Maine, A Winter Wonderland
Maine is known as Vacationland and with good reason. It has everything you need for fun and adventure all year long. So, when planning your winter escape, turn your thoughts to Maine and the Inns Along the Coast.
Kennebunkport offers up a host of winter activities, from romantic walks on windswept beaches, ice skating at the Waterhouse Pavilion and cross country skiing at Laudholm Reserve and Harris Farm Cross Country Ski Center. Or bring your snow shoes and take to the many trails that you can find around town. After a busy day, enjoy some great food and cocktails at Chez Rosa or Old Vines Wine Bar, then head back to one of our fabulous inns to relax by the fire.
Freeport offers the opportunity to get yourself some new winter gear at LL Bean and The North Face among many others. LL Bean offers an Outdoor Discovery Program including introductory cross country skiing classes and a guided, moonlit snowshoe session. You can also explore the trails at Wolfe’s Neck State Park, Bradbury Mountain State Park, Freeport Conservation Trust or Wolfe’s Neck Center. Grab a coffee and a pastry at Coffee by Design or a cold beer at Mast Landing Brewing Company before heading back to Brewster House for a rest before doing it all again.
Camden and Rockland have it all for winter activities. The Snow Bowl, the only ski area with a view of the ocean, offers a range of trails, from the Magic Carpet for beginners to a host of mountain top trails for the more intrepid and experienced skier. For those who don’t want to ski, the mountains toboggan chute empties into Hosmer pond.
Come and celebrate the Toboggan Nationals which are held every year in February. Try cross country and Nordic skiing in Camden Hills State Park or the 1.8 mile loop recently opened at the Snow Bowl. The Farnsworth Gallery in Rockland is open year round with displays of American art featuring artists such as Gilbert Stuart, Thomas Sully, and Thomas Eakins alongside many others. Take time to enjoy a drink by the fire in The Vintage Room In Downtown Camden or coffee and pastries in the Rockland Café and Bakery in Downtown Rockland, then return and enjoy the peace and quiet of the fireside with our innkeepers.
Newcastle also offers a host of places to get out and explore the great outdoors. The Coastal River Nature Reserve offers 48 miles of groomed trails. Naturalists take tours of the trails, teaching about the animals that leave tracks in the snow, the ecology of the estuary and shellfish husbandry. Go snow shoeing when weather permits and find out more about this amazing environment. Marsh River Preserve is a 70 acre conservation area with trails through woods or along side the river, which is host to a gentle one-mile trail. Try dinner at The Damariscotta River Grill before returning to the inn for a nightcap and a good night’s sleep before another exciting day.
Maine offers so many activities whatever the weather. Be sure to ask your innkeepers for all the exciting events that are happening in the area.