Last week I took to the hills of Maine for a break from the craziness of urban life. Tops’l Farm in Waldoboro hosted me and my friend the uber talented photographer Rebecca Gatto for a few days of natural bliss. Tops’l is a glamping site, which means you’re camping but with important comforts like adorable decor, real beds, phone chargers, and nice toilet facilities.
Owner and proprietor Sarah Pike runs the farm with such passion and kindness, just chatting with her transforms your whole experience. She established Tops’l just last year with the intent of creating a place where people could focus on personal connections, natural experience, and happy memories.
This is the interior of our A-frame cabin. As you can see, it’s a huge upgrade from sleeping on the ground. Tops’l also offers safari tents with a similar vibe. One of the reasons I chose the A-frame was for the lock they include for the door. Since we had camera equipment and laptops it was a nice extra sense of security.
Our beds and linens were super cozy and the back of the cabin is screened to keep mosquitos out. The cabin does include some battery powered lights but they’re minimal, I would recommend bringing flashlights and, ideally, a camp lantern. The candles included do really help but they heat up the cabin quick which is challenging in the summer. They also need to be watched in a wooden structure.
Tops’l is located a little over an hour from Portland, ME. There are a lot of great restaurants within driving distance as well as activities like oyster farming, brewery tastings, boating, and lighthouses to name a few. On site Tops’l offers archery, croquet, bocce, hiking, and organic gardening. Some activities require advanced booking but you can enjoy the beautiful grounds for free!
In terms of food, you can order some through Tops’l, like morning coffee and muffins brought to your cabin or tent or ingredients for classic hot dogs and hamburgers. There are two charcoal grills for use or you can cook over the fire. I recommend hitting one of the local farm stands for ingredients and cooking fireside at least one night. There’s a communal kitchen area with a sink and some dishes and cooking tools that are open for use. And of course, s’mores are a must!
Matches are included and you can pick up other fire making supplies at the camp store which also sells ice and snacks. We brought some extra matches which ended being a lifesaver for fire making. I’d recommend bringing some of your own food supplies if you want to keep costs down. We brought coffee, bagels and peanut butter for breakfast, fruit, and some other snacks, as well as s’mores supplies. There are grocery stores near by too if you want to stock up there.
Tops’l definitely requires some acclamation to the outdoors. Whereas some glamping is like a hotel in the middle of the woods, Tops’l is really camping first. But let me tell you, it felt amazing to be able to disconnect from the world for a little bit. There’s no wifi on site so we did have to go into town to work but it was nice to be able to be present at the campsite without the distractions of e-mails and Slack messages.
I had service (I’m on Verizon), Rebecca did not (she’s on Cricket), so it’s kind of a mixed bag there. But like I mentioned there are several cute coffee shops with wifi within driving distance if you need your fix. Especially if you’re a workaholic like me, Tops’l is a great way to force yourself to relax without being totally stranded in case of an emergency. Bring a couple books or a notebook or a sketch book and take at least a few hours for your passions and at least a few hours to connect with your companion.
Not only is Tops’l very affordable ($125/night for accommodations that sleep two), it’s a great way to connect with nature without the muddy, dirty, peeing-behind-a-tree components. The heat wasn’t bad despite having gone in July but it was very buggy so spring lots of bug spray or try the farm in the fall for that beautiful New England foliage.
Stay tuned for my coastal Maine activity guide chock full of fun areas to eat and explore during your visit to Tops’l!
Please note: I was provided with a complimentary stay by Tops’l Farm, however, all opinions expressed are my own. Thank you for supporting the businesses that support Trends and Tolstoy!