Yesterday I needed to hear, smell, see, touch, feel the ocean, the beach, with an estuary thrown in for good measure. There are some good beaches in New Hampshire, in the small stretch of the state that’s on the Atlantic coast — 18.57 miles — but for a walkable beach, marshland, and miles of walking trails in woods and through fields, the Wells Reserve at Laudholm, in Wells, Maine is my go-to destination. The Wells National Estuarine Research Reserve, comprised of 2,250 acres of coastal habitats on Maine’s southern coast, focuses on education, conservation, and research, with the Laudholm Trust supporting it through fundraising and relationship-building.

It’s about 2 hours from my house, so it makes for a lot of travel time in a day but it’s worth it, especially when coupled with the walk at the Rachel Carson National Wildlife Refuge a half-mile away, and paired with a meal at Warren’s Lobster House in Kittery, especially during January and February when the “dollar menu” is in effect and the loons and mergansers are feeding in the river alongside the restaurant.