Brewster House Bed & Breakfast
Innkeeper(s):
Scott and Ruth Thomas
Beautiful Signs of Summer 29 May 2012, 5:52 am
Maine's coast is a truly beautiful place - but you know that already!The rocky coast, sandy beaches, a multitude of islands just offshore, not to mention lighthouses, lobster shacks, boats bobbing in the harbors, and lobster pots dotting the seascape.
This spring has been especially beautiful, because of the amounts of rain, and the mild temperatures we've enjoyed. but this week the lupine appeared. When that happens, it is as if a marker has been set, that warm weather is really here, and the wonderful sunny days of summer have arrived.
For the next several weeks we'll be able to see lupine along the highways, back roads, and fields. The vivid blue, pink and white stalks, waving gently in the breeze, add finishing touches of color to Maine's beautiful outdoors.
Scott & Ruth
Brewster House Bed & Breakfast
30 Events in and Around Freeport This Year (and then some!) 15 May 2012, 5:30 am
Our website has long been a source of information on Freeport and Maine coast events, as well as about things to do near Freeport Maine, and along the Maine midcoast. We've just finished updating it with more events for this year, and there are over 30 events (and many are multiple day events) available for you to participate in, yet this year!Of course, one of the biggest is the all-year-long L.L. Bean 100th Anniversary, but its Hometown Celebration in its home of Freeport, Maine, is July 4-7, 2012. This includes the Fourth of July celebration, parade, fireworks, as well as activities during the day, and free concerts July 6. July 7 will have the largest fireworks display in Maine history.
Throughout the summer there will be free concerts on select Saturday nights (the L.L. Bean Summer in the Park was formerly called the L.L.. Bean Summer Concert Series), as well as other activities for the entire family.
In addition there are festivals galore! There is the Great Falls Balloon Festival, the Yarmouth Clam Festival, the Moxie Festival, the Maine Lobster Festival, the North Atlantic Blues Festival, the Freeport Fall in the Village Art and Music Festival, the Maine Highland Games, and more!
We'll also have the Lobsterman Triathlon, the Great State of Maine Airshow, the Maine Bike Rally, the Topsham Fair, plus local college Parents and Family weekends, homecoming, orientation, and more!
Practically every week throughout the summer and fall there is something for everyone. Lest we forget, the winter months will also bring Freeport's beloved Sparkle Weekend, with parade (of course!) and Santa riding into town on a lobster boat, L.L. Bean's giant Christmas tree, the L.L. Bean New Year's Celebration, and, as Spring rolls around, the annual Spa, Knit and Spin weekend.
See you here!
Scott & Ruth
Brewster House Bed & Breakfast, Freeport, Maine
Freeport's Outlets and Shops - Something for Everyone! 1 May 2012, 5:19 am
Many people are aware that Freeport Maine is the home of outdoor retail giant L.L. Bean, and still others are aware that Freeport can be said to have been something of a town filled with shops and outlets. However, neither of these statements adequately conveys what a delightful and special place Freeport is. For those of us who live in Freeport, it is easy to forget that so many people (even throughout the New England region, let alone the rest of the USA or worldwide) have never heard of Freeport or L.L. Bean.Because of that, instead of writing, as we often do, about things to do in or near Freeport other than shopping (including our recent article for the Maine Innkeepers Association blog), this time we wanted to provide more information on the five L.L. Bean stores, and the other shops and outlets in Freeport.
Following Freeport's time as a shipbuilding town, it became a shoe manufacturing town. Later, young Leon Leonwood Bean started a mail-order catalog featuring his Maine hunting shoe. That small family business has grown into a huge enterprise, with 5 stores in Freeport (four of which are open 24 hours a day, seven days a week - only the L.L. Bean Outlet closes at night and on Christmas Day). Eventually, Freeport reinvented itself as an outlet town (before America had outlet malls in almost every city). As outlet malls became more common, Freeport changed again, into an unusual mix of outlets and retail, with many local Maine-owned stores, interesting retail shops.
In addition to the five L.L. Bean stores (the flagship store, the Hunting and Fishing Store, the Home Store, the Bike, Boat and Ski Store, and the L.L. Bean Outlet), Freeport is home to many other shops and restaurants. In fact, it feels a bit like living in a huge, outdoor, shopping mall. Many of the shops are members of Freeport USA, Freeport's marketing organization, and therefore are included on the Freeport USA map. Many others, however, are not included on the map, yet do a thriving business in Freeport.
