Since I was a kid, I’ve been traveling to Maine—my home away from home—as a New Englander, born and raised. We mostly head to a small, beachy town about an hour north of Portland. It’s my favorite place to unwind, unplug (truly, cell phone reception can be spotty at best) and, best of all, take your pick when it comes to a good lobster roll.
I’ll admit that Ogunquit (and nearby York) are coastal towns I’ve only driven through. My friends have long preferred that destination, given its proximity to the Piscataqua Bridge, a stunning landmark and one of the most well-known entry points into Maine. (The way I exhale as I ascend, then descend that bridge.)
That was why when the Cliff House came onto my radar, I jumped at the chance to visit and explore a new part of such a beloved destination. What did this luxury hotel, nestled on the dramatic cliffs of Cape Neddick, have to offer a family of four as summer neared its end and crisper days were beginning to settle in? Quite a lot, actually. So much that it was easy to see the allure of this place as a year-round escape.
Maine Has Always Been My ‘Vacationland’—A Stay at the Cliff House Took That to the Next Level
It’s also less than 30 minutes from the Piscataqua Bridge
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What to Expect
Like I mentioned, I’ve been to Maine hundreds of times over the course of my life. There were summers growing up where I spent almost every weekend there. My arrival at the Cliff House underscored something important: This was a hotel that married the best parts of Maine with a feeling that you were whisked away somewhere else.
What I mean by that is that the setting itself—the maritime aesthetic, the cliffside views (which feel panoramic the way the lobby is designed), the thoughtful touches (to-go s’more kits to be enjoyed by the fire pit)—all feel quintessentially Maine. But the luxurious accommodations and range of amenities on-site at the resort made me feel a million miles away.
Let’s start with what I’ll call the grand entrance. As a reminder, I was traveling with my two children, ages 8 and 2. After a fairly lengthy drive from Brooklyn, they needed to burn off some energy. Those Cape Neddick cliffs? While we waited for our room to be ready, the four of us climbed down below.
Yes, you should proceed with caution; yes, we hung near the top and far away from any water-logged edges. But what a sight. Like the feeling I get when I pass over the Piscataqua Bridge, I could feel myself—and my children—re-centering. The salty sea air in combination with rocky nooks and crannies to explore (and search for crabs) was a wonderful welcome and set the tone for our visit.
About the Range of Kid-Focused Amenities
I was child-free once, too. For parents vacationing with small children, oftentimes, a hotel stay can feel like you have your face smushed up to the glass of your formerly kid-free life—the chic bar, the pretty pool; all the things that are now off-limits due to rowdy children and early bedtimes.
That isn’t the case at the Cliff House, thanks to the range of kid-friendly options that up the ease and relaxation potential for the grown-ups, too.
• First and foremost, the restaurants. While visiting the hotel, we tried out a few of the eateries on site. Nubb’s Lobster Shack was our favorite, offering a kid-friendly option (the size of the mac and cheese bowls they delivered to our table alone) but also a menu that felt vast and crowd-pleasing. I also liked that you order at the counter, which cuts down on the wait time—a boon for parents with tired kiddos. The Tiller Restaurantwas a close second. We ended up eating an early breakfast there both days (it opens at 7 a.m. for parents with early risers) and found the food delicious, but also plenty for the kids to engage with. Beyond the tableside coloring options, the sweeping views of the Atlantic Ocean provide plenty of distractions, from counting the boats to rounds of “I spy,” while waiting for our food to arrive. (My son was convinced he saw the fin of a shark, which the restaurant staffers confirmed wasn’t impossible, much to his delight.)
• From swimming to cinema, there’s something for all. While there is one adults-only pool that’s stunning and infinity-style, there are two additional swimming set-ups that cater to kids. The outdoor option has its own snack bar, plus an underwater bench that runs almost the full length of the pool on both sides. (Great for beginner swimmers.) There’s also a sizable indoor pool, which we tested out, that’s perfect for chillier days. Should your kids tire of pool time, the Cliff House has a full calendar of offerings for the younger set. There are daily movie selections in the on-site movie theater (while we were there, they played Beauty and the Beast and Pirates of the Caribbean on a single day), but also kid-themed crafts that vary by the day. (My kids freaked when they realized they could make their own moose or bald eagle in a “Build-a-Bear” style activity that had them putting filling in their own stuffy, then naming it, too.)
• The chance to explore. Some of the most fun our family had was just roaming about—there are hammocks placed in tucked-away places, games of ladder golf and cornhole spread out on the lawn. There was even an afternoon during our stay where a giant inflatable soccer setup was constructed. But back to the Cape Neddick cliffs—my 8-year-old was so invested in searching for crabs and other signs of sea life, that would have been enough.
We Need to Talk About the Spa
Speaking of adults-only, this is the one place where I happily ditched my kids. (Shout-out to my husband for making this possible.) The Spa at Cliff House is a destination all in itself—in fact, my sister who lives a little over an hour away in New Hampshire, has booked appointments here for special occasions with her friends; it’s that renowned.
I tried their Seacoast Rose Aromatherapy Massage and loved the range of botanical oils that I got to select from at the start. Like the rest of the resort, the facilities are large, so I’d recommend making a day of a spa experience—just so you can properly enjoy the relaxation room, sauna and steam room offered at this 9,000-square-foot oasis. (Even just combing through the retail space was a treat and full of so many Maine-inspired gems.)
Bottom Line
A sign of a good hotel stay is connected to your eagerness to go back. Even with all my travels to Maine, the Cliff House now feels like a necessary detour—but also a place with so much left to explore. I left with a clear head and a full heart and hundreds of pics on my camera roll of what felt like true quality time with my family. The point!
