A multitude of local rivers with breathtaking scenery make this a favorite summer activity. Whether you have your own canoe or kayak or want a complete rental with guide service, the Sunday River Area is a great place to push off. Check out Bethel Outdoor Adventure, Sun Valley Sports for rentals and guided group or individual excursions. If you are simply interested in a guide, look up Sandy MacGregor. If you would like to start your water excursion a bit North and West of the Sunday River Area, try Northern Waters Outfitters which can rent equipment for the Magalloway River and Umbagog Lake National Wildlife Refuge.

Sunday River Ski Resort has started its summer weekend chairlift service. For $8 per person (age 6 and over) you can take the chair from the North Peak and experience beautiful mountain vistas and, in the fall, spectacular fall foliage. Scenic lift rides are available from late June through mid October.

Sunday River Ski Resort has opened its trails to mountain bikers of all levels of experience. Buy a seasons mountain biking pass and enjoy the mountain bike park from late June through mid October. For more information on daily riding rates, seasons pass charges, and bike terrain, check out the following link.

If you don’t have your own or just could not fit it on the airplane, Sun Valley Sports is there for you. Whether it is a guided tour of the Sunday River Ski Area trails or a Wildlife & Eco evening tour and cookout, the Sun Valley team will make it an unforgettable experience. Do you have young ones that can’t navigate? Sun Valley provides ATV’s with a rear seat or even a four person ATV if you prefer the whole family to ride together. This is truly a great experience and the Sun Valley guides patiently teach those who have never touched an ATV before in their life. By the time you are done, you will want to own one! If you have your own, check out the numerous trails available to you in the area.

Whether you want to hook that big one or simply relax by casting and reeling, Western Maine is certainly the perfect place to “unwind”. If you need to augment your gear with the latest in fly’s and gear, check out Sun Valley Sports (authorized Orvis dealer). Sun Valley also offers guide services and boat rentals as do the Maine Ranger Guide Service, and Bethel Outdoor Adventures. Never fished, but want to learn? Any of the above services will get you on the right path. Give it a try! You’ll be “hooked”!

This part of the country offers beautiful scenery no matter where you look. However, one of the most famous “drives” is the Mt. Washington Auto Road. Open only when the snow melts, this famous drive up the east coast’s highest peak is one that you will want to experience. Make the drive early, see the weather observatory and ride the train, have a picnic lunch, do a short hike around the summit, descend while the sun is still up. A day you won’t forget and a bumper sticker for your car that says “This car climbed Mt. Washington!”.

Also on the list of scenic drives and picnic areas is the road to Grafton Notch State Park – stop at Screw Auger Falls along the way for a picnic lunch on the rocks, bring the swimsuits for fun under the falls, continue North to the Lake Umbagog Area and then further north to the Rangely Lakes region and then head south to return to the Sunday River area. Or, head west on Route 2 and then south through Evans Notch to see Kezar Lake. Close to home, don’t miss the Artist’s Covered Bridge. Park the car, picnic on the bridge, descend down to the river and let the kids splash around, skip rocks and hunt for frogs and minnows – old fashioned fun on this old fashioned bridge!

The Sunday River Area is redolent with scenic hikes for people of all ages and abilities. The Grafton Notch State Park is full of scenic trails which include portions of the Appalachian Trail. There are numerous short walks past caves and up to scenic picnic areas. For more information, check out the comprehensive trail book provided as part of the Ski-Esta library or check out this link.

One of the most exciting sightings of wildlife in the area is the moose! Sign up for an organized tour or simply take a drive to the Jordan Grand at Sunday River and keep your eyes peeled. At dusk or early in the morning, you may very well see them grazing by the side of the road. The other great place for self guided moose sightings, is the drive up to Lake Umbagog – as you get close to Grafton Notch State park, start looking in the trees along the road and you will surely see one of Maine’s most sought after wildlife specimens. If the self guided approach is not for you, check out the Sunday River Scenic Wildlife Tour (Sunday and Wednesday evenings, available through the Grand Summit Resort Hotel, 207-824-3500) or the Gorham, NH Chamber of Commerce Moose Tours. A variety of other wildlife from fox, wild turkey, and bears can be seen as you drive, hike or cruise the many area lakes. Information on pontoon boat cruises on Umbagog Lake is here. If you would like to see all of the varieties of wildlife that Maine has to offer but do not have time to hike, bike, boat, or drive around to see them all, stop at the Maine Wildlife Park on your way from Portland to the Sunday River Area.

One of the most favorite things our kids enjoy doing in the area is digging for gems. Whether you are a serious mineral collector or just love the thrill of the hunt, this is something the whole family will enjoy. The simplest introduction is to stop by Western Maine Mineral Adventures off of Route 26 in Woodstock, Maine. Buy your $10.00 bucket of rocks extracted from local mines, pick a table, pour your load into a sieve, wash it in the water, and start hunting! If you are interested in seeing the mines themselves, you have several options: Perham’s in West Paris is a great jumping off point – you can see their collection and get directions and information about three of their mines which are free and open to the public. Get your hiking boots on, grab a small bucket, and start hunting! Three additional local mines are described on Western Maine Mineral Adventure's site. For a guided tour of the Bumpus Mine, in Albany, Maine, contact Bethel Outdoor Adventures. For reservations to visit the Songo Pond Mine in Albany, Maine, call 207-824-3898.

For a list of antique stores in the area, click here or simply take a scenic drive and stop as you find them along the way. For arts and crafts, check out the local artisans in downtown Bethel (Bonema Pottery) and book your vacation for early July when Bethel hosts the annual arts and crafts fair. For year round access to local artisans, click here or here.

