Kittery

Historic Maine gateway town where outlet strips give way to navy-yard history and Piscataqua coast.

Kittery is the gateway to Maine -- the first town you hit after crossing the Piscataqua Bridge from New Hampshire. Most visitors know it for one thing: outlet shopping. Over 120 retail stores line Route 1, and Bostonians flock here on weekends (Massachusetts plates outnumber Maine plates as a rule).

But Kittery is also Maine's oldest town, settled in 1623. In 1905 the Treaty of Portsmouth was signed at the Kittery Navy Yard, ending the Russo-Japanese War. Once you leave the shopping corridor, you find a genuine New England town with real history and coastal beauty. Locals have mixed feelings about the outlet strip -- it generates revenue and jobs, but the traffic backs up for miles and the character of the old town gets lost in the shuffle.

Guide

Getting There

Kittery sits at the Maine-New Hampshire border, making it easy to reach by car from either direction. From Boston, take I-95 north across the Piscataqua Bridge — Kittery is the first exit in Maine, about 60 miles from the city. From Portland, head south on I-95 for about 50 miles. The drive from either direction is straightforward, though I-95 approaching the bridge can back up considerably on summer weekends.

There is no train or bus service that stops in Kittery directly. The nearest Amtrak station is in Durham, New Hampshire, and the COAST bus system connects Kittery to Portsmouth and other Seacoast communities. For the outlets and most attractions, a car is essentially required.

From Portsmouth, New Hampshire, Kittery is a five-minute drive over the Memorial Bridge on Route 1, or slightly longer via I-95. The bridges across the Piscataqua provide constant connection between the two towns — they function as a single urban area in practice, despite the state line.

Guide

Shopping

Kittery's outlet strip along Route 1 is one of New England's premier shopping destinations. Over 120 factory-direct and brand-name stores cluster here, easily accessible from both Portland (one hour north) and Boston (one hour south). Traffic on Route 1 can be brutal on weekends -- arrive early or visit midweek.

Guide

When to Go

Kittery's outlet stores are open year-round, so there is no bad season for the shopping that drives most visits. For the historic sites and waterfront, late May through October gives the best weather. Summer weekends bring heavy traffic on Route 1 — the parking lots fill by mid-morning and the road backs up badly in both directions on Saturdays. If you are coming specifically to shop, a weekday visit avoids the worst of it.

Fort McClary and Kittery Point are at their best in the shoulder seasons: spring and fall light is good, the crowds are thin, and the views along the Piscataqua are clear. Winter is quiet and the waterfront feels genuinely remote — the summer tourist overlay completely disappears and you get a sense of the working coast. The Piscataqua Bridge is open year-round, and the drive along Route 1A through Kittery Point is beautiful in any season if the weather holds.