Kittery Premium Outlets
4.3(2.7K)google
2.7(39)yelp
Budget-FriendlyFamilyIndoorDate SpotLocal Life
Overview
Renowned as a premier East Coast shopping destination, this massive open-air retail complex stretches along Route 1 and features over a hundred designer and brand-name outlet stores. Offering deep discounts on fashion, outdoor gear, footwear, and luxury goods, it provides a highly popular, highly walkable retail excursion for travelers entering Maine, complete with excellent local seafood eateries and historic coastal charm close by.
Practical Info
Mon10:00 AM – 8:00 PM
Tue10:00 AM – 8:00 PM
Wed10:00 AM – 8:00 PM
Thu10:00 AM – 8:00 PM
Fri10:00 AM – 8:00 PM
Sat10:00 AM – 8:00 PM
Sun10:00 AM – 6:00 PM
Suggested Duration3-6 hours
Best TimeOpen year-round, this is a premier tax-free shopping destination in southern Maine. The ultimate time to visit is during the Black Friday sales in late November for massive discounts, or at 10:00 AM on a regular weekday morning. Arriving at opening guarantees stock availability and a relaxed experience before weekend shoppers from Massachusetts pack the stores.
Getting TherePerfectly positioned along the Route 1 commercial strip in Kittery. For drivers, it sits right off I-95; upon crossing the state line from New Hampshire into Maine, take Exit 1 (Kittery/US-1) and merge directly onto US-1 North, where massive, free outdoor parking lots surround each major brand pavilion. The regional COAST bus transit network also provides scheduled stops throughout the complex.
Travel Tips
- The outlet matrices are segmented across distinct, non-contiguous outdoor strip plazas flanking high-speed Route 1; pedestrians are legally forbidden from blind road-crossing, necessitating strict use of designated push-button light walks.
- Holiday mega-sale blockades completely saturate the adjacent Interstate 95 Exit 2 off-ramps into standstill gridlock; shoppers must engineer arrivals before 08:30 or reroute via secondary municipal backroads to access parking fields.
- The asphalt parking bays feature hyper-compressed turning radii unsuited for leisure craft; commercial transport and trailers exceeding 22 feet are barred from primary storefront corridors and must park at northernmost overflow zones.
Reviews
Positive
- A famous shopping paradise in southern New England! Lined up along Route 1, the brand variety is complete and discounts live up to the hype.
- Crowd management and safety security between plazas are well-done. Brand stores have crisp AC, clean settings, and polite retail staff.
- Extremely convenient transport, right at the ME-NH border off the highway. Each shopping plaza features a massive, dedicated free parking lot.
- A perfect road-trip pit stop for travelers driving north to Acadia. You can enjoy retail therapy while grabbing fresh seafood bites nearby.
Heads up
- The biggest layout flaw is that dozens of stores are scattered on both sides of Route 1. You must constantly drive and re-park to move around.