Like much tourist information, Kennebunk and Kennebunkport are used interchangably. They are NOT one town - but two distinct governmental entities. Kennebunk is much more af a year-round community while Kennebunkport is a summer colony for the wealthy and a tourist destination (read - shopping). The Wedding Cake House is in Kennebunk.

The original house had none of the gingerbread facade that is present now. It was a lovely traditional sea captain's house. The adornment was a later addition. Though many tourists stop to take photos (and really interfere with traffic on a 2-lane road), the structure has little identifiable architectural style and is rather ornate and ugly. Its claim to fame is tourist chat.

The good aspect is that the house is owned by two men who open the building for a specific period of time, charge a fee for a tour (which is interesting, albeit touristy), and donate ALL the money to a local charity (food bank, heating assistance, etc.). Their generosity is reflective of how Mainers care for each other. If you are here when the house is open, do go on the tour. It's not expensive, will enlighten your knowledge of Kennebunk history, and help people in need. In addition, the owners are characters and will charm you!!!

Kennebunk has some of the most beautiful New-England type architecture.

We all pile into the car and go drive around the area The Wedding Cake House really stands out.

Great house. A little disappointed. We wend on the tour and found the house to be cluttered and somewhat dirty. Destroyed my dream of what the house was like all of these years. :(
Oh well. Glad I went as it benefited local food banks.

We found this house by complete accident. It looked interesting enough, so we turned around and went back to check it out. It is a private residence, so those complaining about clutter...this is someone's actual house that they currently live in. It is rarely open to the public, but happened to be so for a few weeks as a fundraiser for charity (the local food pantry). We had the privilege of meeting the owner (and his adorable dogs!) while on our tour and he is a wonderful story teller. It was nice to be able to thank him in person for opening his home, not for his own personal gain, but to raise money for charity.