Ultimate Maine foodie road trip: How we put refreshed Amex Gold Card perks to the test
Nothing says summer vacation like an epic road trip: scenic ocean views, carefree beachside bike rides, eating lobster by the water and laughing with friends.
For us, that meant packing our bags for coastal Maine. Between Portland's restaurant scene, iconic lobster shacks, lighthouse-studded coastlines and sleepy island bike rides, it was everything we were dreaming of in an early-summer getaway.
And along the journey, we were able to put the refreshed American Express® Gold Card, with a $325 annual fee (see rates and fees), to the test by earning bonus points on flights, saving on dining, using some built-in statement credits and enjoying the hotel benefits.
Summer and Eric, here. We've been friends for nearly two decades. Back then, we used to meet up on mileage runs around the globe. These days, our travels have us checking out new hotels and up-and-coming destinations, but we still make time to get together whenever we can — preferably over a great meal (or, let's be honest, several).
Here's how we planned our quick Maine adventure, made the most of our Amex Gold perks and discovered why this stretch of New England deserves a spot on every summer travel list.
Fly and drive
Getting to Maine meant flights from opposite sides of the country: Summer from Houston and Eric from Los Angeles.
We booked our airfare with the Amex Gold because it earns 3 points per dollar on airfare booked through AmexTravel.com, the Amex Travel App™ or directly with airlines. This meant we earned Membership Rewards points before the trip even began.
Next, we took one of the card's new benefits for a spin. Literally.
At the rental counter, Eric's complimentary Hertz Five Star status (enrollment required) paid off with an upgrade from a compact car to a Buick Encore SUV — much appreciated for a few days of driving along Maine's coast. He'd also earned 2 points per dollar on the prepaid car reservation by booking through AmexTravel.com.
Although you cannot attach your Hertz loyalty number to the reservation on AmexTravel.com, you can add your confirmation number to your Hertz account and then your elite benefits should apply, as they did for us.
With the car loaded up, we pointed it toward the Maine coast and officially kicked off the trip.
Day 1: Lighthouses and lobster rolls
Rather than head straight into Portland from the airport, we pointed the car south to rugged Two Lights State Park in Cape Elizabeth, about 20 minutes away. After meandering along tree-lined roads past picturesque clapboard houses, we spotted the two lighthouses from which the park takes its name.
We parked our car and wandered along the rocky headland for a bit before stepping up to the counter at the Lobster Shack at Two Lights, an area institution, for our first lobster rolls of the trip. They were heaped with claw and tail meat plus a healthy dollop of mayo with a sprinkle of Old Bay.
Eric ordered a whoopie pie so Summer could try this quintessentially Maine dessert on her first trip to the state, plus a slice of strawberry-rhubarb pie for good measure.
The salt-tinged Atlantic breeze made that first Maine meal taste even better. As a bonus, Eric earned 4 Membership Rewards points per dollar* by paying with his Amex Gold Card, which is a fantastic return for restaurant purchases.
Our next stop was the Portland waterfront, where we caught the Casco Bay Lines ferry for the half-hour ride out to Peaks Island, enjoying sun-splashed city views along the way.
Just up the road from the dock, we rented bikes and pedaled our way around the island.
We stopped to admire the lovely homes, chat with summer residents and take in the ocean views from various perfectly placed benches.
After our ride, we were parched, so we stopped for lemonades (okay, and maybe a glass of rosé) at Jones Landing Bar and Restaurant so we could spot the ferry when it arrived for the return journey to Portland. At the same time, we earned another round of points.
*Earn 4 points per dollar on up to $50,000 spent on restaurant purchases worldwide each calendar year, then 1 point per dollar for the rest of the year.
A collection of perks with The Hotel Collection
When we docked, we headed up the hill to our hotel, the Press Hotel, Autograph Collection.
The hotel is unique, charming and full of personality, located in the former offices of the Portland Press Herald newspaper.
You can find fun allusions to the building's past, including a wall in the lobby mounted with 62 vintage typewriters, woodblock installations and even vintage Scrabble sets for tests of wit (or vocabulary, at least).
Because the Press Hotel participates in both Marriott Bonvoy and American Express' The Hotel Collection, we were able to double dip a bit, earning Marriott points and elite benefits while also taking advantage of The Hotel Collection perks.
Amex Gold cardholders who book prepaid hotel stays through AmexTravel.com or the Amex Travel App can earn 5 Membership Rewards points per dollar. Plus, when you book stays of two nights or more with The Hotel Collection through AmexTravel.com or the Amex Travel App, you receive a $100 credit toward eligible charges, which may include food and beverage, spa, or other on-property charges (eligible charges vary by property).
Other benefits you can enjoy on eligible The Hotel Collection stays include:
- A room upgrade upon arrival, when available (certain room upgrades are not eligible for upgrade)
- 12 p.m. check-in, when available
- 4 p.m. late checkout, when available
- The ability to use Pay with Points on prepaid bookings
We also added our Marriott Bonvoy numbers to the reservation we had made through AmexTravel.com so we could enjoy our elite benefits and earn Marriott points on the stay.
