Next to the camping area there is a small pond with swimming, and a bridge that they let you jump from (we were told this by an employee). The bridge has ladders and a jumping platform. The water is dark brown, with leaf debris at the bottom. The pond is by a small stream, and the […]
This location is part of the White Mountains National Forest, which is primarily in New Hampshire, but does enter into Maine around here. Emerald Pool is variously described as being in either New Hampshire or Maine, but you can see by our GPS and map that it is in New Hampshire, close to the border. Park in […]
This is a private campground that allows the purchase of day passes for their beach. It seems to be a very clean and well maintained campground, with lots of quirky features like a clock tower and an old train caboose. The swimming beach is on an inlet, and at low tide recedes quite a bit […]
Sebago Lake State Park is one of the most popular parks in Maine, and is VERY crowded on the weekends. The beach here is long, but not terribly wide (only about ten to twenty feet), and it is pretty much jam-packed with people. With that said, it is a lovely area, which is why we […]
This is an oceanside town park, with a swimming beach and dock. The park is close to the outlet shopping in Freeport, so you could easily do both. There is camping available, and a playground with a wooden ark. The park was quiet and clean, and very peaceful when we where here. There are also […]
This is a private beach that is open to the public, though the nearby private campground requires registration and is fenced off. You’ll see a small toll booth off of Route 216, which is where you pay the day use fee. We were there on a weekday and the booth was empty, so it might […]
This is an unusual entry, as it is a private campground, but they do allow you to purchase a day pass to explore their waterfall trail, and they don’t prohibit swimming in the falls. The entire trail is basically a creek walk through the falls, so this hike is moderate for adults, but slippery and […]
This is a gorgeous park with a series of waterfalls and creeks to explore. There is an official swimming area where they have dammed off a part of the river. The walk along the falls is easy, and very picturesque, with stone bridges and staircases. http://nysparks.com/parks/118/details.aspx
This is a lovely beach with a hilly approach and expansive view. There were no lifeguards or buoys when we were there, but swimming is allowed according to their website, and there is a sign saying no swimming when lifeguards are off duty. http://nysparks.com/parks/129/amenities-activities.aspx
Watkins Glen is one of the most famous parks in New York, and for good reason. The trails follow a gorge with multiple waterfalls, and weaves in and out of small caves and falls. It is one of the most beautiful places we visited. This trail is very wet, and you should wear shoes that […]