There is nothing quite like autumn in New England. If you prefer to take a long weekend trip this fall, there is nothing better than driving up the coast of Maine. Before planning your trip, always check with Maine’s foliage web page for accurate and up to date foliage conditions. Maine’s color-coded chart indicates very low, low, moderate, high, peak and past peak conditions to ensure the most ultimate scenic views. 

Spectators and artists alike become inspired by nature’s colors when the leaves turn brilliant shades of red, orange and yellow. Particularly, chefs all around Maine use the season’s colorful abundance to inspire the dishes they create. While you take in the view, fuel your adventurous appetite at some of the trendiest food destinations in the area. Maine chefs have been gaining national attention, and places of honor on countless lists, as must-visit destinations for foodies.

If you’re looking for the best of both worlds, breathtaking foliage paired with a strong food game, here are three of Maine’s best destinations for fall culinary travel:

Acadia National Park (located in Bar Harbor, Maine) has some of the most memorable sights along with an explosion of changing colors. The 40-mile road provides some of the most breathtaking landscapes. You can spend the day or camp overnight. Acadia National Park has plenty of bike and hiking trails and can accommodate all outdoorsy abilities. For lunch, tea time, or dinner, stop by Jordan Pond House. The small restaurant offers scenic outdoor dining overlooking the impressive natural surroundings.

Camden Hills State Park is a lush 5,700-acre park overlooking the Penobscot Bay. The foliage boasts a stunning backdrop of both the mountains and the sea. The trails can accommodate biking, hiking and horse trails. For lunch and dinner, consider Natalie’s – just 2.1 miles from the Camden Hills State Park. Natalie’s provides some of the most exciting cuisines in the state offering both a fine dining experience and a more casual option. Reservations are accepted and menus are available online.

If you are looking for something a bit smaller with less hiking and more structure, Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens is your destination. There are cart tours and boat tours, along with walking paths to view the stunning trees and spectacular, ever-changing vegetation. For lunch or a quick snack, stop in at the Kitchen Garden Café in the heart of the gardens. If they don’t grow themselves, they purchase it locally.

Maine foodies may want to start working up their appetites because the infamous Maine Restaurant Week is right around the corner. The annual food celebration returns on March 1st, running through March 12th and is packed with events and specials at the best restaurants throughout the state. What makes Restaurant Week different than any other night out? During the event, restaurants offer thoughtfully planned, multi-course menus at special price points of $25, $35, $45, and $55.

The history of restaurant week dates back to 1992 as an effort to promote dining in New York during the Democratic National Convention. Restaurants, which are natural competitors, came together and each charged $19.92 for a three course fixed meal. Today, restaurant week is alive and thriving in many states and cities all over the country. Some cities offer the celebration twice a year.

Maine Restaurant Week is an asset to Maine’s food culture in a variety of ways. It enables people to experience multi-course, fine dining at venues they normally wouldn’t attend, or couldn’t afford. Restaurant week showcases local chefs and their amazing culinary talents, all while supporting local businesses. It also brings the community out and together, not only to dine but with fun filled food themed events. Some of the events at Maine Restaurant Week this year include:

Incredible Breakfast Cook-Off

While not gourmet, this breakfast is an annual fan favorite that returns at South Portland’s Sea Dog Brewery. Also referred to as “Maine’s Best Breakfast,” the Incredible Breakfast Cook-Off kicks off Maine Restaurant Week with a popular event in which the public votes for its favorite breakfast dishes from local restaurants. (February 28th @ 7:30 AM. Tickets are $25)

Perfect Pairing Challenge

Local bakers and bakeries serving sweet and tasty treats, paired with a wide variety of roasts brewed and hosted by Portland’s Coffee By Design. Other local coffees, beers and coffee-infused cocktails will also be served. Featuring TIQA, Bayside American Cafe, Timber Steakhouse and Rotisserie, Cakes by Babbs, Vena’s Fizz House, Walter’s, Frisky Whisk, Love Kupcakes and Dean’s Sweets. (March 5th @ 12 PM. Tickets are $35)

