Why You Should Visit Perkins Cove

Back in July when we had visited Ogunquit, Maine for a few days (you can read what to do in Ogunquit here) the place I was most excited to see was Perkins Cove. You may consider me a late 80s, early 90s child as I have a real fondness for Angela Lansbury’s Murder She Wrote. My mom would often watch reruns of this mystery series whenever it was on and I loved curling up and watching them with her.

If you don’t know the series, Lansbury plays Jessica Fletcher, a widowed former English teacher who finds success later in life as a murder mystery writer. The show follows her life in Cabot Cove, Maine, as she solves murder after murder and then later in the series, expands her sleuthing skills all over the world as she visits her sophisticated, society friends.

The show’s home base of Cabot Cove was based off of Perkins Cove, a small seaside village in Maine. I will admit, it wasn’t exactly how it looked on the show but when you take into account that it was mostly filmed in California, I guess I shouldn’t have been surprised. But it did have that old New England charm that was captured so perfectly in Murder, She Wrote. So if you are a fan of the show, like me, that might be enough to convince you to visit this ocean-front area. But if you aren’t sold yet, here are a few more reasons for why you should visit Perkins Cove.

Marginal Way

I already raved about this beautiful ocean walk when I shared all about our Ogunquit trip, but since it does start in Perkins Cove I think it should be mentioned here. This pathway has stunning views of the Atlantic Ocean and plenty of benches to sit and take it all in along the way. Just be careful where you step and maybe stick to the umbrella stroller since it can get a little narrow. Next time I would love to bring a good book, maybe a murder mystery, and watch the waves for a bit.

The Seafood

Maine is famous for it’s seafood, specifically lobster, so it’s the perfect place for a pescetarian to travel. Jackie’s Too has a good lobster roll, but the best part about this Maine mainstay is the view. We sat out on the covered deck and just reveled in the ocean breeze as we enjoyed our meal. Pro tip: order the Perkins Cove Punch. You’ll thank me later.

Shopping

For a small village, there are a lot of great little shops to hit as you walk around; several tee shirt stores, but also jewelry and shops selling work from local artists. I really loved Perkins Cove Candies while Arielle walked out of C&S Toy Chest with a replica of the Mars Rover – such a funny kid!

A Few Tips

Parking is hard to find during the high season and can be expensive, at around $30 for the day. There is a parking lot just down the way from the Perkins Cove sign. It’s still $25 for the day but family run and only a 8 or 9 minute walk from the action. Or you can park in Ogunquit near the Fire Station and walk or take the trolley (but that costs $5 per person each way so you’d actually save money if you just tried to park in Perkins Cove proper if you’re traveling with three or more people). 

Make sure you wear walking shoes if you plan to take a walk along Marginal Way. And make sure to take a walk across the pedestrian draw bridge right in the cove. Not only will you get some great pictures, it’s so cool to see it in action.  

You can see more about our trip to Maine here as well as what I wore during our travels. 

Have you been to Maine?