Bethel, Maine

Although the White Mountains are a well-known ski destination, there is plenty to do in the summer. There was a host of activities at Wildcat Mountain. At the base lodge, one could purchase a variety of activity and/or food packages. We purchased a food/gondola ride package (about $22 each depending on food selection) and payed separately for the zipline ($20 each for one ride—the more you rode, the cheaper each ride.) We rode the Gondola Skyride to the top of the mountain and from the peak, we could see for miles. Some families had taken their food up to eat at the picnic tables scattered on the flat areas at the top of the mountain. The Appalachian Trail cut right through the top of the mountain, so one could hike along that or along several of the other trails.

Aside from riding up the mountain on the Gondola, there is a stocked Trout Pond where one could fish (a license is required for those over 16.) A mile from Wildcat’s base are Thompson Falls, a short hike along a self-guided trail. The most fun was the Ziprider, a 2,100 foot zip line cable over trails, trees and the Peabody River. The brochure tells us we could travel at speeds of up to 45 miles an hour--exhilarating!

The Main Dining Room at the Resort attracts diners from the resort as well as from the communities surrounding it. Our neighbour had called it five star dining-I would not give it that-the tablecloth was stained and the table underneath was in very poor condition. The windows were streaked and there were spider webs visible. The rug needed vacuuming and the dishes and glasses were spotted.

A twenty-nine dollar per person special was the attraction for us the evening we chose to visit. This included a bottle of wine to share—only after seeing another couple leaving with the remains of their bottle did we realize we were not obligated to drink the whole bottle with our meal.

Once you read the fine print, it becomes apparent that there is very little choice; one choice of soup or salad, a limited selection of entrees, two dessert choices. Anything marked with an asterisk costs an extra $5.

One could start with the clam chowder or a garden salad with these interesting crunchy bits, which we could not identify. One of the main dishes consisted of three jumbo deep sea scallops dusted in a brown sugar and fresh ginger panko served with a rice noodle stir fry and pineapple soy butter sauce; another choice was a bistro fillet (beef shoulder tender grilled and served with a leek and gorgonzola-green peppercorn cream and tobacco fried onions.) which came with tepid sweet potatoes and eggplant. For the most part the food was delicious, however the first fillet was burnt and had to be sent back.

A glass of wine was offered to make up for the oversight, but we had finished our meal and had already consumed a whole bottle of wine; a cup of coffee or tea might have been more appropriate. The dessert was ordinary—an acceptable chocolate mousse; strawberry rhubarb crisp–tasty but the glass was so full it kept leaking over the side—a plate underneath could have caught the overflow without messing up the tablecloth.

The Lake House offers swimming, canoing and kayaking in a shady, secluded area three miles south of the Bethel Inn on Route 5. The house itself sits right at the edge of the road adjacent to a small parking lot. Steps lead down to the lake and a small dock. A rack at the side has two single kayaks, one double and several canoes. There is a diving/sunning platform about 30 feet from shore.

Life jackets and washrooms are located inside the Lake House. Ask at the main desk of the Resort for the lock combination. An expansive deck overlooking the lake is an ideal spot to have a picnic or relax after enjoying water activities.

Bethel claims it is Maine’s Most Beautiful mountain village and indeed visitors arrive daily to enjoy the beauty, tranquility and fresh mountain air.

Bethel Inn and Resort Club is Maine’s Premier Four Season Resort in the heart of historic Bethel. It boasts award winning Fine and Casual Dining, 200 acres of resort activities, deluxe suites and luxury townhouses in an assortment of buildings.

Our timeshare accommodation is a two-story rowhouse unit looking onto one of the long fairways of their championship golf course. The main level consists of an enormous "great" room with cathedral ceiling. The dining table can seat six comfortably and there are 3 more stools at the kitchen counter as well as a low bench for even more dinner guests, although dishes and cutlery are available for eight persons. A large sofabed faces a gas fireplace topped with a framed mirror. Three other easy chairs ensure plenty of seating. A dining room hutch complete with wine glasses, salad and serving bowls can hold clothing in the drawers below. The television is housed in another cabinet, which also has room for clothes. The kitchen has plenty of counter space and a generous assortment of cooking accessories.

A sliding door adjacent to the dining area accesses the deck with its two chairs and small table. It is perfect for watching the sunset over the hills in the evening and observing the golfers tee up and swing.

Sleeping quarters are on the lower level. There is the master bedroom with king size bed and full bathroom. The second bedroom could be used as a stand alone accommodation as it has its own bathroom and a private entrance door on the fairway side of the building (might be a hike if you were the centre unit), however we just opened the connecting door which was right opposite the washer dryer in our downstairs hall.

The unit was clean but could benefit from attention to small details. The security bar needed its pin straightened as it kept falling out. The air conditioning did not work well and it was hot. The chairs have no support. The dishwasher spring is way too tight and the kitchen cupboards do not stay closed. There is very little soundproofing so if your neighbour is up early, chances are you will be as well; if he is having a late night party, you better hope you are invited because you will be hearing all the fun.

One of the screens had a hole in it. The lampshade was cracked. Although there were table lamps, the plugs for this were on the floor and the one lamp was not plugged in-the extension was under the hide-bed that no one had bothered to check. The kitchen window was filthy. The decorative antique wall quilt was hanging crooked. Wooden toilet seats just do not seem to be able to be sanitized; why not upgrade and buy plastic or at least new wooden ones that do not have bits of paint missing. The mattresses were either old or soft. My husband put a pillow under the mattress to even out the hollow in the middle of the bed.

A nice feature is an outdoor storage locker for strollers, golf clubs or skis. One can use the cart path to walk to the main building which houses the restaurant. There are two computers one can use for free to connect to the Internet. You are also able to connect in your unit but then a cost is incurred through the phone line.

A recreation building has an exercise room with modern aerobic machines-a concept 2 rower, Stairmaster, elliptical machine, treadmill, bike; also some weights and all-inclusive weight machine. This is connected to the natural mineral outdoor pool, which has an opening to the indoors so one can swim outdoors in all seasons as the water is heated year-round. It is a lovely way to relax after a hard day of golf or skiing. You can also get in a hot tub and there are two saunas.

One of the main reasons people go to this resort is the golf course and there are many packages devoted to this. For those who do not wish to cook in their units, there is the Main Dining Room, as well as the Millbrook Tavern and Terrace. Spa and Salon Services are also available, by appointment.

Being this close to the ocean, we were desperate to put our toes into the cold Atlantic Water, so we reserved one day to drive to the beach. It took us about an hour driving along scenic small secondary roads to find the commercial area of the Old Orchard Beach area, celebrating 125 years of family vacations this year.

For those wishing to enjoy the wide sandy beaches and gentle waves of Old Orchard Beach without also having to endure the commercialism of the heavily advertised products of the boardwalk, Ferry Beach State Park is an oasis of serenity just a few miles north of the area’s centre. As it is reached by turning away from the shore for its entrance, one is deceived into thinking there is no water access, however there is a 100 yard path from the parking area through the dunes and under the road. For $4 a person, one can access the park for the day. There is ample parking, picnic tables and a number of small looped trails through the forest. If you do venture on any of the nature trails that wind through the forest, be sure to apply bug spray. There are clean restrooms, although the toilets are the hole in the ground variety, not the flushable kind. Hand sanitizers are perched on the wall outside the restroom and a few feet away there is an outdoor shower with benches nearby so you can rinse away the salt and sand. The beach is wide, the waves are gentle and the water in August certainly not bathtub warm, but not the cramp inducing temperature of earlier summer months. Bring your own beach chairs and umbrellas!