Freeport, Maine: Something for Everyone!
Written: Feb 26 '05 (Updated Apr 07 '07)
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Product Rating:
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Pros: Great place to visit as a day trip, weather permitting
Cons: Can get crowded in the summer! Watch out!
The Bottom Line: Freeport has many options, not just shopping; Better as an adult excursion, though.
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| BeastieGirl's Full Review: Freeport |
If you like shopping and you like Maine, then you are sure to enjoy the town of Freeport. On the other hand, if you get road rage in parking lots and don't like dealing with crowds, you might want to avoid the Freeport Village (at least in the summer months) and head out to some of the less well-known options in the nearby area.
Shopping in the Village
As probably the more well known Maine store, I feel compelled to mention L.L. Bean first. This flagship store is open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year. They even serve coffee, hot chocolate, and cookies at midnight on Christmas Eve for those infamous last minute shoppers (you know who you are)! And just to be sure they never close, the entrance doors (with canoe paddles for door handles) don't even have locks! This store is big- it has 3 floors and has a trout pond, a small cafe serving coffee, juices, pastries, etc, and even a pet section.
If you aren't familiar with "Bean's", it's kind of what Maine is all about. If you want to live like a Mainer, you can shop here. There's outdoor clothing and sporting goods (like snow shoes, cross country skis, canoes, kayaks), camping gear, camp furniture, even Hudson Bay wool blankets! There's also a separate building for hunting and fishing gear! Even if you don't plan on purchasing anything, I still think this is a must see store- and you never know what you might find.
If you like L.L. Bean but find it a little pricey, then the outlet store is the place for you. Still located in the village, it's a separate store with normal business hours (i.e. it's not open 24-7). It is a lot smaller than the flagship store, but they sometimes have really great deals.
Other stores include (but are not limited to): Gap, Banana Republic, J.Crew, the North Face, Patagonia, Clarks, Hartmann, Abercrombie & Fitch, Crabtree & Evelyn, Jones New York, Burberry, Nine West, Nautica, Polo/Ralph Lauren, Cole Haan, and Brooks Brothers. There's also a really nice Coach store and Dooney & Burke factory outlet. Just on the outskirts of the Village are a Carter's and Osh Kosh store too. All of these stores are technically factory outlet stores, so if you are looking for a specific item currently in stock at the regular retail store, you might end up disappointed. You can expect to pay a little less though for some items, which is the upside to the outlets.
I would recommend going to Freeport when the weather is nice because all of the stores are mostly in separate buildings and only have outside entrances. There’s not much shelter from the weather, so if you’re caught in the rain, really your only option is to go into a store.
Although there are plenty of handicapped parking spaces available, be warned that Freeport is not the best handicapped-accessible location. If you have a stroller or wheelchair, you might find more than a couple of stores that just aren’t worth the hassle. Abercrombie & Fitch and the J.Crew stores are two that quickly come to mind. When we bring the baby, the stroller gets traded for the Baby Bjorn or we take turns while one goes in the store and the other pushes the stroller.
Eating in the Village
For as long as the town of Freeport would like to have you stay and shop, there aren’t a whole lot of resting stops to keep your energy up. There are a limited number of restaurants within a close proximity of the Village, I’ll list a few of my recommendations:
For those traveling with families, I would recommend bringing your own snacks, however there are several hot dog & lemonade stands located throughout the Village. Although not exactly within walking distance, McDonald’s is still an option that should satisfy the kids. Otherwise, I think Friendly’s will do the trick. As a “sit-down" restaurant, it’s still affordable and has enough to offer so that everyone should be satisfied.
To keep your energy up while power-shopping, there is a Starbucks, where, on a hot sunny day, you can get an Iced Passion Tea lightly sweetened with Valencia syrup (just a suggestion, of course). It is centrally located from all the stores in the Village, it can’t be missed. It’s actually the only real “rest stop” inside that I can think of in Freeport.
On the L.L. Bean property, there are some really nice grassy areas that would be perfect for a packed lunch or sandwiches picked up from the Sam’s deli, located just before reaching the Village.
And if you are looking for something a little more upscale, for a nice dinner, I would strongly recommend the Harraseeket Inn, which is right in town and is also a B&B. Reservations would be recommended and well worth it, be prepared to spend a little cash here. They also have a very nice lounge area where you can eat as well.
My final recommendation on eating in Freeport would be Gritty McDuff's, a local brewpub that’s a little more family oriented than the word “brewpub” would have you think. They have a very large lawn with a swing set/playground for the kids to run around on and the atmosphere is very laid back, we have brought the baby here a few times and, yes, it was during the day, but I didn’t feel as though I were bringing my baby to a bar. They have great micro-brews, brewed on-site and I highly recommend their burgers (especially with bleu cheese!).
When visiting Freeport for the day, I prefer to stop at either Starbucks or a hot dog stand as a snack and then finish the day off at Gritty's. Gritty's is located just outside of the village, so you'll definitely have to drive there, but if you are heading south, then it will be on your way anyway.
Places to stay in Freeport
Being that Freeport is only about 13 miles north of Portland, you'll have a wide variety of options for lodging. Should you choose to stay directly in Freeport, there are hotels worth staying at. The newly constructed Hampton Inn is very close to town, while the Harraseeket Inn is within walking distance of the Village. Nearby, but again, you'll definitely have to drive, are the Comfort Suites, Freeport Inn, Coastline Inn and an Econolodge. There are also numerous B&Bs all around and worth checking into.
If you are planning on spending time in the area anytime in the summer, make sure to reserve your rooms early, they book up fast and full!
What else can I do in Freeport?
So you don't like to shop. You don't like crowds. By now (if you've gotten this far into the review), you're thinking "why would I want to go to Freeport?" And the answer is simple- you're in Maine. Maine isn't all about shopping. It's about actually using the things you can buy at L.L. Bean!
Bradbury Mountain State Park offers some great outdoor activities, including hiking & biking in the summer and cross-country skiing and snow shoeing in the winter. They also have campsites available, should you choose to camp out instead of going the hotel route.
The Desert of Maine is also an affordable, interesting stop. Not something you'd expect to find in Maine is a sand desert with guided tours and a campsite to stay at as well. There is a farm museum on the property and other nature trails not to be missed.
And if you're looking to get close to the ocean, then head over to Wolfe's Neck Woods, a state run park with plenty of picnic tables and nature walks. There is no camping located here though, it would strictly be a day trip.
So, who should head over to Freeport? I'd say just about anyone, as long as you're aware of some of the pitfalls- frustrating traffic and crowds in the summer, lack of handicap access in some stores and limited eating options. In any case, a good pair of walking shoes will benefit you no matter what you choose to do in Freeport.
I've included some web site addresses for some locations mentioned, and of course, any questions, please shoot them my way... if it's nice out, though, and I just got paid, you'll probably have to come find me in the Cole Haan store or BR...
www.freeportusa.com
www.harraseeketinn.com
www.desertofmaine.com
For the state parks:
http://www.state.me.us/doc/parks/index.html
Recommended:
Yes
Best Suited For: Couples
Best Time to Travel Here: Sep - Nov
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