Exploring Orono & Old Town

Exploring Orono & Old Town

Exploring Orono & Old Town

Today we went on an adventure with one of Buddy’s future classmates.  We headed up to Orono to visit the Witter Farm and to Old Town to visit Riverfront Park.  We had a great time!

Witter Farm at the University of Maine

Exploring Orono & Old Town

The Witter Farm is formally known as J. Franklin Witter Teaching & Research Center.  You can find more information on the farm at their website.  The farms provides a great opportunity to see cows, horses and some sheep up close.  The majority of the animals are cows – we got to see some babies and lots that were full grown.  The horses were all out in their paddocks so you couldn’t get up close.  The few sheep they had were laying down.

My kids enjoyed the visit but I don’t think they would ask to go back and here are the reasons:

  1. We live next door to a farm and can go up and visit and see cows and calves on a regular basis
  2. The smell was horrific (I’ve been to lots of farms before but this was stinky – Buddy held his nose 80% of our visit)
  3. We just went to the Bangor State Fair and visited with all of the animals in the agricultural section.  Old McDonald’s Barn at the fair provided an easier opportunity to visit with a lot more animals and get up close and pet them

Reasons you would love to visit:

  1. If you don’t have a farm near you or haven’t attended a fair lately and your kids love barn animals I think this would be an awesome adventure.
  2. It was free!!!

I’m glad that we went but I’m with the kids – I don’t know that we would go back!

Riverfront Park

Exploring Orono & Old Town

After we finished up at the farm we headed to Old Town to visit Riverfront Park.  I had not been before and was excited to visit.  The other mom we went with suggested we go there after the farm and I couldn’t have agreed faster!

Park Highlights:

  • Restrooms!
  • Gazebo
  • Picnic Tables/Benches
  • Splash Pad
  • Playground
  • Path to the river bed

I was honestly amazed with this park.  It had it all!  For me as a mom of little ones a bathroom is a necessity.  It doesn’t matter if both kids went before we left without fail usually within 30 minutes of arriving we need to use the bathroom.  Both of my kids LOVE splash pads – I usually have to drag them away (sometimes kicking and screaming) when it’s time to leave.

When we arrived we headed into the bathroom, changed the kiddos into their bathing suits and headed out.  The other mom and I found a bench and sat back and watched as the kids enjoyed both the splash pad and the playground.

When Buddy got hungry we spread our towels on the grass and sat down for a quick picnic lunch.  After everyone finished eating we took the path down to the river bed and the kids threw rocks into the water and walked around.

Exploring Orono & Old Town

When I was hot (and fearing a sunburn) we headed back up to the shade to let the kiddos run and play for a while longer.  I thoroughly enjoyed our visit and will definitely go back.

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