According to Freeport USA there are well over 140 shops and restaurants in Freeport. They range from L.L. Bean's five stores to small shops like Isabella's Sticky Buns. There are well-known clothing and shoe stores, like Talbots, Jones of New York, Banana Republic, Polo, and J. Crew, Clark, Bass, Nike and 9 West. There are specialty shops like Georgetown Pottery, Cuddledown, Freeport Knife & Kitchenware, The Mangy Moose, and Cool As A Moose. You'll find fine jewelry, like R.D. Allen or Brown Goldsmiths, and crafts such as the Beadin Path. From the Pet Pantry to the Coach Factory Store, there is something in Freeport for every member of the household.
Let's not forget the many restaurant, specialty food and candy shops, and more. There's Wilbur's of Maine for local chocolate, When Pigs Fly bakery, and Wicked Whoopies for a whoopie pie. There is coffee and tea from Starbucks to Coffee By Design to Jacqueline's Tea Room, serving a formal tea, as well as selling teas. Restaurants include Azure Cafe, Jameson Tavern, the Broad Arrow Tavern, the Maine Dining Room, the Mediterranean Grill, and more. You'll find lighter fare at Corsican, or just stop in for a cup of chowder at the Freeport Chowder House or Linda Bean's Maine Kitchen and Topside Tavern.
These are just a few of the wonderful shops and restaurants you'll find when you visit Freeport. Don't just allow a couple of hours to walk through the shops. First time visitors often tell us they had no idea there was so much here! Plan at least a day, just to walk through all the stores.
Ruth & Scott
Brewster House Bed & Breakfast, Freeport, Maine
Touring Maine Lighthouses (with Lighthouse Map) 24 Apr 2012, 5:30 am
One of the most common things visitors to Freeport Maine want to do, it seems, is to visit our Maine lighthouses. We love lighthouses, so we completely understand. Nevertheless, there are over 60 of them in Maine (and some are miles out to sea), so seeing more than a few can be quite a challenge. However, our lighthouse map will help you find a way to include most Maine lighthouses on your tour.If you click on the lighthouse icons, you can get driving directions to any of the lighthouse from the Google map below.
View Maine Lighthouses - Brewster House Bed & Breakfast in a larger map
We find the most effective way to make use of your time is to establish a base of operations in an area that is centrally located to several lighthouses. That way you can visit several lighthouses without having to move yourself from place to place too often.
For example, if you stay in Freeport, you can visit several lighthouses within an hour or so drive either to the north or south. A two- to four-night stay in Freeport will give you the opportunity to visit up to 13 lighthouses (and see at least three more offshore). Some of these lighthouses are in extremely picturesque locations - by their very nature, they are on high points overlooking the ocean, so these places are all great fun to visit, and to take photographs, in their own right.
| Bass Harbor Head Lighthouse |
If you stay on, or near, Mount Desert Island (whether in Bar Harbor, or one of the other lovely villages nearby), there are wonderful lighthouse on the island, or farther north, even up to Lubec, on the Canadian border.
Of course, as we've noted previously, you can actually make a visit to Lubec, and West Quoddy Head Lighthouse (the easternmost point in the United States) a day trip from Freeport, though it is a long day - about four hours each way.
If you are interested in lighthouses, Maine is the place to visit, as there are so many lighthouses, and they are remarkably accessible.
Scott & Ruth
Brewster House Bed & Breakfast, Freeport, Maine
Hyacinth and daffodils 17 Apr 2012, 7:36 am
We always love to see the spring flowers begin to bloom.
Is it time yet? When is Fall Foliage in Maine? 10 Apr 2012, 6:03 am
It seems early to be thinking about fall foliage, doesn't it? In much of the northeast, except for that weird week or two recently when the temperatures were near 80However, one of the most common questions we've received in recent weeks is "When is the best time to visit for fall foliage?"
The short answer is "it depends" but since we're essentially talking about the weather, that should come as no surprise.
The State of Maine has a foliage website which not only reports the current status of foliage from about mid-September through the season, but it also has a chart of historical foliage data, showing when the foliage changed for each of the various regions of the state.
Freeport is in Zone 1 on the chart, so a quick scan shows that our peak foliage has historically been between the 14th and 20th of October.
