It’s a peaceful pedal or drive out to the Hemlock Covered Bridge.
Fryeburg (pop. 3,449), a crossroads community on busy Route 302, is best known as the funnel to and from the factory outlets, hiking trails, and ski slopes of New Hampshire’s North Conway and the White Mountains. Except during early October’s annual extravaganza, the giant Fryeburg Fair, Fryeburg seldom ends up on anyone’s itinerary. That’s a shame: The mountain-ringed community has lots of charm, historic homes, the flavor of rural life, and access to miles of Saco River canoeing waters.
Incorporated in 1763, Fryeburg is Oxford County’s oldest town; even earlier it was known as Pequawket, an Indian settlement and trading post—until skirmishes with white settlers routed the Native Americans in 1725 during Dummer’s War (also known as Lovewell’s War). Casualties were heavy on both sides; Lovewell and the Pequawket chief were among the fatalities.
In 1792, Fryeburg Academy, a private school on Main Street, was chartered; the school’s Webster Hall is named after famed statesman Daniel Webster, whose undistinguished teaching career at the school began and ended in 1802. Among the students at the time was Rufus Porter, who later gained renown as a muralist, inventor, and founder of Scientific American magazine. Today the school is one of a handful of private academies in Maine that provide public secondary education, a uniquely successful private-public partnership.
Just north of Fryeburg is the town of Lovell (pop. 1,140), with three hamlets—known collectively as the Lovells—strung along Route 5, on the east side of gorgeous Kezar Lake. Anyone who has discovered Kezar Lake yearns to keep it a secret, but the word is out. The mountain-rimmed lake is too beautiful.
The 116-foot-long Hemlock Bridge, built in 1857 over the “Old Saco,” or “Old Course,” a former channel of the Saco River, is in the hamlet of East Fryeburg, just west of Kezar Pond. It’s accessible by car, but if you have a mountain bike, this is a peaceful pedal on a nice dirt road. The best time to visit is July-October; mud or snow can prevent car access in other months, and June is buggy. From the Route 5/302 junction in Fryeburg, take Route 302 east 5.5 miles to Hemlock Bridge Road. Turn left (north) and go about three miles on a paved and then unpaved road to the bridge. Or paddle under the bridge on a detour from canoeing on the Saco River.
When he died in 1956, longtime Fryeburg resident Clarence Mulford, author of the Hopalong Cassidy books, left his extensive collection of Western Americana, including models, copies of his books, research materials, and more, along with enough money to display them, to the Fryeburg Public Library (515 Main St., Fryeburg, 207/935-2731, www.fryeburgmaine.org/town-departments/library).
Anything happening in Bethel and vicinity, Oxford Hills, or Sebago and Long Lakes is also within easy reach of the Fryeburg area, especially in the daytime.
The Leura Hill Eastman Performing Arts Center (Fryeburg Academy, Fryeburg, 207/935-9232, www.fryeburgacademy.org) is a year-round venue that attracts regional and national entertainers.
Singer-songwriter Carol Noonan has created a phenomenal 200-seat performing arts center on her hilltop farm. Stone Mountain Arts Center (695 Dug Way Rd., Brownfield, 866/227-6523, www.stonemountainartscenter.com) brings in nationally renowned performers such as Roseanne Cash, Shemekia Copeland, Sweet Honey in the Rock, Leo Kottke, and Paula Poundstone, to name a few. The calendar is jam-packed. All events take place in the barn, and preshow dinners, pizzas, and salads ($15-25) are available by reservation. Credit cards are taken for reservations, but cash or checks are preferred for actual payment. Print out a copy of the directions—this place is in the boonies.
The Lovell Brick Church for the Performing Arts (www.lovellbrickchurch.org) is the site of a summer entertainment series, with performances May-September.
In summer, outdoor concerts are held Tuesday nights at the gazebo (or in the fire barn, if it’s raining). During July, The International Musical Arts Institute (www.imaifestival.org) presents concerts in Fryeburg Academy’s Bion Cram Library.
The big event in these parts is the Fryeburg Fair (www.fryeburgfair.com) the last country fair of the season held the first week of October, sometimes including a few days in September. It’s Maine’s largest agricultural fair and an annual event since 1851. A parade, a carnival, craft demonstrations and exhibits, harness racing, pig scrambles, children’s activities, ox pulling, and live entertainment are all here, as are plenty of food booths (it’s sometimes called the “Fried-burg” Fair). More than 300,000 turn out for eight days of festivities, so expect traffic congestion. The fair runs Sunday-Sunday, and the busiest day is Saturday. No dogs are allowed on the 180-acre site. Spectacular fall foliage and mountain scenery just add to the appeal. Find it at the Fryeburg Fairgrounds (officially the West Oxford Agricultural Society Fairgrounds) on Route 5 in Fryeburg.
It’s hard to believe that the jewelry and crafts inside the Harvest Gold Gallery (Rte. 5, Center Lovell, 207/925-6502, www.harvestgoldgallery.com) are more stunning than the setting overlooking Kezar Lake. Magnificent gold jewelry, much of it accented with Maine gemstones, is made on the premises. Also here is a very well-chosen selection of high-end crafts, with an emphasis on fine glasswork. It’s definitely not a place to bring young kids.
Less high-end but no lower in quality are the crafts at Weston’s (48 River St./Rte. 113 N., Fryeburg, 207/935-2567, www.westonsfarm.com). The mostly locally made selection includes baskets, bears, pillows, candles, and more.
Log House Designs (Rte. 5, Fryeburg, 207/935-2848, www.loghousedesignsusa.com, 7am-3pm Mon.-Fri.) is a bargain-seeker’s dream. You enter via the stitching room, and then progress to the bona fide outlet, where the company’s Gore-Tex outdoor wear, fleece products, travel accessories, and even dog beds are sold at great prices.
The easiest and therefore busiest trail in the area is the 20-minute stroll up Jockey Cap, named for a cantilevered ledge that has long since disappeared. At the summit, with a 360-degree view of lakes and mountains, is a monument to Admiral Robert Peary, the Arctic explorer who once lived in Fryeburg. The metal edge of the monument is a handy cheat sheet with profiles and names of all the mountains you’re looking at—more than four dozen of them. The trail is fine for kids, but keep a close eye on the littlest ones; the drop-off is perilous on the south side. Jockey Cap is also popular with rock climbers and boulder mavens. The trailhead is on Route 302, about a mile east of downtown Fryeburg, on the left between the Jockey Cap Country Store and the Jockey Cap Motel. And here’s a bit of trivia: Jockey Cap was the site of Maine’s first ski tow.
Allow about half an hour to reach the summit of Sabattus Mountain in Lovell, north of Fryeburg. This is an especially good family hike, easy and short enough for small children. Carry a picnic and enjoy the views at the top—on the ledges of the more open second summit. You’ll see the White Mountains, Pleasant Mountain, and skinny Kezar Lake; in fall it’s fabulous. To reach the trailhead from Fryeburg, take Route 5 North to Center Lovell. About 0.8 mile after the junction of Routes 5 and 5A, turn right onto Sabattus Road. Go about 1.6 miles, bearing right at the fork onto an unpaved road. Continue another 0.5 mile to a parking area on the left; the trailhead is across the road. The round-trip loop trail is 1.4 miles.
Other good hikes in this area are Mount Tom (easy, about 2.5 hours round-trip), just east of Fryeburg; Burnt Meadow Mountain (moderately difficult, about four hours round-trip to the north peak, with good views of the Presidential Range), near Brownfield; and Mount Cutler (moderately difficult, about two hours round-trip), near Hiram.
Fryeburg has two public beaches that double as canoe put-ins. Weston’s Beach (River St./Rte. 5 N., just off Rte. 302) is a swath of sand extending into the Saco River that gets wider as the summer progresses and the river level drops. Another sandy beach is adjacent to Canal Bridge Campground, just off Route 5 heading toward Lovell.
The Saco River, whose headwaters are in Crawford Notch, New Hampshire, meanders 84 miles from the Maine border at Fryeburg to the ocean at Saco and Biddeford. Its many miles of flat water, with intermittent sandbars and a few portages, make it wonderful for canoeing, camping, and swimming, but there’s the rub: The summer weekend scene on the 35-mile western Maine stretch sometimes looks like bumper boats at Disneyland, especially weekends and holidays, and it can be quite raucous—with large parties towing canoes filled with beer. Aim for midweek or late September-early October, when the foliage is spectacular, the current is slower, noise levels are lower, and the crowds are busy elsewhere. For a relaxing trip, figure about 2 mph and you can do the Fryeburg-to-Hiram segment with two overnight stops, including a couple of interesting side-trip paddles to Hemlock Bridge, Pleasant Pond, and Lovewell’s Pond. If you put in at Swan’s Falls in Fryeburg (www.sacorivercouncil.org, parking $10/day), you won’t have to deal with portages between there and Hiram. For multiday trips, you’ll need to get a fire permit (free; available at some local stores), or stay at one of the commercial campgrounds.
Saco River Canoe and Kayak (Rte. 5, Fryeburg, 207/935-2369, www.sacorivercanoe.com), close to the convenient put-in at Swan’s Falls, rents canoes and tandem kayaks ($45/day Fri.-Sun. July-Aug., $30 midweek and off-season) and provides delivery and pickup service along a 50-mile stretch of the Saco River. Shuttle costs range $6-16 for two canoes (depending on location). Safety-conscious owners Fred and Prudy Westerberg know their turf—they’ve been in the biz since the 1970s—and provide helpful advice for planning short and extended canoe trips.
If crowds on the Saco become a bit much, head east or north with your canoe or kayak to the area’s lakes and ponds, even to Brownfield Bog, a favorite with birders. Prime canoeing spots are Lovewell Pond and Kezar Pond in Fryeburg; Kezar Lake in Lovell; and Virginia Lake in Stoneham. A north wind kicks up on Kezar Lake, so stay close to shore. The most spectacular is mile-long Virginia Lake, nudged up against the White Mountain National Forest. To see a house on the wooded shoreline is a rarity. The rough access road (off Rte. 5 between North Lovell and East Stoneham) is a mechanic’s delight, but persevere; tranquility lies ahead.
The best way to see beautiful Kezar Lake is by renting a boat from Kezar Lake Marina (219 W. Lovell Rd., Lovell, 207/925-3000, www.kezarlake.com). Canoes and kayaks rent for $10/hour or $25/day. A 13-foot Boston Whaler begins at $50/half day, $90/full day.
More than 600 miles of groomed trails are accessible from Fryeburg. For information and sled rental, try Northeast Snowmobile Rentals (532 Main St./Rte. 302, Fryeburg, 800/458-1838, www.northeastsnowmobile.com). Rates begin around $150 for a half day. Full clothing, including boots, pants, jacket, and gloves, is $25. A two-hour guided tour up Black Cap Mountain is $95 s, $115 d.
If you’re planning to be in the area during the Fryeburg Fair, you’ll need to reserve beds or campsites months ahead, in some cases a year in advance.
M The Oxford House Inn (548 Main St./Rte. 302, Fryeburg, 207/935-3442 or 800/261-7206, www.oxfordhouseinn.com, $119-199 d) is better known for its dining, but upstairs are four spacious and inviting guest rooms, each with a TV, air-conditioning, and Wi-Fi. Rear rooms have bucolic views over the Saco River Valley farmlands to the White Mountains. Breakfasts, served in the mountain-view porch-dining room, are every bit as creative as the inn’s dinner menus.
Here’s a treat. The Old Saco Inn (125 Old Saco Ln., Fryeburg, 207/925-3737, www.theoldesacoinn.com, $105-180) sits on 65 quiet acres bordering the old course of the Saco River. A huge lawn rolls down to the river’s edge; rising beyond are the distant White Mountains. Trails meander through the woods and fields, and canoes and kayaks are provided for paddlers. Centerpiece of the main inn is a two-story living/dining room centered on a huge hearth. Just off of it is a cozy pub with woodstove, where a light menu is served on weekends. There’s a guest library with cozy nooks in the upstairs mezzanine. Guest rooms are spread out between the inn and the adjacent carriage house. All have Wi-Fi and TV, most have refrigerators and private entrances, some have decks, one has a detached but private bath. A full breakfast is included, served either indoors or on the porch.
If you love dogs or are traveling with your pooch, you’ll adore the Admiral Peary Inn Bed and Breakfast (27 Elm St., Fryeburg, 207/935-1269, www.admiralpearyinn.com, $149-189), named for the famed Arctic explorer who briefly resided here. What distinguishes this inn are the spacious and plentiful public rooms: the front library, a parlor, a dining room, huge kitchen with dining area, great room with fireplace and 50-inch TV, pool table nook, and large three-season porch, not to mention the back deck and yard. Innkeeper Donna Pearce has updated the decor, opting for handsome and comfy over froufrou and frilly. The inn, dating from the 1860s, is located in a quiet residential area that’s an easy walk to downtown restaurants. Dogs stay free as long as they can vouch for the behavior of their people. Rates include a full breakfast.
The New York Times once headlined a story on Quisisana (42 Quisisana Dr., Center Lovell, 207/925-3500, www.quisisanaresort.com, no credit cards) as “Where Mozart Goes on Vacation.” Amen. By day, the staff at this elegantly rustic 47-acre retreat masquerade as waiters and waitresses, chambermaids, boat crew, and kitchen help; each night, presto, they’re the stars of musical performances worthy of Broadway and concert-hall ticket prices. Since 1947 it has been like this at “Quisi”—with staff recruited from the nation’s best conservatories. Veteran managers literally attuned to guests’ needs keep it all working smoothly.
