Category Archives: Ogunquit

We slept in as a little more snow swirled outside, cozily ensconced in our favorite room at the Scotch Hill Inn. Our plan on this winter day was a quick outlet jaunt to Kittery with an opening lunch at Bob’s Clam Hut – a happy and hungry echo of a summer day, the kind of hunger only a fried clam platter can appease.

A stop at The Yarn Sellar inspired a planned return to crocheting, and I had an enjoyable conversation with one of the owners as she spun the yarn from a skein into a ‘cake’ using a wondrous wooden frame contraption that looked straight out of some steampunk fantasy. Crocheting or knitting would be a return to something real, something physical, something not in any way tethered to or corrupted by technological muck. Yarn felt like a grounding object, so I picked up three colors and told them I was going to try my hand at a few granny squares.

Gram often comes to mind when we are in Ogunquit, even when we don’t see a dachshund – and she’s the one who taught me how to crochet when I was about ten or eleven years old. We returned to town and I had my last cup of French hot chocolate for this trip – a tradition I already found myself missing. It was Mom’s birthday, and I’d made reservations at the York Harbor Inn as that felt like the sort of cozy, traditional dinner scene she’d appreciate on this winter night.

The snow was coming down again as we carefully wound our way to York, and the fireplace-backed lobby was the ideal setting to stave off a frigid evening. We dined looking out over the wintry street – a quaint, idyllic scene that Andy remarked looked like something out of a Norman Rockwell painting. Sometimes life gifts you a perfect moment and setting.

One more jewel of a moment awaited us, as upon our return to the Inn Anthony opened the door and invited us onto the porch for hot chocolate. The snow was still falling, now at a pretty healthy clip (several inches would fall during the night) the delicate silence punctuated only by the occasional snow plow (Ogunquit’s fanciest and finest).

This was the dream-scene and setting that we’d longed to experience when Anthony first told us of such magic years ago. There was beauty and stillness and calm as the snow continued to swirl outside and we approached the eleven o’clock hour. Anthony’s mug of hot chocolate warmed my hand, and a blanket thoughtfully left on the back of my rocking chair wound around my shoulders as we rocked the snowy night away. It made for a memorable end to Mom’s first birthday in Maine – and a sublime realization of a winter dream we’d held for many years.

Some dreams, when finally and fully realized, don’t always live up to the dreamer’s vision and hope – this one surpassed it. Winter, peace and tranquility don’t often go hand-in-hand, but for this one magical weekend in Maine, Anthony and the Scotch Hill Inn made it all happen.

And now we look forward to our return to Ogunquit in May… just four months away.

The first bit of snow fell during our first night. The dream scenario that Mom, Andy and myself had wished to see for decades had finally come to gorgeous fruition – the town was transformed into a vision of quaint, charming, winter-wonderland magic. For those of us who have only known Ogunquit to be adorned with spring flowers, summer foliage, and autumn gourds, the winter snow scene was a spectacle of elegant majesty, surpassing anything we could have envisioned.

Bundled up with coats and scarves, hats and gloves, we made the walk to the Marginal Way, unsure how far we’d get before the weather and wind turned us back. Even in the winter hour, there was the living smell of ocean – favored scent of youth and vacations – the scent that pricked at the heart and the appetite – the secret of life crashing down in the regular, rhythmic intervals of waves.

Walking the Marginal Way, and the path that would always mean so much to us, there was calm and healing, even in the cold, and we found ourselves unbothered by the bit of wind that occasionally swirled. Entranced by the sea – this might be how sailors were lured to tempting dangers – we traversed the entire Marginal Way, having no issue with the slippery slopes and occasional winter breeze.

In fact, this was one of the calmer and quieter walks along the Marginal Way – usually the wind and the surf and the crowds are all battling to be heard over each other. On this late morning, all was mostly still and silent – a contemplative glimpse of the Beautiful Place By the Sea, and I was grateful.

