Glamping at Huttopia
As avid campers, we know all the logistics and planning it takes to get out the door with everything you need to not just survive, but thrive for a few nights in the wilderness. So when Huttopia reached out and invited us to explore their property in Southern Maine, we were not only thrilled for a restful retreat, but also excited to share the perks of Glamping with you too! Whether you’re new to camping, looking for a family-friendly escape with enough activities for the kids and enough amenities for the adults, or an avid camper who wants a more permanent roof over their heads for once, Huttopia strikes the right balance.
After work on Monday, we hit the road south and headed towards Huttopia. Just one town inland from Maine’s scenic beaches, we found ourselves winding down the back roads of Sanford before arriving at the turn-off for Huttopia. Down their dirt driveway is the central parking lot for the reception and all the accommodations. We were greeted at the front desk by a friendly face, excited to share information about the property, amenities, and surrounding area. After a delightful conversation, we grabbed a wagon, loaded our luggage from the car, and made our way down to our tent.
The first night, we stayed in a lakefront Trappeur tent. These canvassed walled tents are incredibly spacious and offer a charming camping experience, while having everything you could possibly need right there — kitchen, bathroom, shower, dining table, beds, etc. We dropped our bags and loaded up the fridge with provisions for our stay. The sun was setting and, after a long work day, we decided to head into town for dinner. We popped over the border into New Hampshire for dinner at Garrison City Beer Works in Dover. Their brews and tacos hit the spot on a warm summer evening! When we got back to Huttopia, we passed fellow campers roasting s’mores over their fires on our way to our tent. It was an early night for us!
We woke up the next morning after an incredibly restful night sleep. A chorus of peepers, bullfrogs, and birds lulled us to sleep — a peaceful reminder of the nature surrounding us. We sensed it was going to be another hot day and Sand Pond sure looked appetizing, but we decided to grab breakfast first before diving into the waters off our front porch. At the cafe, we glazed over the menu — indecision a result of the tasty looking assortment of French inspired delicacies. Cam ended up going with a ham and cheese crepe and I tried the same ingredients on a croissant — both delicious. We enjoyed our breakfast in Adirondack chairs overlooking a white pine grove studded with hammocks.
While we were in the area, we decided to play some bocce. Huttopia is riddled with activities — between the playground, pool, pond, and many more, there’s no shortage of fun for kids of all ages. After a few rounds, we determined we were overdue for a swim. Back at our tent, we shimmied into our suits and swam right out our door. The water was delightful — not too cool, but still refreshing.
From there, we popped back up to the cafe to try their lunch options. Summer salads sounded scrumptious — Cam tried the burrata caprese and I loved my Niçoise, which we savored alongside some hummus and a chocolate hazelnut crepe for desert. Satiated, I threw my legs up in a hammock and rocked with the wind while wrapping up some work tasks. Cam braved the heat and hopped on his bike to cruise along the nearby farm roads. By the end of both our afternoon activities, we were ready for another swim.
We rented paddle boards through the reception, where you can also rent canoes, and scurried down to the pond. We do a lot of canoeing and kayaking, so it was fun to switch it up with a paddle board, which makes for a great launchpad into the water on a hot summer day. We circumnavigated the pond, but saw the dark clouds looming in the distance so decided to get off the water earlier than we would have otherwise. It looked like a summer storm was on its way, but we were not prepared for the intensity that swept through. Cam returned the paddle board gear and made it back just as the rain started to drop. We decided to wait out the storm on our porch and cracked open a cold one to enjoy as we spectated. Sheets of rain cascaded off our tent and the spatter of raindrops sprinkled our feet.
We were originally planning on grilling that night, but with soaked picnic table and benches, we were grateful to have the option of wood fired pizzas at Huttopia! When the rain subsided, we skedaddled up to the cafe and placed an order for two pizzas and another caprese. While we waited, we hopped on the fooseball table for a tight match. I typically try and suppress my competitive side, but having grown up with a fooseball table, I realized I had something to prove with this game. Don’t worry, I came out on top — sorry, Cam! Dinner was absolutely delicious and hit the spot alongside a beer as we watched the rest of the storm pass and the sky open up!
This evening, we decided to try out a different style of accommodations offered at Huttopia Southern Maine. Their Vista are more like cabins with wooden walls and a huge screened in porch alongside all the other amenities you could imagine. Our vista was situated in the forest, which offered a nice change of scenery from our lakefront views in the Trappeur. We wound down the evening with some crossword puzzles and conversation — the simple things that surface when distractions are removed is one of my favorite parts of camping.
Waking up in the forest with a gentle breeze wafting through the cabin was such a lovely way to start the day. For breakfast, we brewed a French press of coffee and whipped up some breakfast sandwiches. I love eating outside and the screened in porches of the Vista cabins made it so comfortable to hang out there, unbothered by other critters. The sun was shining and the forecast was heating up, so we decided to venture to the coast for a beach day and lunch in town. Huttopia is situated only 20 minutes inland from some of the best beaches in Maine — we couldn’t resist!
The car thermometer read 100º when we hopped in (after sitting under the sun, but still)! Windows down, we beelined it for the coast. Our first stop was to Bitter End, a restaurant highly recommended by some trusted sources, for lunch. We sat in the backyard under oak trees, surrounded by coastal paraphernalia. We started with the Brussels sprouts, then Cam got their taquitos and I tried their special of the day: salmon Niçoise — yum! With fuel in our bellies, we headed to the beach. I was longing for some beach accessories we didn’t have (large beach towel, floaty, etc) so we made a pit stop at Reny’s before pulling into the Footbridge Beach parking lot.
Over the river and through the dunes, we found ourselves on a beautiful sandy beach! I laid down my towel with a book while Cam went for a jog. When he returned, we blitzed into the ocean that was much chillier than we were expecting, which cooled us down nicely from the heat of the day. We dried in the sun for a few more minutes before peeling off the sand and heading to get ice cream. The Scoop Deck was nearby and on our way back to Huttopia, so we pulled in for a waffle cone. I tried a scoop of their mint oreo and a scoop of coffee oreo while Cam enjoyed his butter crunch. Lapping up some home made ice cream sure hit the spot.
Under the warmth of the evening sun, we assembled our cooking ingredients and materials from the Trappeur tent on the picnic table and fired up the barbie — cheeseburgers and veggies were on the menu tonight! Each accommodation at Huttopia is supplied with all kitchen essentials. From the grill to the spatulas, plates, and utensils, Huttopia makes camp cooking super easy. It wasn’t long until our burgers were ready, so we topped them with some tomato and onion and dug in. When we finished up dinner we quickly turned to dessert and lit up the campfire. You can get bundles of firewood as well as s’mores kits from Huttopia, which makes this camping tradition easy and fun.
After the initial flames burned down and some embers formed, we skewered some marshmallows and began the rotisserie. Mine quickly was engulfed, to which Cam shamed my impatience. His turn took much longer, but resulted in a perfectly golden mallow. While I do appreciate that effort, as long as the insides are gooey, I don’t care! We put our roasting sticks down after a few rounds of s’mores and savored the crackle of the fire.
Our final morning, we soaked in the simple sounds of nature again as a pot of French press brewed. We had breakfast on the screened in porch of the Vista, then packed up our bags to check out. Our stay at Huttopia was blissful. They make it easy and delightful to enjoy the wilderness — with many provided amenities, rentals, and a camp store. Whether you’re visiting Maine looking for a launchpad to the southern beaches or eager for a getaway with your family or friends, bookmark Hutttopia for your trip. We hope to be back — and explore some of their other locations at some point too!