Freeport, ME, June 6 2017
L.L.Bean Outdoor Discovery Schools Announce Adventure Travel Trips for 2017
New multisport adventure trips feature cycling, hiking, kayaking, schooner rides, ferry trips, wildlife viewing, fantastic food and more set amongst some of Maine’s most iconic and scenic locations
The L.L.Bean Outdoor Discovery Schools are pleased to announce their menu of dynamic, once-in-a-lifetime adventure trips for 2017, carefully developed to highlight the very best that Maine has to offer, delivered in a way that is uniquely L.L.Bean.
NEW--Maine Woods Adventure Trips are an ultimate outdoor experience that give participants the ability to discover the best of Maine by land, air, and water during this all-inclusive, multi-activity adventure.
Trip highlights include:
Guided day hikes to iconic locations
- Scenic float plane tour
- Coaching by world-class fly-fishing instructors
- Whitewater rafting down the Kennebec River
- Moose watching by pontoon boat
- Cozy lodges and cabins surrounded by incredible scenery
- Ultimate add-on fly-fishing experience with a local guide
NEW--Discovery Weekend Outdoor Adventures Trips feature two full days of six different outdoor adventures, and a succulent lobster or steak dinner set in an incredible seaside location.
Trip highlights include:
- Paddle to a favorite destination by kayak
- Learn how to stand up paddle board
- Tour scenic routes by road bike
- Try your hand at fly casting and wing shooting
- Practice hitting the bull's-eye with a bow and arrow
- Camp at our beautiful coastal venue
- Delicious Maine-inspired cuisine
The Great Maine Adventure with L.L.Bean gives people the ability to experience quintessential Maine by land and sea. This seven-day, one-of-a-kind adventure features kayaking, hiking and biking to some of Maine’s most scenic and iconic destinations.
Trip highlights include:
- Lodging and dining at award-winning restaurants and inns
- Guided coastal bike tour including visiting three lighthouses
- Sea kayaking on Casco Bay with a lobster bake lunch on a picturesque island
- Guided hike on Mount Megunticook with panoramic views of Penobscot Bay and Camden harbor
- Schooner ride on Penobscot Bay
- Private tour of L.L.Bean’s Bean Boot manufacturing facility with your own pair of L.L.Bean Boots
- Additional activities include semi-private guided instruction in fly fishing, stand up paddle boarding or clay shooting, and more
- Dinner at award-winning The Lost Kitchen restaurant with complimentary cookbook by head chef, Erin French
The Coastal Maine Hiking trip is an unforgettable eight-day hiking adventure, taking people to some of the most beautiful mountains and quaint villages found in Maine. This trip is guided by Distant Journeys, Inc., a leader in hiking vacations for 28 years. During the day, participants will hike an average of four to five hours on varied terrain, learning about the Maine woods with an expert Maine wildlife biologist. During the evening, folks can relax in cozy B&Bs and country inns, all the while experiencing delicious Maine-inspired cuisine.
Trip highlights include:
- Scenic drive and ferry ride to Monhegan Island
- Explore Camden Hills State Park
- Hike and explore world-famous Acadia National Park
- Ferry rides to Maine’s most charming islands
- Wine tasting, museum visits, garden tours and more
The Western Maine Hut Hike is a European-style hiking experience through Maine’s famed premier wilderness area, the Western Mountains. Offered during the fall, this trip gives people the ability to experience Maine’s fall foliage at its peak, while learning about the Maine woods with an expert wildlife biologist. Evenings will be spent in the warmth and comfort of backcountry lodges and huts. This trip is guided by Distant Journeys, Inc., a leader in hiking vacations for 28 years.
Trip highlights include:
- Hike with a Maine wildlife biologist and learning about Maine’s flora and fauna
- Three days of hiking in the Moosehead Lake Region
- Four days hiking between Maine Huts and Trails (hyperlink) huts, with amazing scenery and wildlife viewing
- Canoe the Dead River
- Watch the avian spectacle of migration and much more
Two-Night Muscongus Bay Kayak Camping Trip features world-class kayaking and camping on a private island in beautiful Muscongus Bay.
Trip highlights include:
- Paddle around the beautiful islands and inlets of Muscongus Bay
- Watch working lobster boats; keep an eye out for seals, eagles, osprey and other wildlife
- A picnic lunch on a favorite island beach
- A fresh lobster dinner
- Settle in around the campfire
- Spend a peaceful night in a comfortable tent
L.L.Bean Adult Adventure Camp in Freeport, Maine lets folks meet new friends, have lots of outdoor fun and enjoy classic camp activities with our two-night, all-inclusive adventure camp for adults.
Trip highlights include:
- A variety of classic summer-camp activities, such as kayaking, stand up paddle boarding, archery, fly casting, geocaching, orienteering, biking, SUP yoga, arts and crafts and more
- Group games like kickball and badminton, with a bit of friendly competition among campers
- Plenty of time to relax around a campfire, swing on a hammock and lounge on an Adirondack chair
- Hearty and delicious meals prepared by our guides after an action-packed day
- Come nightfall, fun-themed events will include an evening concert at L.L.Bean Discovery Park in Freeport on Saturday night
“Our adventure travel trips feature all of the things about Maine that people know and love, offered in way that only L.L.Bean can deliver on,” said Gretchen Ostherr, Senior Manager for the L.L.Bean Outdoor Discovery Schools. “These are once-in-a-lifetime adventures, combining outdoor adventure, excellent food and accommodations, plenty of unique wildlife viewing opportunities and Maine culture.”
The Outdoor Discovery Schools also offer dozens of shorter courses and tours in Maine and everywhere L.L.Bean has a retail store, for activities such as fly fishing, archery, shooting, kayaking, stand-up paddle boarding, biking, bird watching, canoeing, hiking, snowshoeing, cross-country skiing, as well as women’s-only adventures. In addition, at each of its retail stores throughout the country, L.L.Bean offers a host of free clinics and demonstrations on a range of topics from navigating with a map and compass to fly tying, hiking, trail running and more.
To review the full host of L.L.Bean Outdoor Discovery Schools offerings, their locations and dates, and to register online, visit www.llbean.com/adventure. For more information, call 888-552-3261.
About L.L.Bean Outdoor Discovery Schools
Since 1979, the L.L.Bean Outdoor Discovery Schools have been offering a variety of courses, trips, tours, seminars and clinics for activities such as kayaking, cycling, fly fishing, camping, hiking, stand up paddle boarding and much more. The guiding principals have always remained the same: to promote an enjoyment of the outdoors by making it as easy as possible for people to engage in outdoor activities and to foster an appreciation and respect for our natural environment. These foundations are inherent in every program offered, whether it is a two-hour fly-casting lesson, a half-day tour or a three-day trip. Last year, over 150,000 people participated in L.L.Bean Outdoor Discovery Schools programs.