Seeing our favorite spots bedecked by snow and ice was as magnificent as expected – winter lending its own sort of magic to the environs we’ve only ever experienced in warmer months.

Most of Perkins Cove was closed on this particular weekend, but it didn’t matter – we weren’t there for shopping or dining – we were there for the winter, and it did not disappoint. We walked back into town as snow started to fall again – big, fluffy, beautiful flakes – the stuff of charmed tales that ended with a cup of hot chocolate.

That evening, we had dinner at Walker’s and called an early night – it was so cozy and comfortable at the Scotch Hill Inn that we simply enjoyed the time together. Meanwhile, the snow continued to fall…

Ever since our very first vacation to Ogunquit as a couple twenty five-plus years ago, Andy and I have wanted to visit when snow was on the rocks and trees, and the cozy holiday scenes of December still echoed and lit the winter nights. Mom has also wanted experience an Ogunquit snowfall, in the same way she enjoyed a Boston snowstorm – safe and at a cozy vantage point.

Thanks to a gracious invitation from our innkeeper Anthony of the Scotch Hill Inn, who was generous enough to have us over for Mom’s birthday weekend, we finally managed to make that winter dream a reality, and round out every season in this Beautiful Place by the Sea. As hoped for, winter in Ogunquit holds charms no other time of the year could afford.

Back when we started staying at the Scotch Hill Inn, Anthony would tease us with tantalizing tales regaling evenings on the expansive front porch of his Inn watching as a snowstorm would barrel down the street and drop its wintry carriage, all the while warmed by blankets and a little heater, sipping on hot chocolate with or without some extra liquid heat, and it sounded like the coziest scene.

Finally, we took him up on his offer, and arrived with Mom for a long weekend. The weather forecast was all over the place, and we’d learned long ago that the most accurate weather forecast in Ogunquit was found stepping outside to see what was actually happening at that moment; everything else was guess-work, and mostly mistaken at that. On this weekend, the snow would deliver its wished-for effect, but not in such overwhelming quantities so as to derail travel or the occasional walk.

We’d never driven in Maine in the winter, and arriving to a summer town in the throes of the off-season was a welcome change from our May and October visits, when Route 1 was routinely a snarl of strangled traffic, snaking its way slowly along – so slowly that foot-traffic often passed the pace of cars. No such scene greeted us now. All was clear and quiet, and as we arrived to a gorgeous house still blessedly decked out for the holidays, we looked to extend the bonhomie of the season with a delicious dinner by Anthony himself – no small gift considering his extensive chef experience. (The breakfasts of the Scotch Hill Inn are rightfully and well-deservedly renowned.) We gathered for pre-dinner drinks on the porch and met some of Anthony’s Friday night gang – neighbors and friends who formed this happy little winter family. So good was the company and conversation that we didn’t make it to bed until midnight – and then we slept the peaceful sleep with which a night in Ogunquit contentedly concludes.

While dinners usually form the highlight of any given vacation day in Ogunquit – the sea having its typical effect of stimulating the appetite, and the offerings of fresh seafood giving us more options than our usual land-locked availability – the shops of this quaint town offer their own appeal and magic, with unique and lovely items that can’t be found anywhere else. Here are few of my favorites.

Perkins Cove Bookstore – This year marked my first visit to this charming little bookhouse, located near the entry point to Perkins Cove. It’s a cozy, beautifully laid-out space, ideal for taking your time and browsing all sorts of books – from local Maine authors to an extensive LGBTQ+ section, along with a robust children’s and Young Adult selection – in short, there is something for everyone here. 

Kiki’s Ogunquit – Fabulous and fun fashion, alluring and artistic accessories, and a sparkling assortment of jewelry, Kiki’s provides a finely-curated collection of wearable pieces of art. I always manage to find at least one item for myself here, as well gifts for my Mom, in this colorful and vibrant two-story expanse of exquisite delight. 

