Ski country to most visitors, with Maine’s two largest ski mountains and a ring of smaller ones attracting winter adventure-seekers.

Recreational opportunities abound on the lakes. Crowds from southern Maine cities zip over to Sebago Lake, while the more remote Rangeley Lakes give off the real sense of wilderness.

It’s easy to embrace the long Maine winter here with so many opportunties to ski, snowboard, dog sled, cross country ski, snowshoe and go on horse-drawn carriage rides. Sunday River, in Bethel, and Sugarloaf/USA, in Carrabasset Valley, are the big two slopes, but smaller, more family-oriented ski areas, dot this region as well.

When the snow does melt in the spring, orchards and farmland are revealed and you can see why agricultural fairs are so big here. The Fryeburg Fair has been packing the midway for more than 100 years every October, and maple sugar houses, pumpkin stands and apple orchards can be easily found.

Hikers like this area because there’s a wide range of hikes, from high peaks to pleasant riverside trails. Waterfalls make great targets on hikes. It’s also Maine’s gateway to the White Mountains, so hikers, ice climbers and snow-shoers find plenty to do right along the Maine/New Hampshire border.

Sunday River

There’s more to this region than recreation. Shoppers visit for antiques and flea markets, and Bridgton and Casco are well known for their crafts and galleries. Historic houses and covered bridges dot this region, making it a popular destination for fall foliage tours.

For a more urban experience, Farmington offers an art museum and university-town flavor thanks to the University of Maine’s branch campus here. The “Twin Cities” of Lewiston and Auburn have museums, theaters, restaurants and more, many of which have a Franco-American tinge thanks to the large population of Acadian and Quebecois French people here.

Newry Bridge

Maine’s Lakes & Mountains Region from Maine Office of Tourism on Vimeo.