Take a walk around the Seaside grounds and enjoy our daffodils, soak in the reviving energy of our neighbors and visitors, and inhale the sweet scent of the spring gardens that color the Port. As sure as the flowers bloom and sea breeze warms with the rising sun, we have our own favorite rites of the spring season in our Kennebunk neighborhood. Here are three of the first things we enjoy every spring:
Franciscan Monastery
Just down the sidewalk from the Seaside is the glorious Franciscan Monastery, a gracious English park with sweeping lawns, simples gardens and numerous stone statues and shrines. It’s majestic in every season, but there is some extra special about the promise of spring here as the grounds come to life with bursts of yellow daffodils, pops of pink tulips and bursts of fragrant flowers. The grounds, free and open to the public from dawn to dusk, include secluded paved/dirt walking paths connecting shines, sculptures and stations with interpretative signs, water features and pops of floral colors. We especially love the views of the busy Kennebunk River from such a “secret” spot. It makes for a nice, quiet morning walk!
Mornings in Paris
Situated at the corner of Beach and Western Avenue on your way into the Port is Mornings in Paris. We especially love the croissants, best enjoyed outside on the patio where you can bask in the morning sun and enjoy the best people-watching around. They also offer a delightful array of French-inspired coffees and teas, pastries, sandwiches and desserts. They offer a cozy cafe too, but the patio with tables and umbrellas is especially great in the spring when you want to spend time outdoors as much as possible.
Rococo Artisan Ice Cream
We wait all winter for our first licks of the season at Rococo, the sweetest spot around and known for their unique, inventive flavors that elevate them from the average scoop shop. Their new dessert bar will be open year-round, but we’ve been waiting all winter for their Goat Cheese Blackberry Chambord! (and the Maine Whoopie Pie, Horchata Rum Cake, Cuban Coffee!) There’s nothing like the first ice cream of the season! Their new dessert bar serves up sundaes, mocktails and cocktails, ice cream floats, boozy milkshakes and cocktails. We can’t wait to try those too. But first, Goat Cheese Blackberry Chambord …
