Freeport, Maine: Life in the Land of L.L. Bean

The jagged coastline of Maine has no shortage of small villages - in fact the map is virtually covered with fine print, but only one can claim L.L. Bean. Little Freeport, with a population under 8000 has become a popular destination thanks in large part to the L.L. Bean phenomenon.

In the heart of the village, the Harraseeket Inn looks like the New England inn of our imagination. A traditional white building with black shutters, she may seem austere on the outside, but the inside is all about luxury. Country inns such as this strive for personality most standard hotels lack. The Harraseeket surpasses that goal.

You need not look far to find inn owner Chip Gray. A true "hands-on" guy, Chip can be found fixing the dishwasher, transferring luggage, or checking the produce. He obviously takes the term multi-tasking to heart. Chip seems to have the energy of three men; maybe four men if you count the ringing cell phone clipped to his belt. There are plenty of staff members around to handle the duties, but it's his baby and no task is too small.

A fine dinner is steps away at the Broad Arrow Tavern, inside the Harraseeket. Thanks to an open, wood-fired oven, meats are incredibly tender. The Maine dining room is another meal option at the inn. It has a reputation far beyond the state borders and prides itself on locally grown produce.

Speaking of food, across from the Harraseeket, you can see a McDonald's restaurant unlike any other. Completely disguised as a house, you'd never know it contained a fast food establishment. Even the drive-through window is carefully hidden. Apparently building codes are very strict in Freeport.

The flagship L.L. Bean store is in easy walking distance from the Harraseeket. No worries on when you arrive, as this store is open every day of the year, twenty-four hours per day. I imagine it's quite festive on Christmas Eve.

Other outlet shops are now located in Freeport, capitalizing on the magnet store of LL Bean. You can find Calvin Klein, GAP, Ralph Lauren, and Brooks Brothers among others. If you're staying at the Harraseeket, you can leave your vehicle parked and enjoy the shopping at your leisure.

What do a former U.S. Ski team coach, a Maine potato farmer, a brain surgeon and a master brewer have in common? They've all partnered in a new venture located in Freeport, called Maine Distilleries. Utilizing Maine potatoes and pristine water from the Cold River, the distillery is producing top-of-the-line vodka.

The world's top selling spirit (with some thanks to James Bond) was originally produced from potatoes and Maine is a leader in that crop.

Chris Dowe, head distiller for Maine Distilleries comments, "Sure, it's cheaper to make vodkas from grain like rye or barley, but trust us-potatoes produce better tasting and much smoother vodka. That's why we chose to make Cold River Vodka from Maine-grown Norwis potatoes."

Visitors to Freeport can tour the distillery to see how vodka is produced, starting with some very large sacks of potatoes.