Rustic trail. Convenient for a quick walk in the woods. Lots of wildlife and wildflowers in bloom…read more Update: beautiful in the fall. The trail is well maintained with some improvements planned. The fall leave just made it beautiful. Spotted few birds.

I feel the need to preface all of my nature reviews with this: being 90% forested and having around…read more3500 miles of coastline, Maine (and NH) has a tremendous amount of spaces, walkways, paths, and trails of all kinds and of all levels. There's something for everyone. What I'm reviewing is how a spot compares to similar outdoor spots in my personal opinion. Being in nature - and remembering to carry in, carry out - is always five stars! :) Parking? No. Loop trail? Sort of. Well marked signs? Sort of. Element of surprise? Not really. This is definitely a tough spot to find; there's no parking, so be sure to very carefully pull as far off as you can from the road (it's not a busy road, but still #healthandsafety). This is about 1.5 to 2 miles - relatively easy to moderate (just because there is initially a bit of a steep slope, then some twisty and rooty bits of the trail), starting with a long walk through the woods pass some fields, over some brooks - with extremely well maintained wooden bridges! - and eventually alongside the Kennebec River (if you wish to walk that far down). There's also a short spur up to a place called Mount Tom which features the old remains of a chimney and fireplace, as well as a stone bench that overlooks the water in the distance (probably much easier to see before spring/summer)! I think if you love birdwatching AND wildflowers, you'll see (and feel) the magic of this spot. We came when the wild ginger (Asarum canadense) was in bloom -- apparently this species is rare for this far up the East Coast. They were beautiful! The whole walk was a lovely homage to spring, what with the crops of fiddleheads and the constant birdsong! BEWARE OF TICKS.

Nice, quiet town beach There is usually a food truck nearby…read more Great for kayaking and paddling

This beach is the reason I moved to Winthrop! Situated on the end of Maranacook Lake, this little…read moretown beach is my favorite local spot for a swim, float, picnic, and family outing! In peak summer days the shore is lined with families, food trucks, kids on bikes, boaters, kayakers, and all other species of lake lovers. The waters of Maranacook Lake are clear, pristine, and brisk! The beach is easily walked to from downtown Winthrop, which is lined with cool shops, a subway, couple of eateries. The town beach is clean, nicely maintained, trash receptacles are available, lots of green space to picnic and chill. The boat launch is nearby as is a lovely park with benches and a community gazebo. On the 4th of July this is THE place to be! Amazing fireworks food trucks, and of course the Winthrop PD regularly patrols so you can take your leisure in a safe, monitored location. As a local I love using the beach in the off season. There's always tons of free parking and the Winthrop peeps are just great, kind, people who don't mind sharing their gem of a beach with out of towners who respect and abide the rules. While at the beach take a stroll, explore the neato downtown area, and soak up the sun and fun vibes! Bring the fam and chill on the shore of the beautiful Maranacook Lake. Oh! And boaters if you put in the lake check your boat and trailers for milfoil (a nasty invasive plant) it's the law in Maine. No milfoil in or out of our water bodies. Enjoy!

I've been coming to the Maine Wildlife Park since I was the size of the fingerlings in the hatchery…read morehere. That's a long time! My parents used to bring us all the time when we were young; I think because MWP really IS NOT a zoo (so don't come here with that expectation). It's more of a rehabilitation center or sanctuary than anything else, and I think my parents liked how educational, real, and local it felt. We came to see Maine's wildlife in their natural habitat recover from injury, or because they were formally raised in captivity by humans, or because they were orphaned for whatever reason. It's a safe place for ME's critters who can no longer survive in the wild. (PRO TIP: Ask the staff about the animals. They have a list of all their names and how long they've been residents; if you reeeeally pry, the staff also have favorites and it's fun to hear their stories about the animals' big personalities!) I've come back a few times as an adult, and I still appreciate it. It's a gentle, relaxing way to spend a couple of hours. I've seen bears, turtles, raccoons, deer, skunks, and - yes - even moose (though, again, set your expectations accordingly: they are notorious for NOT showing up for us spectators). I have, over the years, spent a stupid amount of money feeding the trout at the pond by the hatchery. There's a ton of information there about how Dry Mills is important to the preservation and continuation of our aquatic ecological balance (they release thousands and thousands of fish into the wild every year, it's incredible!). Maine Wildlife Park itself is worth the visit, but they also have events throughout their open season as well including archery classes, plant sales, fairy-themed days, and harvest parties (just check their website FMI).