The frosting on all this culture is the setting—a beautifully landscaped pine grove on the shores of sandy-bottomed Kezar Lake, looking off to the White Mountains and dramatic sunsets. No wonder that reservations for the lodge rooms and 38 neat white cottages are hard to come by. The New York-heavy clientele knows to book well ahead, often for the same week, and new generations have followed their parents here. In July-August, a one-week minimum Saturday-Saturday reservation is required. Rates begin at $180 pp, including meals, musical entertainment, tennis, and nonmotorized boats. Beer and wine only are available. Quisisana’s season begins in mid-June and ends in late August.
Canoeing is the major focus at Woodland Acres Campground (Rte. 160, Brownfield, 207/935-2529, www.woodlandacres.com), with a 100-canoe fleet available for rent ($58/day includes shuttle service to one location; reduced rates for additional days). The staff makes it all very convenient, even suggesting more than half a dozen daylong and multiday canoe trips for skill levels from beginner to expert. This well-maintained campground on the Saco River has 109 wooded tent and RV sites ($34-44). Facilities include a rec hall, a beach, a camp store, and free hot showers. Leashed pets are allowed ($2.50/day). From Fryeburg, take Route 5/13 southeast to Route 160; turn left (north) and go a mile to the campground.
Also in Brownfield, and also geared toward canoeists, is River Run (Rte. 160, Brownfield, 207/452-2500, www.riverruncanoe.com), with 22 large primitive tent sites ($10 pp, no hookups) on 100-plus acres next to the Saco River’s Brownfield Bridge. Canoe rentals and shuttle service are available—canoes run about $21/day Monday-Thursday, $40 on weekends and holidays, with the shuttle price about $9-20.
The Saco River Recreational Council maintains rustic Swans Falls Campground (198 Swans Falls Rd., Fryeburg, 207/935-3395, www.sacorivercouncil.org, $15 pp, $25 min./night) on the Saco River just north of Fryeburg. The wooded grounds have 18 campsites with picnic tables and fire rings. Also here are a small educational facility and a store. This is a very busy canoe and kayak access point on the Saco River.
Rosie’s Restaurant at the Lovell Village Store (Rte. 5, Lovell, 207/925-1255, 5am-8pm Mon.-Sat., 6am-7pm Sun.) is always packed. Expect good food, friendly service, and a never-too-late-for-breakfast/never-too-early-for-lunch menu.
Weston’s Farm, established by the Weston family in 1799 and now operated by the sixth generation, edges the Saco River and is across from Weston’s Beach. Stop at Weston’s Farm Stand (48 River St./Rte. 113 N., Fryeburg, 207/935-2567, www.westonsfarm.com, 9am-6pm daily mid-May-Dec. 24) for all kinds of picnic and cottage fixings, from fresh produce and local meats to cheese and maple syrup.
Here’s a sleeper: Chef-co-owner and Culinary Institute of America grad Jonathan Spak crafts contemporary American fare with international (especially Asian) accents at M The Oxford House Inn (548 Main St., Fryeburg, 207/935-3442, www.oxfordhouseinn.com, 5:30pm-9pm daily, $12-32). He offers half- and full-plate pastas, bistro plates, and full entrées, making it easy to assemble a meal that fits both your budget and cravings. The four dining rooms appear formal, but this is a casual place; request a table on the glassed-in back porch to watch the sun set behind the White Mountains. Dinner reservations are wise, especially July-August and during the Fryeburg Fair.
Beer geeks, here’s your happy place. Fronting on the golf course yet hidden on a back road is a local secret with a big reputation—Ebenezer’s Restaurant and Pub (44 Allen Rd., off W. Lovell Rd., Lovell, 207/925-3200, www.ebenezerspub.net, from noon daily summer, shorter hours off-season). Most folks come for the Belgian beer selection—easily the best in New England, some say in the entire country. And if you’re not a fan of Belgian brews, there are dozens of other beer choices. Complementing that is good pub fare, burgers, sandwiches, salads, pizzas ($6-12) as well as heartier entrées ($15-22), although service can be glacial. Dine on the screened-in porch or inside the tavern and bar. Every August, Ebenezer’s puts on an extravagant multicourse Belgian dinner with beer pairings as part of its weeklong Belgian Beer Festival.
Innkeeper Janice Sage won the Center Lovell Inn and Restaurant (1107 Main St., Center Lovell, 207/925-1575 or 800/777-2698, www.centerlovellinn.com, 6pm-9pm daily, entrées $25-30) in an essay contest and became a cover story in the New York Times Magazine. She has been here since 1993, serving an enthusiastic clientele drawn to the wide-ranging continental menu, which changes weekly. The best tables are on the glassed-in porch, where you can watch the sun slip behind the mountains. Reservations are advised, especially in midsummer. Prefer to tumble into bed after dining? The inn has five second-floor guest rooms with private and shared baths in the 1805 main building, plus five more with private and shared baths in the adjacent Harmon House. Room rates are $119-159. The inn and the restaurant are open May-October and December-March.
If you have a hankering for barbecue and good times, the 302 West Smokehouse & Tavern (636 Main St., Fryeburg, 207/935-3021, www.302west.com, from 11am daily) delivers on both counts. Big portions of ribs and barbecued entrées run $10-20; burgers, quesadillas, and the like begin around $9. If there’s entertainment, plan on a crowd; this place is crazy popular with locals. If the weather’s nice, grab a seat on the back deck.
The Greater Bridgton Lakes Region Chamber of Commerce (207/647-3472, www.mainelakeschamber.com) covers Fryeburg.
Fryeburg is roughly 36 miles or 50 minutes from Bethel via Route 5. It’s about 20 miles or 25 minutes to Cornish via Route 5 and about 15 miles or 20 minutes to Bridgton via Route 302.
Folded in the foothills of the White Mountains and well off the radar screen of most tourists, Cornish, neighboring Limerick, and Newfield are charming rural towns filled with architectural gems and dotted with antiques and eclectic shops. Lovely to visit spring through fall, they’re especially treasured during foliage season, not only for the leaves but also for the apple harvest. Local historians boast that in the 1850s many of Cornish’s splendid homes were moved by oxen from other parts of town to the main drag to be close to the stagecoach route. Limerick, which edges Lake Sokokis, provides easy access to Newfield, home to an amazing country museum. The Cornish area is convenient to Sebago, Portland, and the Southern Coast.
Just west of Cornish, this lovely bridge linking Oxford and York Counties and the towns of Porter and Parsonsfield spans the Ossipee River. Officially known as the Parsonsfield-Porter Historical Bridge, the current 152-foot double-pan, Paddleford construction dates from 1859. The best view is from Route 160, just south of what passes as downtown.
Plan a day trip to tiny Newfield, home to the fascinating 19th-century Willowbrook Museum Village (Main St., just north of Rte. 11, Newfield, 207/793-2784, www.willowbrookmuseum.org, 10am-5pm Thurs.-Mon. late May-mid-Oct., $12 adults, $7 ages 13-18, $5 ages 6-12, $9 over age 64, free under age 6). The museum, created by Don King (not the boxing promoter) and his wife, Pan, comprises 25 buildings listed on the National Register of Historic Places in a country village setting. While you can breeze through in an hour or so, you’ll want to linger for half a day. What’s to see? Two historical homes, a carriage house, a country store, a schoolhouse, a magnificently restored carousel, and incredible collections of carriages and sleighs, farm tools, toys, and other curious antiquities. Occasionally there are demonstrations, but for the most part Willowbrook is yours to discover, a snapshot in time. Bring a picnic (or visit the café and ice cream shop) and a camera and soak up the rural history on this incredibly peaceful site.
The Ossipee Valley Fair is an old-fashioned four-day agricultural fair with tractor pulling, animal exhibits, live entertainment, food booths, games, and a carnival. It’s in South Hiram the second weekend in July.
Every summer, the Saco River Festival Association (Parsonfield, 207/625-7116, www.sacoriverfestival.org) sponsors a concert series at the Old Cornish Fairgrounds.
The Ossipee Valley Music Festival (www.ossipeevalley.com), a long weekend of bluegrass, fiddling, and acoustical music, takes place in mid-July.
Apple Acres Farm (www.appleacresfarm.com) hosts an autumn bluegrass festival.
A great time to visit Cornish is the last Saturday in September, when the annual Apple Festival (207/625-7447, www.cornish-maine.org), held in downtown Cornish, celebrates the area’s major crop with music, a crafts fair, and even an apple-pie contest. You can overdose all day on apples and stock up for winter, and do it just as fall foliage is starting to appear. For a spectacular panorama of fall colors along the Ossipee and Saco River Valleys, drive up Towles Hill Road (left turn, just west of town).
Antiques and artisans’ shops dominate Cornish’s genuinely quaint and walkable downtown. Here’s a sampling. Cornish Trading Company (19 Main St./Rte. 25, 207/625-8387) is a terrific group antiques shop in the handsome three-story Masonic building. Across the street is Full Circle Artisan’s Gallery (12 Main St., 207/625-7725), carrying fine craft by regional artists. For vintage commercial signage and memorabilia, visit The Smith Co. (Main St., 207/625-6030). Village Jewelers (Main St., 207/625-8958) has a drool-worthy selection of Maine gems. Evie’s Eclectic Collections (Main St., 207/625-8916) delivers on its name, with merchandise displayed in a beautifully restored mansion. After exhausting the Main Street shops, head up High Street. Cottage Treasures (47 High Rd., 207/625-2301) specializes in porcelain, glass, and vintage linens. Antiques jumble with junktiques at Red House Antiques (53 High Rd., 207/625-8322).
Antiques shops and independent boutiques draw shoppers to downtown Cornish.
The shopping isn’t limited to Cornish. At Once All Agog (24A Main St., Limerick, 207/793-2464) sells puzzles, toys, games, and books.
Back Country Excursions (43 Woodward Rd., Parsonfield, 207/625-8189, www.bikebackcountry.com) has 30 miles of dedicated mountain-biking trails for all abilities as well as a technical terrain park for thrill-seekers on an 8,800-acre private recreational and logging preserve. Instruction and guided rides are available. Rates are $60 for a full day with lunch, $50 without lunch, or $30 half day, which includes access to shower facilities and maps. Bikes rent for $30-45, and a helmet is $5. You also can rent a canoe for paddling local waterways for $20. Camping and lodging are available.
Smack-dab downtown is the delightfully old-fashioned Cornish Inn (2 High St., Cornish, 207/625-8501, www.cornishinn.com, $85-165), a three-story gently updated classic with a wraparound porch and an on-site dining room serving dinner. The 16 air-conditioned guest rooms are simple yet comfortable. Rates include a self-serve light continental breakfast, but there are options for full breakfasts within walking distance.
The barn-red Midway Country Lodging (712 S. Hiram Rd., Cornish, 207/625-8835, www.mainemidwaylodging.com, $84-109) is a motel-like inn, or maybe an inn-like motel. Country is the theme, and all rooms have air-conditioning, TVs, Wi-Fi, fridges, microwaves, and phones; some have a whirlpool bath, a video player, or a balcony. The outdoor pool has a nice mountain view, and the landscaped grounds even have a fountain.
Here’s a budget find: The handsome brick Greek Revival-style Jeremiah Mason Bed & Breakfast (40 Main St., Limerick, 207/793-4858, www.jeremiahmasonhouse.com, $55-75), built by a wealthy banker in 1859, retains the elegance of a bygone era. Spacious antiques-accented guest rooms have chandeliers, marble fireplaces, and floor-to-ceiling windows. Rates include a full breakfast; less expensive rooms have half-baths.
In addition to pick-your-own apples in autumn, Apple Acres Farm (363 Durgintown Rd., Hiram, 207/625-4777) is justifiably popular for apple-cider doughnuts, ice cream, doughnut ice-cream sandwiches, pies, and even lobster rolls.
Fresh and seasonal are the hallmarks at the Cornish Inn (2 High St., Cornish, 207/625-8501, www.cornishinn.com, 11:30am-2:30pm Sat. and 4:30pm-9pm Wed.-Sun., $13-22). The menu changes weekly to reflect what’s locally available, and often is drawn from the inn’s gardens.
M Krista’s Restaurant (2 Main St., Cornish, 207/625-3600, www.kristasrestaurant.com, 11:30am-8pm Mon., Wed., Thurs., 11:30am-9pm Fri., 7am-9pm Sat., 7am-8pm Sun., $8-26) serves fabulous fresh fare in huge portions in its cheery air-conditioned dining rooms and on a screened deck overhanging a gurgling stream. Dinner options range from burgers and salads to entrées such as Tuscan baked haddock and herb-crusted prime rib.
Fresh seafood is served at Bay Haven Lobster Pound Two (Maple St., Cornish, 207/625-7303, 11am-8pm daily, $10-22), operated by a fishing family. Portions are very generous; prices are reasonable. Dress down, order the humongous fisherman’s platter—and plan on sharing.
Good food at a good price served in a pleasant country-style dining room across from Lake Sokokis have made The Peppermill Restaurant (171 Washington St., Limerick, 207/793-2500, 7am-8pm Sun.-Thurs., 7am-9pm Fri.-Sat., dinner $8-16) a local favorite for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Dinner choices range from comfort foods to surf and turf, with prime rib a specialty on Friday and Saturday nights.
Heather and Gary Labbe have turned four antiques- and treasure-filled rooms in their lovely Carpenter-Gothic home into the Clipper Merchant Tea House (58 Main St., Limerick, 207/793-3500, www.clippermerchant.com, 11am-4pm Wed.-Sat. mid-May-early Dec.). Begin with the lavender lemonade, then opt either for lunch ($10-14) or, even better, the indulgent high tea ($40 for two).
