The Freeport, Maine Area
Waterfront, Art, Nature, Shopping, and Exploring the Maine Coast!
Freeport is the ideal destination for exploring the Maine Coastline! In addition to Freeport being loaded with shopping in it's quaint village (Yankee Magazine voted Freeport as a favorite shopping destination), it also has beautiful State Parks, stunning coastal areas, hiking trails, gardens, museums, farms, history, and nature. It's just 20 minutes North of Portland, Maine, and has it's own small Amtrak Train Station (just a 1/2 mile from the art retreat!). You can hop on the train to explore other areas if you come without a car, or even take the train to Boston for a day.
Your home base is Creative Landing, also known as the Soule-Lambert-Blethen House, and is in one of Freeport's oldest neighborhoods: Porter's Landing. This was an important area before the railroad, and was once home to a shipyard (established in 1782), a salt-work, a brickyard, and a crabmeat factory. Today, the whole neighborhood is on the National Register, and there are clues to it's past all around. The famous privateer ship, the Dash, was built and launched from Porter's Landing during the War of 1812. Click here to read about the Dash, and it's ghostly appearances out on Maine waters to this day!
Wolfe's Neck Farm (on the left), in Freeport, is a favorite spot for artists! Downtown Freeport (below) is loaded with shops, galleries, cafes, and restaurants. Unlike some places in Maine, Freeport remains open year round. In fact, some of it's best festivals happen during Autumn and Winter!
A short list of just some of the things to do & see in Freeport
- Freeport LOVES it's festivals and events. Weekly free summer outdoor concerts, town-wide art fairs, Fall festivals, and it's famous Holiday Sparkle Celebration. Check out all the events here!
- LL Bean's Flagship Store and LL Bean Outdoor Adventures (take a look at their website and sign up for an outdoor class!)
- Free yoga on the LL Bean town green every day during the summer
- MANY Cafes and Restaurants
- Art Galleries, bookstores, and one of a kind shops
- Freeport Performing Arts Center & Freeport Community Players
- Freeport's Famous Outlets, including everything from clothes to pottery outlets!
- Pettengill Farm
- Wolfes Neck State Park
- Wolfes Neck Farm, Camping, and Trails
- Freeport is home to a number of fabric & yarn shops
- Winslow Park
A few favorites within 30 minutes of Freeport
- Portland Maine, and all of it's galleries, restaurants, shopping, island cruises, and lighthouses!
- Portland Museum of Art
- Maine Maritime Museum
- Walking Trails and Cliff Walks in Harpswell
- Longfellow House in Portland Maine
- Victoria Mansion
- Walker Art Museum at Bowdoin College
- Museum of African Tribal Art
- Institute of Contemporary Art at Maine College of Art
- Casco Bay Lines, where you can catch a 3 hour mailboat run out around the islands, a boat out to Peaks island for an afternoon of walking around the island, or any number of other day adventures on the water.
- Merrill Auditorium
- Too many parks, hiking trails, and nature preserves to list!