Summer, Fall, Winter & Spring: For all you sports and outdoor enthusiast, if you don’t already know, there is a new sheriff in town! LL Bean loyalist will be tested with the new Cabela’s store which opened earlier this spring in Scarborough. The store is huge with over 130,000 square feet of retail space that includes a café, indoor archery range, aquarium, general store, gun library and even a horse corral! With museum like displays you will find a huge variety of stuffed animals displayed in scenes that have been recreated to resemble their natural habitats. There is something for everyone at the store from hunting supplies to camping and fishing equipment. From clothing items for men, women and children, to kayaks to grills, you will pretty much find whatever you are looking for and then some at this store. Cabela’s offers lots of outdoor seminars as well as vendor demos throughout the year. Just visiting the store itself is an outing because it’s so large and there is so much to see. Scarborough is a quick 10 minute ride from Portland, south. After spending some time at Cabelas stop in at one of the local sandwich shops, grab some subs and head to Scarborough Beach where you can kick back and spend some time or head to Portland and have fun exploring the city, there is lots to see and do!
Tag: Winter
Wine Making: Take It And Make It From The Grape To The Glass
Fall, Winter, Spring & Summer: Home brewing took off in the 90’s with people buying their own beer making kits and trying all sorts of variations from fresh berries to imported hops. There is a new trend in Portland, wine making and at Vintner Cellars, it’s easy for novices to get in on the fun. Now is the time to get in on the fun because any wine made before mid October will be ready for Christmas which can either be given as gifts or drank of course! A fun way to enjoy some time with friends is to host a wine making party at Vintners Cellars. During your party guest can enjoy complimentary tasting and then decide which wine they would like to make. Part of making your own wine is being able to design your own label which can be a great idea for weddings or any other special event you may have coming up. With over thirty different wines to choose from there is definitely something for everyone. Whether you want 50 bottles or just one, Vintner Cellars can accommodate your request. Why not book a party with a bunch of your favorite couples and enjoy the experience of creating your own custom wine. Parties can be catered so it’s an easy way to throw a get together without all the work. Instead, you can sit back enjoy your guest and the “fruit” of your labors!
Merry Madness: Get In The Holiday Spirit And Shop Until You Drop
Winter: Portland has a great way to celebrate the holiday season, it’s called Merry Madness, which is a pretty good description of how most people feel during the holidays. Sponsored by Portland’s Downtown District, Merry Madness usually happens each year, mid December. I suggest you get a group of friends together and plan to meet at the Merry Madness’s “happy hour”. Last year it was held at the Hilton Garden in the heart of the Old Port but, the venue changes each year so you may want to confirm before you go. Happy Hour is free for all guests to attend with free appetizers and cocktails to kick off the event. All the participating stores stay open late, usually until 10 pm and offer special sales and refreshments for shoppers. Shoppers can also hop on the free horse and carriage rides around the downtown and Old Port area. This is a great event to enjoy with your girlfriends. Last year, we all met at the Hilton Gardens in the Old Port for the kick-off party and shopped all the bargains at Betsy’s, J’Adore and Longfellow Books. It was fun and really put us in the holiday spirit. We ended our night of shopping at Local 188 where the gingersnap martini certainly hit the spot. Merry Madness is a fun way to get shopping done and support your local businesses in Portland’s downtown district. Be sure to mark your calendar and taken advantage of a fun way to spend some time getting into the spirit of the season!
Ice Skating: Stay Inside and Hit The Rink!
Fall, Winter, Spring & Fall: It’s raining outside and you are wondering what to do, why not go ice skating! The Portland area has some great indoor rinks which offer open skating hours with skate rentals. The Falmouth Skate Center has open skating daily. They offer skate rentals for $2 a pair and free admission for children under 5 years of age which makes this an affordable way to spend an afternoon having fun. In Portland, you can skate at the Portland Ice Arena which also has rental skates available for a minimal charge and the ice conditions are always smooth thanks to the Zamboni. Another thing to do is to check out the University of Southern Maine’s indoor skating rink. Located on the Gorham campus, the skating rink is open for public skating Monday through Friday and you will have to bring your own skates. All of these skating centers offer variable public skating times so, you will definitely want to call for hours before you go. Skating is a wonderful way to get some exercise and it is blast at the same time! The beauty of indoor skating is you have great ice conditions and you don’t have to freeze in the cold winter temperatures. For kids who are learning to skate, the ice conditions are ideal making it easier to do it with confidence. So on that next rainy day when you hear the kids complaining, “what are we going to do today” or your just feeling a little cooped up, hop in the car and go ice skating, it’s a great thing to do!
Portland Trail System: Get Out And Take A Hike City Style
Fall, Winter, Spring & Summer: Portland has a fantastic network of thirty walking trails that lead you in and around the whole city. Now that the weather is cooler, taking a hike on the trail system is a fun thing to do on a brisk fall afternoon. You can choose your walking path whether you decide to take a run around the trail the circles Back Cove or one that goes deep into the forest like Baxter Woods, there are plenty of places to discover right here in Portland. One of my favorite places to go is the Eastern Promenade trail that follows the waterfront along Portland’s working harbor. This is a scenic trail that runs along the railroad tracks and offers great views of some of Portland’s famous landmarks such as Fort Gorges and the Ocean Gateway Terminal. Another great place to check out is Stroudwater Trail where it is not unheard of to stumble across deer grazing along the Stroudwater River. This 2.75 mile loop provides scenic lookout points and tucked away benches where you can sit and enjoy the view and the quiet sounds of nature. The trail system provides visitors with an opportunity to see a different side of Portland. The entire network of trails totals over 50 miles and stretches over the entire city to its borders. The trails are all maintained and well marked making it easy to find your way around. There are trail maps at many local businesses so you can plan your trip making sure you put this on your “things to do” list this fall. Grab your walking shoes and head out and discover why the folks in Portland love this well developed urban trail system right here in their own backyard.