Just north of the New Hampshire and Massachusetts border are the small seaside towns of Kittery and York, Maine.  While Kittery is most known for its outlets, I wanted to check out its coast.  Kittery is Maine’s oldest town and is home to the nation’s oldest continuously operating naval shipyard. It also is home to two historical forts: Fort McClary and Fort Foster.

During my half day in the area, I stopped by Fort McClary. Even though it wasn’t planned, I ended up visiting the fort during one of their two reenactment weekends. Fort McClary was built during the Revolutionary War and was manned during the War of 1812 and the Civil War.  Today, it serves as a museum, and two weekends a year, the Friends of Fort McClary host a reenactment: at the beginning of the summer, the French-Indian war, and at the end of the summer, the Civil War.  During both weekends, tents are set up around the grounds showcasing different elements of life from the time period of the war.  People staffing each tent have a topic of focus – from gardening and trading to soldiers quarters. Some of the tents even offer clothing and housewares for sale.

Even if you don’t end up there during a reenactment, the fort is worth a visit.  The site features an unusual blockhouse (built in the 1840s), a tunnel down into a caponier, and remnants of granite walls that were envisioned but never completed.  The site also offers great views of the Piscataqua River and Portsmouth Lighthouse. 

I ended up parking across the street in the Fort McClary picnic area, which afforded me a chance to check out the small pond covered with lily pads.  A rickety little dock jutted out into the pond, and from there, I got to watch turtles and frogs navigate the lily pads. It was a nice moment of stopping to enjoy the little things.

I also got a view of the Piscataqua River and the Portsmouth Lighthouse from Pepperell Cove. At the base of the marina are a trio of food options: ice cream stand, outside casual dining, and indoor more formal dining. There’s also a provisions store where boaters cans stock up on essentials for the day.

Just north of Kittery is York.  I found that York offers more opportunities for the public to access the water.  York’s Long Sand Beach is a narrow beach that stretches for a mile and half. The metered parking along the beach makes for easy access. There are restaurants and stores along the road to grab food and gear for the beach. The beach offers waves that are perfect for boogie boarding and learning how to surf.  

Until this year (2024), York had two walks along the water: the Cliff Walk and Fisherman’s Walk. Unfortunately, a storm damaged the Cliff Walk and closed it down. I don’t know if it will be restored, though I hope that it will.  The Fisherman’s walk luckily still exists and is a lovely ¾ mile walk along the York River. The private homeowners have allowed this public walk in front of their homes, so please be respectful of their docks and yards.  Walking east, the path passes the historic home of the Sayward-Wheeler family. It then goes under Rt 103 and ends at the Wiggly Bridge and Steedman’s Woods. 

As the name implies, the Wiggly Bridge, which at 75 feet is the world’s smallest suspension bridge, bounces as you walk across it.  Even as an adult, I couldn’t help but smile as I made my way across it.  On the other side of the bridge is a ½ loop trail through Steedman Woods.  When the sun is shining, the shade of the wooded trail is a nice reprieve.  All together the Fisherman’s Walk and Steedman’s Woods makes for a 1.7mile route. 

A little inland is the headquarters of the famed Stonewall Kitchen. I remember when coming across this brand was a rarity, but even though it’s become more and more popular in grocery stores, it’s still cool to see where it all began. The headquarters offers a cafe, retail store with some tasting stations, a homegoods store, and a chance to watch the production line in action (during the week).  I was surprised by the variety of flavors that the retail store offered – a much larger selection than found in the average grocery store. There are also some nice outdoor spaces set up to enjoy food from the cafe.

Further inland the culture changes from the coastal vibe to the farms and mountains.  Mount Agamenticus is actually a monadnock – “an isolated hill of bedrock standing conspicuously above the general level of the surrounding area” (Britannica). The Mount Agamenticus Conservation Region offers miles of trails for hikers and bikers.  However, they also have a road that goes all the way to the summit, which is what I checked out during my stay.

At the summit, there is a learning lodge and a one mile accessible trail (Big A Universal Access Trail) with informational plaques to explain the views and natural elements of the area.  I was impressed that this trail really felt like it would work for someone in a wheelchair – not something I’m used to seeing at the top of a mountain. I was also impressed with the bathrooms – clean compostable toilets that offered windows with a view.   Walking around the summit, I enjoyed learning about the mountains that I was looking out at from each viewpoint and seeing the remnants of the Powder House Hill Ski Area that existed here until the 1970s.

Another lovely surprise was the sweet little farm stand just by the main entrance.  Simply Grown Farm offers plants, veggies, baked goods, local products, and the best soda I’ve ever had (Green Bee from nearby Brunswick, ME). They also have a few tables set up for people to take a break and enjoy their finds