PLAN Your Trip
If you’re choosing to stay to play, plan ahead! Area hotels, inns, and bed and breakfasts are often fully booked in advance of the festivals, Dempsey Challenge, and for Bates graduation and alumni celebrations.
If you’re flying to the region, consider a chartered flight to the Auburn Lewiston Airport, or head to Portland Jetport (PWM) and rent a car for your 30-minute drive. Major routes into Maine include I-95 from Boston (2.5 hours) and Route 1 along the coast. Situated within 35 miles of 60% of Maine’s population and close to the coast and mountains, the LA region is a great place to stay to play.
DAY TRIPS
BETHEL Maines Mountains
Nestled in the western mountains of Maine, only 45 minutes from Auburn, Bethel is an outdoor enthusiast’s paradise with trails ranging in different levels and offering scenic views of wildlife, caves, waterfalls, lakes, forests, and more. Summer activities include biking, hiking, ziplines, rock climbing, swimming, golf, canoe rentals, river rafting, and horseback riding.
During the winter months, Bethel doesn’t miss a beat and offers snowshoeing, cross country skiing, snowmobiling, dog sledding, downhill skiing, ice fishing, tubing, and snowboarding. If you’re not the outdoor type, Bethel has you covered with laser tag, an art gallery, a movie theater, a variety of dining experiences, shopping, and antique stores.
DAY TRIPS
CAMDEN ROCKLAND Maines Coastal Jewel
A little more than an hour east of Lewiston sit Camden and Rockland. Considered the jewel of the Maine coast, Camden is a working harbor with lobstering and fishing boats going out daily. Rockland is a working seaport, rich in tradition and artistic culture, with museums, galleries, the Maine State Ferry, as well as farmers’ and fish markets. There are hiking trails in Camden Hills State Park, outdoor venues at the Camden Harbor Park and Amphitheater, a variety of restaurants, and live entertainment during the summer months.
If you’re venturing to Camden for the beaches, you will not be disappointed with Barrett’s Cove Beach, a freshwater beach located on Megunticook Lake that offers views of the Camden Hills State Park. Laite Memorial Beach is a pebble beach next to Camden Harbor with scenic views and a grass hilltop perfect for picnics. Camden Hills State Park offers year-round trail activities, camping, and even winter camping complete with rustic shelter for adventurers.
DAY TRIPS
FREEPORT Home to LL. Bean
Only 20 minutes outside of Auburn, Freeport is a walkable town with outlet stores and L.L. Bean’s Flagship store, open 24 hours a day, every day of the year. While Freeport is a shopper’s paradise and is considered the birthplace of Maine, it is also rich in history and immersed in culture to explore.
Freeport is a working harbor, so visitors can dine on fresh lobster while watching the boats travel on the Harraseeket River. There are scenic ocean cruises, boat rentals, and tours to explore the tidal rivers and even take hikes with goats. With festivals throughout the year and summer concerts in the park, Freeport is a great way to spend the day when staying in the LA region.
DAY TRIPS
PORTLANDS OLD PORT Maines Fishing Heritage
The Old Port takes you back in time with cobblestone streets, 19th-century warehouses, and a working wharf. Once a world-renowned port, the town offers some of Maine’s best dining experiences. The Old Port delivers something for everyone with daily brewery tours, the
Portland Museum of Art, antiques, and shopping. On the must-do list is a visit to the Portland Head Light, the oldest lighthouse in Maine. As night falls, the Old Port is just getting started with outside live entertainment, pubs, theme bars, comedy clubs, and dance clubs.
PLAN Your Trip
If you’re choosing to stay to play, plan ahead! Area hotels, inns, and bed and breakfasts are often fully booked in advance of the festivals, Dempsey Challenge, and for Bates graduation and alumni celebrations.
If you’re flying to the region, consider a chartered flight to the Auburn Lewiston Airport, or head to Portland Jetport (PWM) and rent a car for your 30-minute drive. Major routes into Maine include I-95 from Boston (2.5 hours) and Route 1 along the coast. Situated within 35 miles of 60% of Maine’s population and close to the coast and mountains, the LA region is a great place to stay to play.
DAY TRIPS
BETHEL Maines Mountains
Nestled in the western mountains of Maine, only 45 minutes from Auburn, Bethel is an outdoor enthusiast’s paradise with trails ranging in different levels and offering scenic views of wildlife, caves, waterfalls, lakes, forests, and more. Summer activities include biking, hiking, ziplines, rock climbing, swimming, golf, canoe rentals, river rafting, and horseback riding. During the winter months, Bethel doesn’t miss a beat and offers snowshoeing, cross country skiing, snowmobiling, dog sledding, downhill skiing, ice fishing, tubing, and snowboarding. If you’re not the outdoor type, Bethel has you covered with laser tag, an art gallery, a movie theatre, a variety of dining experiences, shopping, and antique storesDAY TRIPS
ROCKLAND Maines Coastal Jewel
A little more than an hour east of Lewiston sits Camden and Rockland. Considered the jewel of the Maine coast, Camden is a working harbor with lobstering and fishing boats going out daily. Rockland is a working seaport, rich in tradition and artistic culture, with museums, galleries, the Maine State Ferry, as well as farmers’ and fish markets. There are hiking trails in Camden Hills State Park, outdoor venues at the Camden Harbor Park and Amphitheatre, a variety of restaurants, and live entertainment during the summer months. If you’re venturing to Camden for the beaches, you will not be disappointed with Barrett’s Cove Beach, a freshwater beach located on Megunticook Lake that offers views of the Camden Hills State Park. Laite Memorial Beach is a pebble beach next to Camden Harbor with scenic views and a grass hilltop perfect for picnics. Camden Hills State Park offers year-round trail activities, camping, and even winter camping complete with rustic shelter for adventurersYour content goes here. Edit or remove this text inline or in the module Content settings. You can also style every aspect of this content in the module Design settings and even apply custom CSS to this text in the module Advanced settings.
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