Spirit Quest

Spirit Quest is a self-guided cocktail and paired bites walking tour that takes participants to the Old Port and Arts District restaurant and bars. A full list of venues will be supplied to ticket holders before the event. (March 12th @ 2 PM. Tickets are $45)

Natalie’s Cocktail Dinner, Cocktail Class and Cooking Class Specials

Kick off Maine Restaurant week this year at Natalie’s, for a dining experience that you will savor well after you leave. The week is full of specials and events including a four-course Menu Fixe Prixe for $55. The chefs at Natalie’s work to create dishes that showcase local flavor and international inspiration that creates an unforgettable culinary experience. Make reservations today by contacting us!

If you’re a devoted foodie, you make it your mission to journey the earth looking, looking high and low, for the most authentic regional dishes, the hottest chefs that magically finesse tradition and fusion onto a single plate, and the most divine drinks one can indulge in. To find these special places before the crowds do makes the experience even sweeter. While Maine may be nestled at the most northeastern corner of the United States, it’s a budding scene for culinary vacations.

You may be thinking that the only culinary expertise that Maine has to offer is the iconic lobster and Allen’s coffee flavored brandy. While Maine is known for lobster and the people are mad for coffee brandy– don’t be deceived by what you think you know.

Why You Should Go
Maine is a beautiful state that has access to impeccably fresh seafood, grows a bounty of fresh vegetables and seasonal fruits, raises grass-fed animals on expansive farms, and grows heirloom grasses that are milled into flour for creating outstanding traditional baked goods. While Maine chefs take the quality of their ingredients very seriously, Maine brewers and winemakers are just as diligent and passionate about their products. If you love the farm-to-table movement, Maine is the ideal place for you to visit this summer.

If you go to Maine for a culinary excursion, you must stop in Portland. Maine’s largest city is growing quickly, with exciting restaurants and breweries popping up seemingly every day. When you’re ready to enjoy the solace of village life, travel up to the Mid-Coast area where you will find rolling green hills dotted with quaint New England towns and the famous, rugged Atlantic shoreline.

Where You Should Stay
In Portland, opt for the Danforth Inn, situated in the heart of the West End, if you want the ability to walk to a myriad of restaurants and boutiques. Build in 1823, the renovated and renewed luxury bed and breakfast offers sophisticated suites with crisp linens, plush beds, and in-room fireplaces for nights when the ocean air may bring a chill.

When traveling up the coast, stay at the Danforth’s sister accommodations, the Relais and Chateaux Camden Harbour Inn. The beautiful waterfront boutique hotel can’t be missed! Recognized as one of the World’s Best by Travel and Leisure Magazine, the inn offers highly personalized amenities and detail-oriented service to transform each stay into a memorable experience.

Where You Should Eat
If you want that famous Maine lobster and shellfish, stop by Eventide in the East End. Although it’s relatively new on the scene, the extensive raw oyster bar carved out of a giant hunk of granite has become a big hit among locals and tourists alike to get a taste of the local seafood or get a brown butter lobster roll. Stop by the James Beard Award nominee, Central Provisions in the Old Port for small plates, farm to table, seasonal fare. If you stay at the Danforth Inn, then you must eat at the award winning Tempo Dulu, a masterful fusion of elevated Southeast Asian cuisine, inspired cocktails, and beautifully paired wines.

At Natalie’s restaurant in Camden, you will experience a culinary journey to remember, in an idyllic location. Executive Chefs Chris Long and Shelby Stevens have created a Modern New England menu that honors the region while still demonstrates creativity and innovation. Don’t miss Chef Long’s interpretation of Maine’s famous lobster roll. The restaurant also offers an exquisite selection of wines carefully chosen by the in-house sommelier and a garden inspired designer cocktail menu.

What You Should Do
Eating and drinking your way across the state of Maine can certainly be a vacation enough, but there are plenty of activities to do and places to visit. You can experience Portland’s trendy food scene, spend a whole weekend tasting on brewery tours, visit the arts district or enjoy live music at one the many venues. With hardly any effort, you can take advantage the great outdoors. If you stay along the coast, you can go sailing, kayaking, paddle boarding, island hopping, or hop on a boat and join a lobster tour. If you travel to the state’s interior, you will find incredible hiking trails, bike paths, lakes to swim in, rivers to fly-fish, and so much more.

