We Have Arrived: Freeport, Maine! Day 8

Wednesday, August 13, 2014: The four of us family enjoyed a very rainy yet fun drive up Interstate 95, north through Massachusetts, then through New Hampshire for 15 minutes, then to the State of Maine.  The roadside scenery was one big forest with microwave towers over the trees here and there.  It took only three hours from southern Massachusetts to Freeport, Maine, even in fairly heavy traffic most of the way.

It is SO rainy today that this TV tower alongside I-95 is disappearing into the clouds!

We didn't get to see much of New Hampshire State today - but we'll return!

 The Maine Stateline is in the middle of this bridge, the Memorial Bridge.

We are officially in Maine!

Once in Freeport, Maine, we are quite pleased to park, unpack, and get settled in our garden suites hotel.

Daughter, Mary, grandson, Michael, and son-in-law, Dave: we're all ready to go out to dinner.

We strolled past some very interesting shops we'd like to explore more fully tomorrow.

My favorite store in Freeport!  Mary and I had visited this when we took a trip up the east coast lighthouse hunting in 2004.  

The four of us enjoyed a wonderful seafood dinner at Linda Bean's Maine Kitchen, directly opposite the giant L.L.Bean store. Above, Mary and Michael.  Below, Dave and me/Jan.

The L.L.Bean store across the street from the restaurant.

We had hoped to shop and shop at this huge, flagship store of our favorite catalog source, L.L.Bean.  But, alas, we've never seen it rain so hard for so long!  We shopped for a few minutes at the Mangy Moose store.  Michael has a new little stuffed moose now!  By the time we walked the several blocks back to the hotel, the four of us were thoroughly soaked.  The L.L.Bean store is open 24/7, so we may decide to shop later tonight, or tomorrow, for sure.  We also plan on finding more lighthouses we've never seen in this area.  We haven't seen the Maine coast yet but I remember it is rugged and rocky, very windy and cool - perfect for finding old lighthouses!