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Maine Foliage Driving Tour

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(page 4 of 5)

Apart from the fair, Fryeburg doesn't wear its attractions on its sleeve. This town of 3,000 boasts a few small stores and a well-regarded preparatory school but hasn't gussied itself up much. Although Fryeburgers drive to the malls of North Conway, New Hampshire, for groceries and supplies (avoiding Maine's 5 percent general sales tax -- lodging and restaurants are taxed at 7 percent), the town still has the brisk, prosperous feel of a former center of commerce that has aged with dignity.

If you can manage, plan your trip to include the Fryeburg Fair (it is always held Sunday to Sunday and includes the first Wednesday in October). The fairgrounds are on Route 5 North, but don't worry about finding it; just follow the traffic. The fair, with 300,000 in annual attendance, is an unvarnished New England classic. It's held by and for people who take livestock, vegetables, and fresh-baked pies seriously. Very seriously.

Take plenty of time to wander the fairgrounds. Small arenas, both indoors and out, are typically filled with Mainers who wear their best American Gothic expressions when watching the goat judging and horse pulls. About the only sign of gentrification is the presence of llamas, which, like pigs and cattle, are judged with a critical eye.

Permanent expo halls are arrayed with produce and baked goods, all awaiting the sharp eye of the judges. Zucchinis the size of a leg occupy some tables; jars of pickles and extraordinary pies bedeck others. For city dwellers, the most intriguing exhibit may be the poultry, which come in an exotic variety of remarkable plumages.

For lunch: fried dough, of course, dusted with powdered sugar. For just this one day, forget everything your doctor told you about fats.

If your tolerance for crowds is thin or you're visiting when the fairgrounds are vacant, consider an afternoon canoe trip on the Saco River. The Saco winds lazily through farmlands and pine forests from the White Mountains to the Maine coast. The segment from just west of Fryeburg to northeast of town -- a peaceful stretch with prominent sandbars for picnicking -- is among the most crowded on midsummer weekends. By fall, however, the hordes (and the insects) have departed and views of vibrant distant hills are unrivaled. Saco River Canoe & Kayak, Inc., rents out canoes and can arrange a shuttle back to your car. Reservations are essential during the foliage season.

Ready to call it a day? Depending on your budget and inclination, choose accommodations in Fryeburg, or for lake views, Bridgton or Naples.

In Fryeburg, the Admiral Peary House is off the main drag on a quiet, leafy street. The B&B is named for famed Arctic explorer Robert E. Peary, who lived here from 1877 to 1879 while working as a land surveyor. (He reached the Pole 30 years later.) The sturdy farmhouse has been lovingly restored (the seven guest rooms are in a converted, attached barn) and has been modernized with a clay tennis court, hot tub, and fine flower gardens.

The Oxford House Inn on Main Street offers four rooms in a 1913 Edwardian. The gardens are lovely, and the mountain view from the breakfast room can't be beat. Dine (on what might be called "country haute cuisine") at their popular restaurant, which is open to the public. The Morrises know food, and it shows. We had a delicious breakfast prepared by Phyllis: fresh-from-the-oven scones, pancakes with wild Maine blueberries, eggs, crisp bacon, and very good coffee.