Whether you stay for a long weekend or a full week, the state of Maine is the ideal destination for your next culinary vacation or road trip. Be sure to get a table at Natalie’s by booking online today!

Are you looking for some direction or ideas on your next great vacation? With culinary vacations becoming more trendy than ever, it’s about time that you get on the mouthwatering bandwagon too. Why take a culinary vacation? For starters, you will discover a myriad of new flavors. You will also meet like-minded people discovering the same foodie hot spots. A culinary vacation allows you to immerse yourself into the local culture of where you travel. Maine is foodie heaven. Below we discuss Maine as a premiere culinary vacation destination.

Dining in Maine’s Port City: Portland

We start your trip with a stop in Portland, home to the Old Port, and also fine dining spots galore. The city is packed to the brim with quality eateries everywhere the eyes can see. Below is a small list of some of the top foodie hot spots:

Central Provisions – Featuring a constantly changing small plates menu, knock your socks off drinks, a charming rustic atmosphere, and top notch service, Central Provisions has captured the attention of the nation as they have been featured in magazines like Bon Appetite.

Fore Street – An old port staple, Fore Street helped put Portland’s foodie scene on the national map. Farm to table is almost the norm in culinary speak today, but Fore Street was the first in the city to combine ingredients from local farmers and fisherman. The menu changes almost daily, but anything that comes out of the wood-burning soapstone hearth is guaranteed to leave you satisfied.

Eventide Oyster Co. – Come for the signature cool blue raw bar, stay for one of the country’s best and most innovative lobster rolls drizzled with brown butter vinaigrette. Featuring 20 dish variety’s a night, listed “From Maine” or “From Away” on the chalkboard menu.

Portland is also home to a great craft brewery scene. Brewery tours make for a great vacation day trip. Explore Thompson’s Point which is home to Bissell Brother’s Brewery and Cellardoor Winery’s tasting room as well as a destination for a variety of top-notch food trucks. Don’t miss out on the variety of different farmer’s markets that are sprinkled throughout the city and local area.

Culinary Treasures in a Revitalized Mill Town: Lewiston

Head northwest of Portland and find your way to the Lewiston area, also home to a bounty of first class restaurants. Nestled next to the Androscoggin River, Lewiston’s older textile mills have been transformed into trendy restaurants, but have kept their historic charm. Below we recommend two favorites:

Fuel – Housed in an upscale space in the historic Lyceum Building, Fuel features classic French Cuisine, with a country twist. The house specialty is balsamic-braised pork shank with a bbq fondue, soupe a l’oignon and hangar steak frites. Fuel is not so upscale that it forgot about comfort food, serving up three varieties of mac and cheese. And yes, lobster makes an appearance in one of those.

Lovely Fish Bones – Located in historic Bates Mill, Lovely Fish Bones is anything but run-of-the-mill. Sit at the bar and enjoy a pound of succulent clams steamed with garlic, herbs, and Geary’s ale. Seafood rules at this joint, but don’t be afraid to incorporate steak, as the cuts here are superb.

Shining Seaside Stops on the Mid-Coast- Rockland and Camden

Make your way up the coast to the lovely seaside towns of Camden and Rockport. Known for their breathtaking views and small village charm, both are also home to some culinary gems.

Primo – Primo sits on a four-acre farm in Rockland where 80 percent of the produce that’s used in the summer is grown. The property also features two greenhouses, acres of gardens and beehives for honey. Chef Melissa Kelly, recently named the best chef in the Northeast, has created one of the nation’s most exciting expressions of farm to table. It’s no wonder food writers and chefs flock from across the country to eat at Primo.

Natalie’s – Located in the historic Camden Harbour Inn, Natalie’s menu is inspired by coastal New England, seasonal ingredients, and a touch of worldly flare. Red seems to be the theme here, from the first class decor all the way to the award-winning butter-poached Maine lobster. The restaurant features world-class service and expertise attention to detail, making for an unforgettable dining experience.