Area info is available from The Cornish Association of Businesses (207/625-8856, www.cornish-maine.org) and www.limerickmaine.com.
Cornish is roughly 20 miles or 25 minutes from Fryeburg via Route 5. It’s about 23 miles or 35 minutes to Bridgton via Routes 5 and 117. It’s about 35 miles or 50 minutes to Portland via Route 25.
Maine’s Lakes region, the area along the shores of Sebago and Long Lakes, includes the two major hubs of Bridgton (pop. 5,210) and Naples (pop. 3,872), as well as the smaller communities of Sebago (pop. 1,719) and Harrison (pop. 2,730) and the larger communities of Raymond (pop. 4,436), Casco (pop. 3,742), and Windham (pop. 17,001). All are in Cumberland County.
Settled in 1768, Bridgton was incorporated in 1794; Naples was not incorporated until 1834. When the summer-vacation boom began in the mid-19th century and then erupted after the Civil War, visitors flowed into this area via stagecoach, the Cumberland and Oxford Canal, and later the Bridgton and Saco Railroad.
The 28-lock canal, opened in 1830 and shut down in 1870, connected the Fore River in Portland with Sebago and Long Lakes. Its only working remnant is the Songo Lock in Naples, on the Songo River between Brandy Pond and Sebago Lake.
Sebago is an apt Native American word meaning “large, open water”; it’s the state’s second-largest lake (after Moosehead), and fluky winds can kick up suddenly and toss around little boats, so be prudent. Now a major water source for Greater Portland, the lake reportedly served as the crossroads for major Native American trading routes, and artifacts still occasionally surface in the Sebago Basin area.
Engage in a heart-to-heart with an adult vacationing in this area and you’re likely to find someone trying to recapture the past—the carefree days at summer camp in the Sebago and Long Lakes region. The shores of Sebago, Long, and Highland Lakes shelter dozens of children’s camps that have created several generations of Maine enthusiasts—”people from away” who still can’t resist an annual visit. Unless your own kids are in camp, however, or you’re terminally masochistic, do not appear in Bridgton, Naples, or surrounding communities on the last weekend in July. Parents, grandparents, and surrogate parents all show up then for the midseason summer-camp break, and there isn’t a bed or restaurant seat to be had in the entire county and maybe beyond. Gridlock is the rule.
Aside from that, this mountain-lake setting has incredible locales for canoeing, swimming, hiking, fishing, golfing, camping, biking, ice skating, snowshoeing, and skiing. Maine’s first ski lift opened in 1938 on Pleasant Mountain, now the Shawnee Peak ski area.
These lakes are quite convenient to Portland—Sebago is the large body of water you’ll see to the west as you descend into the Portland Jetport.
Built in 1797 and converted to Federal style in 1828, the Peabody-Fitch Farm is the crown jewel of the Bridgton Historical Society (207/647-3699, www.bridgtonhistory.org). Still undergoing restoration—now to the pre-Civil War era—the homestead includes a carriage house, an ell, a barn, a blacksmith shop, and historic gardens. The barn has its own story: It’s known as the Temperance Barn because the landowners were avowed teetotalers, so the volunteer barn-raisers earned only water for their efforts. Narramissic is a relatively recent name, given to it by the 20th-century owner who donated it to the historical society in 1986. The name is a Native American word meaning “hard to find,” reflecting her lengthy search for a family summer home. But it also suits the circuitous route, fortunately signposted, to the South Bridgton farm from downtown Bridgton: Take Main Street to Route 117 south and turn left on Route 107, then right on Ingalls Road. A season highlight is the Woodworkers’ Show in July. The grounds are open during daylight hours for hiking and picnicking; call for open house hours.
Berthed in downtown Naples is the Songo River Queen II (Bay of Naples Causeway/Rte. 302, Naples, 207/693-6861, www.songoriverqueen.net, $15-25 adults, $8-13 children), a 93-foot Mississippi stern-wheeler replica that operates one- and two-hour narrated cruises on Long Lake mid-May-mid-October. Onboard are restrooms and a snack bar. Cruises operate daily, rain or shine; weekends spring and fall.
Inspired by a famous western Maine signpost giving directions to nine Maine towns named for foreign cities and countries, Boy Scouts in Casco decided to create some competition—a directional sign for 10 Maine towns named for U.S. presidents. The marker stands next to the village green in Casco, at the corner of Route 121 and Leach Hill Road, pointing to towns such as Washington (76 miles), Lincoln (175 miles), Madison (96 miles), and Monroe (114 miles). There’s even a Clinton (84 miles).
If you’re here in the fall, take time to detour briefly to Casco’s “million-dollar view.” Continue south from the signpost less than two miles on Route 121 to Route 11 (Pike Corner), turn right (west) and go about 0.5 mile to Quaker Ridge Road and turn left (south). Views are spectacular along here, especially from the Quaker Hill area.
The early 19th-century itinerant artist’s murals and paintings are the focus at the Rufus Porter Museum and Cultural Heritage Center (Main St., Bridgton, 207/647-2828, www.rufusportermuseum.org, 10am-4pm Tues.-Sat. late June-late Aug., noon-4pm Wed.-Sat. early Sept.-mid-Oct., $8 adults, $7 seniors, free under age 16), now located in the John and Maria Webb House. Porter, the founder of Scientific American magazine, painted landscapes on the walls of homes throughout New England. Most were unsigned, and some of Porter’s murals are displayed in the front hall of the house. During one week in July, the museum hosts a Cultural Heritage Series with classes, workshops, and lectures concentrating on the arts and sciences of the 19th and 20th centuries. Other programs and classes are also offered. The museum is in a barn-red house on the northern edge of downtown Bridgton. Note that the museum is staffed by volunteers, so it’s wise to verify hours.
In use by three generations of the Scribner family between 1847 and 1962, Scribner’s Saw Mill and Homestead (207/585-6455, Scribner’s Mill Rd., Harrison, www.scribnersmill.org, 1pm-4pm Sat. July-Aug.) is an accurately reconstructed, working, sash sawmill museum. The best time to visit is during the annual Back to the Past weekend in August, with tours, demonstrations, and children’s activities.
Tucked away on a back road in Harrison, east of Long Lake, dramatic-looking 278-seat Deertrees Theatre and Cultural Center (156 Deertrees Rd., Harrison, 207/583-6747, www.deertreestheatre.org) is a must-see even if you don’t attend a performance. The acoustically superior building, constructed of rose hemlock in 1936, is on the National Register of Historic Places and has seen the likes of Rudy Vallée, Ethel Barrymore, Tallulah Bankhead, and Henry Winkler; restoration of the rustic building in the 1990s has given it an exciting new life. During the summer season, there’s something going on nearly every night—musicals, plays, comedy, folk, jazz, blues, and weekly children’s performances. The theater is signposted off Route 117 in the Harrison woods. Also here is the BackStage Gallery (10am-5pm Tues.-Sat. and one hour before performances).
Mid-July-mid-August, the Sebago-Long Lake Chamber Music Festival (207/583-6747, www.sebagomusicfestival.org, $25 adults, free under 22) brings Tuesday evening chamber-music concerts to Harrison’s Deertrees Theatre. Advance booking is essential for this popular series, founded in 1975.
Sunday evening band concerts around the gazebo behind the Naples Information Center are free mid-July-mid-August. Bring a chair or blanket to the Village Green (Rte. 302, Naples).
Live entertainment is scheduled most weekends at Bray’s Brewpub and Eatery (Rte. 302 and Rte. 35, Naples, 207/693-6806, www.braysbrewpub.com).
One of a dying species, Bridgton Drive-In (Rte. 302, Bridgton, 207/647-8666, www.bridgtondrivein.com) screens a double feature beginning at dusk each night July-August.
The Shawnee Peak ski area (207/647-8444, www.shawneepeak.com) has a full schedule of family-oriented special events, including races, throughout the winter; call or check the website for information.
The Maine Blues Festival (www.mainebluesfestival.com), in June, celebrates Maine’s blues artists.
The third Saturday in July, Bridgton is the scene of the Annual Art in the Park exhibition and sale, a mad success since its inception. Also in July is Bridgton’s annual Chickadee Quilters Show (www.quiltguilds.com/maine.htm), with exhibits and sales of magnificent quilts and wall hangings at the Bridgton Town Hall.
Anchored by Renys (Main St., 207/647-3711), where you can buy just about anything portable at great prices, Bridgton offers the best collection of interesting shops, with most housed in historic buildings along the town’s main drag. But there are other stores worth seeking in the area.
More than 60 member artists exhibit their work at Gallery 302 (112 Main St., Bridgton, 207/647-2787), home of the nonprofit Bridgton Art Guild. The co-op sponsors the town’s annual Art in the Park, and the gallery hosts exhibits, receptions, classes, and workshops.
About a dozen vendors sell antiques and other finds at Harry Barker’s Emporium (142 Main St., 207/647-4500). And the name? The shop is a fundraising effort by the Harvest Hills animal shelter.
A onetime Unitarian church is the setting for the carefully chosen and superbly eclectic inventory at Craftworks (53 Main St., Bridgton, 207/647-5436), a Bridgton landmark since the early 1970s.
Cry of the Loon (Rte. 302, South Casco, 207/655-5060) has gifts and a tasteful, eclectic mix of gourmet condiments, Maine crafts, antiques, furniture, and much more spread out in three buildings on both sides of the road.
Since the 1970s, Hole in the Wall Studioworks (1544 Roosevelt Trail/Rte. 302, Raymond, 207/655-4592, www.holeinthewallstudioworks.com) has been selling an especially fine selection of American-made art and crafts. Don’t miss the sculpture garden.
Maine-made crafts and a luscious selection of yarns are at Rosemary’s Gift Shop (39 Roosevelt Trail/Rte. 302, Windham, 207/894-5770).
Bridgton Books (140 Main St., Bridgton, 207/647-2122), an independent bookstore, carries an excellent selection of books (20,000 titles include new, selected used, and a large bargain-book section), cards, puzzles, and more.
Yes, there’s even a winery in the region. Blacksmiths (Rte. 302, South Casco, 207/655-3292, www.blacksmithswinery.com) produces more than a dozen wines on the premises and offers tastings.
Fourth largest of Maine’s state parks, 1,400-acre Sebago Lake State Park (11 Park Access Rd., Naples, 207/693-6613 late June-Labor Day, 207/693-6231 off-season, www.parksandlands.com, $6.50 nonresident adults, $4.50 Maine resident adults, $1.50 nonresident seniors, $1 ages 5-11) is one of the most popular—so don’t anticipate peace and quiet here in July-August. Swimming and picnicking are superb, fishing is so-so, and personal watercraft are an increasing hazard. During the summer, park officials organize lectures, hikes, and other activities; the schedule is posted at the gate. The park is open mid-May-October, but there’s winter access to 4.5 miles of groomed cross-country skiing trails—mostly beginner terrain. It’s also ideal for snowshoeing.
You can reach the park’s separate picnicking and camping areas from Route 302 in Casco. Take State Park Road to the fork, where you go left to the picnic area or right to Songo Lock and the camping area. Both sections have sandy beaches. Or, from downtown Naples, take Route 11/114 to Thompson Point Road and follow the signs.
The Lakes Environmental Association (207/647-8580, www.mainelakes.org) hosts guided hikes, birding programs, talks, and other events throughout the year; check the website for current listings.
Douglas Mountain (also called Douglas Hill) is one of southern Maine’s most popular hikes, so you probably won’t be alone. Take a brochure from the registration box, and follow the moderate Woods Trail to the 1,415-foot summit, a 30-minute walk at most. At the top is a 0.75-mile nature-trail loop, plus a 16-foot stone tower with a head-spinning view. In the fall, the vistas are incomparable. Be eco-sensitive and stick to the trails in this 169-acre preserve. Pets are not allowed. The trails are accessible dawn-dusk. The trailhead is off Route 107 in Sebago: Take Dyke Mountain Road 0.8 mile to Douglas Mountain Road, then follow signs to the parking area ($3).
Sebago is especially popular with boating enthusiasts.
The Holt Pond Preserve comprises 450 mostly wetland acres in Naples and is owned by the Lakes Environmental Association (207/647-8580, www.mainelakes.org). A trail with boardwalks makes it easy to spot the flora and fauna in the wetlands and bogs. You can download an interpretive guide from the website. The Town Farm Brook Trail connects to twin-peaked Bald Pate Mountain, part of a 486-acre preserve in South Bridgton maintained by the Loon Echo Land Trust (207/647-4352, www.loonecholandtrust.org). Bald Pate’s trail network is open year-round, and there’s a kiosk with trail maps at the parking lot (signposted off Rte. 107). The first peak has views to Pleasant Mountain, and the summit peak is bald, with panoramic views. Pack a lunch and plan for a full day if you decide to connect the two preserves. If you come in winter, some of Bald Pate’s trails are groomed for cross-country skiing.
Loon Echo Land Trust (207/647-4352, www.loonecholandtrust.org) also manages this nearly 2,000-acre preserve on the eastern sides of the Shawnee Peak alpine resort on Pleasant Mountain in Bridgton. Six interconnecting trails provide access to the main summit—at 2,000 feet it’s the highest mountain in southern Maine and a landmark for pilots. The most popular—and relatively easiest for kids—is the Ledges (or Moose) Trail. In late July, allow four hours for the 3.5-mile round-trip so you can pick blueberries on the open ledges midway up. At the top is a disused fire tower and plenty of space for spreading out a picnic overlooking panoramic vistas of woods, lakes, and mountains. The mountain straddles the Denmark-Bridgton town line as well as the Cumberland-Oxford County line. From Bridgton, drive 5.75 miles west on Route 302 to Mountain Road (just after the causeway over Moose Pond). Turn left (south) at signs for Shawnee Peak ski area and go 3.3 miles to the trailhead for the Ledges (or Moose) Trail; parking is limited.
