Visiting Maine in the Winter
Maine Winter
Winter is the off-season here for tourism, but that doesn’t mean that there isn’t anything to do. The most beautiful part of the Maine winter is the snow, it creates an amazing winter wonderland that will make your visit magical. Whether you enjoy playing outside in the snow or viewing it from inside there are plenty of options to choose from.
Things to Do
Visit the Lighthouses
You can still visit many of the Maine coast lighthouses in the winter. Nubble, Portland Headlight, Spring Point, Marshall Point, and Rockland Breakwater are just a few of the choices to pick from. Taking in the classic views in the winter gives a fresh new perspective if you’ve already seen them before.
Ice Fishing
Ice fishing is a great Maine adventure, and you don’t have to be cold while you do it. I have always found it interesting that other bloggers will add this activity to their lists without offering insight. Ice fishing is awesome! but there is a lot of equipment needed. It’s not a feasible activity if you don’t own your own gear or plan to go out with a guide. You can contact a Maine Guide or a local company at your location of choice. On Moosehead Lake, Maine Outfitters is a great choice. Some other locations to look into for your trip could be Sebago Lake Region, Millinocket Lake, and Sabattus Lake. If you plan to bring your own set up be sure to check out the ME IF&W fishing lawbook for specific rules regarding the different regions.
Snowshoe or Cross Country Ski
Want to try your hand at some low-impact, at-your-own-pace outdoor adventuring? Weather you hire a Maine Guide, use a recreation company or bring your own equipment, you will have a great time. No matter where your destination is in Maine you are likely to find a location near you to ski or snowshoe. Pineland Farms in New Gloucester, Acadia National Park, Lost Valley in Auburn, and at the major ski mountains are some of the bigger locations to choose from.
Visit Freeport
L.L. Bean draws most of the crowd at Christmas time, however, it is beautiful year-round. The town of Freeport covered in snow is a beautiful sight, giving great small-town vibes. You can choose to eat, drink, shop and be merry, or head on an adventure with the L.L. Bean Discovery Programs.
Skiing
Sunday River and Sugarloaf are the two major ski mountains in Maine. Sunday River is on the western side of Maine, in Bethel. Sugarloaf is a bit more of a drive, located in Kingfield. Sugarloaf does not have night skiing, and the lifts close on the early side. Sunday River offers limited night skiing on the bottom half of the mountain.
If you’d like a smaller mountain there is Saddleback in Rangeley, Shawnee Peak in Bridgton, Lost Valley in Auburn, Black Mountain in Rumford, Mt. Abrams in Greenwood, and Camden Snowbowl in Camden. Lost Valley, Black Mountain and Camden Snowbowl are quite small and are great for a quick day. Saddleback and Shawnee Peak are your mid-range mountains somewhere between the resorts and the small mountains in regard to terrain.
Events
Gardens Aglow
An event hosted by the Boothbay Botanical Gardens before Christmas. They decorate the garden grounds with more than 750,000 Christmas light bulbs to bring the magic. Your ticket will grant you access to walk the grounds at a self-guided pace. If you can plan your trip after getting fresh snow I would highly recommend it.
Ice Harvesting
Join the fun at the Thompson Ice House Harvesting Museum in Bristol once a year for a demonstration. Each year they harvest the giant ice bricks ice by hand and reenact the entire process from start to finish in the ice house. It is a humbling demonstration to watch and certainly makes you appreciate modern refrigerators.
Camden Snowbowl Toboggan Championships
Stop into Camden Snowbowl to watch the US National Toboggan Championships. The toboggan racers ride down the 400-foot chute, descending 70 feet in teams of 2, 4, or 6 people. They can reach speeds of up to 40 miles an hour on their journey down. Watch from the sidelines and root for your favorite teams!
Carnival ME
If you’re in the Southern Maine area, head over the Old Port for Carnival ME’s Winter Festival. Four days of music, ice carving, brews, and food to lighten the mood coming out of winter.
Visiting Maine in the winter is vastly different than visiting in the summer, but no less enjoyable. With crowds lessened on the off-season, there is more space to enjoy what I call “natural Maine”. Maine that the full-time residents get to enjoy. For instance, Commercial Street in Portland can be an absolute madhouse in the summer months. During the winter, you can traverse the same street and shops more peacefully. The same goes for other major locations such as Acadia National Park, Bar Harbor, and Kittery. Visiting Maine should certainly be on your winter to-do list.