There are a couple of things to keep in mind about the dates, however. First, the foliage season in Freeport usually extends from about the first of October (sometimes the last week in September) through the end of October (sometimes slightly into November). That means that there will usually be good foliage viewing in our area for at least four weeks, though the peak may only last a few days.
Second, as the chart on the Maine foliage website makes clear, the peak foliage occurs at different times in the different regions of the state. In a very general way, the peak moves from north to south and west to east. Having said that, there are areas in each region that will appear "out of step" with this pattern, due to the temperature, amount of sun or shadow, etc. Consequently, all through the foliage season there can be areas of beauty that are either early or late for their region.
Finally, one other thing to consider is the calendar. Since the peak foliage season is near mid-October, it conflicts with several other dates. Three local colleges have homecoming or parents' weekends between late September and late October. That can make competition for available lodging very stiff. Add to that the Columbus Day (US - Candadian Thanksgiving) holiday in the middle of it, and you'll find it more difficult than usual to find a bed and breakfast.
Our late-September and October weekends already have some bookings, but as of this writing there is still plenty of availability for our foliage weekends. Check our availability and book early to get the dates you want. Don't forget to consider our Fall Foliage Surf & Turf special - called "A steal of a deal" by Smarter Travel magazine.
Beaches Near Freeport Maine? 3 Apr 2012, 6:26 am
When folks are inquiring about things to do in our part of the Maine coast, one of the questions they ask is where they can find the nearest beach. If you've never been to the Maine coast, it is understandable that you would ask, since most of us associate beaches with coastline, perhaps picturing a sandy beach with the warm wind wafting over the dune grasses, much like you might find in the Outer Banks of North Carolina, or elsewhere, where you can wade into the warm waters and relax.In Maine, our coast is a bit different. Most of it is rugged and rocky, pounded by the wind and waves of the North Atlantic (often with lighthouses perched on the rocks). It also averages about 10-20° F colder than the water temperature in the Carolinas, so the beach experience in Maine is a bit different than you'll find farther south.
With all that in mind, there are indeed some sand beaches not far from Freeport that make for a very enjoyable visit.
Winslow Park, Freeport. In Freeport you'll find Winslow Park - a large park with acres of grass along Freeport's harbor, with excellent views of the nearby islands, and a tiny sand beach area. The grass makes it a perfect spot for activities, but the beach is not large enough for many people to share it.
Popham Beach State Park. The Maine mid-coast area is made up of islands and peninsulas, so very few things along the coast are also near the primary north-south road up the coast, US-1, and Popham Beach is no exception. From Freeport, you travel north just a few minutes to Bath, but then turn right and go out a peninsula past Phippsburg, to Popham Beach State Park. The park is quite large, and contains a large beach (with some of the grasses and dunes people expect), and is very popular with families during the summers. There are also a number of interesting antique shops and coastal villages to explore on the way from Bath to Popham.
Reid State Park. Bath is on the south side of the Kennebec River. Crossing the bridge to Woolwich, on the other side of the river, you turn right and cross a small bridge to Georgetown Island. Driving nearly to the end of the island, you come to Reid State Park. Almost directly across the river from Popham, Reid is another State Park with large, sandy beaches, as well as other areas for hiking and exploring. Nearby is Five Islands, where you'll find the Five Islands Lobster Company, and it's wonderful lobster shack. Georgetown Island is also where you'll find Georgetown Pottery and the Robinhood Free Meetinghouse - a fine dining establishment run by a former Maine Chef of the Year.
The beach experience in Maine is unlike any other. If you are open to something different, you'll find it along Maine's rocky (and sandy) coastline!
Ruth & Scott
Brewster House Bed & Breakfast
33 Recipes for Breakfast, Snacks, Dessert, or Whatever 27 Mar 2012, 5:55 am
It's here!We've been writing for a few weeks about the upcoming release of Breakfast at 8, the Brewster House cookbook, and it is now back from the printers, full of bed and breakfast recipes, and is almost ready to go!
Whether for a special breakfast (some of our guests like to use these recipes for Christmas morning, or other special occasions), or for just a special breakfast on a quiet weekend, there is something for everyone in Breakfast at 8. In addition to loads of selections of sweet and savory main breakfast dishes, there are plenty of fruit starters (many of which make wonderful desserts in the evening, as well), scones and muffins, cookies, and more!
Those who pre-ordered will be receiving their copies as soon as we can get the shipping materials together (we expect to begin shipping by about April 10). New orders will go out as quickly as possible after the pre-orders.
