By Marissa Millman
I have been going on summer trips to Southern Maine since I was a little girl. Still today, the crisp, cool air, delicious lobster, and easy living keeps calling me back. Now, I return with my own little girls. Last summer, our annual Maine tradition took a wonderful turn when we visited the iconic Cliff House resort, which had just re-emerged after a stunning renovation.
The property
The property is located on breathtaking cliffs overlooking the Atlantic Ocean — picturesque vistas abound. It is the kind of property where you very much SHOULD carve out time in your day to just sit, with a coffee or glass of wine in hand, and appreciate the beautiful scenery. And now, the resort’s amenities match those iconic views. Hotel rooms and common areas at the Cliff House are now beautifully appointed, modern and nautically chic. For grown ups, there is a more formal dining room and bar called the Tiller Room just off the resort’s lobby and a large spa and fitness center on the lower level. The Cliff House boasts two outdoor pools (PLUS an indoor pool for cooler weather visits), and the picturesque cliffside pool and large hot tub are reserved for guests aged 13 and over.
Why it’s great for kids
The Cliff House does not disregard its younger guests. There is plenty to entertain the kids. The resort boasts a second dedicated family pool and hot tub (kept at a lower temperature!) for guests with children to enjoy. And just outside that pool, you can find an inflatable bounce house, games like cornhole, a giant chess board, and plenty of infant toys for the smallest guests. The resort also offers a daily calendar of family-friendly activities, including kids’ movies at the resort’s onsite movie theater and smores packages for purchase to be used at the resort’s cliffside fire pits. On our visit last August, the Cliff House even put on its own fireworks display one evening!
Why it’s great for parents
For parents itching to hit that swanky adult pool to relax with a frozen drink, the Cliff House offers a drop off kids’ club in the summer months. And getting back to my suggestion that you relax cliffside with a coffee — the Cliff House makes that super easy. Bald Head Coffee Co. is an artisanal coffee shop located on the property. Plus, each hotel floor at the Cliff House has its own fully-stocked coffee and tea station.
The food
When your family gets hungry, hit the resort’s Nubb’s Lobster Shack. Nubb’s is a counter service lobster restaurant with both indoor and outdoor seating. It also features a bunch of game room-style games available to entertain the kids.
Anything else?
Another great aspect of the Cliff House is the charm of Ogunquit proper is still nearby. The Cliff House offers regular trolley service to Ogunquit’s Perkins Cove. Do not skip that area or the shops along Route One in Ogunquit! The cliffside’s pedestrian-only Marginal Way is a great way to walk between these two parts of this quintessential beach town.
We are so happy that we found the Cliff House. It brings a luxurious, full-service, family-friendly resort experience to a part of Maine that already had our hearts.