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My Favorite Lobster-in-the-Rough Joint in Maine

Talk about lobster rolls in Maine and you enter into a territorial catfight where everyone seems to choose their local favorite. I happen to love the affordable rolls at Quoddy Bay Lobster in Eastport, topped with a full claw, the chockful of meat served in a bun at Red’s Eats in Wiscasset, and sitting at the pier at Beal’s, just outside Acadia National Park. But if you ask those same foodies where to find the best lobster roll with a view, the majority of Mainers will point you to the Lobster Shack in Cape Elizabeth. Not far from where Winslow Homer set up shop on Prouts Neck, the picnic tables overlook that same boulder-strewn coastline Homer loved to paint. Order your food at the window of the rustic shack, wait for your number to be called, and grab a spot with vistas of Casco Bay, framed by two lighthouses. One of those lighthouses is the picturesque Portland Head Light, a favorite subject of artist Edward Hopper. For more information on the Lobster Shack, see the story I wrote for The Boston Globe.
 

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Acadia National Park Week: Sea Kayaking Frenchman Bay

The first time I ever stepped into a sea skirt and tried a sport I now cherish called sea kayaking, I was in Bar Harbor researching my first book, Outside Magazine’s Adventure Guide to New England. Learning to sea kayak at Acadia National Park is like learning to scuba dive on the Great Barrier Reef. Give it a try here and you’ll be hooked for life like I was. One of the finest ways to see Acadia’s mountains is from a distance, with your head and feet only inches away from the water line. 20 years later, I returned to the same outfitter, Coastal Kayaking, for another paddle on Frenchman Bay. 
 
Our guide, Jared, fit us for life jackets and sea skirts at their store on Cottage Street and then drove us to the bar of Bar Harbor, a sand spit that juts out of town and connects to an adjacent island, Bar Island, at low tide. When we returned after our 4-hour paddle, people were actually driving on that spit of sand all the way over to the island. Jared unloaded the kayaks and passed out paddles, teaching us some basic strokes. We then got acclimated to our cubby holes, threw on our gear, and set off on the wild blue yonder. In a double kayak, Jeff and I found our rhythm as we made our way around the northern shores of Bar Island on soft rolling swells. As we continued around the rock ledges of Sheep Porcupine Island, we spotted the unmistakable white head of a bald eagle atop a tall pine. Minutes later we would find a seal in the wake of a lobster boat picking up traps and then porpoises gliding through the unusually calm waters of the bay.  
 
We stopped for a 20-minute break on a sandy section of Long Porcupine Island, just enough time to eat the incredibly addictive kale salad from our favorite pitstop in town, A&B Naturals. On our return trip, we would spot loons and black guillemots, a cross between a puffin and a duck, divebombing their plump bodies into the waters around us.  Jared pointed to a speck of an island called Rum Key and told us how Canadian rum runners provided the Rockefellers and their affluent friends with scotch and rum during prohibition and used this island as their holdout. The ridge of mountains—Champlain, Dorr, and Cadillac—rose above the town of Bar Harbor, inspiring awe. Yes, the paddle was just as memorable as the first time. 
 
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Horseback Riding in Arizona’s Superstition Mountains

A mere hour east of Phoenix, suburban sprawl fades and you reach the rugged terrain of the Superstition Mountains. With elevations ranging from 2,000 feet to more than 6,000 feet in the eastern uplands, the Superstitions are ringed with steep-walled cliffs, thorny cacti, and deeply eroded canyons. The best way to pierce this harsh interior is in the saddle of a strong quarterhorse. Numerous trails weave through large stretches of ponderosa pines and tall saguaros, some as high as sixty feet. Then there are the stump-like barrel cacti, which grows a whopping 10-12 inches a century and the most commonly consumed cacti, the prickly pear.  Keep your eyes glued and you might see the javenlina, a three-foot long desert pig with a long snout and husks. You should also be on the lookout for the usual desert crew of rattlers, gila monsters, and scorpions. Don Donnelly Horseback Stables, located in the foothills of the Superstitions, will take you on a 7-hour day ride or an overnight. Horses, camping equipment and a hearty steak dinner are included in the price. 
 

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Maine Winter Carnival Debuts in January

Based on the highly successful Carnaval de Quebec in Quebec City, Portland, Maine will be unveiling Carnaval Maine January 30-February 1. Most of the events will be taking place on the Eastern Promenade, including the requisite ice sculptures, light shows, and bonfires. There will also be a rail jam created by Sunday River resort. This being Portland, expect a fantastic selection of local food and brew, including beer by Bissell Brothers, Maine Beer Co., Rising Tide, and Allagash, and dining provided by Central Provisions and Scales, among others. ActiveTravels clients have been praising the Francis Hotel and Press Hotel in Portland. We’re happy to check availability and pricing. 