Smack in downtown Bridgton is this 66-acre preserve, with 2 miles of trails, many with boardwalks, lacing woodlands, fields, and wetlands, including a mile of stream frontage. Easiest access is from the public parking lot behind the Magic Lantern Theater. Pick up a trail map at the trailhead kiosk. Leashed dogs are allowed on one designated trail.
Besides two sandy beaches at Sebago Lake State Park, you can also take a dip while picnicking at an unmarked picnic area on the island midway across Bridgton’s Route 302 Moose Pond causeway. Look for a gated dirt road into the woods on the north side. There are lakeside picnic tables, a small playground, and a portable toilet.
The 18-hole Bridgton Highlands Country Club (Highland Ridge Rd., Bridgton, 207/647-3491, www.bridgtonhighlands.com) course is outstandingly scenic and very popular, especially at the height of summer. Starting times are required. Also here are a handsome clubhouse, tennis courts, a pro shop, and a snack bar.
Less expensive but also scenic is the Naples Golf and Country Club (Rte. 114, Naples, 207/693-6424, www.naplesgolfcourse.com), established in 1922. Light meals are available at the clubhouse, and there’s a pro shop. On midsummer weekends, call for a starting time.
The championship-level Point Sebago Golf Club (Rte. 302, Casco, 207/655-2747, www.pointsebago.com, May-mid-Oct.) is part of a onetime low-key campground transformed into the 800-acre family-oriented Club Med-style Point Sebago Resort. Call for starting times at the 18-hole course, which is open to the public. Golf-and-lodging packages are available.
You can rent a pontoon boat, a powerboat, or if you must, a personal watercraft or PWC, often referred to by the trademark name Jet Ski. The latter have become a major itch on huge Sebago Lake as well as many other Maine lakes, and there’s no gray area in the opinion department. The biggest objections are noise pollution and excessive speed. The state requires PWCs to be licensed as powerboats, but regulations are weak, the state legislature has taken little action, and inadequate funding has led to inadequate enforcement. Each year fatalities occur, spurring towns to try, usually unsuccessfully, to ban or limit PWCs. If you do rent one, play by the rules, exercise caution, and operate at sensible speeds.
Both Naples Marina (Rte. 302 and Rte. 114, Naples, 207/693-6254, www.naplesmarinamaine.com) and Causeway Marina (Rte. 302, Naples, 207/693-6832, www.causewaymarina.com) rent powerboats, including pontoon boats, runabouts, and fishing boats.
The Sports Haus (103 Main St., Bridgton, 207/647-5100) rents canoes ($30/day, $150/week), kayaks ($25-35/day, $125-180/week), sunfish sailboats (from $125 for three days), paddleboards (from $40/day), and other water toys.
If you’ve brought a canoe or kayak, don’t launch it into Sebago Lake; save it for the smaller lakes and ponds, where the winds are more predictable and the boat traffic is less congested. Long Lake is also a possibility if you put in at Harrison on the east side.
Just around the corner from the Bridgton House and off the main road, M The Noble House (81 Highland Rd., Bridgton, 207/647-3733, www.noblehousebb.com, year-round, $165-275) is a grand turn-of-the-20th-century Victorian with nine warmly decorated guest rooms, all with air-conditioning and Wi-Fi, some with screened porches or jetted tubs. Guests have use of a comfortable sitting room with a TV and a video player, a living room with a grand piano and an organ, and a great veranda. A short walk brings you to Bridgton’s Highland Park on the lake, with swimming, picnicking, and boating access. Rates include a full breakfast and access to a guest pantry with a bottomless cookie jar.
Front and center on the action, yet set off the highway just enough to provide privacy, the three-story, brick Augustus Bove House (Corner Rtes. 302 and 114, 207/693-6365, www.naplesmaine.com, $145-250) has been welcoming guests since 1851. Innkeepers Arlene and David Stetson have been here for about three decades. The eight rooms, two suites, and two cottages in the main house have a/c, Wi-Fi, TV, and Arlene’s handmade quilts. Rooms in the front have lake views; those in the back are quieter. Everyone can enjoy the views from the porch and gardens. A full breakfast is served.
Innkeeper and talented chef Keith Neubert makes his guests feel as important as the Hollywood stars whose names grace the 16 meticulously decorated guest rooms at The Inn at Long Lake (15 Lake House Rd., Naples, 207/693-6226 or 800/437-0328, www.innatlonglake.com, year-round, $130-200 d). Built in the early 1900s, the inn is decorated with Victorian Revival flair. All rooms have Wi-Fi; some have lake views. The lovely grounds include a veranda, a gazebo, and a garden. Rates include a multicourse breakfast and afternoon refreshments. Packages with dinner may be available.
Wake up with a morning swim at the lakefront Pleasant Lake House Bed and Breakfast (1024 Meadow Rd., Casco, 207/627-6975, www.pleasantlakehouse.com, year-round, $155-250), an especially family-friendly spot. Choose from four guest rooms and a suite in the main house, built in 1836, or a cottage with a full kitchen. Guests have use of the private beach and dock.
Alyssa’s Motel on Thomas Pond (1 Roosevelt Trail, Casco, 207/655-2223, www.alyssasmotel.com, $145-270) has seven rooms and two suites decorated with a light country touch. All face the pond and have TVs, air-conditioning, and Wi-Fi; some have microwaves and fridges. Guests have use of a canoe, a paddleboat, and the dock; there’s a public boat launch across the street.
Welcome to heaven: At M Migis Lodge (Migis Lodge Rd., South Casco, 207/655-4524, www.migis.com, no credit cards), on the east side of Sebago Lake, guests often confirm their next year’s July or August booking before they depart for home. Don’t let that dissuade you; there often are openings. The rustic elegance of 100-acre Migis, along with attentive service and a fabulous lakeside setting, have drawn big-name guests through the years—ever since the resort was established in the early 20th century as lodging for the parents of summer campers. Guests stay in spacious cabins within steps of the lake; each has a wood-burning fieldstone fireplace and is decorated in inviting Polo Ralph Lauren-meets-L. L. Bean style. Men wear jackets for dinner, and there is a supervised meal and playtime for children during dinner hours. All this comes at a price, which includes almost everything, from sailboats, canoes, and kayaks to island cookouts, waterskiing, tennis courts, and even a weekly lobster bake; exclusions include boats with motors and alcohol. Maine sales tax plus a 15 percent service charge is added on to lodging, food, and beverages. Rates for the 35 lake-view 1-6-bedroom cottages and six lodge rooms begin around $280 pp, varying with the season and the accommodation. This is a fabulous place for an autumn foliage retreat. Pets are not allowed.
Sebago Lake Lodge and Cottages (White’s Bridge Rd., Windham, 207/892-2698, www.sebagolakelodge.com) sit on a point of land with 700 feet of frontage on Sebago Basin adjacent to White’s Bridge. Picnic and cookout facilities, free use of canoes and kayaks, boat slips and moorings, and an adults-only fitness room are just a few of the amenities that make this spot special. Accommodations are rustic, dated, and in need of TLC. Guest rooms in the main lodge, with its wonderful wraparound porch, have kitchenettes or kitchen privileges and nice screened porches. A continental breakfast is served in the gathering room, which also has a fireplace and a TV. The lake-view cottages have one or two bedrooms (guests provide their own linen and paper products); most have screened porches. Pets are allowed in the cottages by arrangement for $15/day, but not in the lodge. Lodge rooms ($165-225) rent by the night; cottages are available Saturday-Saturday ($1,050-1,795/week). Discounts apply early and late in the season.
Camping is especially popular in this part of Maine, and many campgrounds have long-term RV or “immobile” home rentals (also known as “seasonal sites”), so you’ll need to plan ahead and reserve sites well in advance. Be forewarned, though, that if you’re looking for a wilderness camping experience, especially in midsummer, you probably ought to head for the hills. Many of the campgrounds in this area feature nonstop organized fun, which is fine for enthusiastic families, but the intense activity can be overwhelming for those seeking a quiet respite.
It’s crucial to book well ahead to land one of the 250 sites at Sebago Lake State Park (11 Park Access Rd., Naples, 207/693-6613 late June-Labor Day, www.parksandlands.com, reservations in Maine 800/332-1501, out of state 207/624-9950 or www.campwithme.com). Despite its popularity, well-spaced sites provide some privacy. Rates are $26 nonresidents, $15 Maine residents with a $2/night reservation fee. Some sites have water and electric hookups ($37.45 nonresidents, $26.75 Maine residents).
Krainin Real Estate (800/639-2321, www.krainin.com) handles weekly and monthly rentals for cottages on Sebago and Long Lakes as well as many of the surrounding smaller lakes and ponds. Krainin also arranges rentals on Frye Island, a 1,000-acre summer community in the middle of Sebago Lake that’s accessible only by car ferry.
Restaurant hours noted are for peak season but are subject to change. It’s always wise to call ahead. Restaurants in this region tend to get swamped in summer, especially when camper parents are dropping off, picking up, or visiting their kids. Reservations are wise, and don’t be surprised if the restaurant seems short staffed or slow.
The Naples Farmers Market sets up on the Naples village green, off Route 302, 10am-2pm Thursday early May-mid-September. The Bridgton Farmers Market is held 8am-1pm Saturday mid-May-early October on Depot Street, behind Renys.
Conveniently situated across from a lakeside picnic area at the intersection of Routes 302 and 85, The Good Life Market (1297 Roosevelt Trail, Raymond, 207/655-1196, www.thegoodlifemarket.com, 7am-7pm daily) is a great place to pick up sandwiches, salads, fresh-baked treats, wine, and specialty foods. There’s even a very inexpensive kids’ menu.
Just south of downtown Bridgton at the Route 117 intersection is a terrific natural-foods store and café, Morning Dew (19 Sandy Creek Rd., Bridgton, 207/647-4003, www.morningdewnatural.com, 9am-6pm Mon.-Fri., 9am-5:30pm Sat., 10am-5pm Sun.). The menu goes far beyond usual natural-foods fare, with sandwiches, grilled items, burritos, salads, soups, and bagels.
Breakfast is an all-day affair at Chute’s Cafe and Bakery (Rte. 302, South Casco, 207/655-7111, 6am-2pm Mon.-Sat., 6am-1pm Sun.), an always-popular local choice for good home cooking. Prices are low and portions ample. Lunch is served beginning at 11am.
Beth’s Kitchen Cafe (108 Main St., Bridgton, 207/647-5211, 7am-3pm daily) is a pleasant spot for breakfast, create-your-own sandwiches, soups, pizzas, and baked goods.
Don’t be fooled by the convenience store appearance and the gas pumps. Standard Gastropub (233 Main St., Bridgton, 207/647-4100, www.standardgastropub.com, 6am-midnight Mon.-Sat., from 8am Sun., $6-18) is a destination for fans of barbecued and smoked foods. Sure, there are breakfast, lunch, and dinner menus, but don’t miss the chalkboard specials. The space is small, the flavors big. Tuck into a picnic table or take it to go, and fill up the gas tank before hitting the road.
For more than 25 years, the Black Horse Tavern (26 Rte. 302, Bridgton, 207/647-5300, www.theblackhorsetavern.com, 11am-9pm Mon.-Sat., 10am-9pm Sun., $9-25) has been a reliable choice for good food in a pleasant, tavern-style atmosphere. A kids’ menu is available.
Café by day, bistro by night is the slogan at the Black Bear Café (215 Roosevelt Trail, Naples, 207/693-4770, www.theblackbearcafe.com, from 4pm daily $11-23). The pleasant dining area is accented with a tin ceiling and local artwork. Dinner choices—burgers, salads, pizzas, and entrées such as lasagna and chicken saltimbocca—as well as a kids’ menu make it easy to please everyone. An early-bird menu served 4pm-5:30pm Monday-Friday is $13 for salad, beverage, entrée, and dessert. On Sunday evenings there’s a traditional Irish music session with local musicians.
For brews, burgers, and bands, head to Bray’s Brewpub and Eatery (Rte. 302 and Rte. 35, Naples, 207/693-6806, www.braysbrewpub.com, from 11:30am daily, $9-20). Bray’s, located in a Victorian farmhouse, is the pioneer brewpub in this part of Maine. A pub menu with lighter fare is served all day; heftier entrées are available in the evening. Stick with the simpler fare. Live bands play on weekends.
Merced’s on Brandy Pond (770 Roosevelt Trail, Naples, 207/693-5332, www.mercedsonbrandypond.com, 4pm-9pm Mon.-Wed., noon-9pm Thurs.-Sat., 10am-9pm Sun., $10-25), sandwiched between Brandy Pond and Route 302, near the causeway, draws an older clientele. The food’s decent, although it tends to be on the heavy side.
Nonguests can dine at Migis Lodge (Migis Lodge Rd., South Casco, 207/655-4524, www.migis.com) on Sebago Lake by advance reservation. A five-course dinner is served in the dining room Monday-Thursday, there’s a waterside lobster bake on Friday nights, and a buffet dinner is available in the dining room on Saturday nights. Each is $50-55; dining room meals require a jacket.
Built on the site of an old mill, the Old Mill Tavern (56 Main St., Harrison, 207/583-9077, www.oldemilltavern.com, 11:30am-9pm daily, $9-36) serves everything from classic club sandwiches to Delmonico steak. The vibe is local, with live entertainment Thursday-Saturday nights and an open mic on Sunday evenings.