Bottom line up front: this is a center for animals which can't be released back in the wild for a…read morevariety of reasons. This isn't a zoo. However, you can see almost all the different wildlife that can be found in Maine, most importantly moose. I don't know how much I've spent on moose safaris over the past few years to never see a moose. After a nominal fee, I finally got to see one up close. They're amazing. While there are areas that have seen better days, it's good to see they're investing in improving the facilities. Definitely worth visiting, especially if you come up empty handed after a moose tour.

Great friendly people. Small zoo at a very reasonable oat. Grandkids really enjoyed it.read more

DEW Haven is truly a fascinating place tucked away in Mt Vernon Maine. YEARS ago, I was directed…read morethere with my kids when staying in Belgrade Lakes. At that time it was just the founder Bob Miner and his wife giving tours. Now DH has grown to be a sprawling animal sanctuary that even had a short stint reality TV show at one point (really sad that did not continue). Currently, with all of the expansion, it is now hard for visitors to get a sense of how Bob started the sanctuary by taking in exotic animals seized by the Maine warden service and how creating a sanctuary for those animals helped him heal from PTSD he was experiencing as a Vietnam veteran. I almost wish there was a welcome video in the visitors center... In any case, this is an incredible spot to check out if you happen to be in the area!

Have rented kayaks from them a few years in a row. They have been helpful each time in making sure…read morewe got exactly what we needed and what would work best for us. They rent kayaks (single and double) and canoes. They will help you load it and tie it securely to your car.

TPL is a great place to meet other guys very clean the owners are very friendly it doesn't matter…read morethe weather because everything is inside the pool steam room hot tub sauna bar pool tables playrooms everything's in the lodge. I highly recommend it.

This place is very clean, the owners are welcoming and friendly…read more I would highly recommend this place to anyone. That would love to relax or get away and have fun.

Certainly the best of the best. Great mechanics, Knowledgeable owner fast service and reasonable…read moreprices. They do it all summer and winter. Boat repairs and rentals in the summer and snowmobile services in the winter. Very honest and down to earth business.

Dropped off our boat at the end of the season in October 2022. Unfortunately, due to unforeseen…read morecircumstances we were not able to retrieve it in early spring as usual. I reached out to Bill on July 24th and advised I needed to register the boat. He said to call next day, and he could meet at the boat landing. I called on the 25th - he said he was mistaken and couldn't do it that day and to call him Wednesday. I called Wednesday, and Thursday and received no response. Friday, my boyfriend called. Bill answered and told him the boat would not start - said there was "no spark". My boyfriend advised him we were heading south on Sunday, but he would be back the following weekend with a bunch of guys and would like to have it. Bill said he would look at it and asked him to call him the following Wednesday. He did (in the morning) and Bill said he hadn't looked at it yet and to call at the end of the day. That call, as well as my call and text went with no response. My boyfriend called Thursday morning and again, no answer. I called Thursday afternoon and Bill answered. I advised I was checking on the status of the boat. He said, "I haven't figured it out yet". I said "ok". He said, "I'll let you know when I do". I asked, "do you know when that will be". He said "no". I then asked if there was a problem and if he didn't want to do it. He said, "I looked at it and haven't figured it out yet, if you want to get it and take it somewhere else, have at it". I responded that we have been very patient, and he has not been communicating. He said (with a sigh) "Listen" and then hung on me like a coward rather than talking to me like a man. He then had the audacity, when my boyfriend tried calling him three times the following morning, to text him and say that I was rude and to come get the boat off his property. He hung up on me, but I was rude... Later that morning, my boyfriend went to get the boat as requested, however, Bill nor the boat were anywhere to be found and attempts to reach him were ignored. I text Bill and told him he had an hour to get to the shop and produce the boat he told us to get off of his property or I would call the police. He didn't respond right away, but when he did his simple response was "Good luck". In the meantime, I reached out to the police who were more than happy to help. In a short amount of time, I was advised by the Deputy that he contacted Bill, and he said he would have the boat at the shop ready to be pulled out of there by 2pm the next day (August 5th). It was there and we now have the boat just shy of two weeks after first contact. It's a shame because we have dealt with him for many years. But clearly loyalty and professionalism are not his strong suit or even in his wheelhouse. I understand if someone is having a bad day, but clearly, he decided he didn't want to deal with the issue, or couldn't because he's incapable, and didn't have the guts or common decency to let us know. Based on the reviews I have since researched, I shouldn't be surprised. I guess we were fortunate the place didn't burn down as it did several years ago. We are happy to be taking our business elsewhere. And those of you considering services here should do the same.