48 Hours in Fort Kent, ME

I was recently inspired by Spencer Albee's post about Bangor (The Queen City) in The Maine Mag. They have this great "48 hours" series where they send one of their writers off on a weekend adventure and they document what they loved about the area. I decided to do the same this past weekend when I headed up north for Easter. After a quick google search it looks like the last 48 Hours Fort Kent was done in March 2014 and the article was very well done- be sure to check it out. My boyfriend and I left work early on Friday afternoon, packed up our dog and the necessities and hit i95 north for the weekend!

Route 11

Friday

We usually take exit 264 off of the interstate and head into Sherman/Patten. This begins the long, 2 hour trek on route 11. This road is full of windy, hilly, swerving, curvy roads. Stops are few and far between, so we always pit stop at the Irving right off the interstate for a pee/snack break, and so the dog can stretch her legs a little too.

7:30 PM @ Walker's Pub

We finally make it to Fort Kent. We're pretty famished so my parents bring us to Walker's Pub- a fairly new eatery in town that is open until midnight. As soon as you step into this place you feel transported to the Old Port in Portland. Imagine my DELIGHT when I discover they serve raw oysters on the half shell. I also have a jumbo shrimp cocktail, a gin and tonic and a tall Allagash White brew. The atmosphere was hoppin, and it made me really glad that Fort Kent has a place like this open late, serving good food!

Saturday

8:00 AM @ America's First Mile Monument

I decided to get up early and take the dog out for a stroll and let my boyfriend sleep in a bit. Across the street from my parents house is the "America's First Mile" Monument. This represents the northern most point of famous US Route 1. From there you can walk up some steps and that will put you on the riverside trail- an amazing trail that follows the river through town. We got off the trail and walked over to visit my Mom at the bank where she works and then headed home.

America's First Mile Monument

The bridge to Canada

Mischief walking along the trail

10:00 AM @ Doris' Cafe

Doris' Cafe is a must for breakfast when you visit Fort Kent. They only stay open until 2pm so get there early and don't forget cash- they do not take debit or credit cards. They also do a great lunch.

11:00 AM @ Wallagrass Scenic View

After breakfast we make a quick pit stop at the Wallagrass Scenic Overlook. The panoramic view of the rolling hills and valleys is just incredible and worth the quick stop.

11:30 AM En Route to Presque Isle

We decide to head town to Presque Isle "The Hub of Aroostook" for the afternoon. First stop on the list is Marden's. We both got a few new pieces of spring/summer clothing.

1:00 PM @ Precision Tattoo

Next on the list is a visit to my favorite small business owners: Jesse and Colie. This husband and wife duo own Precision Tattoo. Jesse's sister Nikki (and one of my most cherished friends from High School) does piercings on Saturdays. This shop is very reputable around the entire state. Its immaculately clean, and you can feel good about getting work done here. Jesse and Colie are always booking months out, so it's good to contact them in advance to talk about a tattoo. However, Nikki does accept walk-ins for piercings! I decided to have her do my daith. She is incredibly knowledgeable and professional. I love having her do all my piercings!

The daith is the earring on the inside of my ear. The tragus is the earring out the outside cartilage. Once this heals up I plan to get some pretty new jewelry!

2:00 PM @ Aroostook State Park

We were still a bit too early in the season to enjoy much of anything the park has to offer- but we will be back this summer for sure. Looks like a great spot to swim, hike and camp. We let the dog out the stretch her legs a little bit before making the hour drive back to Fort Kent for some lunch.

3:30 PM @ Rock's Family Diner

I was craving a poutine, and the BEST place to get one in Fort Kent (or the entire state in my opinion!) is Rock's Family Diner- serving their famous hot dogs and poutine since 1945. Poutine is french fries and cheese smothered in gravy.

4:30 PM @ Home

Nap time commence.

8:30 PM @ Eagle Lake

We are up and ready to head to a friend's Jack and Jill party. A Jack and Jill is a pre-wedding shin dig that helps raise money for the bride and groom;s wedding. We stayed and had a few drinks and some finger foods and hit the road back to Fort Kent around 11:30-midnight.

Sunday

11:00 AM @ Easter Brunch at Orchids- Madawaska

My Dad made reservations for us at Orchids. The friendly waitress greeted our table and offered "complimentary mimosas" - say no more! The meal included a buffet including brunch items, a waffle and omelette station, salad bar, and dinner items such as pork loin, mashed potatoes and all the other fixings. At the end of the meal the dessert bar was insane! I struggled to choose just one- but went with my all time favorite- tiramisu! I thought everything was really well done and they certainly paid attention to all the little details. It was a great way to spend Easter.

Fort Kent makes me feel all kinds of things; and it really isn't a simple mixture of feelings. I moved to Fort Kent when I was a freshman in High School- one of the WORST ages to ever relocate a child (that is a blog post entirely of it's own!) I couldn't wait to escape and move away for college, but coming home to visit my parents is always bitter sweet. Fort Kent is a truly special place in my heart.

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