Kennebunk - town in York County, Maine, United States

Kennebunk is a town in southern Maine. Kennebunk is home to several beaches, the Rachel Carson National Wildlife Refuge, the 1799 Kennebunk Inn, many historic shipbuilders' homes, the Brick Store Museum and the Nature Conservancy Kennebunk Plains (known locally as the Blueberry Plains), with 1,500 acres (6 km²) of nature trails and blueberry fields.

Understand

General information is available at the Kennebunk Town Hall, 1 Summer Street. Information about upcoming events will often be found at the local library.

It is closely associated with Kennebunkport.

In 2014, it was home to about 11,000 people.

Get in

By plane

Portland International Jetport is approximately 30 miles from Kennebunkport.

Manchester International Airport, approximately 75 miles from Kennebunkport.

Boston's Logan International Airport, approximately 90 minutes drive from Kennebunkport.

The region has some smaller regional airports, suitable for small private planes.

By car

Take the Maine Turnpike (I-95) to Exit 25 (Kennebunk)

By train

Amtrak to Boston South Station. Continuing service with Amtrak Downeaster to Wells, Maine.

By bus

Greyhound bus lines service Portsmouth and Portland. From there, you must provide your own transportation.

By rented car

Taxis are available throughout Maine, but appointments must be made by telephone. In the Kennebunkport area, expect to make the appointment at least 2 hours in advance.

Limousines are available in Maine, originating most commonly from Portland.

Get around

By foot

Downtown Kennebunk is pedestrian-friendly: sidewalks are spacious, crosswalks are common, and window-shopping is encouraged.

Sidewalks end within a few blocks of the city center, making foot travel difficult between towns. In the wintertime, snow can limit the space on the side of the roads to the point where one must walk in traffic.

By bicycle

There are no dedicated bicycle paths in the area. Bicycles are expected to share the road with cars. Bicycles are expected to share the bridal paths with pedestrians (and sometimes horses).

The speed limits in the area are rarely over 25 miles per hour. Car drivers tend to be conscientious about road-sharing, especially off-season.

Winter snow storms may make bicycle riding difficult from December to March. Ice storms make bicycle riding incredibly dangerous, but such storms are rare.

There is a helmet law in the state of Maine for bicyclists. Those who violate it may be ticketed.

By car

During the primary tourist season (June through August), congestion in Kennebunk can be moderate. It may take five minutes to navigate the length of the town center, a distance of half a mile. Off-season, this ride will take approximately thirty seconds.

Outside of the downtown area, traffic is negligible at any time of year.

For more information on the area beaches, please refer to Kennebunkport.

By motorcycle

Maine is known to be friendly to motorcyclists. Route 9, which runs through downtown Kennebunk, is a common route for motorcycle touring.

By truck

The tight turns in the town center can be difficult for 18-wheelers. Kennebunk maintains noise legislation which prohibits engine breaking.

See

Downtown Kennebunk is the heart of the city. Many of the structures there are colonial of origin. Summer Street has homes that are 19th-century mansions of greatly varying architecture.

• The Wedding-Cake House.

Do

Buy

Downtown Kennebunk is approximately two blocks long. It encompasses the majority of the town's commerce. Lower Village contains other necessities of life, such as a pharmacy, post office, and general stores.

Local goods

• Tom's of Maine, 52 Main St, +1 207 985-6331. Natural living factory outlet store.

Eat

Drink

Sleep

Go next

Kennebunk abuts Kennebunkport, Wells (Maine) and Arundel.

To the south (along the coast), Ogunquit and York.

To the north (along the coast), Old Orchard Beach.

To the west (inland) are the lakes of Maine, of which the largest is Sebago

Portland and Portsmouth are the nearest cities, to the north and south respectively.