Frye Island Sebago Lake, Maine

by Sean
(Worcester, MA)

For more than fifteen years we have been going to Frye Island in Sebago Lake, Maine. A short ferry ride brings you to the island and takes you back when you have to leave, and you almost never want to leave.

Sebago Lake isn’t the biggest lake in Maine, but we feel it is the most beautiful. The lake is clean and clear with many little coves and islands to explore. The whole area is filled with trees, blueberry bushes and great rock formations to climb.

Less than fifteen minutes from the shore of Sebago you can find shopping of all sorts, especially antiques, restaurants and movie theaters. Frye Island is small, with winding dirt roads and cottages hidden by trees. Some cottages have been in the same family for years, but most can be rented. You can walk or bicycle around the island without too much effort.

Though the roads are narrow, most people drive slowly, keeping an eye out for small kids or animals. We often see deer and many different birds, including orioles, cardinals and jays.

We started visiting Frye Island when my children were very young. We rent a cottage with other family members, taking turns cooking so everyone gets a day off. There are public beaches for everyone, but most houses and cottages have their own little beach and dock to tie up a boat.

When my kids were small, they would splash in the shallow beach water or make sand castles for hours. Now they water ski and tube, finding just the right quiet spot out on the lake to test their skills.

There is a recreational center and a golf course if you get tired of water activities. One of our favorite water activities is to go for what we call a sunset cruise. We all pile into the boat and ride out to the middle of the lake. Then we turn off the motor and just sit, drinking in the quiet and beauty all around us. We watch as the sun sets slowly over the hills, waiting until all of the pink and purple are gone.

Then we start up the boat and ride to the little general store and tie up to the dock. We all hop out and line up for ice cream. I love the moose tracks flavor, but my son, even though he is now taller than me, still loves birthday cake flavor best. We sit on the docks or benches, watching the ferry go back and forth or seeing if there are any new baby ducks in the water.

We love Frye Island and Sebago Lake in Maine. I don’t think we will ever get tired of the water and the trees. It is a great place to boat and ski and swim, but it is also a great place to do nothing at all but sit in the sun and reconnect with your family.