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Desert of Maine Overview:
*Updated August 2024*
If you have grown up in southern Maine you may remember the Desert of Maine being an outdated tourist destination for those traveling through Freeport on their way to LL Bean.
However, in 2018, a family acquired the property and spent around 2.5 years sprucing up the place and it’s AMAZING! The Desert of Maine has essentially had a much-needed makeover!
New to the Desert of Maine is a Welcome Center, 18-hole mini golf, and a centrally located playground and huge commitment to maintaining the history of the desert and educating it’s visitors. You will find history walks and placards all over the property explaining the hows & whys of the Desert.
Other new features within the dunes for children are a fossil dig site, the relocated gemstone village, a secret sandbox, and a storybook walk.
There are also some climbing and play structures near the gemstone village! A “train” that runs the perimeter of the desert making stops at convenient locations. Check out the map of the Desert of Maine to acquaint yourself with all the features.
Further out on the property, a 1800s renovated farmhouse sits on the property and serves as a quaint museum for the sit, a historic spring has been uncovered, and a replica gas station with an old Model-T Ford that kids can climb on are available to explore.
The campground has also had a make-over and now offers 6 different varieties of glamping. Sorry, there is no longer any tent or RV camping here!
What hasn’t changed is that the desert, with all its sand, is still there, along with that iconic camel statue and the gemstone dig (albeit, both have been wonderfully relocated to a different section of the desert and given a MUCH DESERVED make-over).
NEW for 2024: A scavenger hunt that will take you all over the park with opportunities to learn about the history of the Desert and the Tuttle family and a slide built into the dunes. Rumor has it that more play structures will be in place near the slide for 2025!
They are open 7 days a week from 10am-6pm. Dogs on leashes are allowed on the dunes and ADA designated service dogs are allowed on the golf course. Some hours/days may vary at the start (May) and end (October) of the season.
There is a snack shack here called the Oasis that offers hot dogs, drinks, and ice cream. If you are planning to stay for lunch, I would suggest bringing your own.
If your child/ren love digging, hunting for gemstones, and rolling down the sand dunes like my daughter does, you can easily spend 2 hours visiting the Desert of Maine. By adding in mini-golf and eating lunch on site, this could easily be a 3 hour adventure for your family.
At the end, grab an ice cream at Mainely Custard just down the road on Route 1 in Freeport. They have custard (vanilla, chocolate, and rotating featured flavors) along with soft serve and vegan ice cream!
Tips for Exploring:
- Consider visiting on a cloudy and cooler day. If that’s not possible, try to go at 4pm instead of a 11am because..It’s a desert so on a hot summer day…it’s HOT.
- There is A LOT to explore at the Desert of Maine. Try to save the playground and mini golf for the end. These are two places that have the MOST shade and a great spot to end after spending a good portion of your adventure in the sun.
- Bring lots of water. I love filling my 64oz Stanley jug with ice and water and leaving in my car for when re-fills are needed.
- If you are going to bring a stroller, a jogging/3-wheeled is a MUST here and be prepared for some heavy pushing. Again, it’s a “desert”. Forgot yours at home? Don’t worry, they have strollers available to borrow including a beach wheelchair.
The Bathroom Low Down:
New for 2024: They have a single composting toilet near the gemstone village and the fossil digging area!
The other bathrooms are centrally located at the Welcome Center. They have two all gender accessible restrooms and they are NICE! I mean..very NICE!
There are changing tables, an additional table to put your bags on, wonderfully placed hooks for you to hold your stuff. Also, they are BEYOND CLEAN! So if something was to drop on the floor, my gag reflex wouldn’t kick in here. Another bonus, there is room for you to bring your stroller into.
There is also a port-a-potty located by the mini golf area
Bathroom Situation Rating: B+. Revised for 2024, the rating is now A+!
Accessibility:
Another highlight from the new owners is that they devote a whole page of their website to informing patrons what they can expect to find (or not find) for accessibility features on site.
They are transparent about making the Desert of Maine as accessible as possible for all people and welcome feedback and suggestions on how to ensure an inclusive experience. I love that this is a goal for them and they are welcoming to feedback and suggestions.
One thing they are miss in the video and on their website is information on the accessibility of the playground. And…I will say, the playground is not designed for those under the age of 5 and is not very accessible for anyone with mobility concerns; which is such a bummer but it is what it is.
Costs:
Adult: $19
Children (ages 4-18): $15
Children (ages 3 and under): FREE
*If you are a family of 4 and plan to visit the Desert of Maine 3 or more times during the year, a family season pass may be your best option here.
Budget Friendly Option:
You may qualify for some discounts the Desert of Maine offers:
- 10% off for seniors (65+)
- 10% off for active duty military
- 20% off for groups of 20 or more
- 50% off for SNAP/EBT/WIC/Mainecare program participants
If you are a resident of Freeport, head to the Freeport Community Library to reserve your tickets. Freeport residents can purchase admission tickets for $6/per person for up to 6 people!
The Splurge Option:
Some add ons to your adventure to the Desert of Maine could include purchasing mini golf tickets. There is a small discount available when you purchase a combo pass (Admission to the Desert and a round of golf) too.
We recently went to this golf course and it’s…really, really nice! The golf course is high quality and quite challenging!
Or, if you really want to splurge, you could choose the stay at one of their glamping sites. They have 6 (!!!) different options of glamping with more to sites to come in 2025! Reservations are required but what I love is that you can do a 1-night stay!! A 1-night stay in Maine during the summer is unheard of!
Any camping reservation will get you a discount on general admission to the Desert of Maine and Mini Golf too!
What’s in my car or backpack for this visit?
For this trip I am definitely purchasing Burt’s Bees Dusting Powder from Amazon.
Did you know that putting a little dusting powder on your dry skin is a great way to get the sand off? Several years ago my good friend Amy gave me this suggestion and it has been a lifesaver for me..and my car!
Key Takeaways:
- The Desert of Maine is a 20 minute drive from Portland and is a great spot for families to check out. You can expect to spend 2-3 hours exploring all the features of this property.
- The property is quite expansive. Plan to bring a jogging stroller or borrow one of theirs for littles who might need a ride.
- Dogs on leashes are allowed on the dunes and ADA designated service dogs are allowed on the golf course. Please follow these rules!
- Admissions costs are not exactly budget-friendly. However, they do offer a variety of discounts for people including Freeport residents.
- Packing Essentials:
- Stanley Jug for Water
- Snacks
- Dusting Powder
- Oxo Tot 2-in-1 Travel Potty
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Happy Adventuring!
~Natalie