Maine-ly Drizzle: The Story Behind the Travel Photo in Ogunquit & Kennebunkport, Maine
- Nov 9
- 8 min read
It’s been a yearly tradition with us for over 20 years. And we stumbled on this delightful, charming town completely by accident. We were browsing through a travel brochure with vacation locations. We had a voucher for a hotel stay. We decided to find somewhere, where we could drive, which wouldn’t take more than 8 hours and where we had never been before. The only state near us that fit that criteria was Maine.
We had been to the Poconos, in Pennsylvania, so we eliminated that. What New Yorker hadn’t been to New Jersey for some reason or other: such as the Jersey shore, Atlantic City or even Six Flags? We had already seen the charms to Mystic in Connecticut. Massachusetts was off our list: we did the Boston thing and other historic areas. And yes, we had even been to Vermont's ski slopes and on the way back, we had seen the lakes of New Hampshire. Delaware was a consideration, but alas, the brochure for the voucher did not have location there (interesting, considering they have a nice shore, too).
But Maine? The internet was being used back then, but not like it is now. There were no “10 Best Places to Visit” before you die blogs; no trendy, fashionable, beautiful people hash-tagging selfies; no television travel personalities raving about hidden gems. No one was talking about the vacation spot that was Maine.
Maine, a state that still doesn’t have many TV ads that I see imploring neighboring cities to spend their tourist dollars, was the best oxymoron: a popular well-kept secret. New Englanders knew it. Canadians knew it. And finally, we knew it, too.
Oh sure, you have Acadia National Park, which some people dismiss since it’s not out west. And yes, Jessica Fletcher solved crimes in the fictional Cabot Cove; Dr. Benjamin “Hawkeye” Pierce hailed from the fictional Crabapple Cove; and the orphans of fictional St. Cloud’s were lullabyed to sleep every evening as “the princes of Maine and the Kings of New England.” “Murder, She Wrote,” “M*A*S*H,” and “The Cider House Rules” had nothing on books and films mostly set in Maine written by native son, Stephen King.
Hollywood knows the great secret: there are many other movies either set, had some plot points or filmed in Maine. And yet, every year, when we go, we get the same reaction: “Maine, really??”
I can't phrase it any other way: Maine is the best place to do a lot of things while doing absolutely nothing at all. No, it's not a tropical place but it does have some fabulous beaches on its most southern coast. Cold waters? Maybe, but the surfers don't seem to mind. Crystal clear waters? Not really. Just some of the most dramatic rocky coasts with dark blue waves crashing into about 65 or so picturesque lighthouses. And one more thing about those cold waters...lobster. All-inclusive resorts? Possibly. But why would you want that? There's ice cream shops to explore, anything and everything made with lobster to at, whoopie pies to try, classic American Main Streets to wander and endless galleries and antique shops to get lost in.
Oh yeah, one more thing...it's one of the few places where people willingly get up at 5:30 in the morning and here's the reason why:
If you follow us on YouTube, Instagram and/or Facebook, you know that we have been traveling to the Ogunquit area in Maine for many years. During those visits, we have discovered some quaint shops, some that have since gone out of business and some that, thankfully, are still there. One of those shops is Maine-ly Drizzle, a charming store that sells mostly oils and vinegars but also a lot more. We keep going back again and again. In fact, when we make a list of what we're going to do, we say: "When are we going to Maine-ly Drizzle?"
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Maine-ly Drizzle is a delightful must do gourmet shop, tucked up in Kennebunkport with a sibling store in Perkins Cove, Ogunquit, in the state of Maine, USA. The store focuses mostly on pairing oils with the balsamic vinegars, but you can also stock up on spices, salts, tea, honey, and lovely cruets that showcase the sumptuous offerings of oil and vinegar.
The flagship store is in Kennebunkport, yes the town of the Presidents Bush fame (both of them). If you are staying anywhere in the vicinity (and by vicinity, we mean anywhere within a 30 mile radius), Kennebunkport should be on your itinerary.
More than just the summer home to the Bush family, Kennebunkport is literally your Hallmark Maine town come to life. Deviate off Route 1 (definitely another material for another blog article) and follow ME-9. You'll know when you get there: as soon as you drive from Kennebunk to Kennebunkport, traffic will slow to a crawl, and folks will literally just be strolling all over the place. The pace will be slow and leisurely. You actually expect a romance movie lead to walk across the street or wonder if it is too good to be true and the serial killer might be just around the corner.
Not a single brand name business is in sight: even the gas stations are further down the road. Within just the stretch of probably less than a mile, throngs of people (if it is peak season) will be doing everything and nothing at all. There are actually benches along the main drag for you to sit.