Bethel, the main town in the Sunday River Area, is considered a haven of spiritual wellness and mind and body rejuvenation. The area boasts a number of spa and wellness centers, many of which will come to Ski-Esta to perform their treatments. Check out the following sites for more information: Spirit Wings, Fountain of Wisdom, Bethel Bodywork, and The Jordan Spa and Health Club.

Aside from our fabulous heated indoor pool with built in spa and waterfall, we recommend a few unique places where the kids will have hours of outdoor fun and have a chance to cool off. Our favorite is the Letter S Pool. Located on the Sunday River Rd. just a few miles from Ski-Esta, this natural swimming hole and waterfall will provide hours of entertainment for the whole family. There is a small “beach”, depending on water levels, a small sandy island, large boulders for sunbathing, a cool pool of water for swimming, and some rapidly flowing water for those that dare ride their inner tubes. Bring your minnow net and water shoes!

For the older "kids", drive a bit further down Sunday River Road, make a left over the wooden bridges, and then an immediate right - down the "camp" road you will find Frenchman’s Hole. It's a 20+ foot deep swimming hole at the bottom of a 15 foot waterfall.

Same swimming activities are available at Screw Auger Falls, located along the road to Grafton Notch State Park. This waterfall features a small waterfall and shallow water over large rocks that then lead to a 30+ foot large waterfall with a deep swimming hole underneath. It is a steep hike to the lower level of the falls but the upper level is great for kids and offers plenty to keep them cool, busy and interested (minnow, tadpoles, and slippery rocks).

An additional local swimming hole is located at the Artist’s Bridge, also in Newry off of Sunday River Road, before you reach Powder Ridge.

For a large swimming pond with sandy bank, check out Angevine Park, located 2.2 miles up the North Rd. (by the Bethel airport) – ideal for small children.

Within 40 – 120 miles of the Sunday River Area, there are a multitude of white water rafting experiences available. Everything from Class II to Class IV rafting – from family experience to a full high stakes thrill ride, Maine white water rafting is some of the finest in the country. Ride the Androscoggin, Kennebec, Penobscott and Dead Rivers with the following white water rafting companies: North Woods Rafting, Northern Waters Outfitters, Magic Falls Rafting Company, Three Rivers, and Professional River Runners.

From trail rides to lessons to jumps and riding camps, area stables and riding schools offer them all to Sunday River Area visitors. Check out these sites (Secret Acres Stables, Sparrow Hawk Mountain Ranch, Ellis River Riders, and most local Deepwood Farm) for more information.

While there are a number of public boat launch areas at surrounding lakes, boat rentals can be had at the Kezar Lake Marina, sailboats can be rented from Sebago Sailing, and pontoon boat wildlife excursions can be booked via Northern Waters Outfitters.

Outside of its Vacation Land reputation, Maine is probably best know for its lobsters. Want to cruise the coast on a lobster ship and help catch fresh lobster? If you just want to forget the catching and just cruise along the harbor, look at the light houses, and enjoy a few hours on the open water, click either here or here, or call Bay View Cruises at 207-761-0496. If it's whales and not lighthouses and lobsters that strike your fancy, head to Boothbay Harbor and book a whale watching excursion here or here. For a guide to Maine’s many beaches, click here. The closest beach is about 60 miles away and Bar Harbor is a 4 hour drive.

What is summer vacation without at least one trip to the amusement parks! For the young and young at heart, within 1 – 3 hours of the house, there are some outstanding places to play.

In New Hampshire

• Canobie Lake Park for the young and young adults;
• Santa’s Village for Christmas year round;
• Six Gun City for the Cowboy in your family; and
• StoryLand for those yung uns.

In Maine

• for the ultimate in family amusement and waterpark fun, all wrapped up in one fabulous location, check out Funtown USA; and
• for something a little closer to Sunday River, check out the Seacoast Fun Park in Windham.

If you are spending the day at Old Orchard Beach, don’t forget to check out their beachside rides and games at the Palace Playland.

Performing arts and various cultural events are available throughout Maine. For more information, see

• Maine Performing Arts Calendar.
• Deer Tree Theater.
• Stone Mountain Arts Center.

For local history and various historical events, see

• The Bethel Historical Society.

For information on Maine museums, see

• Maine Art Museums.
• Maine’s Maritime Museum.
• Maine’s Lighthouse Museum.
• Historic house museums of Maine.

Maple Crest Farms, 349 Paris Hill Rd., Buckfield, ME – Raspberries – call 207-336-2466

Barton’s PYO Strawberries, Barton Rd., Albany Township, ME – call 207-824-2834

Chipman Farm, Poland Spring, ME – strawberries & pumpkin patch – call 207-998-2027.

Carter’s Farm Market, Rt. 26, Oxford, ME – tomatoes, beans, flowers – call 207-539-4848.

Apple Acres Farm, Durgintown, Rd, South Hiram, ME – apples & pumpkins – call 800-647-4725.

Plummer Hill Orchards, Plummer Hill Rd., Waterford, ME – apples – call 207-583-6508.

Lyon Orchard, 684 Grover Hill Rd., Bethel, ME – apples – call 207-824-2842.

Valley View Orchards, Hebron, ME – apples – 207-966-2630.

McSherry Orchards, Sweden, ME – apples & pumpkins – 603-447-2737.

You can find more links, like Christmas tree farms, pumpkin patches, etc., here

Located in Bethel this amusement center is sure to keep the kids happy and occupied, rain or shine, snow or sleet. Boasting a waterslide, mini-golf, arcade, laser tag, bowling, and rock climbing wall – you and yours will be amused and entertained.