If you are looking for a "green” experience while staying in the Greater Portland area then you must experience the Inn by the Sea. During my last visit to the area this inn provided me with…"green to the extreme”!
Located on the beautiful Crescent Beach, in Cape Elizabeth, the unspoiled beauty of this luxuriously refurbished Inn by the Sea offered me an experience that was pure Maine - from the mile of unspoiled beach where I sun bathed for hours listening to the waves crash on the shore and the children playing, to the fully redesigned interiors where I found a quiet comfy couch to read my book.
Nature itself was an integral part of my guest experience. Our room had a deck with views of the ocean and the surrounding landscape complete with a bird sanctuary and nectar gardens for a monarch butterfly way station …oh, did I mention that they’re certified as a wildlife habitat? What a place! It was great to be able to teach the children that when we reuse our towels at the Inn by the Sea the money saved goes to help the butterflies. My youngest made me use my wash cloth twice so we could help the butterflies. Too cute.
For lunch we sat on the outdoor deck. (they even let our dog join us, the kids loved that) We watched fishing boats and ate fresh lobster rolls with delicious handmade chips made from Maine potatoes.
While I relaxed our kids enjoyed some fun on their own…they created bug costumes and learned about eco systems from a bug’s viewpoint at "Bug’s Life” classes. We heard about it for weeks!! I don’t think they get this kind of education in school, what a bonus for a parent.
After a great day we treated ourselves to the amazing restaurant at the inn…Sea Glass. Chef Mitchell Kaldrovich specializes in "farm to fork” dishes. He gets his fish fresh from the local fisherman and vegetables directly from the farmer. We really felt like we were connected to the local community. My husband had the Pan Seared Scallops and I did the Lobster Tasting menu. Mmmmmm….hum! Of course, we couldn’t take the dog for this dining experience but he certainly didn’t miss out, the inn provided him with his own gourmet meal delivered right to our room!
After all of our bellies where full we gathered up our tired little ones and headed to bed. It was a perfect vacation!
Sincerely,
A very happy green traveler!