Swimming Holes Near Portland
Today I'd like to talk about the thing we're all focused on right now, finding places to cool off...that preferably do not involve the ocean. Not sure about your kids, but mine won't put one toe in the salt water after recent news and there is no way of convincing them that they are more likely to become the next Tony Hawk then get attacked by a shark. As I like to swim downstream, not up, we've been exploring lakes and rivers this week. Here are some places we've been:
Outlet Beach at Sabbathday Lake
106 Outlet Road, New Gloucester
This small, privately owned beach is worth the admission fees ($3 child, $5 adult, under 2 free). It includes plenty of shade, picnic tables, tube rentals, a float to jump off of and homemade ice cream at the Fresca & The Honeybee snack shack. They only take cash, no cards accepted here. There are limited parking spots, but plenty of street parking. The beach was a bit crowded yesterday, but people seemed good about wearing masks and we found ourselves plenty of space to set up our chairs. Open 9-5 daily. The drive is only about 30 minutes from Portland, so it's an easy trip! #sabbathdaylake#outletbeach
Crabtree's Blueberries, Nason's Beach & Douglas Mountain
All three of these activities are close to each other, so choose your own combination! Crabtree's Blueberries, located at 703 Bridgeton Road in Sebago is one of the sweetest little farms I have been to. Pick your own highbush blueberries then browse through "Crabtee's Collection of Old Books", a book shed emphasizing nature, history, children's books and out-of-print books.
Just ten minutes down the road from Crabtree's is parking for a dip in Sebago Lake at Nason's Beach, located at 771 Sebago Road. If this lot is full, continue on to Sebago Lake State Park, where you will find more parking.
If you want to add a hike to your Sebago adventure, Douglas Mountain is also close by. It includes 2.8 miles of moderate trail networks leading to a stone observation tower with views of the lakes region. Most of the trails are less than 1 mile to the top. For more details and directions: https://www.mainetrailfinder.com/trails/trail/douglas-mountain
Higgin's Beach at Night
I know I said I was focusing on fresh water, but wanted to share something for all you thrill seekers out there. Higgin's Beach in the evening is DIVINE. The parking lot is also free after 6:00pm (and only $5 after 3pm). I will forever stand by my opinion that Higgin's is the best beach near Portland. It's hardly ever crowded, has the waves, the river, the sunken ship at low tide, and it just a gorgeous spot. Just check it out, but please leave the seal suit at home.
Finally, I will be exploring Coos Canyon this week for a camping trip with my son Henry. Looking forward to sharing our discoveries with you next week!
Jill