Portland and Freeport Maine

Portland, Maine

I have wanted to go to Maine for a long time.  I almost lived in Portland one summer with my brother in-law's family.  They were remodeling a bed and breakfast during the summer when I was 20, and I was invited to come along.  I even applied at a few places for a job, but at the last minute I changed my mind because I knew I wouldn't earn enough money before I went back to school.  I still regret not going.  Then when I was on my mission in Connecticut, a lot of people would talk about their cabin or lake house up in Maine, and it sounded wonderful to me.

On our drive up from Boston, a friend recommended we stop in Portsmouth, New Hampshire.  We only drove through and took pictures, but it was the cutest little town with fall decorations on the lamp posts and beautiful homes on the water.

So I finally made it to Maine, and I loved it.  Our first night we stayed in downtown Portland with a couple that had a 2 year old daughter.  We walked around downtown and went to some cute shops and ate some good food.  One night we even went to the movies and saw Meet the Mormons.  We were the only ones in the theater.

 Portsmouth, New Hampshire

We had some really good ricotta, cranberry, and butternut squash pizza.  We even replicated it at home later, and it turned out pretty good.

These donuts were made with real mashed potatoes, and they were delicious!

 Maine is popular for their seafood, especially lobster, so we figured we better have some.  I had it once before on my mission and didn't care for it much.  It just seemed chewy and flavorless and you dip it in butter.  Not worth the money in my opinion.  We both didn't like it.  We got the whole lobster where you have to crack it open yourself and then there was this yucky green stuff, and it was grossing us out.  

 In South Portland we went to Scratch Baking Company and had the best bagels we've ever eaten.  We heard to go early because they sell out, and we know why.  We also had some fresh whipped cream cheese from some local farm.

While in South Portland we stopped at the Portland Head Light.  It is the most photographed lighthouse in Maine, and also the oldest.  It was completed in 1791.

Freeport, Maine

Freeport is just 20 min north on the freeway from Portland.  There we stayed in the most beautiful home, with the nicest couple.  Their home was eco friendly and solar powered, and was decorated very simply and modern.  I loved it.  When we came home in the evening they had their daughter and son in law over for dinner who were near our age, and they were just starting dessert and invited us to have some and stay and chat.  We had a delicious chocolate tart and wonderful conversation.  It was funny because they were asking about our trip and asked where we stayed in Portland.  It happened to be on the same street where the daughter and son in law used to live.  They asked us who we stayed with, and they knew them and were friends with them.  They asked us where we had eaten, and they said we had gone to some great places (thanks to pinterest).  In the morning they made us a great organic breakfast.  I want to go back just to stay with them again.

Our room.

 We went hiking together around Casco Bay.

L.L. Bean is headquartered in Freeport, and they have 5 different stores and outlets there.  Freeport also has some great outlet stores in historic building that were really cute.  Brendan found a great deal on a jacket at the North Face Outlet.