The Waldron's: August 2020

Chad and I will be celebrating 15 years of marriage next month!!! Our anniversary falls in the middle of tax extensions and Chad can't usually get time off so we planned a trip in August. Just the two of us headed to Portland, Maine to enjoy nature and time to ourselves.

Our flight was super early so I packed us breakfast to eat at the airport. Chad was laughing at me for being so cheap but I hate paying airport prices for a breakfast I usually find disgusting. Our bagels and fruit hit the spot and didn't cost $30....winning!

Our first day we checked into our hotel and then walked around downtown Portland. Visiting during COVID craziness was actually pretty perfect. The main streets were shutdown to cars because all the cafes and restaurants had moved their dining areas outdoors in front of their restaurant. It felt so quaint to just meander through the shops and restaurants.

The weather was refreshing and so much cooler than Texas! It got a tiny warm right in the middle of the day but it wasn't too bad and the evenings were perfection.

Portland is a foodie town for sure. We ate so many lobster rolls (more on that later). Every local we talked to said we had to try The Holy Donut. Apparently they are made with local potatoes. Chad went down early one morning while I was still sleeping and look how many people were waiting outside for their donuts!

The did not disappoint and we enjoyed them in our pajamas while binge watching some Netflix in our hotel room. Slow mornings are my favorite!

The next day we took a little road trip. Our first stop was the Portland Head Light. Completed in 1791, it is the oldest lighthouse in Maine and the most photographed lighthouse in the country.

The grounds were lush. The coastline was breathtaking. The lighthouse was awesome.

I thoroughly enjoyed snapping photos while Chad wandered around. It was just so pretty every direction you looked.

This black and white photo of the lighthouse is one of my favorites from the trip.

Chad and I explored the rocky coast. We climbed around until we found a quiet spot to just be still. Ocean air really does soothe the soul.

Our next stop was Camden, Maine. On our drive northward we stumbled upon a picturesque meadow. We pulled over and soaked in the beauty for awhile before continuing to Camden.

We went to Mount Battie in Camden Hills State Park. There is an old tower and an unbelievable view of Penobscot Bay and Camden Harbor.

I don't think Chad or I ever really got used to Maine's beauty. It surprised and mesmerized us at every turn.

The next stop was a small, local vineyard. We tasted a few wines and enjoyed some fresh Maine blueberries and cheese. The vineyard had little spots of furniture tucked in the trees which led to an intimate and relaxing environment.

Next we headed down the mountain to explore Camden Harbor. When I saw the ice cream stand sign hanging off the bridge I told Chad this was my kinda place! Naturally we followed the sign...

We grabbed a lobster roll and headed back to Portland for the night.

The next day we headed to Saco to check out Old Orchard Beach. To be honest it was the only miss on the trip. The pier and shops felt dingy and dirty. It wasn't our favorite so we explored a little and then headed out.

Portland is known for having lots of micro-breweries. I'm not really a huge beer lover but Chad loves IPAs so we explored a few breweries. I did actually enjoy some of the local brews but mostly I just liked hanging out with this handsome fella -

Our last adventure was taking the ferry to Peaks Island. There are SOOOO many islands in Maine. Chad's new dream is to own an island. Ha!

The ferry ride was about 15ish minutes. It was relaxing and almost chilly. I loved it!

So in the interest of full disclosure we did have a little argument upon our arrival to Peaks Island. This entire trip Chad was in charge of what we did. He always wants to meander without an agenda so I told him I would follow his lead this trip and we could explore Maine without an itinerary (I prefer a loose itinerary to make sure I know the important details and attractions we don't want to miss). We knew we wanted to visit Peaks Island, so the day before I had asked him to look into the ferry schedule and what there is to do on the island.

Well he didn't...and that led to a little confusion about the ferry times in the morning. We pushed it to the end of the instead...no biggie...or so we thought. We arrived at Peaks Island at 6:05 pm. The main thing to do on the island is to rent bikes or a golf cart and explore. The reason for the fight? Every rental place was closed (they closed at 6:00) and the next ferry didn't return to Portland until about 8:00. Soooooo....for two hours we walked around on foot.

I may have spent the first hour being mad that he hadn't looked into the details. Exploring the island on a bike would've been incredible. Walking was not as enjoyable because we wouldn't have time to see as much as I would've wanted to. In his defense he was bothered on bit by having to walk. He is so chill and really rarely is annoyed about things. I eventually calmed down and we did indeed enjoy our time on the island and the beauty Maine displayed in every direction. We talked about compromising planning vs. winging it and when each was probably necessary. LOL!

That's enough of that...now onto the gorgeous pictures I took on the island -

The last thing to note about our trip is how many freaking lobster rolls we ate. We have always loved lobster rolls but Maine knows how to freaking do it. They were so delicious!!! The lobster was so fresh and there was so much of it. Each place had their own little twist and they were all yummy in their own right. If you ever visit Portland, let me know and I can point you to the best of the best.