Not Your Typical Winter Activities in Maine

The famous question: What is there to do in Maine on the weekends?

This question is usually met with a lot of the same answers. I cannot count the amount of times I have heard “Check out some cool places like Acadia, Portland, and Freeport!” While these are some awesome places in Maine to visit, by senior year I was ready for some new ideas of what to do with my friends. This past JanPlan, my roommates and I decided to set out to find some new activities that were just as exciting as the classic trips we had done in the past, and I thought I would share them for you to do as well! 

Visit the Rockland Breakwater

The Rockland Breakwater is in the Camden area and makes for an interesting and different walk with beautiful sights. The walk is about a mile each way and at the end you are rewarded by views of Rockland, as well as a lighthouse with a lot of historical value. It was super windy the day I went, so make sure to wear a hat and gloves if you decide to visit the Breakwater!

Walk on the Frozen Messalonskee Lake

Most Colby students have been to the Hume center in the warmer months to hang out on the dock and get some sun, but a less popular activity is visiting the Hume in the winter. My roommates and I decided to watch the sunset one night at the Hume center and we were pleasantly surprised to find Messalonskee lake frozen enough to walk on. We walked out pretty far, got a great view of the sunset, and had fun taking photos of each other making snow angels or jumping on the ice.

Chase the Sunset in a Rural Town

After a day of shopping in Freeport this past January, my friends and I decided to follow the sunset and drive close to the ocean in a nearby town. I could not even tell you the name of the town, but that was the beauty in this spontaneous drive! Make sure you have a full tank of gas, and set out one night to find the best random sunset spot. The spot we found (pictured above) happened to be a farm on the ocean. I had never seen cows so close to the water before, and the sunset made the perfect backdrop.

Fat Biking at Sugarloaf

We all know skiing at Sugarloaf is one of the most popular activities for Colby students in the winter, but did you know Sugarloaf offers many other activities that are way less expensive and just as fun? I recently tried fat biking at Sugarloaf, and while it was definitely physically challenging, it was so much fun. Besides fat biking, Sugarloaf also offers ice skating, cross country skiing, and ski-biking! 

Thrifting in Waterville

A little known fact about Waterville is that it is actually a great spot for thrift shopping. Madlyn’s New and Used Consignment Shop on Main Street has some really cool finds, as well as something awesome called the $3 Room. In this room, there are paper bags that are filled to the top with mystery clothing items. Each bag is labelled by the size of the clothes inside, and are only $3. You never know what you’re going to get, and it’s a really fun activity to buy and open on your own or with friends who also love thrifting!