Add your own touch to your culinary vacation. Besides all of the award winning restaurants, Maine is home to beaches, trails, state parks and mountains galore. Pack up a picnic lunch and take your food tour outside to explore all of the beauty Maine nature has to offer.

Looking for something out of the ordinary to do this Thanksgiving weekend? A Thanksgiving in Maine can be a special, unforgettable experience for you, your family and friends. Make Camden, the ‘Jewel of Maine Coast,’ your destination, and have a Thanksgiving weekend like no other where the mountains meet the sea.

Plan a lavish weekend at the Camden Harbour Inn. On Thanksgiving Day, gather for dinner at the Inn’s award-winning restaurant, Natalie’s, a culinary destination and experience of and in itself any time. Natalie’s is an exclusive Maine restaurant with regional and national renown. Thanksgiving dinner at Natalie’s will be all the more special. There’s no prepping, cooking or cleaning, only rest and relaxation and an exceptional Thanksgiving Day celebration. The restaurant and historic Inn is an AAA four-diamond boutique hotel and restaurant, and the perfect place to base your weekend activities out of. Pack your bags and reserve guest rooms or suites for family and friends at the historic luxury B&B. Below is a short ‘to do’ list while in picturesque Camden:

Craft Beer Crawl

Craft beer lovers will be rewarded with a Thanksgiving holiday in Camden. Throughout Midcoast Maine, craft breweries have taken hold. Your choice will be in deciding where to go and how many to visit during your stay. Here are five to choose from:

In the heart of downtown Camden, you’ll find Sea Dog Brewing, Co. The brewery is noted for their award-winning signature craft brews that follow in the traditional English style of brewing. On tap is a healthy selection of refreshing, handcrafted sea-faring ales, porters, and stouts. While enjoying Sea Dog’s signature craft beers, chill harbor-side and enjoy the view.

Rock Harbor Brewing in neighboring Rockland offers a wide selection of freshly brewed, craft beer. In 2017, they were voted ‘Best Brewery’ in the region’s ‘Best of the Best’ competition. In their taproom, you’ll find a nice assortment of pale ales, IPAs, and stouts, among other brews. Brewery tours are also offered.

Twenty minutes north of Camden, in Searsmont, is Threshers Brewing Company. Proudly serving freshly brewed batches of amber, wheat, and brown ales, porters, and IPAs. The brewmeisters craft quality beer in small batches that will satisfy any thirst. Sample a flight, a pint, or purchase a growler for your return home.

Thirty minutes from Camden, up in Liberty, is the Lake St. George Brewing Company. The brewery is located just a stone’s throw from the pristine waters of its eponym, Lake St. George. One of Maine’s earliest craft brewers enjoys the signature selection of pale ale, IPA and oatmeal stout—the core brews— on tap in the tasting room, along with a few other brews available periodically throughout the year.

Just twenty minutes west, in Union, The Pour Farm Nano-Brewery has a selection of handcrafted ales to quaff, be it pints, flights, pitchers, or growlers. The three barrel setup has adopted the ‘farm to table’ food movement’s model for brewing. They will soon brew with hops and botanicals from their own farm. Six taps mean three or four standard offerings, and two or three rotating beers on tap at a given time.

Museums

Why shop Black Friday when you can while away a morning or afternoon discovering the works of world-renowned artists? Midcoast Maine has two excellent museums to choose from—the CMCA and the Farnsworth—and will not disappoint.

With its iconic sawtooth roofline, the Center for Maine Contemporary Art in Rockland advances contemporary art in Maine, promoting the arts and artists with ties to Maine. CMCA’s striking building—designed by New York architect and North Haven resident, Toshiko Mori—houses exceptional exhibitions and programs designed to catalyze and celebrate contemporary art in Maine. Situated in the center of Rockland’s downtown arts district, CMCA is in walking distance of the Farnsworth Art Museum, the Strand Theatre, and dozens of art galleries and restaurants.

