Day Trip to Cushing and Friendship

Outdoor Sculpture, Beautiful Maine Countryside, Lunch on the Beach, and More

There are so many interesting, unusual and scenic places in Maine, we often return to our favorite spots. But it’s always a pleasure discovering places we’ve never been before, and that’s how we decided to head up to Cushing and Friendship, in the MidCoast.

 

 

Maine Art, Maine Landscape: The Langlais Art Preserve in Cushing

Seeing art in the right environment adds a lot to the experience. So viewing these rough-hewn, large-scale outdoor wooden sculptures at the Langlais Art Preserve — nestled along a short walk in the beautiful Cushing landscape, as the artist Bernard Langlais intended — is ideal. And it’s even nicer if you hit it on a beautiful summer day, as we did. There are more than a dozen works to see in this 10-acre art environment, which had been Langlais’ home, and is now protected by Georges River Land Trust. It’s only about 3 miles off Route 1 but is truly off the beaten path.

 

 

 

Langlais grew up in Old Town, Maine and spent time in New York City as a painter, spending summers in Cushing. In 1966 he and his wife moved permanently to the property that is now the Preserve, and he began creating large-scale wood sculptures. The art preserve’s website says, “Bernard Langlais enjoyed making and displaying his art outdoors, where weather, wildlife, and people interact with the work. He valued the aliveness of wood and left behind artworks that are as impermanent as they are imposing.” Langlais’ art can be seen in museums across the state of Maine, but this site-specific setting gives the viewer a fresh appreciation for his life and work.

We visited on a Sunday morning when the Barn and Workshop were open, which we really enjoyed. Standing at a work table covered with old tools and art pieces in varying stages of completion in the cluttered space, you get a feeling for the artist’s environment and process, not to mention his view out the barn window. The Preserve’s website sums up the feeling well with the line, “Love of place, Sense of place, Art of place.”

 

 

 

Details: Grounds are open daily and include a 1/4-mile ADA accessible gravel path, providing a pleasant stroll through the landscaped environment. The barn workshop is open in the summer only, with limited hours. More info at langlaisartpreserve.org.

 

Lunch & Rocky Beach in Friendship

Next we were ready to explore nearby Friendship, a picturesque harbor town, but needed lunch. We stopped at Wallace’s Market and Italian Deli on Harbor Road. A classic Maine general store, they offer a variety of hot and cold sandwiches and pizza, along with prepared foods, groceries, and a wide range of beers and wines.

 

 

 

 

We got our sandwiches to go and after taking in the view at the waterfront, we found our way to Martin’s Point Beach. We parked at the side of the road along with a few other cars. There was only a handful of people already on the secluded, rocky beach. We set up our chairs and enjoyed the peaceful view while we ate.

 

Window Shopping in Damariscotta & Craft Beer in Newcastle

Almost ready to head south and make our way home, we stopped in Damariscotta and poked around. Main Street was bustling with shoppers, and there were tents set up by the river at Schooner Landing, with live music and outdoor seating. We enjoyed some window shopping and people watching.

 

 

 

 

Then we headed out of town to nearby Oxbow Brewing, a small farmhouse brewery in Newcastle, to sample their brews and wind down our day. Relaxing at a picnic table on a large deck overlooking their lawn and pond, we shared small sample pours of all six beers on tap — and then enjoyed a glass of our favorites, the Surfcasting (a farmhouse wheat beer with sea salt and lime) and Sun Sun (a mixed fermentation farmhouse ale with citrus).

 

 

 

 

We packed a lot into our day trip — art, ocean views, main street browsing, and local food and drink. We only traveled about an hour and a half from Portland, but we were a world away from the summer crowds. With so much to explore, MidCoast Maine is a perfect day trip destination, and we look forward to going back soon.

 

Want more ideas for a day trip, or for a longer stay in the MidCoast? Read 10 Things You Don’t Want to Miss This Summer.