Outdoor Adventures in Maine

Your adventure at sea begins aboard one of the sailing schooners in the Maine Windjammer Association. Take a three-, four- or six-day cruise and know what it means to totally relax while cruising into charming fishing villages, enjoying a lobster bake on an unspoiled island or diving into waters off Maine’s coast for an invigorating swim. Observe wildlife from porpoises, puffins, seals (and occasional whales) to eagles and great herons. Enjoy down-home Downeast cooking and camaraderie. Take the helm, help set or furl a sail – or just sit on deck and watch one of Maine’s famous red sunsets. Ships accommodate from 16 to 40 guests in modern, comfortable quarters.

In Maine, an outdoor adventure could be anything from going on a puffin cruise to casting off on a sport-fishing cruise. At the Camden Maine Stay Inn, a grand home in one of the country’s most beautiful seaside villages, you can hike 30 miles of trails in Camden Hills State Park, golf on a choice of nearby courses, sail on a windjammer or scale Mount Battle (Edna St. Vincent Millay used to do that for inspiration). Skiing or tobogganing at the nearby Camden Snowbowl draw visitors in the winter too. At the Captain Jefferds Inn in equally charming Kennebunkport, plan to stroll to nearby beaches, go kayaking, explore nearby Dock Square, tour a lighthouse or go horseback riding. Then come back to the inn for hot mulled cider in the winter or homemade lemonade in the summer. Hiking and XC skiing are favorite pastimes at the nearby Rachel Carson Preserve. Year-round poking about the eclectic shops in Kennebunkport and Camden – both within an easy stroll of the inns – is popular. Maine is an ideal location for foodies too, with award winning restaurants within an easy walk of both inns.

You’ll get to see the great outdoors up close and personal when you sign up for a whitewater rafting adventure at Crab Apple Whitewater. Imagine zooming through Class III and IV rapids like “Three Sisters” and “Magic Falls” on the spectacular Kennebec River, passing by Maine’s woodlands and wildlife. Or conquering high-water rafting on the Dead River. Or maybe you want a calmer trip with places to float and swim. Head back to the base camp for overnight lodging, some paintball fun or maybe a walk to Moxie Falls, Maine’s highest waterfall. Or here’s an idea: Sign up for a moose safari, leaving at dusk from May through August, in search of the amazing beasts in their natural habitat.

Outdoor explorations from riding an ATV through forest terrain to zipping along snow-covered trails to an iced-over lake to do some ice fishing are waiting for you at Shin Pond Village, a 100-acre recreational resort nestled in the heart of Maine’s majestic Katahdin Region. Rent a Polaris ATV and gain immediate access to Polaris Adventures, the first-ever national network of ride-and-drive experiences. Or join with local snowmobilers for cookouts and other events. Shin Pond is also ideal for canoeing, snowshoeing, skiing, camping, fishing and hiking. Enjoy the very best in outdoor fun from your campsite, RV site, cottage, guest suite or pondside home. The resort also features a restaurant, laundromat, general store and “Loon’s Nest” TV room.

Time to explore your adventurous side! At 201 Powersports, it’s easy to access the great outdoors with the rental of a Polaris ATV or snowmobile. And it’s easy to plan your adventure with experienced staff and guides from this quality rental service. Explore a variety of terrain – and wildlife – with two-hour, half-day and full-day adventures. Or go longer: an eight-hour trip takes you to lunch at Spring Creek BBQ smokehouse; in 10 hours, you can get to Moosehead Lake. Or, combine your ATV ride with a pontoon cruise on historic and scenic Wyman Lake. An extensive inventory means you won’t be disappointed when it comes to renting your top-of-the-line machine from this Maine woods company.