At the Farnsworth Art Museum, celebrates Maine’s role in American art with its nationally recognized collection of works. There are more than 15,000 pieces in the collection under 20,000 square feet of gallery space, featuring many of America’s greatest artists. The collection focuses on American art from the 18th century to the present, with a special emphasis on artists who have lived or worked in Maine. A sampling of the artists include: Fitz Henry Lane, Winslow Homer, Andrew Wyeth, Charles Prendergast, George Bellows, Marsden Hartley, Rockwell Kent, Edward Hopper, John Marin, and Georgia O’Keeffe, among many others.

Explore Land and Sea

In Maine, there is no such thing as bad weather. There are only those who don’t prepare for it. Come Thanksgiving weekend, come prepared for outdoor activities on land or sea. Take a bike ride through the Camden Hills State Park, along the ridges and mountain trails. The Park has dozens of trails to choose from. The Alford Lake Loop is a thirty-four mile ride named for the largest of the seven lakes and ponds along the loop. With lots of hills, the ride is challenging without being overly exhausting, and offers beautiful scenery and relatively quiet back roads.

For seafaring adventurers, Maine Sport Outfitters in Rockport or Camden, offers sea kayak day tours. Those with experience can rent their own sea kayak. The open-ocean coastal sea kayaks are designed to navigate calm through relatively rough waters of the mighty Atlantic Ocean. Much like the craft beer crawl you may partake in later that evening, it’s good to know where you’re going and what you’re doing.

The holiday season is sweet, but with a little help from luscious desserts, it can be so much sweeter! If you’re planning to spend the holidays in New England, then you’re already expecting some of the quintessential joys of New England in winter, including snow dusted scenery, relaxing by a fire, and layering warm clothes to venture out into the chilly air. This holiday, why not entice your other senses with the taste of the best New England desserts.

Discover Luxury Desserts You’ll Never Forget

The best way to experience the desserts of New England is to leave the preparation up to an award-winning chef. In the comfort of a 5-star restaurant in a picturesque New England setting, you can relax and savor each bite. Whether you’re planning to surprise your sweetheart, or simply treat yourself, there’s no better time to reserve your spot at Natalie’s during this upcoming holiday season.

Simple, Sweet and Inspired by New England

If you don’t live in New England and you simply don’t have time to visit and sample the nostalgic flavors of New England Desserts in the places of their origin, don’t fret! New England desserts can be made at home if you’re feeling inspired and have the patience to mix, bake, and prepare these traditional delicacies.

Say “Whoopie!” to This Delectable Dessert

Like a cake in sandwich form, a whoopie pie consists of two chocolate “buns” with a center of light and fluffy frosting. Since making whoopie pies involves precise measurements and lots of mixing, it’s helpful to have a kitchen assistant like your spouse or child. Who knows, maybe baking whoopie pies could become your family’s newest holiday tradition.

Experience Old New England with This Traditional Treat

Indian pudding dates back to the time before America was settled. Simple crops like corn grew rampantly, making this grain an easily accessible ingredient in both sweet and savory dishes. Traditional Indian pudding combines cornmeal, molasses, and spices like cinnamon for a dessert that is as comforting as it is easy to make.

Skip the Mix, Bake a Batch of Memories

Cookies and the holiday season go hand in hand, whether you choose to give them as gifts or enjoy them with friends and family. When it comes to baking cookies inspired by New England, nothing beats the classic Tollhouse cookie which originated in Whitman, Massachusetts in the 1930’s. The cookie recipe is quick, but the memories you’ll make as you bake them will last a lifetime.

Start a New Holiday Tradition

Whether your new holiday tradition is traveling to New England experiencing the regionally-inspired flavors or desserts prepared by an award-winning chef, or staying cozy in your own home and creating a New England dessert with your family, trying the mouthwatering flavors of the North East will make your holiday season even sweeter.

Everyone wants a meal with a view, and many Maine restaurants offer one. From its mountains, lakes, and rolling farmlands, to its rugged coastline, the Pine Tree State has long been renowned for its natural beauty. Today, as its food scene continues to gain national and international prominence and recognition, the art of fine dining has become a destination of and in itself. With that in mind, here is a short list of 5 of the top restaurants with stunning views.