Locals recommend Ruby Slippers Café and Bakery (103 Norway Rd., Harrison, 207/583-4400, www.rubyslipperscafeandbakery.com, 8am-2pm Tues.-Thurs., 8am-8pm Fri.-Sat., 7am-noon Sun.), for its house-baked breads and hand-dipped chocolates and hearty breakfasts and lunches, but dinner ($7-16) is served on weekends.
The Greater Bridgton Lakes Region Chamber of Commerce (207/647-3472, www.mainelakeschamber.com) has an attractive information center (with public restrooms) 0.5 mile south of downtown Bridgton on Route 302.
The Sebago Lakes Region Chamber of Commerce (Windham 207/892-8265, Naples 207/693-3285, www.sebagolakeschamber.com) operates two information centers, one on Route 302 in Windham, and a seasonal one on the Naples village green.
Bridgton is roughly 23 miles or 35 minutes from Cornish via Routes 5 and 117. It’s about 23 miles to Poland via Routes 302 and 11. It’s 15 miles or 20 minutes to Fryeburg via Route 302 and 40 miles or one hour to Portland via Route 302.
The section of Route 26 between the Maine Turnpike (I-95) exit in Gray and Poland (pop. 1,795) is rich in historical sites and worthwhile attractions, including a wildlife park, the last inhabited Shaker village, the remains of the Poland Spring House, and the source of famed Poland Spring water.
It was the water’s fame that helped the Ricker family grow a small hotel into the Poland Spring House, a 300-room hotel that was an architectural and technological marvel. Also on their 5,000-acre property was the world’s first resort golf course and one of the first courses designed by Donald Ross. During the resort’s heyday in the early 20th century, the richest and most powerful people in the country gathered in Poland Spring to play golf and discuss world policy. Almost every U.S. president from Ulysses S. Grant to Theodore Roosevelt stayed here. Other guests and visitors of note include Babe Ruth, Alexander Graham Bell, Mae West, Betty Grable, and Judy Garland; Charles Lindberg flew over the hotel on July 25, 1927, but was unable to land because of the crowds.
The Poland Spring House was destroyed by fire in 1975, but the Maine State Building and the All Souls Chapel remain open to visitors, and the original spring that started it all can be viewed.
Take a tour through the history of one of the world’s most famous waters. It was Poland Spring Water that built Hiram Ricker’s family empire, and a visit to Poland Spring should include Poland Spring Preservation Park (207/998-7143), home to the Poland Spring Museum and Spring House (both free), to learn about the legendary healing power of the water. The Maine State Building and All Souls Chapel are also both maintained by the Poland Spring Preservation Society (207/998-4142, www.polandspringps.org, 9am-4pm Thurs.-Sat. late May-early Sept., Fri.-Sat., to mid-Oct., $3 donation requested).
Begin at the Poland Spring Museum, where exhibits detail the history of the famed water and explain its origins. The water won the Medal of Excellence at the 1893 Chicago World’s Fair, and the Grand Prize at the 1904 St. Louis World’s Fair. Also displayed here is the Maine Golf Hall of Fame collection. After touring the exhibits, visit the Spring House. Nature trails lace the grounds and connect to the other sites.
The three-story octagonal Maine State Building was built as the state pavilion for the 1893 Chicago World’s Fair. Afterward, Ricker bought it for $30,000 and moved it to Maine aboard a special freight train and then via horse-drawn wagon to Ricker Hill, where it was reassembled piece by piece. One year later, it reopened as a library and art museum as part of the Ricker family’s centennial celebration of their settlement at Poland Spring. Although it suffered years of neglect in the mid-20th century, it has been restored and is now operated by the Poland Spring Preservation Society as a museum and art gallery.
The Ricker Family built the adjacent All Souls Chapel in 1912 with donations from guests and staff of the Poland Spring House. The 1926 Skinner pipe organ and a set of Westminster chimes are still in working order. The chapel is home to a summer concert series (7pm Mon., $7.50).
The Maine State Building at Poland Spring was originally built as a pavilion for the 1893 Chicago World’s Fair.
Only a handful of Shakers remain in the world’s last inhabited Shaker community, located three miles south of Poland Spring Resort. Nonetheless, the members of the United Society of Shakers, an 18th-century religious sect, keep a relatively high profile with a living-history museum, craft workshops, a store, publications, a mail-order herb and gift business, and even a music CD. (See their website for the wonderful herb and herbal tea catalog.) Each year more than 8,000 visitors arrive at the 1,800-acre Sabbathday Lake Shaker Community (707 Shaker Rd., New Gloucester, 207/926-4597, 10am-4:30pm, Mon.-Sat. www.shaker.lib.me.us) to catch a glimpse of an endangered lifestyle, and the Shakers welcome the public to their 10am Sunday religious service, where men and women enter through separate doors and sit separately. The 75-minute basic guided tour ($10 adults, $2 ages 2-12, $30 family) begin at 10:30 and are given every hour on the half hour, with the exception of the last tour of the day, given at 3:15pm. Check the special events calendar for workshops, demonstrations, herb garden tours, and the annual Maine Festival of American Music: Its Roots and Traditions concert weekend. No pets permitted on the grounds.
Twice each year on Saturdays in late May and mid-October, the Friends of the Shakers at Sabbathday Lake (www.friendsoftheshakers.org), a nonprofit group (annual membership $30 individual, $40 family), organizes Friends’ Work Day, when 3-4 dozen volunteers show up at 10am to do spring and fall cleanup chores. The all-day work party includes a communal dinner.
If you want to see where Maine’s wild things are, visit the Maine Wildlife Park (56 Game Farm Rd., Gray, 207/657-4977, www.mainewildlifepark.com, 9:30am-6pm daily mid-Apr.-early Nov., gate closes 4:30pm, $7 ages 13-60, $5 ages 4-12 and over age 60), located four miles south of the Shaker Village. Approximately 30 native species of wildlife can be seen at this state-operated wildlife refuge, including such ever-popular species as moose, black bears, white-tailed deer, and bald eagles. The park began in 1931 as a state-run game farm. For more than 50 years, the Department of Inland Fish and Game reared pheasants here for release during bird-hunting season. At the same time, wildlife biologists and game wardens needed a place to care for orphaned or injured animals.
In 1982 the farm’s mission was changed to that of a wildlife and conservation education facility. Today the park is a temporary haven for wildlife, although those who cannot survive in the wild live here permanently.
Among the wildlife that have been in residence at the park are lynx, deer, opossums, black bears, bobcats, porcupines, raccoon, red-tailed hawks, barred and great horned owls, mountain lions, bald eagles, ravens, skunks, woodchucks, and coyotes. Other frequent guests include wild turkeys, fishers, gray foxes, kestrels, turkey vultures, wood turtles, and box turtles. Most are here for protection and healing, and visitors are able to view them at close range.
In addition to the wildlife, there are numerous interactive exhibits and displays to view, nature trails to explore, the Warden Museum, a fish hatchery, a nature store, a snack shack, and even picnic facilities. Special programs and exhibits are often offered on weekends mid-May-mid-September. The park offers a Photographer’s Pass, which provides special access to wildlife enclosures, for $50/hour by advance reservation only. Bring quarters to purchase food to feed the critters.
The park is 3.5 miles north of Maine Turnpike (I-95) Exit 63. From the coast, take Route 115 from Main Street in downtown Yarmouth to Gray, and then head north on Route 26 for 3.5 miles.
Each summer, Poland Spring Preservation Society hosts a series of weekly concerts in the All Souls Chapel. The music varies from acoustic guitar to jazz.
Brimming with swimmers when the temperature skyrockets, 777-acre Range Ponds State Park (Empire Rd., Poland, 207/998-4104) has facilities for swimming, including a lifeguard and a bathhouse, and picnicking as well as a playground and two miles of nature trails. (Part of the trail verges on a marsh; be prepared with bug repellent.) The beach, parking, restrooms, and picnic tables are wheelchair-accessible. Most of the park’s acreage was once the estate of Hiram Ricker, owner of Poland Spring Water (it’s now owned by Perrier/Nestle). Bring a canoe or kayak and launch it into Lower Range Pond. Admission is $6.50 nonresident adults, $4.50 Maine resident adults, $1.50 nonresident seniors, $1 ages 5-11; the park is open mid-May-mid-October. From Lewiston-Auburn, take Route 202/11/100 South to Route 122. Turn right (east) and continue to Empire Road in Poland Spring; the turnoff to the park is well signposted.
Once a home for Maine’s mentally disabled citizens, the 5,000-acre Pineland (15 Farm View Dr., New Gloucester, 207/688-4539, www.pinelandfarms.org, $5) campus was closed in 1996. Now the foundation-owned property comprises 19 buildings and 5,000 acres of working farmland, and much of it is open for recreation. Walk or ski the trails, sight birds in the fields and woods, watch cheese being made, stroll through the garden, fish the pond or skate on it in winter, play tennis, go mountain biking or orienteering, or even take a horseback-riding lesson. It’s a vast outdoor playground, but your first stop should be the market and visitors center (8am-7pm daily) to see a list of any events (frequent ones include guided farm tours and family experiences), pick up maps, pay any necessary fees, shop for farm-fresh products, or even grab lunch or snacks. From late June into October, four-course farm-fresh, family-style dinners are offered on various dates, with the ticket price ($95) also including live entertainment, drinks, tax, and gratuity; reservations are required ($95). Dogs are not allowed on the grounds.
The 18-hole Poland Spring Country Club (41 Ricker Rd., off Rte. 26, Poland Spring, 207/998-6002) was first laid out in 1896 on the grounds of the long-gone Poland Spring House, a health spa. In 1915, Donald Ross added the second nine. Call for tee times.
Serious pegmatite collectors should consider Poland Spring Mining Camps (207/998-2350), which offers a variety of packages with access to private quarries.
On the shores of Tripp Lake, the Wolf Cove Inn Bed and Breakfast (5 Jordan Shore Dr., Poland, 207/998-4976, www.wolfcoveinn.com, $139-279) is a delightful spot to recoup. Ten guest rooms and suites (eight with private baths, three with fireplaces, all with air-conditioning and Wi-Fi) are named after flowers. Paddle around in one of the inn’s canoes, go for a swim in the lake, or hang out in the gazebo. Sunsets are magnificent here. New owners plan upgrades, including private baths.
For dirt-cheap digs with few services, check out the Poland Spring Resort (Rte. 26, Poland Spring, 207/998-4351, www.polandspringresort.com). The 500-acre resort comprises three inns, 10 cottages, three restaurants, an 18-hole golf course, and three grass tennis courts; nightly entertainment is offered. Accommodations are Spartan and dated but clean, and all are air-conditioned. The responsive staff aims to please. A five-night, midweek package including buffet-style, all-you-can-eat breakfast and dinner, lodging, and other activities goes for about $200-480 pp for the whole shebang, but be sure to read the details on what’s not included; nightly rates begin at $99/room. It’s not for everyone, but it’s a reliable cheap sleep if you’re not fussy, and the meals are hearty comfort food.
The handsome Chandler House Bed & Breakfast (337 Intervale Rd./Rte. 231, New Gloucester, 207/926-5502, www.chandlerhousebandb.com, $105-175), built in 1903 by Charlie P. Chandler as a wedding gift for his bride, is a serene retreat on 15 country acres in a postcard-perfect village. Four guest rooms and a suite in the main house are furnished with antiques and country pieces; some share bathrooms. Two additional accommodations, one with full kitchen, are located in a separate guesthouse. Massage services, a hot tub, and a sauna are available. The location is convenient both to Route 26 sights and coastal Freeport. Rates include a full breakfast and afternoon sweets.
On the shore of Lower Range Pond, 40-acre Poland Spring Campground (Rte. 26, Poland Spring, 207/998-2151, www.polandspringcamp.com) has 130 wooded sites ($30-41 for two adults, two children, and one dog). Facilities include an outdoor pool, coin-operated showers, a general store, laundry, play areas, and rental canoes, kayaks, and rowboats. There’s plenty of organized fun; be prepared for campfires, ice cream parties, hay rides, barbecues, and other activities, although noise rules are monitored. The campground is about 10 miles west of Auburn.
You can’t go wrong at the New Gloucester Village Store (405 Intervale Rd., New Gloucester, 207/926-4224, www.ngvillagestore.com, 6am-9pm Mon.-Sat., 7:30am-8pm Sun.), a bakery/deli with a wood-fired oven. Pizzas, sandwiches on house-made bread, salads, and breakfast fare are available, and there are also prepared foods to go and an extensive selection of wines and beers.
Just a few miles from the Shaker Village is Bresca and the Honey Bee (106 Outlet Rd., New Gloucester, 207/926-3388, www.brescaandthehoneybee.com, 11am-4pm Wed.-Sun., daily if the sun is out, late May-early Sept., 9am-sunset Sat.-Sun. fall, winter, spring, but call first), a take-out snack shack with a small café on Outlet Beach. What makes this place special is that it’s operated by Krista Kearns Desjarlais, a respected chef who earned national kudos for a restaurant she owned in Portland. Salads, pizzettas, burgers, hot dogs, house-made ice cream, and other specials are served during summer. During the rest of the year, she sells pastries, ployes, savory hand pies, and other goodies. Cash only. If you want access to the beach and lake, admission is $4.50 adults, $3 ages 13-16.
Farm, farm market, bakery, ice cream stand, and pizza and sandwich shop: Harvest Hill Farms (Rte. 26, Mechanic Falls, 207/998-3467, www.harvesthillfarms.com, 6am-9pm Mon.-Thurs., 6am-10pm Fri., 7am-10pm Sat., 7am-9pm Sun.) is all that plus there’s a slew of kid-friendly fun, including a petting barn, Field of Dreams fun park, and in autumn, a pumpkin park and corn maze. With the exception of 14-inch pizzas, food is under $10, often far less.