Parking is an interesting adventure. Be prepared to pay. There is a main lot right off ME-9, which locally is called Spring Street at this point but it is almost always full. Just before the famous Clam Shack, which is at the bridge when you officially cross into Kennebunkport if you're traveling north, look for signs for parking. If that is not available, head to Westmore Lane and James Street. You will almost be guaranteed to find a spot in that public parking lot. In fact, you may be glad you parked a little away from town. For such a tiny area, you could literally eat your way through the afternoon and you will need the stroll to walk off your indulgence. It might be calmer to walk from that parking lot. This is a stop on many bus tours and it can be difficult to navigate the streets during the summer.
Save Maine- Drizzle for your last stop. Read on to find out why.
While you're in Kennebunkport, wander around the main street area. You will be surprised how many restaurants, galleries, souvenir shops, boutiques and ice cream shops can be crammed into a tiny .2 square mile area. And even your souvenir shops are interesting (be prepared to engage in a heated discussion of New England versus New York sports debate). Look for boat tours: lobster tours and eco adventures. Across from our destination, you can make a reservation to create your own candle.
Finally, at 2 Ocean Avenue, we reach our destination: Maine-ly Drizzle.
Frankly, there are plenty of stores around the world that sell oils and vinegars. The concept is not new. And we know the products are not made on site. So, what is the appeal? Honestly, the owners and the staff. We have been fortunate to meet both owners but when it's the staff, they are just as friendly, knowledgeable, personable and downright friendly as the owners.
Who knew that pairing oils and vinegars would be such a fun time, rivaling a wine tasting. After the Covid-19 pandemic, they stopped providing crackers or bread pieces to help sample their delicious products, but with the small tasting disposable cups that they provide, bring a pack of crackers with us and taste your way throughout the shop. Also, take along a bottle of water to help dilute your samplings. The best way to do a tasting is not to drink the whole pairing they mix for you but to dip your finger and simply taste. Then, eat one of your crackers, take a sip of water and do another. It's addicting. By the way, they may have a cracker or cookie product for you to buy.
You can safely sample your way through the shop with tongue teasing flavors in oils such as Meyer lemon, blood orange, Persian lime, black truffle, along with many exotic varieties of extra virgin olive oils (EVOO). Chat with the staff and they will pair your oil with fun flavors of balsamic vinegars like grapefruit white, dark chocolate, expresso, jalapeno, fig and honey gingers as well as premium dark and white balsamic. You'll agree that this is a must do in Ogunquit & Kennebunkport while you're in Maine.
Ask the staff for their recommendations for certain dishes and you will swear that you were talking to a sommelier. The intricacies, the nuances, the details: true chefs, cooking devotees, and cooks-to-be will appreciate the details, the dedication, the knowledge, the passion and most of all, the attention to detail that the staff radiates.
The main products come in various sizes, so if you can't decide, get the smallest size so that you can buy as many "flavors" as possible. But if you're a repeat customer, like me, you may want the largest size of your favorite. And it won't last long. I like to make mine last a year so that I can look forward to buying again on my next trip to Maine. But as we said, there are other stores in many other towns with the same concept and yet, it's this one that I come back to. Go figure.
With other products in the shop, you can make your own dressings or dips for a variety of foods, not just salads. In fact, they have expanded their offerings of food related souvenirs: look for pasta, soup, baking and many other goods. Like many other shops in Maine, you might find Stonewall Kitchen products, a serious icon of Maine.
But the personalized attention is what we like. If the shop is not too crowded, the staff will be attentive, mixing oil and vinegar cocktails, making cooking suggestions and asking you what do you normally eat. They care about your culinary preferences with no judgment. It is the softest of the soft sell, because they truly believe in their product and the concept. They use the product, so their recommendations are genuine.
The owners are Nick and Debbie, two delightful and friendly people willing to share their expertise on pairing your oils and vinegars with suggested foods. They are bright, vivacious, bubbly and quite knowledgeable. If they are not there, the staff are just as engaging. As we know, friendly staff in small towns help to make some attractions a must do in Ogunquit & Kennebunkport, Maine.
Finally, you emerge.
Maine-ly Drizzle might make it to your list for must-visits every time you're in Kennebunkport, Maine or Ogunquit: nicely decorated stores, charming ambiance, great owners/hosts and lovely products. It’s a must do for us every year! As one person told me when they couldn't go: Get the biggest bottle they sell for me.
If you can't get to them in person, you can shop online:
Maine-ly Drizzle:
2 Ocean Avenue, Kennebunkport (open yearlong, check website for hours)
100b Perkins Cove, Ogunquit (open seasonally, check website for info)
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All photos and videos created and copyrighted by Marcia Crayton, unless otherwise noted.
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