December 1, 2005

Maine is a Destination With a Multitude of Wintertime Offerings

MAINE- While you can't predict for certain how much snow the next big storm will drop, one sure bet is there is never a shortage of activities during Maine's winter months.

The state has become more diversified with its wintertime offerings in recent years, ensuring that there is something to please every visitor from the art critic to the adventure lover.

While renowned artists have been inspired by the state for generations, Maine is beginning to make its mark as a highly-regarded arts and culture hub. From the Portland Museum of Art to Bangor's University of Maine Museum of Art, world-class collections showcase first-rate European masterpieces including works by Renoir, Degas and Picasso, and plenty of wall space is given to the masters who called Maine home like the Wyeth's, Rockwell Kent and Winslow Homer.

Learn about the state's rich maritime heritage at the Maine Maritime Museum in Bath; visit the Maine State Museum in Augusta where you can learn about everything from how granite was removed from the quarry to how apple cider is made; and discover the time-honored traditions of Maine's Native American population at the Abbe Museum in Bar Harbor. Those who live to shop won't be left out in the cold in Maine.

Outlet Mecca's including Freeport and Kittery simply sparkle during wintertime and eclectic boutiques and specialty stores featuring Maine-made products line the traditional Main Streets that still thrive in many of the state's small communities.

Meanwhile, Maine's recent recognition as a foodie paradise means there is a new winter activity that visitors can add to the top of their itineraries- eating. Food connoisseurs can hop between the many upscale eateries in Portland, cruise along coastal Route 1 stopping to sample a different lobster dish in each town, or warm up to a hearty meal at one of Maine's classic diners.

And while there is much to do inside, the reason getting outside and hitting the trails is such a Maine tradition is because it's a blast. So, when the snow starts flying, get moving.

Maine's two largest resorts, Sugarloaf and Sunday River, are already open for business, and a Thanksgiving snowfall means the slopes are packed with powder for skiers and snowboarders. Recently added attractions in the areas of both mountains have solidified the resorts as destinations even for those who don't ski or ride.

At Sugarloaf, the Anti-Gravity Center, the only facility of its kind in New England, offers a climbing wall, skate park and bowl, Olympic-quality trampolines, weight room, aerobics room and indoor courts.

In the town of Bethel where Sunday River is located, the BIG Adventure Center offers a massive rock climbing gym, laser tag and indoor bowling. Turbo tubing, the hip new spin on old fashion sledding, is taking off with most Maine ski areas offering tubing tracks complete with lift service. This new trend can be enjoyed by young and old alike at Maine's two largest ski resorts, as well as at Mt. Abram in Greenwood where the longest tubing chute in the state gives riders 1,325 feet of pure downhill exhilaration.

Others prefer lacing up their cross-country ski boots, clicking into their skinny skis and setting off across the more than 600 kilometers of groomed Nordic trails Maine offers. While gliding across the smooth snow, skiers revel in the stillness of the woods and the swooshing of freshly-waxed skis over the packed powder.

Snowmobiles are the source of some great winter fun, too. Maine features more than 12,000 miles of well-maintained, interconnected trails. Snowmobiling is an ideal way to cover some serious ground and see the scenic side of Maine that lies off the beaten path.

Is it a charge down the ski slopes by day and put your feet up by the fire after a soak in an outdoor hot tub sort of vacation you are imagining? Or, is your dream weekend getaway itinerary a tad more metro - think first-rate museums, upscale shopping at designer outlets, and fine dining at a nationally-revered restaurant? Or, do you just need to get away from it all by strapping on some snowshoes and setting out under the stars for a moonlit walk before coming back to the cabin and curling up with a good book and a rich cup of cocoa in front of a regal fireplace? No matter how you define your perfect vacation, whether it's chills and thrills, rest and relaxation, or something in between, Maine is your match.

For more ideas on planning your wintertime vacation to Maine, log on to www.visitmaine.com or call 888-95-MAINE.