Tag: Spring

Summer,Spring,Winter & Fall: Kittery is a a shopping destination point for many natives as well as visitors. With over 120 discount outlets and the ever famous Kittery Trading Post, you are sure to find what you are looking for and then some. The steady flow of traffic up Route One is a good indication that this place is a hot spot for bargains. With clothing from famous makers like Ralph Lauren, Ann Taylor and Liz Claiborne to home decor shops like Crate & Barrel, this is a shoppers paradise. There are also some great restaurants to eat at just off the beaten path. The famous Warren’s Lobster House offers the mile long salad bar that is a sure bet. Kittery is also home to the Portsmouth Naval Shipyard which offers visitors a museum full of ship building history as well as colonial and civil war history. So take a trip to Kittery and explore this coastal shopping haven.

Fall,Winter,Spring & Summer: The Brick Store Museum was once a dry goods store in the early 1800’s and is located in the heart of Kennebunk’s historic district. Now, this beautifully restored store now is is a cultural and artistic center for the area. With a wonderful collection of local fine and decorative arts this museum is more than meets the eye. The museum offers visitors the inside story of the area’s sea faring history. It houses over 70,000 artifacts that range from quilts to to the largest collection of World War I & II posters that would impress any history enthusiast. The building itself was built in the early 1800’s by one of the town’s wealthiest citizens at the time. If you are planning a trip to visit Kennebunk stop into this treasure of the community. There are on-going workshops and events every month so check out the calendar and make a trip to the Brick Store Museum in Kennebunk, you’ll be glad you did.

Fall,Winter,Spring & Summer: The Wells Reserve is a treasure for the state of Maine. The facility offers acres available for research, education, and recreation all located at Laudholm Farm in Wells. The facility also includes the Maine Coastal Ecology Center which is open to visitors year round. The goal and mission of the reserve is to investigate coastal environments and increasing the understanding of their ecology to the public. The facility offers miles of hiking and cross-country skiing trails all which provides access to the acres of wilderness, habitats and unique area waiting for discovery. The entire area offers visitors spectacular views. The reserve isn an especially popular destination for nature photographers and birdwatchers. Even if you are neither of the above and just want to enjoy a scenic hike with nature abound than this is a great spot for you and your whole family to visit. During this time of year the fall colors make this area even more beautiful so don’t miss out!

Spring, Summer, Fall & Winter: The wildness of Rangley makes this place a haven for outdoor enthusiast. As a matter of fact, Rangley has some of the best wild skiing in the state at the not so well known but, awesome, Saddleback Mountain. This place is unbelievable and I think it offers some of the best skiing in New England. It also is the perfect family mountain with really well marked trails and best of all reasonably priced lift ticket. Rangley’s natural beauty makes this pure mountain skiing at it’s best. Of course, the Rangley Lakes region has some great lakes that are clean and cold from the mountain run off. Mooselookmeguntic is one of those lakes and offers some of the best land locked salmon fishing around. On your way to this amazing lake be sure to stop off at the Height of the Land look-out which offers visitors incredible views between Rangley and Mooselookmeguntic. This is an especially pretty spot during the fall foliage season as it shows the mountains all in full color. Be sure to have your camera ready to take some great photos no matter what time of year. Another great thing to do in Rangley is to explore Bald Mountain. Take some time during the summer months to hike your way to the top. Come July, one side of the mountain is completely covered in wild blueberries which are great for picking and using in your next pie. The mountain offers hikers a birds eye view of the Rangley Lakes region that can’t be missed. During the summer months taking a picnic lunch over to Cascade Stream Gorge where you can watch the waterfall and enjoy wildlife all around you while you enjoy your lunch. Rangley is vacationland’s hot spot offering plenty of things to do for everyone all year long!

Spring, Summer, Fall & Winter: Bethel is known as one of Maine’s premier skiing towns but, Bethel has a lot more to do than what meets the eye. One place to check out when in Bethel is Grafton Notch and Screw Auger Falls. This is an amazing place where the water plunges and cascades over the edge of the mountain. This is a very popular spot for visitors and during the summer months a great spot to stop and cool off from the hot summer sun. Hike a bit further and you will come to Old Speck (Speckled Mountain) which is a good day hike to the top of the mountain. If you make it to the top, you will be rewarded with a fire tower that offers some amazing views of some of the surrounding peaks which include Sunday River and Mt. Washington. If hiking mountains is not your speed there are two walking trails that offer you a chance to be in nature at a slower pace. The Androscoggin River Walking Trail and Mount Will Walking Trail both are manageable walking paths that are a perfect way to enjoy the outdoors. If you are in the mood for some camping head over to Shagg Pond where you can spend the night at Honey Run Beach and Campground and enjoy the lake as well as hiking Chimney Trail. Everyone goes to Sunday River in the winter to enjoy the skiing but, what a lot of people don’t realize is they are open all summer too! The mountain has 15 miles of mountain bike trails open to the public along with a lift service to the top. Seeing the mountain covered with green gives you a different perspective from the winter months. They even have bike rentals so there is no excuse for not getting up there and checking it out. Bethel is a great place to visit and find new and exciting things to do. Put Bethel on your to do list and head to the mountains!