Pair a paddle with a meal at Cyndi’s Dockside (Rte. 26 causeway, Poland Spring, 207/998-5008, www.dockside.me, 11:30am-8pm Sun.-Thurs., 11:30am-10pm Fri., 11:30am-9pm Sat.), a lakeside restaurant with a boat-rental facility on Middle Range Pond. Burgers, sandwiches, fried seafood, and lobster ($6-20) provide something for everyone, and there’s a kids’ menu too. Kayak, canoe, and paddleboat rentals are $8 for one hour, $25 for four hours.
Pick up a copy of the brochure or visit online for more information about the Gems of Route 26 (www.gemsof26.com).
Poland is roughly 23 miles from Bridgton via Routes 302 and 11. It’s about 14 miles or 25 minutes to South Paris via Route 26. It’s 11 miles or 30 minutes to Lewiston via Route 11.
Sandwiched between the Lewiston-Auburn area and the Bethel area, with Sebago and Long Lakes off to the south, the Oxford Hills region centers on Norway (pop. 5,014) and South Paris (pop. 2,267). The town of Norway shares the banks of the Little Androscoggin River with the community of South Paris, the major commercial center for the town of Paris.
From here it gets really complicated, although it’s unlikely to affect a visitor. Oxford County’s official seat is Paris, with all the relevant county offices located in South Paris. Next, throw into the mix the town of West Paris (pop. 1,812), which is in fact mostly north of Paris and South Paris. Within the boundaries of West Paris is the hamlet of North Paris. Fortunately, there’s no East Paris, but there is the tiny enclave of Paris Hill, a pocket paradise many people never discover.
West Paris gained its own identity when it separated from Paris in 1957, but its traditions go way back. The Pequawket Indian princess Mollyockett, celebrated hereabouts as a healer, supposedly buried a golden treasure under a suspended animal trap, hence the name of Trap Corner for the junction of Routes 26 and 219 in West Paris. No such cache has been uncovered. More recent traditions in West Paris come from Finland, home of many 19th- and early-20th-century immigrants who gravitated to a new life in this area.
Norway, fortunately, is far less complicated. The name, incidentally, comes not from Europe or Norwegian settlers but rather from a variation on a Native American word for waterfalls—cascades on the town’s Pennesseewassee (PEN-a-see-WAH-see) Lake (called Norway Lake locally), which powered 19th-century mills. European settlement began in 1786. Norway’s downtown National Historic District is slowly being revitalized.
Norway was the birthplace of C. A. Stephens (1844-1931), who wrote weekly stories for a 19th-century boys’ magazine, Youth’s Companion, for 55 years. Colorfully reflective of rural Maine life, the entertaining tales were collected in Stories from the Old Squire’s Farm, published in 1995. Norway was known as the “Snowshoe Capital of the World” during the early 20th century, when snowshoes made locally by Mellie Dunham were used on the 1909 Peary expedition to the North Pole. The multitalented Dunham also earned fame as one of the nation’s top fiddlers.
Waterford (pop. 1,553), is a must-see, especially the National Historic District known as Waterford Flat or Flats, with classic homes and tree-lined streets alongside Keoka Lake in the shadow of Mount Tire’m. It’s a 19th-century village frozen in time. Visit during foliage season, and you may never leave.
On Route 26, just beyond the northern edge of South Paris, a sign on the right marks one end of Paris Hill Road, a four-mile loop that reconnects farther along with Route 26. As you head uphill, past an old cemetery, you’ll arrive at a Brigadoon-like enclave of elegant 18th- and 19th-century homes—a National Historic District with dramatic views off to the White Mountains and the lakes below. The centerpiece of the road is Paris Hill Common, a pristine park in front of the birthplace of former Vice President Hannibal Hamlin (1809-1891), which is not open to the public. South of the green stands the Hamlin Memorial Library & Museum (16 Hannibal Hamlin Dr., 207/743-2980, www.hamlin.lib.me.us, 11am-5pm Tues., 10am-3pm Sat., also noon-6pm Sunday in summer), the only Paris Hill building open to the public, where you can bone up on the history of this pocket paradise. Visit the library’s website to download a copy of the Paris Hill walking tour.
Most children (and adults) get a kick out of entering a public library that was once a town jail. This one, built in 1822, held as many as 30 prisoners until 1896. Three prisoners somehow escaped in the 1830s, abandoning one of their pals stuck in the wall opening they had created. In 1902, the jail became the library, retaining the telltale signs of jail-bar hinges in the granite walls. Admission is free to the library’s upper-level museum section, but donations are welcome. The library has no heat, so dress warmly. Hours vary with the seasons.
The former jail is now the town library in Paris Hill.
A great time to visit is on the third Saturday in July, for the annual Founder’s Day Classic Car Exhibit, when Robert and Sandra Bahre open the garage on the Hamlin estate to share their world-renowned collection. Among the prizes are Packards, Duesenbergs, Stutz Bearcats, a Tucker, Thomas Flyer, vintage race cars, and other models. If you’re in the area on the first December weekend in an even-numbered year, inquire about the Biennial Holiday House Tour, when a dozen of these elegant homes, decorated exquisitely for Christmas, are open to the public, all to benefit the Paris Hill Community Club.
In the early 20th century, hundreds of Finnish immigrants moved to Maine’s Oxford Hills. The Finnish-American Heritage Center (8 Maple St., West Paris, www.mainefinns.org) relates their story. The building, which began life as a hotel before being converted to a boarding house for immigrant Finnish men, then later an American Legion Post, is open to visitors 2pm-4pm Sunday in July-August. Inside are displays, a library, and a gift shop. The center also presents occasional cultural events and meals, which are promoted in local papers.
In 1997, a little miracle happened in South Paris. For more than 60 years, Bernard McLaughlin had lovingly tended his two-acre perennial garden alongside Route 26, eventually surrounded by commercial development, and he’d always welcomed the public into his floral oasis. In 1995, at the age of 98, McLaughlin died, stipulating in his will that the property be sold. Eager developers eyed it, but loyal flower fans dug in their heels, captured media attention, created a nonprofit foundation, and managed to buy the property—the beginning of the little miracle. The McLaughlin Garden (97 Main St., South Paris, 207/743-8820, www.mclaughlingarden.org, 8am-7pm daily May-late Oct., free) lives on, with its 98 varieties of lilacs along with lilies and irises and so much more. The garden’s main paths are wheelchair-accessible. Check the website for special events and programs. A gift shop in the house carries gardening items and high-end crafts and gifts, mostly Maine-made. A café may be operating on the premises.
After most of downtown Norway (www.norwaydowntown.org) burned during the Great Fire of 1894, it was rebuilt in brick and wood, reflecting the Victorian era’s considerable embellishments. The Maine Historic Preservation Commission considers the downtown, now a National Historic District, one of the state’s best examples of period architecture. It’s currently undergoing a two-steps-forward, one-step-back Renaissance, with artists and entrepreneurs breathing new life into vacant storefronts and empty buildings. A historical walking tour, detailing the history of many buildings, is available online.
In 2013, 10 years after the 1894 Norway Opera House, with its distinctive clock tower, was designated one Maine’s most endangered historical properties, phase one of a massive grassroots preservation effort was completed, and this National Historic Register property is again the town’s pride. The first phase addressed structural concerns and reopened the street-level shops. The second phase will rehab and reopen the second-floor opera hall.
A 300-foot gorge on the Little Androscoggin River is the eye-catching centerpiece of Snow Falls rest area, an easy-off, easy-on roadside park where you can commandeer a table alongside the waterfall. What better place for a relaxing picnic? There are no grills but some sheltered tables. Trucks whiz by on the highway, but the noise of the water usually drowns them out. The rest area is on Route 26, about six miles north of the center of South Paris.
Western Foothills Land Trust (207/739-2124, www.wfltmaine.org) owns Roberts Farm Preserve (64 Roberts Rd.). The 165-acre preserve is webbed with over 7 miles of trails for hiking, Nordic skiing, snowshoeing, and mountain biking and also has a trail for the physically challenged that meets ADA standards. It’s a short and easy walk to a lovely vista with views over Lake Pennesseewassee. The preserve is located just off Routes 1887/117, 0.2 mile south of the lake.
The most popular Oxford Hills hikes are particularly family-friendly—no killer climbs or even major ascents, no bushwhacking, just darned good exercise and some worthwhile views. July-mid-August, don’t be surprised to encounter clusters of summer campers, since camp counselors all over this region regularly gather up their kids and take them out on the trail or paddling the ponds. If you’re spending more than a day hiking in this area, pick up a copy at bookstores and gift shops of Hikes in and around Maine’s Lake Region by Marita Wiser; it’s the best available advice on this area.
It’s hard to resist a hike up Mount Tire’m (1,089 feet)—if only to disprove its name. Actually, it’s supposedly a convolution of a Native American name. The only steep section is at the beginning, after the memorial marker dedicated to 19th-century Waterfordite Daniel Brown, for whom the unblazed trail is named. Allow an hour or so for the 1.4-mile round-trip, especially if you’re carrying a picnic. Allow time on the summit ledges to take in the views—all the way to Sebago on a clear day. From downtown Waterford (Rte. 35), take Plummer Hill Road about 300 feet beyond the community center. The unmarked trailhead is on the west side of the road where it branches.
Straddling the Paris-Buckfield-Hebron town boundaries, the half-mile Streaked Mountain (pronounced STREAK-ed) trail climbs 800 feet, often steeply, to an expansive 1,770-foot summit with communications towers and vistas as far as Mount Washington. Pack a picnic. If you’re here in early August, take along a small pail to collect wild blueberries. Late September-early October, it’s indescribable, but remember to wear a hunter-orange hat or vest once hunting season has started—or tackle the trail on a Sunday, when there’s no hunting. Allow about 1.5 hours for the one-mile round-trip, especially if you’re picnicking and blueberry-picking. To reach the trailhead from South Paris, take Route 117 west to Streaked Mountain Road, on the right (south); turn and go about 0.5 mile. Park well off the road. (You can also climb Streaked from the east, but it’s a much longer hike that requires waterproof footwear.)
At nine-hole Paris Hill Country Club (355 Paris Hill Rd., Paris, 207/743-2371), founded in 1899, you’ll find a low-key atmosphere, reasonable greens fees, cart rentals, and a snack bar. No tee times are needed. The rectangular course has all straight shots; the challenges come from slopes and unexpected traps.
It’s not just golfers who patronize the nine-hole Norway Country Club (Lake Rd./Rte. 118, Norway, 207/743-9840); this is a popular spot to have lunch or kick back on the club porch. The mountain-lake scenery, especially in the fall, is awesome. Starting times are not required; it’s first-come, first-served. Established in 1929, the club is a mile west of Route 117.
If you’re partial to guerrilla warfare on wheels, the place to be is Oxford Plains Speedway (Rte. 26, Oxford, 207/539-8865, www.oxfordplains.com), Maine’s center for stock-car racing. Late April-mid-September, souped-up high-performance vehicles careen around the track in pursuit of substantial monetary prizes. Almost all races begin at 6:30pm.
Put on your winter warmies, then snuggle under a lap blanket on a 40-minute sleigh ride with High View Farm (4 Leander Harmon Rd., Harrison, 207/596-1601, www.high-view-farm.com, $50/sleigh plus $5 pp, $70 minimum). Add a stop in the woods for a bonfire with roasted marshmallows and hot chocolate for $35. Rides are offered 11am-7pm, are private, and are by reservation only.
Marcel Marceau wannabes come to study at the nationally famed Celebration Barn Theater (190 Stock Farm Rd., South Paris, 207/743-8452, www.celebrationbarn.com), established in 1972 by the late mime master Tony Montanaro. Mime, juggling, dance, clowning, storytelling, and improv comedy performances are open to the public in the 125-seat barn at 8pm most Saturdays June-August. Reservations are required; tickets are $14. Pack a picnic supper and arrive early. The theater also offers residential workshops for aspiring mimes, storytellers, comedians, and the like. Check the website for details. The theater (signposted) is just off Route 117.
The Oxford Casino (Rte. 26, Oxford, 207/539-6700, www.oxfordcasino.com) has slot machines and table games.
Wall-to-wall paintings are for sale along Main Street in downtown Norway for the Norway Arts Festival (www.norwayartsfestival.org), the second Saturday in July, in which more than 100 artists participate. There’s also street entertainment and other events.
Founders’ Day (www.hamlin.lib.me.us) brings craft and antiques exhibits, music, and an antique-car open house on Paris Hill Common in Paris Hill the third Saturday in July. A special highlight is a one-day showing of Robert and Sandra Bahre’s collection of more than 60 vehicles, including Packards, Duesenbergs, Stutz Bearcats, and more.
The name of North Waterford’s World’s Fair (www.waterfordworldsfair.org) seems sort of cheeky for this three-day country medley of agricultural events, egg-throwing contests, talent show, live music, dancing, and more in mid-July.
The family-oriented four-day agricultural Oxford County Fair, “The Horse-Powered Fair,” held in mid-September, features 4-H exhibits, a beauty pageant, a pig scramble, live entertainment, an apple-pie contest, and plenty of crafts and food booths at the Oxford County Fairgrounds (www.oxfordcountyfair.com).
Norway’s Main Street has the best selection of independent shops in the area, with many offering works by local artists.
Books-N-Things (430 Main St., Norway, 207/743-7197, www.bntnorway.com) is one of those full-service bookstores that inspire you to buy more than you ever planned. There’s an excellent children’s section, plentiful toys, and even some specialty foods.
