Experience a day of discovery at the Desert of Maine
Uncover a world of wonder where Maine geology and history collide. As one of the most unique places in Maine, our site offers a diverse range of activities that go far beyond the dunes. From exploring the historical farmhouse museum to wandering through our lush forest trails, there is something here for every curious traveler. Whether you are stopping by on a Maine road trip or searching for things to do near Freeport, Maine with kids, you will find a perfect blend of education and adventure.
Putt your way through the Desert of Maine with Mini Golf
The Desert of Maine has a modern 18-hole "adventure" mini golf course that is as unique as the Desert itself. It features beautiful landscaping, water features, challenging hole designs, and sculptures from the Desert’s history.
Enjoy a scenic train ride
See the sights from our electric train, fashioned after an 1800s Maine Central Railroad engine. Enjoy a tour of the dunes and forest in a half-mile loop, stopping at many of our visitors’ favorite exhibits, including Gemstone Village, Fossil Dig, and the Tuttle Farmhouse.
Experience ecological wonders
At the Desert of Maine, an ecological tug of war takes place between the forest and the dunes—500 rolling acres of sand deposited by glaciers tens of thousands of years ago. Take a self-guided ecology walk and discover the Recovery Zone, a living classroom where you can see reforestation happening in real time.
Climb, jump, play, repeat
We have a one-of-a-kind natural playground that kids absolutely love. Kids can peer across the dunes from the lookout tower, explore inside the moose, climb on the ropes and log jam, or swing high in the air!
Unearth rare treasures at Gemstone Village
Our most popular attraction with families, Gemstone Village is a magic-filled labyrinth where kids can dig for treasure, slide down the wishing bridge structure, play in the Gnome Home, and imagine a world of faeries, gnomes, and a Green Man. Kids can even climb up and peer through the giant’s mouth or look out from a perch above the top ofhis hair!
Walk through a story beneath the pines
A nature walk combined with signs showing pages of an illustrated children's book about the Desert of Maine from the perspective of Pierre, a grain of sand!
See how shifting sands created the Buried Spring House
A gazebo built atop a natural spring and buried under 25ft. of sand since WWII. The site was excavated in the spring of 2021 and is currently being reconstructed from historic photos.
Excavate hidden secrets
A hands-on Fossil Dig experience where kids can use tools and techniques of paleontology to uncover fossils that would have been found on the ancient sea floor just beneath the Desert sand.
The Tuttle Farmhouse
Come see what life was like for the Tuttle family when they farmed this land in the 1800s. The original Tuttle farmhouse burned down in 1906, so we found a nearly identical farmhouse in NH which we relocated to the Desert. We spent more than a year restoring the frame and putting the original interiors (parts of which dates from the 1700s!) back together. The house is now a living museum of what life was like in 1800s for farmers in Maine.
See a piece of automobile history at Shady Grove
Our classic roadside filling station full of interpretive signage, automobile ephemera from the early 20th century, a museum-grade exhibit on women-owned and operated "Tea Rooms" from the 1930s and a 1924 Ford Model T that the family can climb in for a photo.
Get keepsakes, guidance & more at the Gift Shop
A charming, 1930s-era gift shop where you can purchase tickets, ask for information, and shop for the perfect keepsake. The Gift Shop is located in the Welcome Center which also houses Oasis Cafe.
Go on an epic adventure with a Scavenger Hunt
Grab a sheet and a crayon and set off on a Desert-wide scavenger hunt — tracking down hidden characters, collecting rubbings, and uncovering the stories woven into every corner of our one-of-a-kind landscape.
Loved by visitors, passholders, and press
It’s a place unlike any other in Maine...
The Desert of Maine is a must visit spot.
Mike, Google review
Visiting this amazing place is a summer staple for us.
Emily, Season Passholder
Joseph, Google review
I wish we’d spent more time here. We’ll definitely be back to explore the dunes and the farmhouse.
Brooke, Freeport Local
FEATURED IN
Frequently asked questions
Clint Harp, award-winning carpenter, HGTV hit show Fixer Upper alum, and host of Restoration Road, heads to the Desert of Maine. He takes on a challenge: to transport, rebuild and assemble our 18th century New England Cape Cod house as a historical museum.
“It’s a place unlike any other in Maine,” reports NBC’s News Center Maine. “Acres of fine sand stretches out into the distance, complete with sand dunes, looking much like, well, a miniature desert. Welcome to the Desert of Maine, an ecological oddity that’s been a tourist attraction for a century.”
Our re-opening made a splash in the local papers. The Press Herald got an exclusive: how we launched The Desert of Maine, reopening with new attractions and a focus on sciences. They also chronicle the unveiling of our nonprofit to promote arts and sciences.
Explore the Desert of Maine through the lens of journalists and ecologists alike
Loved by visitors, passholders, and press
It’s a place unlike any other in Maine...
The Desert of Maine is a must visit spot.
Mike, Google review
Visiting this amazing place is a summer staple for us.
Emily, Season Passholder
Joseph, Google review
I wish we’d spent more time here. We’ll definitely be back to explore the dunes and the farmhouse.
Brooke, Freeport Local
FEATURED IN
