Outdoor Adventures in Maine

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.

Sail into an adventure aboard one of the Maine Windjammer Association’s eight majestic schooners. Want to help haul up an anchor, or would you rather just enjoy a bowl of chowder while watching the kids fish off the deck? Would you like to explore the inner workings of a lighthouse, tour a fishing village, try out a paddle board, learn about local wildlife, or just sit back and sip some wine while admiring a scarlet sunset with fellow passengers? Whether you want to get cooking tips from an on-board chef, practice pilates, take a turn at the wheel or just listen to seafaring stories by nighttime lantern-light, there is a cruise perfect for you, leaving from Camden or Rockland, Maine, and exploring the great outdoors.

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.

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.

You will feel like you are in the middle of a nature preserve at Point Lookout, 387 acres of picturesque mountain terrain overlooking beautiful Penobscot Bay. Rent a fully furnished pine log cabin (1, 2, or 3-bedroom) and enjoy the Maine scenery from your screened-in porch. Or get out there rent some snowshoes or a kayak and hit the trails, open year-round. Nearby is cross-country or downhill skiing, ice skating, ice fishing and tobogganing. In the summer, hike to Knights Pond on the property and enjoy the quiet beach, perfect for swimming and picnicking. Nearby outdoor attractions include golfing, sailing, whale-watching, boating and tennis. Point Lookout also has a soccer field, tennis courts as well as a certified organic working farm to visit!

Heed your inner explorer and arrange for one of several adventures at the AAA Four-Diamond Lodge at Moosehead lake, an ultra-private hideaway surrounded by lakes, mountains, woods and fields in the North Woods. See moose in their natural habitat in a moose canoe safari, go kayaking or sailing on the ponds of Moosehead Lake or see the lake with a guide in your personal pontoon boat. Take a day hike up Mount Kineo (maybe catch sight of a peregrine falcon) or go an a customized fishing excursion. First-rate dining, luxurious rooms decorated in authentic North Woods style and attention to detail are the hallmarks of the inn, where guests are encouraged to rest, recharge – and have fun.