Summer received an upgrade to a Deluxe King while Eric got a Superior King. Both rooms were bright and spacious with large windows, king beds dressed in silky Frette linens with Cuddledown comforters, classic rolling leather office chairs emblazoned with the classic typing test line, "The quick brown fox jumps over the lazy dog," and marble bathrooms with tea- and amber-scented Ink & Water bath products.
We quickly put our respective $100 credits toward eligible charges through our The Hotel Collection bookings to good use.
They covered practical expenses like overnight parking, but they also turned breakfast at Union into an easy splurge, where we ordered lemon-mascarpone pancakes, fresh fruit drizzled with honey from the hotel's rooftop hives and a few pre-dinner drinks that included a tart mocktail with orange, lemon, honey and a spritz of soda later that evening.
Between the $100 credit toward eligible charges with The Hotel Collection and Summer's selected Marriott Bonvoy® Platinum Elite benefits (which she received since she had added her Marriott Bonvoy number to her hotel reservation after she made it through AmexTravel.com), most of our incidental expenses disappeared, which meant we checked out without paying anything beyond our prepaid stay.
**Earn 5 points per dollar on prepaid hotels booked through AmexTravel.com or the Amex Travel App.
Delicious savings with Resy
A local friend recommended we spend an evening dining at the cozy Wayside Tavern, located in an 1881 Italianate mansion right on Congress Street, and whose dining room is a delightful warren of rooms bathed in natural light and the flicker of candles.
Conveniently, it's bookable on Resy, which meant it was time to put the Resy statement credit benefit on the Amex Gold to use.
Once enrolled, you can enjoy up to $100 in annual statement credits on eligible Resy purchases, up to $50 from January-June and up to $50 from July-December after you pay with the American Express® Gold Card to dine at over 10,000 qualifying U.S. Resy restaurants or make other eligible Resy purchases.
We started with sumptuous bites from chef Mike Sindoni's menu, like buttery broiled oysters and clams and silky scallops drizzled with rich bearnaise sauce and a briny dollop of caviar on top. For our mains, we had creamy tonnarelli pasta with guanciale and black pepper and a juicy filet of halibut bathed in brown butter, lemon and capers with roasted mushrooms.
We said we couldn't possibly consider dessert … until five minutes later, when we did just that. The luscious chocolate mousse sprinkled with olive oil, sea salt and hazelnuts was divine.
Day 2: Road trip snacks and seafood shacks
After breakfast at the hotel courtesy of the $100 credit toward eligible charges, we grabbed complimentary coffee in the lobby and stopped at Whole Foods for road-trip essentials such as locally made Maine Root sodas, popcorn and trail mix.
Paying with our Amex Gold Cards meant earning 4 points per dollar at U.S. supermarkets (on up to $25,000 in purchases annually, then 1 point per dollar for the rest of the year) before we headed northeast along the coast.
Our drive took us over meandering rivers, across verdant woodlands and through postcard-perfect fishing villages until we reached the seaside enclave of Rockland.
Although we'd filled up on fresh seafood the night before, we both craved lobster for lunch, so we headed for Archer's on the Pier.
Summer had a simple salad of leafy greens and grilled veggies … heaped with nearly a full pound of fresh local lobster, while Eric went in a more purist direction, ordering a simple lobster cocktail with melted butter for dipping.
After that fortification, we dashed into the Farnsworth Art Museum, a local landmark with over 15,000 works of art by American artists who lived and worked in Maine, including the father-son duo N.C. and Andrew Wyeth as well as Edward Hopper, Winslow Homer and Rockwell Kent.
Cultured up, as we were, we hopped back in the car for another scenic drive to the town of Freeport.
Eric had one mission in Freeport: find a summer hat at the flagship L.L. Bean store. He left with a retro-inspired style that should get plenty of use on future beach trips.
Shopping complete, we fueled the last stretch of the road trip with a Berry-Açai Lemonade Dunkin' Refresher and an Oreo Cloud Latte from Dunkin'. That purchase triggered the up to $7 in statement credits available each month on U.S. Dunkin' purchases, up to $84 per year (enrollment required).
A gourmet goodbye
Our final night in Maine called for a fabulous dinner at Central Provisions, another Resy restaurant with lively vibes along bustling Fore Street.
Since Summer had used her Resy credit the night before, it was Eric's turn to use the up to $50 he receives biannually with the Amex Gold Card's Resy credit, plus earn 4 points per dollar.*
With the help of a mutual local friend who joined for the evening, we tucked into specialties like luscious bluefin tuna crudo with radish, fried shallot and scallion in soy sauce; rich Maine peekytoe crab with apple and citrusy yuzu over a savory miso pancake; ribbony mafaldine pasta with lobster, cream and Calabrian chiles; succulent pan-roasted cod with ultrafresh asparagus and green garlic in white wine butter; and tender suckling pig in apple brown butter with marcona almonds.
With the Resy credit on Eric's Amex Gold taking a bite out of the meal, we felt a lot less guilty about again sampling desserts, including a sunshine-bright key lime tart and summery rhubarb-raspberry trifle with nutty pistachio honeycomb.
It was the perfect final meal before a busy summer of travel and proof that some of the best trips are the ones built around good food, great friends and a stretch of road you've never driven together before.
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