Maine’s southern most coastal town is Kittery, population 9,500. Kittery is just snorth of Portsmouth NH, approximately one hour from Boston, MA and Portland, ME.
Although most well known for its stretch of premium outlet stores, Kittery is Maine’s oldest town, settled by the British in 1632. It’s history is reflected in several historic homes scattered along the coast. Kittery become a center for ship building during the 17th century, where many Revolutionary and Civil War ships where built. Kittery’s naval history is highlighted at Fort McClary and Fort Foster Parks along the Kittery Coast. It wasn’t until the 18th century that Kittery began to develop it’s reputation as a popular summer destination.
While Kittery does offer several public beaches including Crescent Beach and Seapoint Beach, most visitors to Kittery come to experience the shopping at over 120 outlet stores, including the world famous Kittery Trading Post. The Kittery Trading Post has been a Maine landmark since 1938 when it was founded as a modest trading post and gas station. Today, the Kittery Trading Post is 90,000 square foot outdoor specialty sports. Other Kittery outlet stores include Banana Republic, Brooks Brothers, J. Crew, Luck Brand Jeans and Brookstone to name a few.
And after a long day of shopping, Kittery does offer many good restaurants, including Warren’s Lobster House, serving up fresh Maine seafood.