We had a great time during our 1 week stay in July, 2018. It was our first time vacationing in the lake region of Maine.
The house was well appointed, but our favorite part was the brand new screened in porch. We spent our evenings in the screen room and didn't have to worry about needing any insect repellent.
The location of the house was ideal. We were close to the town beach (though we didn't go there), we were able to ride our bicycles around town (the owner allowed us to store our bicycles in the basement during our stay), & we could walk into town if we wanted.
When we were fishing on the dock or on the water (swimming, kayaking (2), paddle boarding (2), canoeing (1), or just floating in our tubes) we felt like we were "away from it all." There is a small island in the middle of the lake which was fun to get to and explore.
There is an outdoor hammock, picnic table, adirondack chairs, a small fire pit, a large deck with a gas grill, and corn hole set up in the back yard.
In Bridgton, within a 5 mile radius, there were 2 grocery stores, a drug store, post office, hospital, and places to go for breakfast, lunch, dinner and ice cream. If you forget anything, you can go to Reny's department store. There are some historical places to see. We went to the Rufus Porter Museum downtown.
There is a bait and tackle shop in town to get worms and crawlers for fishing.
My daughter and I were able to take a painting class at Gallery 302 (check their website for class/workshop offerings) which was a memorable experience.
On the rainy day of our stay we watched a movie at Magic Lantern Movie Theater which has really comfortable seating!
My sister and I went to the Clipper Merchant Tea House (reservations recommended) for tea and scones (they even had gluten free scones for her) with lemon curd and Devon cream. It was delicious!
There are antique shops, boutiques, and a bookstore downtown.
We went to Pondicherry trails several times during the week. The trails are easy to moderate and the scenery is beautiful.
There is also a Drive In Movie theater in Bridgton but we ran out of time. If we had a little more time, we would have hiked Shawnee Peak (10-15 minutes away).
There is plenty to do in the Bridgton area. If you want to stay at the house, you can simply enjoy the lake with mountain views or relax in the screen room. There is something for everyone. We'd like to return again someday.