You’ll appreciate the great outdoors even more after a rafting trip with Crab Apple Whitewater in Maine. Journeys down the Kennebec and Dead Rivers are extraordinary: You’ll challenge Class IV and V rapids in the Dead River, or marvel at the scenery and pristine wilderness along the Kennebec, with legendary Class III and IV rapids like “Magic Falls” (just two miles from our base camp) waiting at every turn before you hit calmer water and can float beside your raft. With a lodging package, you can enjoy rafting one day and hiking up to Moxie Falls, soaking in the heated outdoor pool or joining a nightfall paintball game the next. Guides are experienced, helmets and lifejackets are provided, and breakfast comes with every rafting and standard and premium lodging package.

At the New England Outdoor Center, their mission is to foster respect for the responsible shared use of the Maine woodlands they call home. So when you set out on one of the center’s fishing trips, snowmobile or wildlife tours, hit the bike or cross-country ski trails, you know it’s a sustainable adventure. The center manages its 1,400 acres in accordance with the American Forest Foundation’s standards of sustainability. At its Millinocket Lake location, it reduces waste, recycles and offers lodging options that are eco-friendly. New mountain-biking trails are being built in a sustainable manner, and that principle also applies to the use of waterways for fishing, rafting, paddle boarding and kayaking. Check the website for tips on how you can help with this effort.