 
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Dining Under the Stars at the Four Seasons, Big Island

As soon as we entered our room at the Four Seasons Hualalai and spotted the outdoor shower with live hibiscus, we knew where we were in good hands. Even more so when we roamed the grounds and found sea turtles sleeping in the sand.  At King’s Pond, we snorkeled in an “aquarium" carved out of the natural lava rock with over 75 species of neon-colored fish and spotted eagle rays. A Virtuoso-aligned travel agent, my wife Lisa also knew about the special amenities the resort offers, including the rare opportunity to dine privately under the stars. Any party over three, including families, wedding parties, and multi-generational get togethers can request this service. You look over a menu a week or two prior to your arrival and then get ready for one of the most memorable nights of your life. 
 
A golf cart picked us up at our room and escorted us over to a secluded stretch of beach where a ukulele player was strumming Hawaiian tunes. Our waiter, RJ, for the evening led us to genuine sofas that they brought out for the experience, not chaise lounge chairs. Champagne was waiting for Lisa and I while the kids downed a heavenly concoction, coconut lemonade. The sun was starting to set and I was blown away by this magical scene of sun, sand, ocean, ukulele music, champagne, and having the rare opportunity to share this all with my family. 
 
After the sunset as it started to get dark, RJ led us to a private setting beside King’s Pond to have dinner. We were introduced to our personal chef, who was already at work grilling our entrée choices, lobster tails and ribeye. All dishes were paired with a different wine and I was thankful I only had to walk back to my room that evening. The stars twinkled, the food and service was excellent, and I felt blessed. 
 
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Ending our Trip to Italy in Comfort at Rome’s Hotel Eden

Clients sometimes tell us that they’re not going to be in their hotel room that much, so you don’t have to find a luxury property for us. The problem with that reasoning is that you’re missing out on one of the finest travel experiences. Top-shelf properties provide the best service, comfort, food, and necessary down time you want especially after a long day of sightseeing. After walking miles around the large city of Rome, I can’t tell you how delighted we were to go back to our spacious room at the Hotel Eden, grab the bottle of prosecco, open our balcony doors, and watch green parrots fly back and forth to the monastery in front of us. 
 
Hotel Eden is located in a quiet part of the city, not far from the Villa Borghese Park. There’s so many superlatives about this property that I’m not sure where to start. The view from the 6th floor, where we had a gluttonous breakfast and dinner, had wraparound windows with glorious views of the city. I loved our waiters at breakfast, Marco and Francesco, who gave us a tour around the windows to all the sights below, before serving our perfectly poached eggs. They’ve been working together for 26 years at the hotel and love to tease each other. Our concierge, Anna, found us tickets at the nearby Borghese Gallery when they were sold out, and then reserved a table at an authentic lunch spot where there were no Americans, only Italian families that Sunday afternoon, dining on heavenly grilled artichokes and an antipasto plate overflowing with meats and creamy cheeses that I’ll be dreaming about back home. The mattress was so comfortable it was hard to wake up for that Caravaggio walking tour. Most importantly, it was a special moment to share with my wife after memorable days walking around Rome, coming back to our room, having a drink, and standing on our small balcony to watch the city below. Yes, the place you stay is a very important part of the travel experience. 
 
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Top 10 Adventures Along the New England Coast

Just in case you don’t live in Boston or read the newspaper, I want to link you to an article I wrote in last Sunday’s Boston Globe on Top 10 Coastal Adventures. Included are some of my favorite jaunts in New England like biking on the Province Lands Bike Trail in P’town, sea kayaking with the osprey and harbor seals in Sheepscot Bay, Maine, and surfcasting for stripers on the Vineyard. Try one of these activities and you won’t regret it.

 

4 Comments

  1. Steve, I grew up in Eastport Maine and started my life long love of lobsters. I have not been there in 20 years but my memories on lobsters crawling on my kitchen floor when I was 4 are some of the best of my life. My dad packed sardines so we could eat during the depression.

    Hope to connect soon. Fondly Fran

  2. It doesn’t surprise me that your home in Eastport was crawling with lobsters. Great recollection, Fran! The former sardine canneries in Lubec, Maine, are now home to art galleries, a museum, and restaurants. A fun scene.

  3. I readyour article in The Boston Globe on the Reversing Falls in Pembroke, Me. and was curious as to where you were headed in Eastport. Now I know you were headed to Quoddy Bay Lobster! Great! You should check out Cobscook Bay Cottages in Perry….awesome place and back to the basics…no electricity! No TV! Gas appliances…very clean…great views, hiking, kayaking….love that place!

  4. Funny you should mention Perry, Timothy. I just wrote another story for the Boston Globe on the quirky 45th Parallel Store in Perry. I’ll check out Cobscook Bay Cottages next time I’m Down East. Thanks for the tip!

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