Everyone takes advantage of the summer in Boston. A time when the weather is toasty, the sun is shining, and everything just seems all in all more awesome. For me, summer is the perfect time for exploration and adventures! Because my friend Meg had never lived in the New England area and wanted to see what it was all about, we started our summer with a day trip to Ogunquit, Maine with a quick stop at Marblehead, Massachusetts. Don’t you love that you can go from one state to another in less than 1.5 hours in New England?
Marblehead, Massachusetts
I had heard that Marblehead was a small quaint town by the sea that was worth checking out. It was only 40 minutes from the city and was along the way to Ogunquit. When we arrived, we came upon kids skipping rocks near the cove and a beautiful view of the ocean with rows and rows of bobbing sail boats. We headed up along the small residential streets towards Fort Sewall where we got an even more amazing view of the blue waters. From our lookout point, we saw people kayaking, beaching, and boating. Summer has definitely arrived!
Ogunquit, Maine
We continued north towards Maine and arrived in Ogunquit just in time for lunch. We headed to Barnacle Billy’s for lobster rolls and… a gazpacho… Meg is vegetarian, which was no good in Maine. The menu was lined with delicious seafood options, from fried clams to crab sandwiches to whole lobsters. The only vegetarian options on the menu was a Ceasar salad or gazpacho. Not exactly what we call a variety. So, Meg had to settle for what I like to call salsa soup. On the plus side, we got to enjoy our meal outside with a fabulous view of Perkins Cove.
After lunch, we decided we wanted to go on a boat. Any boat really… It was a hot day and we wanted the sea breeze blowing through our hair. Finestkind Cruises was right around the corner from the restaurant. Because the Lobstering cruise was cancelled, we bought tickets for the Nubble Lighthouse cruise, a 1.5 hour boat tour around the coast of Maine with the highlight being the Nubble Lighthouse. 1.5 hours was a bit long for our taste, but the lighthouse perched on its own island was quite a sight. It definitely fulfilled Meg’s expectations of what New England is supposed to be.
After our boat escapade, we strolled along Marginal Way before heading home. This narrow walking path curved around the coastline, leading to the beach. With gorgeous ocean views, what’s not to love?
