Camping in Maine – Wolf’s Neck Oceanfront Campground

The purpose of this post is to emphasize local travel. You don’t need to fly all over the world when there is beauty to discover in your very back yard. In this post I’m highlighting a particular campground, though there are many like it all over the country where the advance camper to the novice requiring comforts from home can come together and enjoy the peace and tranquility of the outdoors. Sampling some local flavors on the way is for sure a bonus!

Hitting the Road

Living in or around Boston you are cursed with the #2 worst traffic in the world, but blessed with the treasured coastline and all the beauty it has to offer.  With a little skillful planning and tactical maneuvering regarding traffic patterns, you could find your self nestled amongst the trees and ocean in just a few short hours.  This trip began in Braintree MA traveling up the coast to Freeport ME with a quick lunch stop in York (a do not miss lunch break).

Leaving on a Friday at noon, we were able to avoid the traffic through Boston.  It only takes about an hour and 45 minutes to get to York from our starting point which made it a great place to stop and get gas, something to eat, and let the kids stretch their legs.  Roughly 10 minutes off 95 N you can casually dine at Fox’s Lobster House while gazing over rocky shoreline of the ocean and the Nubble Lighthouse.  There is out door shaded dining, along with indoor if you prefer, and a walk up window to order from.  We got lobster rolls, the grilled chicken sandwich and of course chicken nuggets and French fries.  It was all delicious and came out quick! Since I was the start of our vacation, we thought we would indulge in some ice cream which was perfect on the warm day.

We decided to take out two children 4.5 and 2.5 on a camping trip and discovered Wolf’s Necks OceanFront Campground just 2.5 hours north of us in Maine.  This place is amazing and has something for everyone! Whether you are a true camper and want to pitch your own tent and enjoy privacy and peace, there are cozy sites that offer just that. Perhaps you enjoy the outdoors but with comforts of home, plenty of RV sites and a handful of cabins.  Or maybe you are in between and want the experience of camping but not all the work, they have A-frames and Comfort Camping available.  Sitting on 626 acres, there is plenty of space to fill everyone’s preferences. 

We opted for site 414 which is one of there more remote locations.  Our set up includes a 1963 International Travelall that carries our MIA rooftop tent that you’ve seen on our Scout II.  What’s great about this tent is that it not only clamshells open, but the floor opens back on itself creating a larger footprint for our family of 4 to sleep (somewhat) comfortably.  Im not sure if you have ever shared sleeping space with a 2 year old but its like trying to cuddle a pygmy goat that’s practicing kickboxing, all in the fun of camping!  Our site is of the more minimalist with only a well water spout, no electricity but we had brought enough battery sources for the items we needed power for.  We aim to keep our camping trips as electronic free (tablets and phones) as possible but succumb to the fun and fantastical way of watch a movie as a family drive in movie style.  For that we have a projector set up and have a few family friendly downloaded movies on our phone so we can end a busy day, cuddled up by the fire, eating popcorn and smores before retiring to bed.  I was a little nervous on how we could possibly keep two toddlers entertained for 3 full days with essentially no screen time, but the magic of this campsite and a few well thought out amazon purchases made it so easy and fun!

Before our trip I sat down and really thought about the ages that my children are at right now and what might hold there interest the most and envoke creativity.  My daughter is an easier on, being that she is older too.  For her I got a paint by number sticker book that she LOVES! There are different books with varied ability challenges so make sure you pay attention to the one you get.  This sticker book held her attention and she was able to self play and show was what she accomplished when she finished her picture.  These are great for air travel too! I also had her pick out some of her favorite toys from home which at the moment are LOL Dolls.  They are cute and come in all different personalities and accessories and she really has been tapping into her character play with these dolls.

For my son, he is a boys boy! Love anything he can hit, throw, climb, make a mess etc.  For him a got a cute little golf set that he had fun chipping the ball around and it was made of plastic so I didn’t worry he could do much damage with it.  I also got them both a Bug catcher kit which was the VIP of the trip.  The kids spent hours looking for bugs and using their magnifying glasses to investigate.  Discovering that some had wings and asking questions about different types of insects, it was really fun for all of us. 

Some things I always bring on camp trips are watercolor paints, great for painted rocks or tree bark, plain paper and crayons, and imagination! Our daughter loved building fairy houses around our site and it was so fun to share in their creativity and wonder. At night we would set up our portable projector and screens for smores, popcorn and movie night! The farm store has all these staples and more including local meats, vegetables and super cute memorabilia. Be sure to download any media you want to watch because Wi-Fi can be spotty, which isn’t the worst thing!

We spent three nights/four days and really lucked out with the weather. Our mornings would be lazy, slowly making breakfast and letting the kids help where they could. Then we would clean up a little, go for a walk, explore the trails or rent bikes and ride around. Visiting the cows was always fun and there are other animals and classes you can sign up for if you like a little more structure. It was an absolute joy being at this campsite. A few bugs but not overwhelming where we didn’t enjoy ourselves. We already have a trip planned for late summer in the same location and we will be sure to update!