There are lots of reasons to get out and explore MidCoast Maine on a day trip but none may be more compelling than the MidCoast Maine Cheese Trail. Maine is home to countless small batch cheesemakers and many are within easy driving distance of Captain Nickels Inn.
When it comes to irresistible foods, there’s nothing quite like cheese. Cheese can be buttery, bloomy, sharp, sweet, nutty, funky, crumbly, and creamy. It has been with us for thousands of years, pairs wonderfully with other foods, yet is also the perfect, stand-alone snack.
Small-batch cheeses, produced primarily by hand at local farms and creameries, are usually the best, and Maine is a craft cheese mecca. That’s because Maine is the only state in the Union that doesn’t require cheesemakers to pasteurize milk with prohibitively expensive equipment.
This simple difference opens the door to middle and lower-income cheesemakers, leveling the playing field for a greater selection of world class, yet locally crafted, cheeses.
The MidCoast Maine Cheese Trail is your guide to the best creameries and farmstead cheesemakers in the area. The trail also includes local wineries and craft brewers for some delightful pairing opportunities.
MidCoast Maine Cheese Trail
ME Water Buffalo Co – 232 Old County Road, Appleton, ME 04862
Farm store open during summer Saturdays and Sundays, 10am to 5pm.
Pumpkin Vine Family Farm – 217 Hewett Road, Somerville, ME 04348
Open Sundays seasonally, from Memorial Day weekend through Christmas, 11am to 3pm.
Swallowtail Farm – 98 Main Street, Whitefield, ME 04353
Farm stand open daily from 8am to 7pm.
Fuzzy Udder Creamery – 35 Townhouse Rd., Whitefield, ME 04353
Self-serve cheese fridge and meat freezer. You’re also welcome to walk around back and say hi to the sheep and goats.
Springdale Farm – 165 Birches Rd., Waldo, ME 04917 Producing quality meats, cheeses and charcuterie – with deep Maine roots – is their passion.
Kennebec Cheesery – 795 Pond Road, Sidney, Maine 04330
Farm not regularly open. Learn where to find their cheeses here.
Lakins Gorges Cheese – 2361 Friendship Rd, Waldoboro, ME 04572
Open Monday through Thursday and Saturday, 10am to 6pm, and Friday and Sunday, 12pm to 5pm. You can also order online for barn side pick-up.
Copper Tail Farm – 293 Genthner Road, Waldoboro, Maine 04572
Farm store open daily from 8am to 6pm. Online ordering also available.
Farm Breweries, Wineries and Vineyards on the Trail
Make the most of your MidCoast Maine Cheese Trail Day Trip with a stop at one or more of the Maine wineries and craft breweries along the trail. Sample fresh selections on site and buy a bottle or two to take with you for future pairings. What a treat!
Sweetgrass Farm Winery & Distillery – 347 Carroll Rd, Union, ME 04862
The Pour Farm Brewery – 56 Crawfordsburn Lane, Union, Maine 04862
Odd Alewives Farm Brewery – 99 Old Route One, Waldoboro, Maine 04572
Getting Out On the Trail
Our MidCoast Maine bed and breakfast is within an hour or less of all the sites along the Cheese Trail. Pick one stop or many for a fun day trip. Need some help or advice on where to go, how to get there, and what to see? We’re more than happy to help you plan the day’s itinerary.
Beautiful scenery, small towns, friendly people, and delicious, farm-to-table foods. That’s the MidCoast Maine Cheese Trail. Make one stop or many, either way, your taste buds will thank you.
Learn more about the trail and view a map to all the stops along it on the MidCoast Maine Cheese Trail website. You can also visit the trail on Facebook.