Kennebunkport, the charming coastal getaway you've seen featured on all your favorite blogs and publications. But it's not all Salt air, Hydrangeas, and Lobster Rolls.
If you spend enough time here, you’ll discover the truth about this little vacation destination. Kennebunkport is full of trouble.
Here are three of the biggest "problems" you might encounter.
1. The Bushes
No, not those Bushes.
Yes, George H. W. Bush and the Bush family famously spend their summers at Walker's Point, and that certainly put Kennebunkport on the national map.
But, we're talking about the Beach Rose Bushes.
At first glance, they seem innocent enough. They're beautiful and smell nice.
But they are more complicated than that.
The beach rose is actually an invasive species in Maine.
Originally introduced from Asia in the 1800s as an ornamental plant, it adapted a little too well to New England’s coast. The shrubs spread aggressively, crowding out native plants and altering fragile dune ecosystems that local wildlife depends on.
That’s why the sale of beach rose plants has been banned in Maine.
But here’s where things get complicated.
Despite being invasive, the thick root systems also help stabilize sand dunes and protect sections of coastline from erosion. They've become guardians of the shore, holding sand in place against storms and harsh coastal winds.
The plant causing ecological problems is also helping keep parts of the coastline intact.
Beautiful and destructive.
Helpful and harmful.
Loved and restricted
2. The Scavengers
"I seen ye sparrin' with a gull. Best ye leave 'em be. Bad luck to kill a sea bird."
-Thomas Wake
Seagulls are the classic coastal troublemakers.
The moment tourists start tossing them fries or leaving open bags of snacks on the beach, gulls learn exactly where the easy meals are. They’re quick studies, and once they associate people with food, they become bold, noisy, and trouble.
But beneath the chaos is a surprisingly smart bird.
And despite their iffy reputation, we actually need them.
They’re nature’s cleanup crew, removing dead fish, leftover bait, and shoreline waste that would otherwise rot and spread disease. They’re also an important part of the coastal food web, feeding larger predators and helping maintain ecological balance.
So while gulls may steal a fry or two, they’re also sharp, resilient birds doing essential work and the fewer snacks we hand them, the better neighbors they become.
3. The Tourist
"A strange neurosis, evidently contagious, an epidemic mass hysteria. In two weeks, it spread all over town."- Dr.Kauffman
Every summer, Kennebunkport experiences an invasion.
The streets fill and the parking spaces vanish. Lines for an ice cream cone stretch around the block.
At first, this might seem like cause for concern.
But then you start listening.
"This is our favorite place!"
"We come back every year!"
And they say it with the unmistakable look of people who have just discovered something wonderful and can’t quite believe their luck.
That much happiness can make a person suspicious.
What exactly is going on here?
It is beautiful here but is something being pumped into the air? Maybe that coastal breeze carries some invisible ingredient and every visitor takes one deep breath and begins smiling uncontrollably.
They stroll through Dock Square with ice cream cones in hand, admiring the boats, the shops, the flower boxes, the sidewalks. as though they’ve stepped into a movie set designed specifically to improve their mood.
They start speaking in exclamation points.
They announce, with complete sincerity, that they could "definitely see themselves living here.
Kennebunkport doesn’t just attract tourists.
It transforms them.
Everyone seems lighter, and happier. It becomes contagious.
Before long, you’re smiling too.