Welcome to Kennebunkport
The town of Kennebunkport effortlessly blends a charming seaside fishing village with a New England summer resort vibe.
Originally incorporKennebunkport Maine signated into the Massachusetts Bay Colony in 1663 as "Cape Porpus", the settlement was abandoned by 1689 due to repeated conflicts with local tribes.
Europeans returned in the early 1700s, and the town center – located in what is now Cape Porpoise – was relocated to Burbank Hill. The name was later changed to Arundel.
In 1821, the town's name was changed permanently to Kennebunkport in consideration of the shipbuilding and trade conducted on the Kennebunk River. Cape Porpoise remains the name of a small village and harbor within the town of Kennebunkport.
By the 1870’s, Kennebunkport was well established as a summer destination for the affluent, and today many antique mansions are now elegant inns. From Dock Square, the current town center, and along Ocean Avenue, the Cape Arundel Summer Colony Historic District exhibits many well-preserved examples of 20th-century shingle "cottages". The family of the late former president George Herbert Walker Bush maintains a summer home at Walker's Point along Ocean Avenue.
Kennebunkport currently has over 3,500 year-round residents, and an excellent school system it shares with the towns of Kennebunk and Arundel. From Dock Square, it's a little over half an hour drive to the city of Portland.
Kennebunkport also boasts world-class shopping and dining, the Seashore Trolley Museum, abundant art galleries, and both walking and trolley tours of the town.
With the Kennebunk River on the west and the Atlantic Ocean to the east, abundant fair-weather activities on the water include whale watching, sport fishing, and kayaking. Of course, you could also spend the day beachcombing, surfing, or just relaxing at one of several sandy beaches. After a spectacular fall foliage season, December commences with Kennebunkport's famous Christmas Prelude, one of New England's foremost holiday events.
TripAdvisor has great things to say about Kennebunkport’s dining scene: in 2014, Rococo was named a top ten ice cream parlor. Other highly rated restaurants include Nunan’s Lobster Hut – with the heading “quintessential Maine lobster in the rough” – Alisson’s, Hurricane, and Arundel Wharf. A relatively recent addition that is garnering attention is Earth at Hidden Pond.
Whether you're in the market for a year-round residence or a second home in beautiful Kennebunkport, we'd love to show you around. Browse current Kennebunkport homes for sale, then give us a call at 1-207-351-8188 and let's talk real estate.
