Camp In Maine had a chance to speak with Andrea of Cascadia Park about their close proximity to the ocean, the variety of campsites to choose from and how she would spend an hour in the park.
Andrea’s Favorite Thing To Do In The Park
Walking around the park. Three times around the outside loop is a mile. It is also nice to sit and relax and enjoy the woods, the birds, and wildflowers. Sometimes I see deer and wild turkeys on my walks. And once we had a baby moose drinking water from the pond.
Andrea’s Favorite Campsites
For tent’s I’d choose site 65 or 66 because they want to be by themselves. If I had a trailer I would probably choose 84 (very large and secluded). Our drive- through sites are nice for RV’s.
Get To Know Cascadia Park
When was Cascadia Park founded? How did it start?
We first opened in 1965. This land was originally part of a farm owned by my great-grandparents. In World War II my grandparents leased part of the land to the government for a lookout tower for one-dollar per year. It is the highest point between Fort Williams in Cape Elizabeth and the Biddeford Pool Coast Guard Station. My parents were both teachers and they started the campground so they would have something to do in the summer. After a few years my father decided to stop teaching, move to Maine, and keep the campground open for six months a year.
We don’t have any planned activities at Cascadia, so people have to find their own activities. We have women here who make beautiful quilts, and women who make quilts and teddy bears for charities. A lot of us enjoy reading. People like to sit around the campfire and experience the outdoors. Some campers spend time walking and jogging around the park. Others pick blueberries for pancakes or muffins. Many people walk their dogs and like to stop and talk to their neighbors. Our campers are all very friendly.
Where is Cascadia Park located? What are some other attractions in the area worth checking out?
Our entrance is located on Route 1, in Saco, Maine, but the sites are about 400 feet back from the road. There is so much to do in the area that it is impossible to list everything. We are 3 miles away from the ocean. There are several amusement areas near by, shopping areas, including the Maine Mall, LL Bean and the Freeport Outlets, Kittery Trading Post and the Kittery Outlets, museums, restaurants, light houses, Kennebunkport, Ogunquit, Cape Elizabeth, Portland and the Old Port.
Which one of those is your favorite?
I like the ocean and beach. It is nice to spend the day at the beach and then come back to the campground.
The campsites are all different. We have a lot of trees, but some sites are more open and grassy. All our sites are spacious and private. We have two trailer sections: one close to the restrooms and laundry building and another further back. The tenting section is in a pine grove. The campground is quiet. The setting is natural.
