Maine’s beauty often silences first time visitors. Serene beaches, snow-covered mountains, sweet smelling forests, all things Maine greet winter quests.
Maine is so much more than lobster and fall foliage—although you can’t go wrong on them alone. There’s so much to do in the coming month, you must check out these eight events before the summer tourists crowd in.
You won’t want to miss:
- L.L. Bean’s Northern Lights Celebration runs through December 31st. You can walk through a forest of 600 sparkling trees, visit with reindeer and Santa, or wonder at the model train display. Everything winds up with a spectacular firework show on New Year’s Eve.
- Wolfe’s Neck Woods State Park greets you at the end of a short drive from a location like the Fairfield Inn & Suites Brunswick Freeport. A winter tour or hike through marshes, parks, hemlock stands, and rocky beaches can be invigorating and educational. Even in winter, it’s a great adventure for birdwatchers.
- Lucky Catch Cruises invites you to be a Maine Lobsterman/woman for the day. 90-minute tours of Casco Bay provide a hands-on lobstering experience while you cruise among lighthouses, historic forts, and the bay’s Seal Rocks.
- Bowdoin College hosts its annual International Music Festival in February. The prestigious college’s 2018 program hosts The Ying Quartet. The college invites students and the public to memorable musical performances by visiting artists and students as well as 90 plus free lectures, masterclasses, concerts, and more.
- Cold River Distillery makes multiple award-winning gins and vodkas. Gluten-free and distilled from Maine potatoes, samples are poured on visits to the distillery.
- Waterville is home to The Colby College Museum of Modern Art. This little college has a top-flight collection of American art from the early 18th-century forward. Well-displayed throughout the glass pavilion, the collection is unrivalled for its size and quality.
- Wine Wise and Sommelier Erica Archer host walking wine tours in Portland. Tours are scheduled on weekends days and evenings. Educational and entertaining, you’ll learn about the best tastes in Portland.
- Thousands come every season just to shop on Freeport’s quaint downtown streets or local outlet malls. People shop for candies, antiques, furniture, and, of course, clothing in this home to L.L. Bean.
And, there’s more to do before you leave —
If this is a romantic getaway, Azure has a first-rate wine cellar and a menu heavy with lobster and steak dishes with an Italian twist. It it’s a family trip, Silly’s loves hosting kids in its crazy, quirky atmosphere and silly menu.
There’s a Longfellow literary festival through February, and tours of historic homes. There’s winter skiing, too, and brisk walks on the beaches. Farmers’ Markets and boutiques dot Brunswick’s Main Street, and ice skating and hot chocolate end many a day for locals and tourists alike.
Marriott’s Fairfield Inn & Suites offers advantage in its central location, complimentary hot and cold breakfast, and fitness center. It helps you start and end your day in comfort while you spend the day chasing events you won’t want to miss in Maine.
