Rachel Carson National Wildlife Refuge, Branch Brook

City / town · Maine

Kennebunk

Rachel Carson National Wildlife Refuge, Branch Brook

Best timeMay–Sep
From you
Nearest airportPWM · 22 mi
On this page

Overview

Kennebunk is a town in southern Maine. Kennebunk is home to several beaches, the Rachel Carson National Wildlife Refuge, the 1799 Kennebunk Inn, many historic shipbuilders' homes, the Brick Store Museum and the Nature Conservancy Kennebunk Plains (known locally as the Blueberry Plains), with 1,500 acres (6 km²) of nature trails and blueberry fields.

1 sights

Updated from Wikivoyage on 1 October 2026 · Something wrong or missing? Improve it on Wikivoyage

Best things about Kennebunk

The Wedding-Cake House

Plan your trip

Best time to visit & weather

Most comfortable: May–Sep. Summer highs reach about 80°F; winter lows dip to about 16°F. Cold months (Jan, Feb, Dec) can bring snow and ice; check road conditions. Wettest: Oct and Dec. (climate data from nearby Seacoast)

Jan: 3.6 in rain3.6"Jan: high 33°F, low 16°F33°16°JanFeb: 3.6 in rain3.6"Feb: high 36°F, low 18°F36°18°FebMar: 4.8 in rain4.8"Mar: high 43°F, low 25°F43°25°MarApr: 4.6 in rain4.6"Apr: high 56°F, low 35°F56°35°AprMay: 4.0 in rain4"May: high 66°F, low 45°F66°45°MayJun: 4.6 in rain4.6"Jun: high 75°F, low 54°F75°54°JunJul: 3.9 in rain3.9"Jul: high 80°F, low 60°F80°60°JulAug: 3.7 in rain3.7"Aug: high 79°F, low 59°F79°59°AugSep: 4.1 in rain4.1"Sep: high 72°F, low 52°F72°52°SepOct: 5.0 in rain5"Oct: high 60°F, low 40°F60°40°OctNov: 4.1 in rain4.1"Nov: high 48°F, low 31°F48°31°NovDec: 4.9 in rain4.9"Dec: high 38°F, low 22°F38°22°Dec

Blue bars: average daily high and low (°F). Purple columns: average monthly rain and melted snow (inches).

Getting there

  • From you: to see whether to drive or fly, and how long it takes.
  • PWM Portland International Jetport, Portland — 22 mi away (major hub). Directions
  • PSM Portsmouth International Airport at Pease, Portsmouth — 25 mi away. Directions

Portland International Jetport is approximately 30 miles from Kennebunkport.

Full “Get in” guide ↓

Budget & where to stay

No prices are listed for this place yet. See the Sleep guide ↓ for options.

Food for you

What to ask about, for your diet

    Diet labels come from each listing's description and cuisine; “likely” means the cuisine usually has good choices, not a promise. Check with the restaurant. Open the food finder

    Photos

    Rachel Carson National Wildlife Refuge, Branch BrookWedding Cake HouseKennebunk

    Understand

    General information is available at the Kennebunk Town Hall, 1 Summer Street. Information about upcoming events will often be found at the local library.

    It is closely associated with Kennebunkport.

    In 2014, it was home to about 11,000 people.

    Get in

    By plane

    Portland International Jetport is approximately 30 miles from Kennebunkport.

    Manchester International Airport, approximately 75 miles from Kennebunkport.

    Boston's Logan International Airport, approximately 90 minutes drive from Kennebunkport.

    The region has some smaller regional airports, suitable for small private planes.

    By car

    Take the Maine Turnpike (I-95) to Exit 25 (Kennebunk)

    By train

    Amtrak to Boston South Station. Continuing service with Amtrak Downeaster to Wells, Maine.

    By bus

    Greyhound bus lines service Portsmouth and Portland. From there, you must provide your own transportation.

    By rented car

    Taxis are available throughout Maine, but appointments must be made by telephone. In the Kennebunkport area, expect to make the appointment at least 2 hours in advance.

    Limousines are available in Maine, originating most commonly from Portland.

    Get around

    By foot

    Downtown Kennebunk is pedestrian-friendly: sidewalks are spacious, crosswalks are common, and window-shopping is encouraged.

    Sidewalks end within a few blocks of the city center, making foot travel difficult between towns. In the wintertime, snow can limit the space on the side of the roads to the point where one must walk in traffic.

    By bicycle

    There are no dedicated bicycle paths in the area. Bicycles are expected to share the road with cars. Bicycles are expected to share the bridal paths with pedestrians (and sometimes horses).

    The speed limits in the area are rarely over 25 miles per hour. Car drivers tend to be conscientious about road-sharing, especially off-season.

    Winter snow storms may make bicycle riding difficult from December to March. Ice storms make bicycle riding incredibly dangerous, but such storms are rare.

    There is a helmet law in the state of Maine for bicyclists. Those who violate it may be ticketed.

    By car

    During the primary tourist season (June through August), congestion in Kennebunk can be moderate. It may take five minutes to navigate the length of the town center, a distance of half a mile. Off-season, this ride will take approximately thirty seconds.

    Outside of the downtown area, traffic is negligible at any time of year.

    For more information on the area beaches, please refer to Kennebunkport.

    By motorcycle

    Maine is known to be friendly to motorcyclists. Route 9, which runs through downtown Kennebunk, is a common route for motorcycle touring.

    By truck

    The tight turns in the town center can be difficult for 18-wheelers. Kennebunk maintains noise legislation which prohibits engine breaking.

    See

    Downtown Kennebunk is the heart of the city. Many of the structures there are colonial of origin. Summer Street has homes that are 19th-century mansions of greatly varying architecture.

    See The Wedding-Cake House

    Maps

    Buy

    Downtown Kennebunk is approximately two blocks long. It encompasses the majority of the town's commerce. Lower Village contains other necessities of life, such as a pharmacy, post office, and general stores.

    Local goods

    Go next

    Kennebunk abuts Kennebunkport, Wells (Maine) and Arundel.

    To the south (along the coast), Ogunquit and York.

    To the north (along the coast), Old Orchard Beach.

    To the west (inland) are the lakes of Maine, of which the largest is Sebago

    Portland and Portsmouth are the nearest cities, to the north and south respectively.

    Nearby

    My experience

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