The Well at Jordan’s Farm
The critics are raving about The Well at Jordan’s Farm—the food and the view. Situated on a 122-acre working farm in Cape Elizabeth, the restaurant is incorporated directly into a 5th generation farmstead. All of the food—the produce, seafood, meat, and poultry—is either grown there or locally sourced. The menu changes daily depending on what’s been picked that morning to serve that night—farm-to-table doesn’t get any fresher. There is an assortment of areas for diners to choose from. Be sure to ask when making reservations. The seating areas feature picnic tables scattered across a lawn amongst a handful of gazebos. Dine in the open amidst flower beds and nearby strawberry fields or under a gazebo roof overlooking the surrounding meadow and farmland. The experience and food are enchanting.

Natalie’s
Book a Reservation!
Seaside dining has never been finer than at the award-winning Natalie’s Restaurant in Camden. Honored with the OpenTable Diners’ Choice Top 100 Best Restaurant In America Award, the restaurant offers truly world-class dining along with some of the most amazing natural scenery, beautiful ocean vistas, and unique attractions found on the coast of Maine—all that is Camden. Long known as an exclusive culinary destination, not only for a menu drawn from the harvest of Maine fishing boats, farms, and gardens but also for the idyllic. Natalie’s is located within the tranquil confines of the Camden Harbour Inn, a classic New England Victorian mansion that overlooks historic Camden Harbor. On any given day, diners can spy windjammers, trawlers, and sailboats upon a picturesque harbor dotted with islands. Nestled under mountains that touch the sea, a trip to Natalie’s is well worth the visit.

Nebo Lodge
Island life in Maine has inspired poets and artist for generations—and now foodies, too. You’ll find Nebo Lodge, a small inn, and restaurant, 12 miles out from Rockland on the island of North Haven in the middle of Penobscot Bay. The view spans across the many islands in the Gulf of Maine to distant mountains that rise along the coastline. North Haven itself is rolling hills and farmlands, fishing and wildlife. The Lodge is located a short walk from the harbor and overlooks spruced edged fields. The food’s as remarkable as the challenge is in getting there. Nebo made the top 5 of Bon Appetit’s “Best Food Lover’s Hotels in America.” All of the offerings are created around vegetables, berries, meat, fish, and cheeses produced on the island. Round-trip transportation from Rockland to North Haven is available. Visit Nebo’s website for more information.

River Driver’s Restaurant & Pub
Drive north into the Maine wilderness and you’ll find the River Driver’s Restaurant & Pub. Located 9 miles from Millinocket at Twin Pine Cabins, the restaurant is on the shores of Millinocket Lake, which showcases a spectacular view of Maine’s highest peak, Mount Katahdin. Choose from a menu of crab-stuffed haddock, tomahawk pork chops or pan-seared Statler chicken breast just to name a few of the entrees. Its diverse menu features quality American fare highlighted by seasonal, locally sourced, fresh ingredients. It’s the view that will move you. The Katahdin region boasts beautiful lakes and mountains, and abundant moose and wildlife that are easily encountered.

Blair Hill Inn and Restaurant
Just 60 miles west, at least as the crow flies, a few miles drive north from the center of Greenville, in the heart of moose country, you’ll find Blair Hill Inn and Restaurant. Fine dining located in a mansion that overlooks Moosehead Lake. The lake is the largest within all of New England. With over 400 miles of shoreline, Moosehead is 40 miles long, 10 miles wide and rests in a glacier-carved bowl surrounded by mountains and extended ridgelines. Truly breathtaking, Blair Hill rises up high on the east side of the Moosehead and provides one of the most remarkable, expansive lake views in the world. Once an estate and breeding farm, the 21-acre site is now home to a B&B and a renowned, gourmet restaurant that serves up a tasty farm-to-table menu. The handsome wood-paneled cocktail lounge offers fine wines and libations. You’ll not be disappointed—watch the sunset over Moose Mountain and enjoy the food and fantastic views that are all that Maine has to offer.