Daytrip to Freeport
When the temperatures are in the teens and even colder with the wind chill, some people like to hunker down and reminisce on warmer days, but we like to layer up and get out there — it’s winter after all! Uninhibited by the brisk air, we suited up for a day romping around my old stomping grounds of Freeport and the surrounding region. While much has changed since I last lived there, we thought it would be fun to revisit some of my favorite spots and weave in some new businesses that have popped up since then.
The day started with bagels from Maple’s. These sourdough bagels are perfectly chewy, nicely crunchy, and undeniably delicious. With a smear of bacon scallion cream cheese and a cup of coffee to go, we were on our way to Pineland for some Nordic skiing.
We purchased our tickets in the outdoor center, then headed across the street to the Oak Hill parking lot. A frigid gust greeted us when we stepped out of the car and we knew then we needed to move swiftly from the blustery fields and into the trees for a more enjoyable experience. Pineland’s network of beautifully groomed, winding trails had us marveling at the winter wonderland. Dispite the lack of snow below us, they were able to groom miles of trails perfect for skate skiing, but we got along just fine on our classic skis.
Once we had enough of skiing, we migrated back to the other side of the road, where the heated snow globe we had booked was waiting for us to enjoy our lunch. We picked up sandwiches from the Pineland farm store, which has lots of delicious goodies — from baked good to soups and lots more. We loved the privacy of our own cozy indoor/outdoor seating area on a chilly winter day.
From there, we hopped in the car and headed to Wolfe’s Neck State Park. I’ve been coming to these trails and this farm my whole life—I find it’s so special to have a beautiful spot like this that you keep coming back to, with memories from childhood through to adulthood, from farm-camp as a kid to the weighty emotions of weddings and memorial services on these grounds as an adult, this spot holds it all. The Casco Bay loop yields many beautiful vistas, first popping down to the beach for a glance at Googins Island. We continued clockwise around, across the road, and picked up the Harraseeket Trail that looks at the harbor, which is filled with vacant moorings this time of year. We were grateful to have our microspikes for this walk as the hard packed snow has turned to slippery ice from all the foot traffic, making it treacherous without the grip in these conditions. While we were hoping the clouds would lift and grant us a beautiful sunset, the moody clouds were fitting for a cold winter’s eve.
Leaving the frozen ocean behind, we wandered back into town for our final stop of the day: pizza and beer, a Maine the Way favorite! Maine Beer Co. is right up the road from my childhood home and it has been so amazing to see the brewery grow and expand not only nationally, but also within our community. Their values of doing what’s right, from supporting local non-profits to paying employees living wages, set an excellent example of how to sustainably grow a business here in Maine — not to mention their beer is delicious! I got a pint of Wolfe’s Neck, while Cam sipped on their classic Lunch. The pizzas arrived quickly out of their wood fired oven. We would highly recommend their potato leek pie along with the classic pepperoni, topped with cheese from Pineland dairy — what a full circle way to wrap up the day!
Although it wasn’t too late by the time we finished our meal, the sun had been down for a few hours and we were ready to head home. We hopped on the highway and reflected on this Daytrip — it felt simple. Sometimes, there’s a lot of planning that goes into a seamless adventure and other times, cycling through the hits can be just as fun. We didn’t have to go far to be reminded of why we love it here. Themes of community, familiarity, connection, and fresh air came up at every juncture. We hope you enjoyed and please let us know if there are spots you’d like us to visit on Daytrips to come!