Fryeburg is a small country town in Oxford County, Maine, United States. Fryeburg is home to Fryeburg Academy, a private preparatory school, the International Musical Arts Institute, Soco River Brewery, Jockey Cap Rock, and the famous Fryeburg Country Fair.
Hotels or rather lodging establishments include Main Street Bed and Breakfast, the Old Soco Inn and our true Bed and Breakfast Center Lovell Inn is only 14 miles from Fryeburg. And a cook to order gourmet breakfast is included with your stay.
Below are the top attractions in Fryeburg Maine worth visiting:
● 302 West Smokehouse — 19 minutes drive, 14 miles. A fun, funky tavern with pub food and smokehouse favorites served with cornbread & choice of 2 sides. Serving lunch and dinner, 7 days a week, even in the off-season. A local hangout and a favorite pit-stop for bikers. The atmosphere is lively, service friendly and food great. Contact: GPS – 636 Main Street, Fryeburg, Maine 04037 / 320 West Smokehouse / 207-935-3021
● Saco River Canoe and Kayak & Tube Rentals – 18 minutes drive, 13 miles. Conveniently adjacent to the entranceway to Swans Falls, whether you are looking for a peaceful, leisurely short kayak trip, or a more adventurous weekend canoe and camping trip, hosts Fred and Prudy can tailor your trip just for you. Contact GPS – 1009 Main St, Fryeburg, ME 04037. Contact: Sacorivercanoe.com / 935-2369 / email: info@sacorivercanoe.com
● Saco River Brewing Co. 14 miles, 20 minutes drive. This exciting new Microbrewery is located in an industrial building behind Two Black Dogs Country Pub. This is great local brewery. They feature up to 8 tasty fresh brews on tap, offer flights for sampling plus growlers to go! On draft: Clearwater Pale Ale (citrus-forward American ale, 4.5-percent ABV); Driftwood IPA (grapefruit and mango hop flavors with a prominent malt spine, 6.5-percent ABV); Old Course Porter (molasses, raisin and burnt cereal flavors, 6.5-percent ABV); and Coffee Porter (porter brewed with generous amounts of coffee 6.5-percent ABV). All the beer are fresh, and full flavored; the atmosphere is fun, casual, and the staff / owners are very welcoming. Hours are: 3 to 7 p.m. Friday, noon to 7 p.m. Saturday, noon to 5 p.m. Sunday. Contact: GPS: 10 Jockey Cap Lane, Fryeburg, ME 04037 / Saco River Brewing Co. / 207 – 256-3028.
● Westons Farm – 21 minutes ride, 14 miles. Visit a 200+ years old, six generations working farm. They raise over 60 acres of diversified vegetables. Since 1799 the Weston’s have practiced sustainable agriculture. Experience firsthand the weather dependent process of making maple syrup. The approximate dates of production are from the end of February to mid April. Visitors are always welcome to visit, but call ahead first to be sure that the sugar house is open. Contact: GPS – 48 River St, Fryeburg, ME 04037 / Weston Farm / 207-935-2567.
● Quinn’s Jockey Cap, Country Store & gas station — 20 minutes, 14 miles. Just outside Fryeburg Village, Quinn’s Jockey Cap Country Store is the classic, have-it-all store with a Maine twist. By that I mean friendly, and welcoming atmosphere. It is well stocked, with a nice selection of authentic made in Maine products (hard cider, craft beer, toiletries, gift items, etc.), and a large selection exceptionally prepared grab-and-go meals — breakfast, lunch, and dinner (Friday is Prime Rib Night… only $12,99). You can take-out or dine in. Their selection of sweets, is sweet indeed — Italian connolly, whoopie pie, cheese cakes, tarts, brownie, gourmet cookies, ice cream and lots of homemade pies. Shop keepers Bob, Allyson Quinn and the entire safe are terrific people. Contact: GPS -116 Bridgton Rd, Fryeburg, ME 04037; Quinn’s Jockey Cap, Country Store / 207-935-2306.
● Fryeburg Historical Society Museum — Visit their historical collection of articles from the Fryeburg area, Oxford County and the State of Maine for an informative glimpse into the past.
83 Portland St.; Fryeburg Historical Society Museum / (207-256-3001), located in an 1832 Federal Cape.
Jockey Cap Rock
The trail head to this short and sweet (or sweat) .8 miles round trip hike is located in the heart of Fryeburg town offering fantastic panoramic views of Lovewell Pond and the mountains of Maine and New Hamphire; Parking is near Quinn’s Jockey Cap Country Store: The perfect little shop with everything — drinks (soft drink, beer, wine, liquor), food (pizza, sandwiches, hot meals) and lots of goodness for your sweet tooth (whoopie pies, cakes, chocolate, ice cream, etc.). Also near by is the Saco River Brewery for excellent freshly brewed ales and stouts. You will be hiking up a 200 foot plus high enormous ‘rock’ deposited in the Saco River valley by long ago glaciers. It once had a ledge that resembled a visor that gave the boulder its name Jockey Cap, however, it fell off many years ago. This was the location to Maine’s first ferried ski lift, opened back in 1936; costing only $1 per day lift tickets.
On the tip top of Jockey Cap there is a bronze and granite monument that shows the name of the mountains seen in the panoramic views. This monument–a work of art–was dedicated to Admiral Robert Edwin Perry.
Seen just below the boulder is the Molly Ockett Middle School, named for Molly Ockett, one of the last Pequawket Indians in the area. Molly was a popular go-to healing and medicine women for the area. Trail head GPS -116 Bridgton Rd, Fryeburg, ME 04037
● Fryeburg Fair. Try to visit in October during the world-famous (well, almost) Fryeburg Fair; according to Yankee Magazine it is “a quintessential country fair of the highest order.” The Inn is only 14 Miles North of Fryeburg Fair! For more info visit: Fryeburg Fair