

Kayak the Androscoggin River for views that explain why locals brave Maine winters without complaint. The Franco Center celebrates the city's French-Canadian heritage with performances in a converted church that feels like stepping back in time. Colorful murals transform Lisbon Street into an outdoor gallery, punctuated by craft breweries where bartenders discuss hops with neighborly enthusiasm. Thorncrag Nature Sanctuary offers forest trails where birders quietly compete. Bates College campus provides architectural eye candy alongside cultural events. In winter, Lost Valley Ski Resort delivers slopes without pretension, while summer brings riverside festivals where generations dance to the same music. The Public Theater stages productions in an intimate setting that makes Broadway feel unnecessarily distant.