Peruse through more than 13,000 new, used, and out-of-print books as well as artwork at The Maine Bookhouse (1545 Main St./Rte. 26, Oxford, 207/743-9300, www.themainebookhouse.com).
A number of area galleries participate in a First Friday art tour. A gallery guide can be downloaded from www.frostfarmgallery.com/localgalleryguide.html.
The Western Maine Art Group facilitates exhibits for members at the seasonal Lajos Matolcsy Arts Center (480 Main St., Norway, 207/739-6161, www.westernmaineartgroup.org), as well as other sites. Check the group’s website for info on classes and other events.
Frost Farm Gallery (27 Pikes Hill, Norway, 207/743-8041, www.frostfarmgallery.com) hosts rotating exhibits.
It’s hard to resist inhaling deeply upon entering Maine Balsam Fir Products (16 Morse Hill Rd., West Paris, 800/522-5726, www.mainebalsam.com), filled with balsam pillows, neck rolls, draft stoppers, trivets, and sachets along with oil, soap, clothing, quilts, and more, all jammed in a one-room shop adjacent to where the balsam products are made. Tours are offered when the schedule permits; just ask.
For a complete change of pace, back in time and back of beyond Morrill Farm Bed and Breakfast (85 Morrill Farm Rd., Sumner, 207/388-2059, www.morrillfarmbnb.com, $75) is a late-18th-century farm with three unfussy second-floor guest rooms sharing one bath. On the 217-acre working farm are nature and cross-country skiing trails, river fishing, and a menagerie of domestic farm animals. Pets are kenneled on-site for $15/day. The farm is north and east of Norway-South Paris, a mile from Route 219 (West Sumner Rd.). French is spoken.
The 200-year-old expanded Cape that now houses the King’s Hill Inn (56 King Hill Rd., South Paris, 207/744-0204, www.kingshillinn.com, $115-165) was the birthplace of Horatio King, who served as postmaster general under President Buchanan. Inside are three guest rooms and three suites, all with comfortable touches, some with a gas stove, a microwave, and a dining area, a deck entrance, a whirlpool tub, or antiques. The quiet, rural location is convenient to hiking trails and the Celebration Barn Theatre. Rates include an especially bountiful breakfast.
Waterford—that lovely little enclave flanked by Norway-South Paris, Bridgton-Naples, and the Lovells—has a couple of fine places to put your head.
Barbara Vanderzanden’s traditionally elegant Waterford Inne (258 Chadbourne Rd., Waterford, 207/583-4037, www.waterfordinne.com, $125-200), an antiques-filled 19th-century farmhouse on 25 open and wooded acres, is a real treasure. Rooms are bright and airy; some have woodstoves and porches. A delicious breakfast is included; a four-course dinner is available for $40. Children are welcome, and pets are allowed for $15 extra. The inn is close to East Waterford, 0.5 mile west of Route 37. It’s open year-round.
The M Bear Mountain Inn (Rte. 35, South Waterford, 207/583-4404, www.bearmtninn.com), a beautifully updated 1820s B&B overlooking Bear Pond (it’s really a lake), is one of those places that’s hard to leave, especially after you settle in on the pond-view terrace or the beach. On the premises are boats, docks, hammocks, a lake-view hot tub, picnic tables and a barbecue, even trails up Bear and Hawk Mountains. Five bear-themed guest rooms, with private and shared baths as well as Wi-Fi, go for $120-195; luxury and family suites are $220-325, including breakfast. The self-contained Sugar Bear cottage, with fireplace and kitchenette, is pet-friendly ($20). A rental house that sleeps eight is $600. Also included are a stocked guest fridge, a TV with a video player and a video library, and, well, just about anything you might desire, within reason.
Many people flock to The Lake Store (14 Waterford Rd./Rte. 118 at Rte. 117, Norway Lake, Norway, 207/743-6562) just to check out the crazy collection of Coca-Cola memorabilia, but you can also load up with picnic fixings, pizza, liquor, groceries, and videos.
Homemade soups, salads, and daily specials, occasional concerts and wine tastings, free Wi-Fi, and the area’s best coffee make Café Nomad (450 Main St., Norway, 207/739-2249, www.cafenomad.com, 7am-4pm Mon.-Fri., 8am-3pm Sat.) an especially popular local spot.
Pop into Taste of Eden Vegan Café (238 Main St., Norway, 207/739-6090, www.tasteofedencafe.com, 11am-5:30pm Mon.-Thurs., 11am-2pm Sun.) for inexpensive vegan fare, including soups and sandwiches and daily specials.
A bright spot in the lackluster hubbub on the fast-food strip is Rising Sun Cafe and Bakery (130 Main St./Rte. 26, South Paris, 207/743-7046, 6am-4pm Tues.-Fri., 7am-2pm Sat.), a local fave for baked goods, soups, salads, and sandwiches.
“Everything Shirley makes is good,” a regular told me as I debated between the scones, cookies, muffins, soups, pies, beans, and other homemade treats at Hungry Hollow Country Store (28 Bethel Rd./Rte. 26, West Paris, 207/674-3012, 7am-5pm Mon.-Sat., 10am-5:30pm Sun.). Everything is made from scratch using unbleached flour, natural sea salt and without trans fats.
Local produce, honey, organic meat, perennials, preserves, syrup, cheese, and baked goods are all part of the stock at Norway Farmers Market, which sets up downtown at 15 Whiteman St. in the Fare Share parking lot, 2pm-6pm Thursday late May-October.
In addition to fresh produce, Smedburg’s Crystal Spring Farm (1413 Main St., Oxford, 207/743-6723, 7am-7pm daily) sells fresh bread, pies, prepared foods, condiments, cheeses, and farm-made ice cream. Another farm stand worth a look-see is Crestholm Farm (167 Main St., Oxford, 207/539-8832, 9am-9pm daily), which also sells farm-made ice cream and has a free petting zoo.
For exquisite pastries, cakes, tarts, and pies, slip into Marta’s Bakery (684 Vallen Rd./Rte. 35, North Waterford, 207/583-2250, www.martasbakery.com), where Prague-born Marta Cistecky opened her bakery-café after a career as a baker in Boston. Call for hours as they change frequently.
Bret and Amy Baker have meticulously renovated an 1896 former judge’s mansion into the region’s best restaurants at 76 Pleasant St. (76 Pleasant St., Norway, 207/744-9040, www.76pleasantstreet.com, from 5pm Tues.-Sat., $17-28). The two dining rooms and lounge balance comfortable, contemporary furnishings with former home’s architectural elegance. Dining is a treat, with seasonal choices that may include charcoal duck breast, confit of rabbit, or braised lamb shank. Make reservations, as the restaurant only has 24 seats.
Open since 1976, Maurice Restaurant (109 Main St./Rte. 26, South Paris, 207/743-2532, www.mauricerestaurant.com, 11am-1:30pm Tues.-Fri., 11am-2pm Sun., and from 4pm Tues.-Sun., $15-24) has stood the test of time and the decor reflects its age. Renowned for French cuisine when it opened, it’s had its ups and downs over the decades, but it remains one of the region’s more reliable choices.
By reservation, Barbara Vanderzanden will prepare a four-course dinner for guests and nonguests at the peaceful M Waterford Inne (258 Chadbourne Rd., Waterford, 207/583-4037, www.waterfordinne.com, no credit cards). The leisurely meal is $40 pp; spring for it, as she does a wonderful job. BYOB.
The Oxford Hills Chamber of Commerce (4 Western Ave., South Paris, 207/743-2281, www.oxfordhillsmaine.com) produces an annual magazine that’s actually an interesting read and far less promotional than the usual CC material.
Downtown Norway Maine (www.norwaydowntown.org) covers Norway.
Check out Norway Memorial Library (258 Main St., Norway, 207/743-5309, www.norway.lib.me.us).
South Paris is roughly 14 miles or 22 minutes from Poland. It’s about 24 miles or 45 minutes to Lewiston via Routes 26 and 11. It’s 24 miles or 30 minutes to Bethel via Route 26 and 45 miles or 65 minutes to Portland via Route 26 and I-95.
A river runs through the heart of Lewiston (pop. 1,795) and Auburn (pop. 1,842)—the Androscoggin River, whose headwaters are in the Rangeley Lakes, courses southeastward until it joins the Kennebec River in Merrymeeting Bay near Brunswick. Surging over Great Falls, the mighty Androscoggin spurred 19th-century industrial development of the twin cities, where giant textile mills drew their power from the river and their hardworking employees from the local community of Yankees, then Irish, French Canadian, and other immigrants. The Québécois and Acadian French, who flocked to mills in Lewiston, Biddeford, Sanford, Augusta, and Brunswick, today constitute Maine’s largest ethnic minority. In Lewiston and Auburn, the French-accented voting registers reveal long lists of Plourdes and Pomerleaus, Carons and Cloutiers, and the spires of Catholic churches still dominate the skyline.
Long before the falls of the Androscoggin were harnessed, Native Americans recognized the area for its prime salmon fishing and set up seasonal campsites and year-round settlements. Nowadays, their artifacts occasionally turn up along the riverbanks.
European settlers began putting down roots around 1770, earning their keep from small water-powered mills. Quakers established a community as early as 1773. By 1852 the giant Bates Mill (of bedspread fame) began manufacturing cotton, expanding to an annual output of more than 10 million yards by 1900. During the Civil War, Bates was a prime supplier of fabric for soldiers’ tents. In 1861, Lewiston was incorporated as a city; Auburn was incorporated in 1869.
By the early 20th century, with a dozen more mills online, taking advantage of the convenient hydropower, the lower reaches of the Androscoggin became polluted, a stinky eyesore until the 1980s when environmental activists took up the cause. Now you can stroll the banks, fish the waters, paddle a canoe, and get up close on the walkways, bridges, and plazas linking the two cities.
Lewiston and Auburn also have quite a sporting heritage in boxing and, believe it or not, skiing. World-class boxer Joey Gamache emerged from the local clubs, and the controversial world title fight between Sonny Liston and Muhammad Ali took place here. Olympic skiers Karl Anderson and Julie Parisien (and her Olympian siblings Anna and Rob) are also local products.
Natural gems are found in the region. Auburn’s Mount Apatite has produced record-setting tourmalines, Maine’s state gemstone, as well as quartz and feldspar. Now owned by the city, the mountain is open to the prospecting public.
Lewiston and Auburn, known locally as “the other LA,” are still not typical vacation destinations, but they deserve more than a drive-through glance. Lewiston is the state’s second-largest city and home to Bates College, a highly selective private liberal arts school and a magnet for visiting performers, artists, and lecturers.
Auburn, the Androscoggin County seat, began its industrial career with a single shoe factory in 1836, expanding swiftly in those heady days. By the turn of the 20th century, Auburn’s shoe factories were turning out six million pairs a year.
Lewiston and Auburn occupy a pivotal location in southern Maine, with easy access to Portland (35 miles away) and Freeport (28 miles), the western mountains, and the state capital at Augusta (30 miles).
Founded in 1855 on foresighted egalitarian principles, Bates College (2 Andrews Rd., Lewiston, 207/786-6255, www.bates.edu) received its current name after major financial input from Benjamin Bates of the Bates Mill. On a lovely wooded 109-acre campus in the heart of Lewiston, the college earns high marks for small class sizes, a stellar faculty, a rigorous academic program, and a low student-to-faculty ratio. The student body of 1,700 comes from almost every state and about four dozen foreign countries; diversity has always been evident and a point of honor. The oldest campus building is redbrick Hathorn Hall, built in 1856 and listed on the National Register of Historic Places; one of the newest buildings, the Olin Arts Center, built in 1986, is an award-winning complex overlooking artificial Lake Andrews.
Within the Olin Arts Center (Russell St. and Bardwell St., 207/786-6135) are the Bates College Museum of Art (75 Russell St., 207/786-6259) and the 300-seat Olin Concert Hall. Most college-sponsored exhibits, lectures, and concerts at the Arts Center are free and open to the public (other organizations also use the concert hall). At 6pm each Thursday mid-July-mid-August, free lakeside concerts are presented outside the Arts Center; bring a picnic and a blanket or chair. The Bates College Museum of Art (10am-5pm Tues.-Sat., free), with rotating exhibits, is open all year. A significant stop on the Maine Art Museum Trail, it emphasizes works on paper, especially by Maine artists including Lewiston-born modernist Marsden Hartley.
The college has won national and international acclaim for the summertime (mid-July-mid-Aug.) Bates Dance Festival (207/786-6161, www.batesdancefestival.org), featuring modern-dance workshops, lectures, and performances. Sellout student and faculty programs, most presented in 300-seat Schaeffer Theater, are open to the public.
Bates is the repository of the Edmund S. Muskie Archives (70 Campus Ave., 207/786-6354, 8:30am-noon and 1pm-5pm Mon.-Fri.), containing the papers of the 1936 Bates graduate and former Maine governor, U.S. senator, and U.S. secretary of state who died in 1996.
The rose window in Saints Peter and Paul Basilica is a replica of the one in Chartres Cathedral.
At the western edge of the campus, at the corner of Mountain Avenue and College Street, walk up Mount David, actually a grandly named hill, for a surprisingly good view of the Lewiston-Auburn skyline.
Thanks to a progressive public-private partnership, the 19th-century Bates Mill complex, on Canal Street in downtown Lewiston, is being revitalized for a variety of new uses. Occupying 1.2 million square feet in 12 buildings spread over six acres, the mill once produced nearly a third of the nation’s textiles. Since 1992, much of the hulking brick complex has been undergoing a long-term makeover—offices, studios, shops, restaurants, and even a museum have moved in, ever so slowly, helping the mill to reinvent itself.
