Winter on the coast of Maine is beautiful, crisp air, the possibility of snow on the ground, and awesome views of the lighthouse, rocks and crashing waves. Staying at The Bradley Inn offers you the opportunity to experience all that plus the warmth of the inn with great food and drink.
But you ask, what else can we do while there…following is a brief list of suggestions covering multiple areas of interest. All made even better as you will not be battling the summer crowds.
Shopping
- The Kingfisher & the Queen a Damariscotta shop that specializes in unique vintage finds, housewares, gifts, and children’s items, many of which are sourced from France and Germany.
- Beach Plum in Newcastle offers a wonderful selection of garden, home, and outdoor items, so many you need to spend time to enjoy it all. They are closed for a long winters nap until early February.
- Wildings in Damariscotta is a curated collection of the owners’ favorite things from candles to jewelry, hats, plants and much more.
- Reny’s, a must stop! Its first store opened in Damariscotta in 1949. With seventeen stores statewide, it has become Maine’s favorite department store. The two stores in Damariscotta will keep you busy perusing all sorts of merchandise, quality goods, reasonably priced.
Art, artist galleries and antiques
- Bristol Road Galleries is a collaboration of four artists on Bristol Road in Damariscotta. All within a short distance of one another, each with their own style.
- Skipjack Nautical Ware and Marine Art is a must visit if you are looking for anything nautical from memorabilia, collectibles, antiques, to art. Open year-round by appointment during the winter.
- Damarine Antiques, located on Bristol Road in Damariscotta offers a collection of beautifully restored antique furniture as well as decor and art.
- River Arts in Damariscotta contains an ever-changing array of art and find crafts by Maine artists.
Activities
- Coastal Rivers Conservation Trust maintains thirty trails totaling over fifty miles in Damariscotta/Pemaquid region.
- Hidden Valley Nature Center is one thousand acres of protected land on which there are over twenty-five miles of groomed trails for cross country skiing, snow shoeing and/or fat tire biking. Equipment rentals are available.
Museums
- Bowdoin College Museum of Art located in Brunswick on the Bowdoin Campus in the Walker Art Building. The museum houses over 30,000 objects spanning 5,000 years. It is free and open to the public every day except for Mondays and national holidays.
- Maine Maritime Museum is located on 20 in Bath on the Kennebec River. Experience and learn about Maine’s seafaring history. Open daily.
- The Farnsworth Art Museum’s mission is to celebrate Maine’s role in American art. Located in Rockland, it houses over 15,000 works, including 7,000 pieces from three generations of Wyeths.
- Bowdoin College Peary-MacMillan Arctic Museum named after Arctic explorers and Bowdoin graduates this museum is all things arctic. It is free and open to the public every day except for Mondays and national holidays.
Staycation
- Enjoy the cozy spaces at The Bradley Inn…your room, the living room, bar, and dining rooms.
- Sit and read a book, stream a movie, play one of the many games or work on a puzzle.
- Sit out by the firepit with an afghan, a cup of hot chocolate or glass of wine and make s’mores.
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