheets and blankets for cots or air mattresses that you are bringing along. We do not provide beach towels.

 

There's not much parking so we have to limit each unit to a single car.

Things to Know  ...

 

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What it's like

The house is a classic New Englander, surrounded by perennial plantings that seem to be always in bloom. The yard gently slopes down to the harbor and has all sorts of private spots for you and the kids to discover. There is a huge dock that reaches out over the rocks and ends in a large float, from which the Cape Porpoise Islands can be seen. Swimming and kayaking can happen anytime, since a channel of water always runs past our dock, even at low tide.


Beautiful, well-kept cottages ring the harbor. The steeple of the village church and the roofline of an old livery stable peek over the trees.


The front of the house is close to the street - in a charming way, or at least that's what we think! The street can be busy, particularly in the summer, but it's really not that noisy. 


The units are freshly painted (except for our budget rental, the Seagull, and the Fish House, which has old wood planks for walls) but they are dated. I think the real estate term is "deferred maintenance." Think of it as an affordable, easygoing break in a really great spot. We keep you comfortable with equipped kitchens, nice beds and new linens.

the fish house