Cody and I constantly talk about how great it is to live in a place where you can be in another state within 30min. When we can’t think of something to do on a Saturday, we can always jump in the car for a day trip to one of the New England states. It feels like a mini-vacation and a breath of fresh air from the city.
That being said, I am excited to give you all a recap from our recent trip to Camden, Maine (a short 3-hour drive from Boston) because we really fell in love with it. If you are thinking of visiting Maine and enjoying hiking, seafood, kind people, cute shops, and beautiful harbors with many sail boats, this is the place for you. It’s referred to as “the jewel of coast” and I now understand why.
stay.
We had a phenomenal stay at Whitehall, a Lark Hotel property, that was renovated in 2015 by one of my Boston design favorites, Rachel Reider Interiors. It’s a short 10-min walk to the town, but there’s really no reason to leave as they have a full bar and restaurant, outdoor games (corn hole and shuffle board), areas to relax outside and beautifully designed spaces to hang out with friends.
I know I’ve said it before here and here, but the Lark Hotels team nails it every time. The thoughtful design details and overall experience is unmatched and I feel so lucky to have spent time at a few of their properties! It’s been such a pleasure to get to know the stories behind each hotel, meet the innkeepers and explore the town where they reside. I joke that my dream would be to do a tour de lark (would make a great hashtag, no?!) and visit each hotel because it’s everything I love: interior design, traveling, eating at amazing restaurants, meeting new people & a little R&R. 
eat.
I’ve said it before and I will say it again, I never tire of the small plates breakfast at the Lark Hotels. It’s the perfect amount to start your day and there are always clever creations made by the team each day.
After many recommendations, we made a reservation at Pig & Poet that was conveniently located in our hotel. You guys, this was one of the best meals I’ve had in a long time! What we ordered: Whole Roasted Corn (with lobster butter + queso fresco) + oysters + Lobster Mac + braised pork polenta (not sure if it’s still on the menu but I would ask because it was amazing) + a spicy cocktail! Evie had roasted potatoes thanks to the lovely innkeepers that surprised her with them (how sweet is that?!).
We also ate at Waterfront in town which had a pretty view and yummy food! Next time we want to try Graffam Bros. and bring home some lobsters.
*side note: one of my favorite details of Whitehall was this little outdoor space (pictured above) and in front of the seating area there was a swing in the trees and shuffle board. It had the perfect after-dinner ambiance, so Cody and I brought our drinks outside and swung with Evie.
things to do & see.
You must (yes I am demanding) hike or drive to Mount Battie – a peak that overlooks the bay and distant islands (the beautiful view you see in the photos above). This is the view that influenced Edna St. Vincent Millay’s famous poem Renascence, which instantly made me think of my dear friend Mary of Millay Vintage who named her shop after this inspiring woman.
Shops in town we loved: Sugar Tools, Jo Ellen Designs and Swans Island Company. We grabbed wine to take back to the hotel from Lily, Lupine & Fern.
Our friends that we made on the trip highly recommended visiting the Cellardoor Winery on our next visit and we also plan to go to the Public Library as we’ve heard many great things about it.
Also, we came back mid-day to Whitehall and played corn hole in front and let Evie play on a blanket in the grass. It was the perfect before-dinner activity!
tips for traveling with little babes.
Traveling with Evie can be a challenge at times, but we have a few tips that help make the trip easier for all of us. Luckily Whitehall is kid-friendly and since it’s a boutique hotel, it feels more like home. They have a pack & play but it was being used the night we were there so we brought our travel crib. The innkeepers were so wonderful with her – they constantly wanted to hold her and make her laugh.
After we decided we were going to meet our new friends for a drink (or 4…haha) downstairs at Pig & Poet, we put Evie down for bed around 7pm. We downloaded a baby monitor app that we can use one of our phones as the camera and watch her through the other so we could hear if she made a peep. Since we were right downstairs, it was the perfect way to enjoy the night with friends. So, if you stay at a hotel and feel comfortable with doing this, I highly recommend it!
Luckily there is a lot to do outdoors in Camden which makes the random fussiness not a big deal. But when we are in a restaurant, we give Evie something to play with (usually the menu) and a bottle when we get our food. Cody and I are laid back people and are willing to do whatever in public to be able to enjoy our meal or activity even if that means giving her a little more formula or snacks to keep her occupied.
We skip the schedule. We are selfish with our trips and want to make sure we go see and do what we want. So if that means skipping her morning nap, then that’s what we do. She is used to plans changing so she will normally take a little nap in the stroller.
The hardest part was the morning for us because we both wanted to sleep in and Evie randomly decided to get up at like 5:30 am. She normally sleeps at least an hour longer. She was really grumpy and we just wanted a little more sleep, but we rallied and somehow made it to breakfast at 8am.
Thanks for making it through that rather lengthy post! I hope you found it helpful should you plan a trip to Camden, Maine soon. Let me know if you have any questions!
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