Spoiled Rotten – An entire grand house unfurls its many rooms of retail wonder, each opening up with gifts and pleasures to savor and experience. Lots of food options abound, along with the beautiful bowls and utensils and trays and napkins on which to serve them – in addition to objects of art and whimsy and local flavor. It’s the sort of place that requires a dedicated stretch of time to peruse and get lost amid its many amusements. 

Perkins Cove Pottery Shop – Local artisans have crafted many of the items available here, and my Mom’s home has an extensive collection of their pottery, each of which is a work of unique art, and fully-functional for home dining fanciness. Along with their gorgeous lineup of pottery, there are gifts and art for the indoors and outdoors – lots of whimsical books, a spattering of rings and jewelry, and some of the friendliest staff of any store in Ogunquit, which is a feat in itself given the overflowing friendliness of most places. 

Calluna Fine Flowers and Gifts – One of the most beautiful shops in Ogunquit, Calluna is a floral feast of olfactory glory, with the best blooms in town, and a cozy space that packs a pretty punch. I don’t know how they manage to fit all the fine clothing, soaps, lotions, and other luxury gift items into the little expanse, but a walk through feels like a journey to another world, where beauty is the order of the day. 

On the Main – A charming bastion of Main Street, this lovely gift shop offers glassware, cards, jewelry, art prints, frames, and accessories to capture a little of Maine’s magic for your own home. 

“I will sleep no more but arise,

You oceans that have been calm within me!

how I feel you, fathomless, stirring, preparing unprecedented waves and storms.” ~ Walt Whitman

Our autumn trip to Ogunquit was blessed with some of the nicest weather we’ve had on our fall excursions – full sun and breezy days, with only one bout of gray and a bit of rain near the end. Staying at the Anchorage, our group of three – me, Andy and Mom – was right on the shore, and the backdrop of the ocean provided a calm setting for the long weekend. 

While the pumpkins and gourds and corn stalks were on their fall display, summer lingered in the blooms that were till going. Like our cleome at home, the cleome here was still blooming, along with cosmos and roses and that October showpiece the aster. 

While our last trip to Ogunquit was our first without Dad, this one felt a little lonelier. Back then we were just finding our way – and it was all new and uncharted – enough so to distract us. This time we were also back at the place where he and Mom always stayed, which I think made it a little sadder for her. Still, there was beauty, and someone was smiling upon our quiet and pretty weekend by the shore. 

The weather looked to be best on our first full day there, so we made that our Marginal Way day, taking our time walking along the majestic stretch of shoreline, pausing on a couple of benches and taking in the brilliance of the day, and the ocean. 

And so the other days passed – the weather turned for the better when storms were predicted, holding off until the end. We napped, and we sat by the ocean, and I made a few solitary walks and shopping excursions about town. A welcome break from our fade-to-black fall, even if the cowboy hat remained. 

Fall unfurled its golden hour moments – the golden hour of the day, the golden hour of the year.

Saving our favorite restaurant for last – the cozy Walker’s, where a couple of fireplaces staved off the cold night – we arrived and peered into the warm environs.

We were seated near the main fireplace, which was kept stocked with fresh logs throughout the evening. I had one of the best duck dinners I’ve tasted in years – something Dad would have ordered and loved. 

We closed out the holiday weekend as the weather turned to something similar to spring, and since spring will come again that feels like a fitting place to close this little chapter. 

“Whenever I look at the ocean, I always want to talk to people, but when I’m talking to people, I always want to look at the ocean.” ~ Haruki Murakami

We are scheduled to be wrapping up our fall pilgrimage to Ogunquit tomorrow, and before I work up the energy to recap that, here’s a linky look back at previous Ogunquit trips in the fall. While I love the promise and hope inherent in a spring visit, our fall visits are cozy, quiet, and beautiful vacations – always worth a look-back.

Our First Trip to Ogunquit Without Dad

Autumn in Ogunquit – Part 1

Autumn in Ogunquit – Part 2

Autumn In Ogunquit – Part 3

A Brief Ogunquit Revisit

Harvest Moon Over Maine

Fall Bye OGT