There’s no question about it; winter in Maine can be tricky. It gets cold–really cold–and sometimes we all need some fun activities to remind us why winter is also awesome. Here is a list of some of my favorite things to do around campus once it starts getting cold.
1. Any activity at Quarry Road
Quarry Road is less than two miles away from campus and has tons of fun activities for everyone! They have sledding, cross-country skiing, snowshoeing, fat-tire biking, and walking trails. They have well-priced rentals and are always willing to help you find the right activity for you and your friend. The best part about it? It’s dog-friendly, so you never know the cute pups you might see!
2. Exploring Waterville
As we sit upon the hill it is easy to feel removed from Waterville, but winter is the perfect time to get off campus and get to know the town. There are some really fun restaurants in Waterville, my favorites being Opa, Selah Tea, Pad Thai Too, and Buen Apetito. Also, the Two Cent Bridge is an awesome place to go for a walk with a great view of the Kennebec.
3. Northern Solstice Alpaca Farm
Less than 40 minutes away in Unity is the Northern Solstice Alpaca Farm. It’s all that you could imagine and more with free year-round tours and a farm gift shop with alpaca yarn, clothing, and any last-minute gifts you may need for this holiday season.
4. Skiing at Sugarloaf
Enjoy some of the best skiing Maine has to offer at Sugarloaf. The mountain is an hour and a half to two hours away but is well worth the drive. You can buy lift tickets online or in-person (but you can save money if you buy online). You’ll find Colby kids on the mountain any day during Jan Plan, so get out and join in on the fun!
5. Ice Skating on Johnson Pond
Right on campus, we have one of the best winter activities: ice skating! Johnson Pond is the perfect place for skating and is never more than a seven-minute walk. The best part about it is that you can rent ice skates from the Outing Club for free!
No matter what you choose to do, make sure to get out and explore all that Maine has to offer!