If you want to understand Lewiston and Auburn, visit the fledgling Museum L-A (35 Canal St., Lewiston, 207/333-3881, www.museumla.org, 10am-4pm Mon.-Sat., $5 adults, $4 seniors and students). Appropriately situated inside the Bates Mill Complex, a visit immerses you into the region’s industrial heyday; it’s almost as if you can hear the machines and chatter as you tour the mill space. Exhibits tell the stories of LA’s immigrant communities and document the region’s textile-, brick-, and shoe-manufacturing industries.
Most distinctive of Lewiston-Auburn’s churches is the Gothic Revival Roman Catholic Saints Peter and Paul Basilica (27 Bartlett St. at Ash St., Lewiston, 207/777-1200, www.saintspeterandpaul.us), listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Noteworthy is a rose window replica of one in the Chartres Cathedral. It’s the second-largest church in New England and capable of seating more than 2,000 for its separate services in English and French. Dedicated in 1938, the recently designated basilica is the only one in New England. Noonday and evening concerts, many featuring the Casavant organ, are scheduled during the summer.
Throughout the year, Bates College (207/786-6255 weekdays, www.bates.edu) presents a full schedule of concerts, lectures, exhibits, sporting events, and other activities.
The former St. Mary’s Church, considered one of the finest examples of Renaissance architecture in the country, has found new life as the Franco-American Heritage Center (46 Cedar St., Lewiston, 207/783-1585, box office 207/689-2000, www.francoamericanheritage.org), a performing arts center that presents symphonic, chamber, and choral music concerts as well as other events.
Since 1973, L/A Arts (221 Lisbon St., Lewiston, 207/782-7228, www.laarts.org), a respected nonprofit arts-sponsorship organization, has been bringing a whole range of cultural events to the area, including films, concerts, family events, and more. The group sponsors Sounds of Summer, with free noontime concerts in Lewiston’s Fountain Park and Auburn’s Festival Plaza. Check out the “Arts Calendar” link on its website.
Lewiston-Auburn’s professional theater company, The Public Theatre (31 Maple St., Lewiston, box office 207/782-3200, www.thepublictheatre.org) has been presenting musicals and dramas for more than a decade, leading the way in the twin cities’ cultural scene and receiving recognition for the quality of its performances. Ticket prices are about $18 adults, less for students and seniors.
The Maine Music Society (207/782-1403, 207/782-7228 box office, www.mainemusicsociety.org) is the overseer of the 40-voice Androscoggin Chorale and the Maine Music Society Orchestra. Concerts are held in various locations September-May.
Auburn’s Festival Plaza is the venue for the extremely popular Auburn Community Band Concerts at 7pm Wednesday July-August.
Festival Franco Fun takes place in June at the Franco-American Heritage Center.
The second weekend in July brings the Moxie Festival (www.moxiefestival.com), a certifiably eccentric annual celebration of the obscure soft drink Moxie, invented in 1884 and still not consigned to the dustbin of history. Among the activities: a huge offbeat parade, food booths, a Moxie recipe contest, a foot race, and collectibles exhibits and sales. The biggest day is Saturday; it all happens in downtown Lisbon.
The acclaimed annual Bates Dance Festival at Bates College in Lewiston mid-July-mid-August features behind-the-scenes classes and workshops as well as performances, which are open to the public.
August brings the Great Falls Balloon Festival, with food, entertainment, a carnival, fireworks, and, of course, balloon launches.
The Dempsey Challenge run, walk, and cycle fundraiser in October provides an opportunity to see Dr. McDreamy (actor Patrick Dempsey, who grew up in these parts).
The Androscoggin Land Trust (www.androscogginlandtrust.org) protects natural area resources. Check the website for places to hike, bike, paddle, and fish; maps; and opportunities such as guided walks or paddles.
Imagine being able to bird-watch, hike, cross-country ski, and snowshoe on 357 acres within the city limits of Lewiston in one of New England’s largest bird sanctuaries. At the Thorncrag Bird Sanctuary (Montello St., Lewiston, 207/782-5238, www.stantonbirdclub.org/thorncrg.htm, dawn-dusk daily year-round, free), pick up a trail map at the gate and head out on the three miles of well-maintained, color-coded, easy-to-moderate trails—past ponds, an old cellar hole, stone memorials, and benches and through stands of beeches, hemlocks, white pines, and mixed hardwoods; bring a picnic. Bicycles are banned in the preserve. Throughout the year the Stanton Bird Club sponsors close to three dozen lectures and free, open-to-the-public field trips; call or see its website for the schedule. The club also sponsors an excellent junior naturalist program. From downtown Lewiston, take Sabattus Street (Rte. 126) east about three miles to Highland Springs Road. Turn left (north) and continue to the end at Montello Street. You’ll be facing the entrance to the sanctuary.
For sheer fun, spend a few hours searching for apatite, tourmaline, and quartz at Mount Apatite Park (Hatch Rd., off Rte. 11/121, Auburn, dawn-dusk), a 325-acre park that’s been popular with rock hounds for more than 150 years. For a detailed map, contact the Auburn Parks and Recreation Department (48 Pettingill Park, Auburn, 207/333-6601).
Twelve miles of multiuse trails, and 10 miles of hiking and mountain-biking trails stretching along six river miles lace the 2,345-acre Turner Lands section of Androscoggin Riverlands State Park (Center Bridge Rd., Turner, www.parksandlands.com, free). Opt for the Homestead Trail, a 4.5-mile loop with a shorter 2.6-mile option, which follows the river’s shoreline.
M The Munroe House (123 Pleasant St., Auburn, 207/376-3266, www.themunroeinn.com, $120-165), an elegant National Historic Register-listed manse, with exquisite woodwork and stained glass, had stood empty for five years until David and Melanie Davis discovered it on the Internet. They fell in love with the Queen Anne beauty, moved to Maine, and restored and refurnished it. Four spacious, antiques-furnished air-conditioned rooms have Wi-Fi, flat-screen DirecTV, iPod docks, and other niceties. The first-floor rooms, all furnished with period antiques, are equally expansive and lovely, as is the wraparound porch. Laundry service is available.
The Queen Anne-style Penley House Bed & Breakfast (233 Main St., Auburn, 207/786-4800, www.penleyhouse.com, $100-125) is located in Auburn’s Historic District, an easy walk from downtown attractions. Each of the four guest rooms has a private bath, but three are detached.
Charmingly retro and immaculately clean, the six-room Sleepy Time Motel (46 Danville Corner Rd., Auburn, 207/783-1435, www.sleepytimemotel.com, $79-99) offers a lot of bang for the buck. Perks in the pine-paneled guest rooms include air-conditioning, microwaves, refrigerators, recliners, Wi-Fi, and dining areas. The five-acre property abuts 100 woodsy acres that are laced with three miles of trails for hiking and snowshoeing. Owners Lynn and Mark Klinger are hands-on and helpful. Pets are welcome for $10/night.
Tour and taste at Baxter Brewing Co. (130 Mill St., Lewiston, 207/333-6769, www.baxterbrewing.com). Guided tours include at least one free four-ounce sampling. Call for times.
Look for the Lewiston Farmers Market at Bates Mill No. 5, 10am-1pm late May-mid-October.
Auburn Library Cafe (49 Spring St., Auburn, 207/784-2300, 7am-4pm Mon.-Fri., 8am-3pm Sat., $4-9) serves all-day breakfast and lunch fare, with menu items named for New England authors.
Maurice Bonneau’s Sausage Kitchen (36 Main St., Lisbon Falls, 207/353-5503, www.sausagekitchen.com, 9am-5pm Tues.-Sat.) produces all-natural meat products, including a mind-boggling array of sausages and meat pies.
Named for the river running through town, M Nezinscot Farm Store (284 Turner Center Rd./Rte. 117, Turner, 207/225-3231, www.nezinscotfarm.com, 6am-6pm Thurs.-Fri., 8am-5pm Sat.-Sun.) is worth the detour. Besides organically grown produce, the farm makes its own organic baked goods, cheeses, charcuterie, cream products, and herbal products and sells plenty of other local goods. There’s a café that makes meals to order ($6-10). The shop sells all-natural wool yarns from the farm’s sheep, llamas, alpacas, and goats. Pizza and music jams are held the first and third Saturday of the month at 6pm (bring a dish to share or make a donation). The farm is five miles east and north of the junction of Routes 4 and 117 (about 16 miles north of downtown Auburn). Call ahead to confirm hours if you’re making a special trip.
The Italian Bakery Products Co. (225 Bartlett St., Lewiston, 207/782-8312, 6am-5:30pm Tues.-Fri., 6am-3pm Sat., 6am-noon Sun.) is always bustling. It’s a great little place to pick up baked goods such as cannoli or bismark doughnuts, sandwiches, soups, and pizzas for lunch, and daily specials such as Saturday beans. There is no seating.
Hipsters take note: She Doesn’t Like Guthries (115 Middle St., Lewiston, 207/376-3344, www.guthriesplace.com, 10am-8pm Mon.-Thurs., 10am-10pm Fri., $8-10), a Maine-certified Green Restaurant, has you dialed. Begin with eclectic music, then add local art, live entertainment on Friday nights, and an ecofriendly mission; top it off with inexpensive, well-prepared healthful fare that includes veggie, vegan, and wheat-free choices and even a kids’ menu. Expect burritos, quesadillas, soups made from scratch, salads, and similar fare. And don’t worry, even if you’re not hip, you’ll like this place.
Forage Market (180 Lisbon St., Lewiston, 207/333-6840, 7am-7pm Mon.-Fri., 8am-4pm Sat.) is a grab-and-go market selling soups, sandwiches, wood-fired Montreal-style bagels, and daily specials. There’s inside seating, and you can go downstairs and see the bakers at work.
Order soups, sandwiches, and specials at the counter at Marche (40 Lisbon St., Lewiston, 207/333-3856, www.marchemaine.com, 11am-2pm Mon.-Fri.).
For artisanal breads and excellent sandwiches, salads, and soups, duck into The Bread Shack (1056 Center St., Auburn, 207/376-3090, www.thebreadshack.com, 7am-6pm Mon.-Fri., 8am-4pm Sat., 8am-2pm Sun., and 97 Lisbon St., Lewiston, 9am-6pm Mon.-Sat.).
For breakfast, pop into Rolly’s Diner (87 Mill St., Auburn, 207/753-0171, 7am-6pm Mon.-Fri., 7am-noon Sun., $3-8), where the crepes earn raves.
In the retrofitted Bates Mill, DaVinci’s Eatery (150 Mill St., Lewiston, 207/782-2088, www.davinciseatery.com, 11am-9pm Sun.-Thurs., 11am-10pm Fri.-Sat.) specializes in pasta and brick-oven pizza but has a variety of other regional American and Italian entrées in the $11-20 range. Weekdays and Tuesday evenings it features a pizza buffet with a soup and salad bar for about $10.
The area’s favorite steakhouse is Mac’s Grill (1052 Minot Ave., Auburn, 207/783-6885, www.macsgrill.com, from 11:30am daily, $10-21), an often loud and crowded log cabin with a kids’ menu.
Fish Bones American Grill (70 Lincoln St., Lewiston, 207/333-3663, www.fishbonesag.com, 11:30am-9pm Mon.-Sat., $16-28), in a renovated mill with handsome brick-accented decor, serves both light and regular menus with an emphasis on seafood. It also offers a three-course theater menu ($25) and occasional wine dinners.
Warm up on a cool evening at jazzy M Fuel (49 Lisbon St., Lewiston, 207/333-3835, www.fuelmaine.com, from 5pm Tues.-Sat., $10-30), a country French-inspired bistro and wine bar that opened in 2007 in historic Lyceum Hall. Owner Eric Agren calls the decor “urban cozy,” and that seems about right. Expect dead-on service, well-prepared creative fare, an excellent wine list, and chic yet casual surroundings. You might begin with roasted oysters and then move on to cassoulet, coq au vin, or perhaps opt for the four-course chef’s tasting menu ($40, add $18 for wine pairings). Lighter fare ($10-12) is served in the bar. Feeling adventuresome, inquire about the Chef’s Table in the kitchen.
And then there’s a country inn standby: Dining is by reservation only at The Sedgley Place (54 Sedgley Rd., Greene, 207/946-5990 or 800/924-7778, www.sedgleyplace.com, seatings on the hour from 5pm Tues.-Sun.), in a lovely Federal-style homestead a mile southwest of Route 202 (six miles north of Lewiston). The five-course menu ($32) changes weekly but always includes prime rib, fresh fish, and poultry; request vegetarian and children’s portions ahead of time. All of the produce served is certified organic and most of it is grown on the owners’ nearby organic farm.
The Androscoggin County Chamber of Commerce (207/783-2249, www.androscoggincounty.com, www.laitshappeninghere.com) serves as the tourism information center for the entire county.
Housed in a handsome granite 1903 Romanesque Revival building, the Lewiston Public Library (105 Park St., Lewiston, 207/784-0135, www.lplonline.org) is one of the sponsors of the Great Falls Forum, presenting monthly lunches with expert speakers on various thought-provoking topics. It’s also home to the Marsden Hartley Cultural Center, a meeting and performance venue.
Equally worth a visit is the Auburn Library (49 Spring St., Auburn, 207/784-2300), which also has an excellent café serving breakfast and lunch, including specials such as lobster bisque or white bean and chicken chili, Monday-Saturday.
Lewiston is roughly 11 miles or 30 minutes from Poland via Route 11. It’s 20 miles or 40 minutes to Brunswick via Route 196 and 38 miles or 45 minutes to Portland via I-95.
