Happy New Year! We missed you. With the holidays behind us, our thoughts are turning to winter and our wish list of things to do throughout the season. Skating, cross-country skiing, brunching with friends and local road trips have become favorite activities for our family, but we’re always looking to do more. Here’s our wish list for 2017:
Maine Forest Playgroup
MP recently met with Courtney Cronin, a Portland-based mother of two who is the founder of Maine Forest Playgroup, a parent-powered program that encourages families to enjoy the outdoors together. Designed for children ages one to five, the group meets on Friday mornings at nature preserves, parks, and beaches in and around Portland. Courtney started the group in December 2015. …
Paddling the Kennebec with Northern Outdoors
We traveled to the woods of Western Maine in late July for a weekend at Northern Outdoors, an all ages adventure resort. Located in The Forks, Northern Outdoors is best known for white water rafting adventures, but for our young crew (ages 9-up), we decided a self-guided paddle down the lower portion of the Kennebec River was the best option. …
Debsconeag Ice Caves
One of the benefits of the kids getting older is the ability to take longer hikes. With this thought in mind, MP decided the New England Outdoor Center (NEOC), an adventure resort located on Millinocket Lake, would be an ideal home base while we explored the Katahdin region. While researching different trails, MP was surprised to find a variety of hikes …
A Visit to Maine Huts & Trails
To celebrate the end of a successful school year, families from CP#2’s third grade class met in Kingfield to experience Maine Huts & Trails — a series of backcountry trails and eco-lodges for adventurers of all levels to enjoy. Our brave plan? To hike 3+ miles through the woods to The Poplar Hut, where forty of us would convene for the night.
A Weekend in Newcastle + Damariscotta
Over Memorial Day weekend, we returned to the Oxbow Farmhouse in Newcastle with good friends and their children. The rustic home, which is located on the expansive grounds of Oxbow Brewing Company, sleeps nine and provides plenty of space for additional sleeping bags. We arrived in the late afternoon with armloads of luggage and groceries (each family was responsible for …
Willowbrook at Newfield + Hilltop Boilers
Note: Sadly, Willowbrook Village closed in fall 2016 after 46 years of operation. See this Portland Press Herald feature for more. With Maine Maple Sunday landing on Easter this year, we knew we wouldn’t have time to visit one of our favorite farms. So, we decided to switch things up a little and make the trip to 19th Century Willowbrook Village …
Family Getaways: Hawthorn Inn B&B
MP and the kids traveled to Camden Winterfest in late January, and had the good fortune to stay at the Hawthorn Inn Bed & Breakfast. Built in 1894, the charming, 10-room inn is located in Camden’s High Street historic district and is within walking distance to Main Street. The visit marked the kids’ first bed and breakfast experience. “This is where we’re staying?” …
CrateFull of Maine: Baby Edition
Our family is expecting a baby nephew (and cousin) any day now, so you can imagine our delight when we discovered Baby Crates from CrateFull of Maine – a new gift business started by Chris Avantaggio, Nathan O’Leary and John Turner. The three entrepreneurs, who run their own successful companies, namely LiveME, Mainely SEO and Traps Eyewear, began selling gift boxes filled …
Camden Winterfest + Our Wild Toboggan Ride
Our family recently traveled to Camden for the start of Winterfest — a week-long celebration that features an ice-carving contest, polar plunge, freestyle skiing competition, family-friendly activities and the 2016 U.S. National Toboggan Championships, which take place at the Camden Snow Bowl February 5-7.