Kittery is Maine's oldest and southern-most town, and includes the residential area of Kittery Point. Located in York County, and bordered by Portsmouth, NH, York, and Eliot, Kittery is a community of contrasts with a quiet waterfront community, Naval Shipyard, major retail center, and a variety of cultural and recreational opportunities.
Kittery boasts a rich history. The Naval Shipyard, active to this day, has been building ships since the early 1800's, including the 74-gun ship Washington, launched in 1815, and the Kearsarge, famous for sinking the Confederate raider Alabama during the Civil War. Kittery is bordered by the Piscataqua River and the Atlantic Ocean, providing protected anchorages and unspoiled beaches. With its rural, maritime flavor, Kittery is a peaceful oasis just a few minutes from bustling downtown Portsmouth. The real estate market in Kittery Point, a community within Kittery, offers some of Maine's finest oceanfront, ocean view, waterfront, and other distinctive properties and estates.
"This is going to sound old-fashioned, but everyone takes care of each other...There aren't a lot of places left where people talk to you, and say hello." There's a tangible sense of history in Kittery. The state's oldest town bills itself as the "Gateway to Maine".
Experience the Maine seacoast
For more than 275 years, Fort McClary has stood poised to protect the approaches to the Piscataqua River at the southern gateway to Kittery. Named for New Hampshire native Major Andrew McClary who died at the Revolutionary War's Battle of Bunker Hill, Fort McClary stands today as one of the state's most important historic forts that dramatically preserves evidence of military history and changes in military architecture and technology. Fort Foster, located on the southwest tip of Gerrish Island in Kittery, Maine, was acquired by the federal government in 1872, making this fort the last of the "old" forts that were built in the Portsmouth area. The Kittery Town Forest consists of 72 acres featuring two hiking trails. Rogers Park offers several trails that run along the wooded shore of Spruce Creek. The Rachel Carson Preserve, part of a 10 parcel system of conserved properties extending from Kittery as far north as Cape Elizabeth, protects areas of marsh and a fresh-water wetland totaling 4,700 acres.
Kittery's Seapoint Beach is just a few miles south of York Harbor off Route 103. A 550-yard sandy crescent beach with gentle surf on the north side of a tiny peninsula, it is backed by a marsh, providing wonderful bird-watching. Nearby Crescent Beach, also backed by marsh, is the "local" beach, and is a great mid-stopping point on a winding bike trip along the coastline.
Fish with both feet grounded from Kittery's Spruce Creek Bridge on Route 103, the long pier at Fort Foster, or Seapoint and Crescent beaches. Fish, scuba dive, and whale watch with Seafari Charters on Badger's Island.
The Kittery Historical and Naval Museum is a virtual treasure trove of old and cherished artifacts from Kittery's seafarers, fishermen, merchants, craftsmen, farmers, homemakers, artists and children. The Kittery Art Association is a non-profit founded in 1958 that promotes knowledge and stimulates interest in Kittery's creative arts through numerous exhibits and enrichment courses. View a variety of oils, watercolors, pastels, photography, mixed media, pottery, sculptures, unique Fair Trade global handcrafts, and jewelry by local, national and international artists at the Haley Farm Gallery. Just Us Chickens is a delightful and colorful artists' cooperative, the newest attraction in the revitalized downtown area of Kittery known as Wallingford Square. Here you will be amazed at the unique jewelry, original paintings, woven goods, literary works, and pottery, all by local artisans.
Kittery and Kittery Point offer numerous dining options. Bob's Clam Hut, established in 1956, is known by both locals and vacationers alike as having the best clams around. Kittery Point's popular Chauncey Creek Lobster Pier offers a quintessential Maine lobster experience with lobsters, lobster rolls, and a raw bar at the water's edge. Carl's Meat Market, adjacent to the renowned Golden Harvest Produce Market, is one of the favorite stops on Kittery's Gourmet Alley for quality meats and poultry, and offers "a little bit of everything". Beach Pea Baking Company, in Kittery, is one of the finest bakeries in the area, offering fantastic gourmet breads, pastries, soups, sandwiches, and salads. For a local fine dining experience, Anneke Jans or Pepperrell Cove will satisfy and entertain you. Kittery Foreside bakeries and restaurants are the perfect gathering place with delicious food and good drinks.
To fulfill your shopping desires, visit the Kittery Outlets on Route One. Rightfully called "America's Maine Street for Shopping", the Kittery Outlets offer over a mile of famous name outlet stores filled with great savings every time you shop including Cole Haan, Banana Republic, Lululemon, Movado, Crate and Barrel, Waterford, and J Crew.
