On April 22nd - 24th, 2022, White Barn Inn hosted chef and restaurateur, Ryan Hardy, and the team from his acclaimed downtown NYC restaurant, Charlie Bird, for a series of culinary events and experiences on the coast. Over the course of the weekend, four distinctive events were held by Chef Ryan Hardy in collaboration with White Barn Inn’s Executive Chef Mathew Woolf.

After almost four years at the helm of the fine dining experience provided at White Barn Inn Restaurant and more recently at Little Barn, a casual dining destination offering fresh New England fare, Chef Matthew Padilla continues to push the boundaries of coastal excellence. 

Go behind-the-scenes with White Barn Inn, Auberge Resorts Collection’s Head Bartender Jess Aicholtz to learn about the creation of the delicious Barn Libations program on the coast. “White Barn Inn is such a magical place; I just love that my ‘office’ behind the bar gives me the opportunity to be so creative and do what I love to do: create delicious cocktails.”

A comprehensive redesign of a historic inn will always present its share of challenges for even the most unflappable interior designer. Getting it done in the midst of a global pandemic requires nerves of steel. “It was crazy,” says Jenny Wolf, head of Jenny Wolf Interiors, which oversaw the refurbishment of the White Barn Inn and Spa, part of the Auberge Resort Collections, and a beloved local landmark for more than 150 years in Kennebunk, Maine.

My husband and I are happy to get our hands dirty for the sake of renewing the farming culture of Southern Maine. On our four-acre property, Frinklepod Farm, you can spend the day with us to explore our acreage and three greenhouses—we’ll get you out of the city and into the soil.

Entering Amtrak’s 1950s-era domed railcar was like stepping back in time. With my feet kicked up and my Australian Shepard, Max, in tow, I never knew a two-hour, car-free connection on the Downeaster train from North Station in Boston to Wells, Maine, could be so enjoyable and land me only 5 miles from Kennebunk. From passing New England’s most beautiful stretches of pristine coastline to enjoying vistas of the idyllic countryside, I enjoyed my steamy cup of chowder from the Downeaster Café while Max chewed on his favorite bone. Seated in the train’s upper level with panoramic windows on all sides, this daytime adventure proved an added perk before my vacation even began.