Freeport, Maine: Desert of Maine

A former farm and now a desert, with real rolling dunes that have swallowed buildings and trees.

Totally refurbished in 2021. New playground and labyrinth. Fossil dig and mini golf coming this fall.

Even the person who joined me, and who isn't as into roadside attractions, thought this was a lot of fun. The gift shop is renovated with some quirky gifts, plus postcards and all manner of Maine stuff. Ask about some of the memorabilia they have, such as the antique "SandCraft" sand art kit. Check out the barn, too.

There's also a new (and honestly pretty fun) playground made from a gargantuan old tree that was removed. They were literally building the rest of it while we were there. If you want somewhere to let the kids swing around and burn off some energy, it's a good place to stop.

Plus, the sand... is still there!

This place remains a geological oddity and it is beautiful. Mela and Doug Heestand, the owners as of 2018, are creating a fun and educational place to visit. With an emphasis on the local market, they are promoting concerts and other events in the historic barn, updating the walking tours, created a new campground, and have built a unique playground. And they have painted the (now) very colorful fiberglass camel.

Cool. It literally looks like a desert, so like desert there's nothing much to see. It was obviously a waste of $10 yet the owners were very lovely, yes. Oh, and they are going to have some music concerts in the bar, which would be fun !