The Great Maine Adventure with LLBean Trip Details Daily Itinerary
Transcription
The Great Maine Adventure with LLBean Trip Details Daily Itinerary
The Great Maine Adventure with L.L.Bean Explore the best of Maine and L.L.Bean, in one amazing trip Maine is full of adventures, and L.L.Bean Outdoor Discovery Schools is excited to share them with you on this amazing, one-of-a-kind experience right here in our own backyard. Trip Details Locations: Portland, Freeport and Camden Duration: 7 Days/6 Nights Accommodations: 4- and 5-Star Hotels Activity Level: Easy/Moderate Group Size: 12 (not including trip leaders) Minimum age: 12 Cost: $2,995, includes taxes (single supplement: $450) Climate Information: Average Daily Temperature in September: High 70°F/Low 50°F With beautiful summer-like days, comfortably cool nights and the first hint at Maine’s spectacular fall-foliage season, September is an ideal time to visit. Daily Itinerary Day 1: Welcome Lunch and Guided Lighthouse Bike Tour Our trip begins with a morning pickup at the Portland International Jetport. (If driving to Maine, please plan to meet us at the Hyatt Place Hotel, Portland-Old Port.) Once we gather as a group at 11 a.m., we’ll shuttle to the Hyatt Place, conveniently located in the historic Old Port. After a welcome lunch at the hotel, we’ll start on our first Maine adventure: a scenic 7-mile cycling tour along the rocky coast of southern Maine, featuring visits to three historic lighthouses. Our first stop is Bug Light, one of Maine’s most elegant lighthouses, and the site of the Liberty Ship Memorial. Next, we will cycle to the Spring Point Ledge Lighthouse in South Portland, a unique stone version of the “sparkplug”-style lighthouse, for a private tour of a real working lighthouse. Our last stop will be the Portland Head Light in Cape Elizabeth. This is the most photographed lighthouse in the U.S. and offers breathtaking views from where it sits overlooking the entrance to Casco Bay. Before heading out on this scenic ride, you’ll receive a primer in safety practices and a comprehensive overview of the equipment you’ll be using. The pace is leisurely, appropriate for all levels of cyclists, with plenty of time to take in the views. The tour is also shuttle supported. There will be time in the late afternoon to explore Portland on your own. This vibrant city has plenty to enjoy – such as galleries, shopping, harbor, historic homes and more. Our group dinner will be at Scales, Portland’s newest premier restaurant from the owners of Fore Street and Street and Co. Scales is on the water and within easy walking distance of the hotel. Hotel: Hyatt Place, Portland-Old Port Meals: L, D Activity: 7-mile bike ride Day 2: Semiprivate Lessons, L.L.Bean Factory Tour & L.L.Bean-Boot Fitting After breakfast, we’ll head to the charming town of Freeport, home to L.L.Bean since 1912. There you will meet our instructors to receive semiprivate coaching in the outdoor activity of your choice: Stand Up Paddle Boarding: Learn the exciting sport of stand up paddle boarding (SUP) – the perfect blend of exercise and fun. Our expert paddlers will teach you the fundamentals of moving on your board, with plenty of on-water time to improve your technique. Questions? Please call us at 1-888-270-2326 or email [email protected] The Great Maine Adventure with L.L.Bean Explore the best of Maine and L.L.Bean, in one amazing trip Fly Fishing: In just a few hours with our world-class instructors, you’ll learn the fundamentals of fly fishing – the four-part cast, hook setting, fish fighting and landing, fly-fishing etiquette and safety. Wing Shooting: Our expert instructors will perform a complete assessment of your skills, helping to identify challenges and providing technique refinements that will have you shooting more accurately in no time. This is an amazing opportunity to learn a new skill or hone existing skills. People travel from all over the world to receive instruction from our nationally accredited stand-up-paddle-boarding, fly-fishing and wing-shooting instructors. With up to 2 guests per instructor, this promises to be a very memorable experience. Our Adventure Consultants will contact you before your trip starts to find out which activity you prefer. After a lunch catered by a favorite local eatery, our guides will take you to the L.L.Bean manufacturing facility in Brunswick. On this special behind-the-scenes tour, you’ll see our boot-making process firsthand plus meet the skilled men and women who expertly handcraft the boots, one pair at a time. After this VIP tour, you’ll have the opportunity for a personal fitting for your very own custom L.L.Bean Boots (included in the cost of this trip). Boots will be sent to you after the trip. Dinner will be at one of Harraseeket Inn’s award-winning restaurants. Eat at your own schedule or join your fellow travelers. *While staying in Freeport, guests also have the option of a personal shopping experience at our legendary Flagship Store. It is open 24 hours, every day, so let us know when you’d like to go! Hotel: Harraseeket Inn, Freeport Meals: B, L, D Activity: Outdoor activity of your choice Day 3: Kayak Tour of Casco Bay with Island Lobster Bake Leave your everyday worries behind as you paddle the islands and bays of Maine’s scenic coast. After a brief demonstration to cover the basic strokes and techniques for paddling a two-person tandem kayak, our guides will lead you on an interpretive tour, sharing their knowledge of the plants, wildlife and history of the Gosling Island preserve. You’ll explore rocky islands and quiet coves and get a firsthand look at a stunning array of wildlife, including seals, osprey and American bald eagles. To top it off, we’ll stop at an island beach to enjoy a delicious lobster-bake lunch prepared by your guides. Once we return to the dock, you will have time to stroll Freeport’s shops and attractions at your leisure. Dinner will be at one of the signature restaurants at the Harraseeket Inn. Eat at your own schedule or join fellow travelers. *While staying in Freeport, guests will also have the option of a personal shopping experience at our legendary Flagship Store. It is open 24 hours, every day, so let us know when you’d like to go! Hotel: Harraseeket Inn, Freeport Meals: B, L, D Activity: Kayak day tour Day 4: Stand Up Paddle Boarding, Fly Fishing or Shooting, (optional) Hike and Spirits Tasting After breakfast, you’ll head back outside, where you’ll get a chance to put the skills you learned on Day 2 into practice. Stand Up Paddle Boarding: Stand up paddlers will head to the water for a three-hour paddling tour exploring the Maine coastline in the protected waters of the Harraseeket River. We will paddle past working lobster boats and explore tidal estuaries teeming with wildlife. For lunch, we will stop along the shoreline at a local restaurant renowned for its lobster rolls and picturesque ambiance. Fly Fishing: If fly fishing was your Day 2 activity, you will spend the morning with our nationally accredited fishing guides on a guided drift boat trip on the Androscoggin River. With no more than two guests per boat, you are in for a special treat. Drift boats allow you to sneak up on feeding fish in a way that powerboats can’t. Even if you’ve never fished before, our experienced guides will teach you the basics and have you catching fish in no time. Questions? Please call us at 1-888-270-2326 or email [email protected] The Great Maine Adventure with L.L.Bean Explore the best of Maine and L.L.Bean, in one amazing trip Wing Shooting: Shotgun shooters will head back to the range, where our experts will help you improve your shooting skills and teach you some advanced techniques to add to your “bag of tricks” for shooting effectively. As avid 5-stand sporting clay shooters and wingshooters themselves, the guides can answer any questions you have about this exciting sport. Shooters are also welcome to join our 5-Stand Sporting Clays event at Fogg Farm, open from 2 p.m. to dusk. In the late afternoon, there will be an optional nature hike at Wolfe’s Neck Woods State Park where we’ll walk along the shoreline, past gardens and open fields, and through a variety of habitats. The hike will be followed by a local spirits tasting. Alternatively, you can spend your last afternoon and evening in Freeport exploring local attractions or relaxing at the Harraseeket Inn. For this evening’s dinner, you are on your own. We are happy to help you pick a restaurant in Freeport to suit your tastes and make reservations for you. *While staying in Freeport, guests will also have the option of a personal shopping experience at our legendary Flagship Store. It is open 24 hours, every day, so let us know when you’d like to go! Hotel: Harraseeket Inn, Freeport Meals: B, L Activity: Stand up paddle boarding, fly fishing or shooting; optional hike Day 5: Sailing on Penobscot Bay & (optional) Rockland Tour Morning van ride to Camden, Maine, the “Jewel of the Coast.” After arriving in the picturesque town of Camden and settling into the Whitehall Inn, we’ll board the historic schooner Olad for an unforgettable half-day windjammer cruise and catered lunch. Owner and skipper Captain Aaron Lincoln, a local Mainer, will talk to us about the boating history and local lore as we cruise around scenic Penobcot Bay, one of his favorite locations, and experience a unique view of lighthouses, islands, lobster boats, wildlife, private yachts and summer estates. After we return to the Whitehall Inn, there will be an optional outing to the charming coastal town of Rockland. Here you can explore the many galleries and shops in its historic downtown or visit the Farnsworth Art Museum. A real treat for art lovers, the Farnsworth Art Museum offers nationally recognized collection of American art with Maine connections. It also houses the Wyeth Center, featuring the works of Andrew, N.C. and Jamie Wyeth. If you prefer to stay in Camden, the Whitehall Inn is an easy 10-minute walk to village shops, scenic views and galleries. You can’t go wrong with either choice. For this evening’s dinner, you are on your own. Our guides are happy to help you pick one of the many award-winning restaurants in Camden or Rockland and make reservations for you. Hotel: Whitehall Inn, Camden Meals: B, L Activity: Schooner sail and optional trip to Rockland Day 6: Mount Megunticook Trail Hike, Free Time to Explore Camden and Final Dinner Today we will hike up Mount Megunticook for an amazing five-hour hike. The tallest peak in Camden Hills State Park, this mountain features sweeping views of Penobscot Bay, Lake Megunticook, Mount Battie, Cadillac Mountain and Bald Mountain. Once we reach the summit, we will take a break to take in the spectacular scenery and enjoy a picnic lunch. Mount Megunticook Trail is a moderately challenging 6.2-miles roundtrip. After we return from the hike, you will have free time to explore more of Camden’s shops, views and galleries or relax comfortably at the iconic Whitehall Inn. For our final dinner, we will dine at the Pig + Poet Restaurant at the Whitehall. The Pig + Poet features Chef Sam Talbot’s focus on simple ingredients and sustainable sourcing. Chef Talbot is also a cookbook author and Top Chef alum. Hotel: Whitehall Inn, Camden Meals: B, L, D Activity: 5-hour Mount Megunticook Hike Questions? Please call us at 1-888-270-2326 or email [email protected] The Great Maine Adventure with L.L.Bean Explore the best of Maine and L.L.Bean, in one amazing trip Day 7: Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens & drive back to Portland After breakfast, we will depart for the Coastal Maine Botanical Garden in Boothbay, featuring over 270 acres of formal gardens, walking trails, waterfalls and art sculptures. September is an especially great time to peruse the rose garden and enjoy the New England asters in bloom. This visit will give us a chance to explore another beautiful property and stretch out our legs on our way south. After our tour, we’ll continue our drive to Portland International Jetport; estimated arrival time at the airport is noon. Meals: B Activity: Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens visit ADDITIONAL TRIP INFORMATION Accommodations All accommodations have been carefully selected for their ideal locations and comfort. Each room is double occupancy, with private baths. The Hyatt Place Hotel, Portland-Old Port (1 night) Conveniently located in the heart of Maine’s historic Old Port neighborhood, the centerpiece to Portland’s vibrant culture. Hotel features include spacious rooms, casual atmosphere and complimentary hotelwide Wi-Fi access. Harraseeket Inn, Freeport (3 nights) A family-owned luxury inn with 23 fireplaces, antiques, award-winning dining and true Maine hospitality – and just steps away from the shopping village of Freeport. Whitehall Inn, Camden (2 nights) Iconic Whitehall features quaint rooms with antiques, a large porch with rocking chairs and an ideal location, just .8 miles from Camden Harbor and a 10-minute walk from charming downtown shops and galleries. Questions? Please call us at 1-888-270-2326 or email [email protected] The Great Maine Adventure with L.L.Bean Explore the best of Maine and L.L.Bean, in one amazing trip Food & Drink All breakfasts are provided by the lodging. Six lunches are provided (lunches may be catered, packed or at local restaurants). The four included dinners will be at some of Maine’s best restaurants, featuring local, organic ingredients. Meals included in the price of the trip will be a combination of group meals at specific times or meals on your own schedule. Alcoholic beverages not included. To discuss dietary restrictions or food allergies, please call our Adventure Consultants at 1-888-270-2326. Activity Level This trip is rated easy; all activities are appropriate for a person in good health with an average level of fitness. If you have questions about your ability to do the daily activities, please call one of our helpful Adventure Consultants and they can help you decide. Daily activities are always optional, and there is plenty of free time built into the schedule for relaxing and exploring on your own. Connectivity All accommodations have free wifi available. Cellphone coverage will be good in most places we are traveling with some exceptions during outdoor activities. Luggage This trip is supported with a 14-passenger bus. We ask that you limit your luggage to one medium-sized, soft-sided bag that you can easily handle. We also recommend you bring a daypack in addition to your main bag. Please see packing list for more details about what to bring. Activities and schedules are weather dependent. We reserve the right to change itinerary due to inclement weather. Questions? Please call us at 1-888-270-2326 or email [email protected]