If you haven't ordered your copy, you can use the convenient shopping cart at right (you'll be taken to a secure area using Google Wallet to put in payment info), or on our website's gift shop page. Either way, the price is US $17 (includes US sales tax, if applicable, and shipping in the USA). If you need expedited shipping or shipping to other countries, please contact us, and we'll determine the shipping rate to apply.
We hope these recipes will bring you as much enjoyment (and good taste!) as they have for us!
Ruth & Scott
Brewster House Bed & Breakfast
Our Cookbook "Breakfast at 8" is at the Printers! 13 Mar 2012, 6:35 am
Over the years guests have regularly urged Ruth to release a cookbook. Sometimes it is because they love the sweet or savory breakfast main courses we serve at Brewster House, sometimes it is the fruit starters, sometimes the cookies, scones, or whatever. But the consistent request is that Ruth put together a cookbook.We can now tell you, the time has arrived. We went back and forth on the idea for a couple of years, then decided to prepare the cookbook last year, but ran out of time. This year, however, we made it a priority, and pulled together all the recipes. Ruth started with over 40 pages of them, then chose her favorites, made some changes, additions, and all the tweaks that go with the editing process, and Breakfast at 8 was born!
It went off to the printers for assembly and proofing, some additional changes were made, and we are now awaiting delivery of the first run of books.
We expect to have the books available for sale by some time in April, and hope to have online ordering available, too. We are taking pre-release orders now by phone or email, at $17 (tax and shipping included).
Ruth & Scott
Brewster House Bed & Breakfast
Secret Lobster Shacks of Maine (with Map to the Treasure!) 6 Mar 2012, 6:30 am
Tucked away in a hidden harbor, nestled between two buildings, at the end of a pier, Maine's lobster shacks may be where you least expect them. Oh, sure, many visitors have heard of some of them - Red's Eats, Barnacle Billy's, The Clam Shack. But we think there are many, many more that far fewer have discovered. Some have been "exposed" by Travel + Leisure magazine's 2009 article, "10 Best Lobster Shacks in Maine", but many others are found only by a few who stumble across them, or are given directions and recommendations, by a sympathetic innkeeper or host.Several years ago we created a map of Maine lobster shacks that remains one of our most popular links today. We'll be using that map, expanded and updated with photos where possible (many are our own photos - where that wasn't possible, we've included photos from the website of the lobster shack, if available, so apologies if any links end up broken due to moved photos).
The full map is below, and we'll be journeying from south to north up the Maine coast, with 19 lobster shacks to visit.
View Favorite Lobster Shacks (and similar spots) in a larger map
1. Chauncey Creek Lobster Pier, Kittery Point
| Chauncey Creek Lobster Pier |
2. Shore Road Lobster
Off a back road, along the coast, in York, is a little red country store that serves excellent, fresh, and inexpensive, lobster and lobster rolls. There are a few picnic tables outside, as well as a small dining area inside. They don't have a website, but their reviews on TripAdvisor are glowing! We've tried it, and we loved it. Shore Road Lobster is only a short drive from Cape Neddick Lighthouse (the Nubble), so it made for a great afternoon for us!
3. Barnacle Billy's, Perkins Cove
| Barnacle Billy's |
4. The Clam Shack, Kennebunkport
In beautiful Kennebunkport, on the bridge over the Kennebunk River, the Clam Shack is considered (along with Red's Eats) one of the best, if not the best, place for lobster rolls in the entire State of Maine. Eat outside and stroll along the bridge, enjoying the sights and sounds of the harbor and the town.
| Nunan's Lobster Hut |
Like the Clam Shack, Nunan's is a no-frills experience, that has been serving up the great red treat for over 50 years.
6. The Lobster Shack at Two Lights
Taking its name from the twin lighthouses across the road, the Lobster Shack at Two Lights sits atop a bluff, looking out at Casco Bay. Dress warmly if you visit, as the wind across the bluff can be fierce, but the views are as wonderful as the lobster! If you walk out the rocks below the lobster shack, on a clear day you can see Portland Head Lighthouse in the distance.
| Days Crabmeat and Lobster |
Just along the side of US-1 as you pass from Yarmouth to Freeport is Days Crabmeat and Lobster. Not only can you eat at the takeout area, but this is one of the best places for lobster to take home (packed to travel) in the area.
