Let’s Go Glamping!
Let’s hop back to the days when camping simply meant pitching a tent in the great outdoors, cooking your own food on the fire, and completely enveloping in nature for full days at a time. Sounds pretty fab, right??
While these features still remain true at many campgrounds, there’s a special place in Maine that takes camping to a whole new level, and we think it’s just the dreamiest!
A skip past the hustle and bustle of Dock Square, and slightly shy of the pristine beauty of Goose Rocks Beach, lies a beautiful, nature-encompassed campground called Sandy Pines. This coastal Maine oasis first opened in 2016 as a retreat that offers quite the selection of camping options – from pitching traditional tents and hooking up to rv sites, to staying in luxurious family-friendly cottages, glamp tents, and unique retreats – like the fabulously outfitted vintage airstream designed by local interior designer Krista Stokes!
To kick off summer 2019, we enjoyed a little staycation at Sandy Pines and embarked on our first ever glamping experience. We stayed in a sweet and cozy cottage (Shoutout to beautiful campsite #29!) just steps from the quiet marsh that was outfitted with one deluxe king bed, a bunk bed, cozy blankets galore, and a personal fire pit with two adirondack chairs—s’mores anyone?? Our one-room cottage was clean, upscale, and had everything you would find in an elevated hotel room—minus a bathroom. But hey, it’s summer, we’re still camping, and the bath houses are just steps away and sparkling clean!
During our 3-day staycation, we ventured out to some places off the grounds that we’d never been to before, so it felt a little like we were tourists in our own neck of the woods!
*Batson River Brewing Company: The atmosphere here is upscale hipster on the inside, and laid-back casual around the firepit outside! Going in, I thought the food would be great, but it truly blew us away—it was flavorful, fresh, and heavenly! Plus, the handcrafted bevvies were deliciously memorable.
*Merriland Golf Course: On Saturday, we hit the links at a charming par three golf course in nearby Wells, Maine. The course is open to the public and costs $18 for nine holes.
*Satellite Doughnuts: Mmmmmm! The cutie mini-doughnuts from this Dock Square doughnut shop were both adorable and delicious!
*Kennebunk Farmers’ Market: Such a charming town market with local vendors selling everything from locally-grown veggies and artisanal meats, to handcrafted ice cream and Maine-made wine! A trip to the market pairs especially well with a perky bev from Boulangerie, A Proper Bakery!
*Maxim’s: Ice cream cone, meet strawberry rhubarb pie. It’s a “pie cone” cart by the water in Kennebunk that smears freshly-baked pie in around the cone, follows with a scoop of ice cream, and is smothered yet again with even more pie. It tastes even better than it sounds.
Back at the campsite, Sandy Pines offers a variety of family-friendly activities for kids of all ages and in all kinds of weather—think heated saltwater pool, corn hole, board games, a playground, events, a general store, and a snack bar. And Goose Rocks Beach is just a pleasant one-mile bike ride away!
Some other places we love in Kennebunkport…
Activities:
–Kennebunkport Bicycle Company
Shopping:
Breakfast/Coffee/Snacks:
Dinner:
If you’re looking for a wonderful way to enjoy a quick getaway that’s not too far from home, we highly recommend Sandy Pines Campground as a relaxing, nature-filled retreat that offers so much both on and off the campground—it’s a true Maine vacation-“the way life should be”!
Thank you for a memorable glamping experience, Sandy Pines; we can’t wait to return!!