I grew up going to Ogunquit Beach and York Beach in Maine. We would take a picnic, load the whole family into the car, and spend the entire day at the beach. I remember my grandfather creating elaborate “treasure maps” with candy at the end tucked in the rocks on the beach and my dad making fabulous sand obstacle courses and giant sand creatures. I have nothing but good memories of Maine. So when I looking for a weekend getaway for my significant other and myself, it was a no brainer.

Bridgewater Farm on Tentrr, South Berwick, ME

I found a cute and very affordable “Tentrr” campsite at a charming farm and that completed the extent of my weekend planning. I’m a believer in making plans the day off, searching Yelp and Google for good reviews and restaurants. We arrived at the gorgeous campsite to lovely hosts and an adorable pup! The site was very remote and off the grid, a cute tent, adirondack chairs, a fire pit, and even somewhat reasonable “bathroom facilities.” After settling in, we set off for downtown Ogunquit to find some grub. Of course, what I hadn’t remembered from my childhood was the expensive parking! We parked at the Obeds Parking Lot for $4 an hour and wandered down the street to Banditos Mexican Grill.

I’m a sucker for Mexican food. It’s super easy to make it gluten and dairy free and I love the spice and guacamole! We had their “make your own burrito/bowl” option, in which you choose your protein and then seven add-ons. I had a corn tortilla burrito bowl with carnitas, pico de gallo, chipotle mayo, black beans, lettuce, rice, sautéed peppers, and french fries! French Fries! Who woulda thought…Banditos did. And WOW, it was out of this world good! I ate it so fast, I completely forgot to take a photo of it. Living in my food moment sometimes overtakes the blogger vibe. Also pro tip, the margs are fab.

Following our feast, we walked down to the beach. Highly recommend visiting Ogunquit during the week in the summer, the beach is totally over crowded on the weekend! But a nice walk nonetheless. On the way back to the car, we stopped at Sweet Pea’s for some ice cream and sorbet. They had one sorbet, lemon, and my man got Blueberry Pie ice cream. The sorbet was delicious, not overly sweet and the perfect amount of tang! And I’m very picky about my lemon sorbets. A small serving also included two massive scoops, the photo is after I’d eaten half! So far we were 2 for 2 with our spontaneous choices.

We chose to eat in that night and went to the Wells, ME Hannaford to get groceries, including s’mores ingredients of course. After a great night in of playing cards, eating s’mores, and enjoying the scenery, we woke up the next morning excited for a full day of adventure!

We started off building a fire to boil water to make savory oatmeal, a favorite of mine, and now a massive favorite of my man. I’ve converted him! Of course, we forgot bowls, and while the Tentrr site provided a decent amount of cookware, dishes were not something they had. So into a measuring cup the oatmeal went! With some Lactose-Free Cabot Cheddar Cheese, camp spice, and avocado, it was the perfect start to the day.

After breakfast, I sat down with Google and Yelp to plan the day. Luckily, while mostly off the grid with no electricity or wifi, the campsite still had decent service. I searched “things to do nearby” and found many house museums, one of which had incredible reviews, The Hamilton House.

Boy, did it live up the reviews! We arrived just as it opened for the first tour at 11am ($10 a person) and as no one else came for the 11 o’clock, we got a private tour. The guide was incredibly knowledgable about the house and enjoyed laughing at the funkiness of the house’s history with us. Though an old house, it had changed hands three times over the many years, and each time massive changes were made. The most recent owners had an eclectic sense of style evidenced in the wild wallpaper, glassware, and art. And the gardens... Ugh, my heart. I love a beautiful garden and this house had them. A must see if in the South Berwick area!

Spicy Beef Stew, Thistle Pig, South Berwick, ME.

Following the tour, we needed lunch before our next stop. In the sleepy, cute town of South Berwick, we had a few restaurant options and chose Thistle Pig. An adorable restaurant with incredible cocktails and food. I ordered a Grilled Fruit Sangria, probably one of the best I’ve ever had! We also ordered Fried Potatoes as an appetizer. One would think “fried potatoes” would turn out to be french fry like. Oh no, these were slightly smashed potatoes covered in delicious spices and fried, served with a spicy aioli and ketchup. Oh my lord. If I could have those potatoes instead of french fries always, I would. For the main course, I ordered a spicy beef stew. An excellent choice! It had a delightful kick and was totally hearty. A perfect stew for a cloudy day.

Our next stop, found on Groupon, was the Flag Hill Winery & Distillery in Lee, NH. Groupon offered a deal for a tasting, tour, and souvenir glasses for $17 for 2. Couldn’t pass it up! We arrived too late for the tour (at Noon on Saturdays and Sundays), but we still could do the tasting and walk the grounds on our own. The tasting included 5 of their wines, liqueurs, and spirits. All of which were incredible. They also had wine smoothies, we choose the “Beachside” to share as we walked around the vineyards. The grounds were gorgeous and it was interesting to see the grapes on the vines (though not ripe yet), in their different sizes and stages. Another great spontaneous find. Now we were 5 for 5!

Following the winery, we headed back to Bridgewater Farm and our campsite planning for a night-in and dinner cooked over the fire. We made a gluten-free pasta with bacon bits, Cabot cheddar cheese, camp spice, and avocado. It was absolutely delightful. There’s just something about cooking over a fire, the food always tastes better even if incredibly simple.

The final morning, Sunday, we decided to eat out for brunch instead of another morning of savory oatmeal. Heading into Ogunquit, we parked at the same lot and found The Wild Blueberry right on the corner. As big fans of corned beef hash, we both had a version. My man having the Irish Benedict and myself the plain Corned Beef Hash breakfast (without toast obviously). Another delicious meal in the books! Sat outside, we got to people watch and enjoy the sun, while feasting on a tasty brunch. After breakfast, I wanted to visit a special memory from my childhood. The Goldenrod at York Beach. Always a stop on my childhood visits to ME to watch the wheels spin the salt water taffy through the great windows. The best part, watching the wrapping machine twist and wrap the taffy. Though the taffy recipe does have a small amount of butter, I had to sneak one here and there! Worth a visit and a purchase of a pound of taffy to share with friends and family.

And then sadly, time to head home. Our weekend getaway came to a perfect end. With every spontaneous choice a home run. Every meal perfect and every adventure one to remember.

Stops to visit:

Bridgewater Farm, Tentrr, South Berwick, ME
Banditos Mexican Grill, Ogunquit, ME
Sweet Pea’s Ice Cream, Ogunquit, ME
Hamilton House, Berwick, ME
Thistle Pig, South Berwick, ME
Flag Hill Winery and Distillery, Lee, NH
The Wild Blueberry, Ogunquit, ME
The Goldenrod, York, ME

Weekend Getaway in South Berwick/Ogunquit, ME

Stops to visit: