Maine Lobster Festival – August 2018

Maine Lobster Festival
Rockland, Maine
August 3-5, 2018

Lobsta, Lobsta, Lobsta!  I have loved lobster ever since I was a kid; it is at the top of my favorite foods list.  So, once I discovered that there was a dedicated festival to this delicious crustacean, I knew I had to make it a priority to go.  

The purpose of the Munch Travelogue is to provide my fellow travel connoisseurs with guides that can easily be utilized to plan their next adventure.  The format of these travel guides will follow my mantra of learn, see do. Below I have outlined what I experienced during my three day getaway to the land of the Lobster, Maine:   

LEARN:

• Plan Early:  After finding the dates for the 2018 Maine Lobster Festival (August 3-5), I started to begin my planning process in May.  The reasoning for this was to ensure that I could get a reasonably priced hotel that was close to the festival (Hampton Inn, August, ME).  

Munch Tip:  Augusta is the capitol of Maine and is about a 45 minute drive to Rockland.  Going a little further out proved to be a cost savings.

• Track Cheap Flights:  Second was to secure what airport I would like to fly into.  I decided on flying in to Boston and linking up with a friend so that we could have a mini road trip (3 hours) to Maine. This proved to be the most economical option from me since I was flying from the Washington, DC area.  I used the website Hopper to keep a keen eye on the ideal price.  

Munch Tip:  Maine does have a major airport in Portland.  However, you will still need to drive an additional 1.5 hour to make it to Rockland.

SEE:

• Bob’s Clam Hut:  Since I took the road trip route to get to Maine, we did a pit stop at Bob’s Clam Hut.  This establishment is nestled in between the Kittery Trading Post and the Kittery Outlets.    The menu was filled with so many choices, that I ultimately decided to keep it simple by getting the full clam basket, Bob Style with a small clam chowder on the side.  

Munch Tip:  Skip the clam chowder.  It was a little mediocre and watery for my taste.  However do get the fried clams. Bob’s is not skimpy on the clams and with a squeeze of fresh lemon and dab of Tabasco sauce it brought this dish to life.  

• Every time I visit a new state I try to visit the State Capitol Building and take a tour.  Unfortunately, since I went on a weekend the State Capitol Building was closed. Nevertheless, I got to take some selfies, so I was moderately satisfied.  

Munch Tip: Operating hours are Monday-Friday from 8AM to 5PM.  The best part is that the tours are FREE.

• Maine State Museum:  Since my effort to take a tour of the Maine State House was not realized, luckily the museum was open and located right across the street.  Admission only cost $3 for adults, which I thought was more than reasonable. I’m sad to say that this museum looked like a transport back to the 1970’s.  There were few interactive displays and only one reference to the African American experience in Maine.

Munch Tip:  I would only recommend going here on a rainy day or to pass the time before your next scheduled event.  

• Oxford Casino:  What a drive?!  With no clear signage and cutting through small towns, you finally reach a beacon of light in the middle of nowhere.  It’s a typical casino. The layout only has one floor and a restaurant area that offers a buffet.

Munch Tip:  Perfect evening out for adults who want to try their luck at becoming jackpot winners.  The drive takes about 55 minutes from Augusta, Maine.

DO:

• Maine Lobster Festival:  This festival was started in 1947 and runs for 5 days in August.  For having such a long history, this festival is relatively small and required an $8 entrance fee.  I indulged in everything from steamed lobsters, lobster bisque, lobster mac-n-cheese, lobster wontons and the new Lays lobster roll potato chips.  I felt like a character from Forest Gump, where instead of shrimp, I had lobster on the brain. The best deal at the festival was the triple lobster dinners were you get 3 steamed lobsters with a side of corn and a roll for $42.  And let’s not forget the buttah!

Munch Tip:  Attend the festival on the last day to avoid the $8 entrance fee.  

• HoneyMaker Mead Room:  I recently, have become slightly obsessed with Mead (Honey Wine).  Mead is an old world drink that can be traced back to ancient Greece.  So I was so excited to see that Rockland, Maine had a tasting room where I could try out some local wines.  My hands down favorite was the lavender moon lemonade. It was sweet, delicious and crisp and best of all comes in a set of 4 cans so you can easily buy some to transport home without the fear of damaging the precious liquid.  

Munch Tip:  Do the HoneyMaker Mead Tasting for $7.  This is offered every day and gives you a chance to determine what your favorite flavor is.  The establishment now offers a Mead club that allows you receive 6 bottles of your choice up to 4 times a year for a membership fee as well..