South Berwick Travel Guide

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Spring Hill is a pretty place to spend an afternoon. Bring a picnic. Play volleyball. Enjoy the pond. If you're there in the winter, the hill looks like a great place to go sledding. There's also a lodge which has weddings and other functions as well as fine dining Wednesday through Sunday evenings.

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Personally, I especially like it because of it's convenient location for me. But I would recommend it to anyone in southern Maine looking for a quiet walk in the woods. This 250 acre park has several wooded trails and a picnic area at the front entrance. I've been there in the winter and summer, and there never seems to be too many people. I love feeling like I have the whole woods to myself.

If you're strolling down Main Street (perhaps after visiting the Jewett House), be sure to stop in SoBo Books and Coffee. It's small, but they have a nice, eclectic selection of books (local, political, children's...). They also have a small selection of toys and gifts. And don't forget to enjoy a coffee and a pastry while you're there.

This small museum is filled with historical artifacts documenting early life in the Berwicks. The volunteers at the museum let you peruse the 2 floors at your leisure and are very eager to tell you more about all sorts of interesting tidbits of the area. Admission is free but donations are, of course, welcome. Hours: Saturday and Sunday 1-4, July through September and by appointment.

I love small town libraries. If you do too, I recommend the South Berwick library. It's located in the childhood house of Sarah Orne Jewett. They have many books on the history of the town, a large selection of Maine authors, as well as a good selection of every other subject including a nice children's area. They also have a computer with Internet available. The librarian and other volunteers are very friendly and knowledgeable. The hours: Monday and Wednesday 1-8, Tuesday and Thursday 10-5, Friday 1-5, and Saturday 9-1.

In South Berwick, you can visit the Sarah Orne Jewett House. You cannot visit the house without doing a tour, so be sure to get there on the hour between 11-4 in June through October. The Jewett women took pride in designing their home, and walking through the rooms gives you a great feel of their lives. They also designed much of the Hamilton House as well, so that's worth a visit too (you can see my tip on that).

The colonial Hamilton House, built in 1785, is open from June through October, Wednesday-Sunday with tours every hour. Laurie, the woman who conducted the tour, was very knowledgeable and answered all of our questions (you cannot visit the house without doing the tour). You'll see the Colonial Revival decor of the Jewitt sisters, blending old fashioned and modern ideas. They particularly liked murals that continued the views out the windows, for a continuous outdoorsy feel. In the summer, they have concerts on Sunday afternoons in the garden. While you're in the area, you can enjoy some time in Vaughan Woods State Park