8. Cindy's Clams, Freeport
Barely known outside of Freeport, Cindy's Clams has been recognized as having the very best clams (not to mention some pretty fair lobster). It's funky atmosphere and silly signs just makes dining at Cindy's more of a pleasure!
| Harraseeket Lunch & Lobster |
Freeport's harbor is about a mile or so from its well-known shops, but most visitors find their way there to enjoy fresh, local, lobster, right off the boats. Eat outdoors or inside, you'll have a nice view of the harbor, and across to the lovely peninsula where Wolfe Neck State Park is located. Arrive early in the summer, as lines can be quite long.
10. Linda Bean's Perfect Maine Lobster Roll, various locations
Linda Bean is L.L. Bean's granddaughter, and has certainly inherited good business sense. Linda's lobster roll shops are in Freeport, Portland, Rockport, Port Clyde, not to mention Hull, Massachusetts and Delray Beach, Florida. She also has Linda Bean's Maine Kitchen and Topside Tavern in Freeport.
| Estes Lobster House |
Estes Lobster House has been serving lobster since 1947, but since it is at the tip of Harpswell Neck, it can be a bit off the beaten track for visitors. For example, the directions include "follow Route 123 until you come to the sea." Not surprisingly, you can also arrive at Estes Lobster House by boat, as the dock is just feet away. Harpswell is a classic lobstering town, so you're assured of the best and freshest seafood you can find!
| Five Islands Lobster Co. |
Five Islands is located near the tip of Georgetown Island, along the Maine coast. The drive is beautiful, as you pass harbors and villages, then the entrance to lovely Reid State Park with its rocks and beaches. Five Islands is a hidden jewel, with lovely islands just offshore, and a lighthouse across the water. Lobster is served at picnic tables on the dock, so you can watch your supper being brought in by the lobster boats.
13. Lighthouse Lobster Shack, Wiscasset
Located at the relatively new Maine Heritage Village, the Lighthouse Lobster Shack is right along US-1. The lobster shack gets fresh lobster daily, so their seafood is always fresh.
| Red's Eats |
Reds Eats in Wiscasset, like the Clam Shack in Kennebunkport, is a perennial nominee for the best lobster shack in the state. They do not have a website, but they finally did get a Facebook page (the link above is to their Facebook page). In the summer the lines for this pound-size lobster roll can stretch around the corner and down the walk near the river, as visitors wait to sample the delicious fare.
15. Trevette Country Store, Barter's Island
The Trevette Country Store doesn't have a website, but it certainly has its loyal customers! Just over the Barter's Island bridge, the store serves up lobster rolls said to be fabulous and inexpensive.
| The Lobster Dock |
More a restaurant than a lobster shack, the Lobster Dock has plenty of indoor and outdoor seating, and magnificent views of Boothbay Harbor. Watch your lobster slip into a big pot with an ear of corn, and wait for the succulent delight as your meal is served at a table on the deck overlooking the water. Mmmmmm!
17. Shaws Fish and Lobster Wharf, New Harbor
Located near Pemaquid Point Lighthouse, in New Harbor, Shaws is a perennial member of the Travel + Leisure "Top Ten" list. It is situated overlooking the beautiful harbor, where you can also take puffin watching or whale watching tours in this tiny coastal hideaway town.
| Waterman's Beach Lobster |
Down the hill from the lovely town of Thomaston, Waterman's Beach Road leads to the water, and to Waterman's Beach Lobster. Over two decades of serving lobster has made this a local favorite, and, for those visitors who can find their way to it, a favorite of visitors as well.
19. Bagaduce Lunch, Brooksville
Other than its mention in Travel + Leisure, and lots of favorable online reviews, Bagaduce Lunch is another "best kept secret." With no website we can find, there are still loyal fans who post glowing reviews of the tiny lobster shack in the gorgeous Blue Hill area.
| Thurston's Lobster Pound |
Not far from Bar Harbor, but, once again, out of the mainstream, Thurston's is at Bass Harbor, not far from Bass Harbor Head Lighthouse. Exploring this area is a real treat, and the beauty of the coast, the offshore islands, and the lighthouse can easily be rewarded with a treat of lobster at Thurstons.
No doubt there are others (certainly we haven't hit them all - yet!). Feel free to suggest your favorites in the comments!
Scott & Ruth
Brewster House Bed & Breakfast
