Upside Town Small…read moreTown m, with a population of ±1,200, located in western Maine, not too far from New Hampshire. It's known for its gigantic (±10sq. miles [±6,300-acres]) lake and is renowned worldwide for its outdoor activities that range from skiing and snow shoeing to sport fishing and all manner of boating activities. The Good: *It sits midway between the equator and the north pole! I mean, not technically, but close enough for gubmint werk. *Free street parking *Lots of options for dining and shopping, and I will say we didn't have a bad meal here. *Locals are friendly. *Lots of smallish hiking places but with amazing views and/or waterfalls. *The lake itself is stunning. *Clean, fresh mountain air *Be sure to checkout the biweekly farmers market. *Cell signal was very not bad for an out in the sticks kinda place. *The drive up here is pretty epic, as well. The Meh: *State Park closes during the winter months so check their website for schedules. We *were* supposed to be arriving during one of their part days to be open, but I guess they ended up closing early for the season to get some maintenance done. We were annoyed but we understood. The Ugly: *The Town itself is very seasonal, as well. With some businesses not open in the winter. Conclusion: Amazing place to visit if you're a avid nature lover and it doesn't hurt that it can also satisfy your inner foodie, as well.

Rangeley is a wonderful little town and is the heart of the Rangeley Lakes region - which is 99%…read moreforest and water lol. Rangeley has a population of around 1500 but expands to around 10,000 during heavy tourist season. It was established in the mid-1800s and is a great place to base yourself out of when exploring the region. For such a small town, there are a surprising variety and number of restaurants and shops - a brew co, weekly farmers market (seasonal I'm sure), a historical society and museum, a movie theater, as well as a fly fishing shop with guide service. This is, apparently, the birthplace of fly fishing after all! Massive Rangeley Lake sits right in town with a lovely park - the sunsets are dramatist and beautiful- and they have water planes landing and taking off right on the lake! I visited during the early fall and it was pretty crowded but not too crazy - I'm sure it gets overrun. Summer is for playing on the water and winter is for skiing. There are so many hiking trails nearby, and ATVs are a big deal here too so there are lots of those trails. Everyone I interacted with was super friendly and so happy to chat -all the food is great. The lakes are breathtaking. I stayed at the Rangeley Inn & Tavern with lovely Haley Pond right behind it and heard the haunting Loons and got my first glimpses of them right from my patio! I loved my time in Rangeley and hope to visit again someday - an outdoor lovers paradise!