Experience the down-home warmth of winter in Maine.

Skiing and Snow Shoeing
Maine hosts some of the best skiing on the eastern seaboard. Shawnee peak is just 45 minutes from PineCrest and has family slopes that everyone can enjoy. They also have equipment rental, eateries and night skiing.
If you prefer cross country skiing or snow shoeing, work your way through miles of scenic trails at Smiling Hill Farm in nearby (just 10 minutes away) Westbrook Maine. This kid-friendly 500-acre dairy farm offers 34 kilometers of trails for novice, intermediate and advanced Nordic skiers and snowshoers, as well as marked nature trails. Amenities include lessons, pulk sled rentals (a sled designed for cross-country skiers, used to pull children in tow), snack bar, gift shop and dairy store where you can take home a bottle of freshly made milk, flavored milks, creams cheese and yogurt. They also offer cozy sleigh rides in the winter months.

Winter family fun!
Visit Deering oaks Park, located in Portland, Maine, for some good old fashioned ice skating on scenic Deering Oaks Pond. Weather permitting, the pond is open for public skating December - February during normal park hours 6:00 am to 10:00 pm daily.

Take the family to Seacoast Snow Park for snow tubing fun! They have up to 10 lanes of intense snow tubin' trails and a NEW Express lift to the top.

Bringing your own sled and/or toboggan? We have plenty of great sledding hills near the PineCrest Inn. Twin Brooks Recreation Area in Cumberland, ME (30 minute drive) is a great place for family sledding and tobogganing.

Things to do during the holiday season.
What better way to kick off the holiday season than with the annual tree lighting ceremony in Portland’s Monument Square. Spend an evening bundled up with the ones you love while watching the 50 foot evergreen come to life with thousands of twinkling lights. So why not grab a cup of hot cocoa and join in the fun!

Visit the Victoria Mansion and Wadsworth-Longfellow house for a peek into a 19th century Christmas. Tour both historical homes which are lavishly decorated during the holiday season.

Another Maine holiday tradition is catching the special performances of "A Christmas Carol" by the Portland Stage Company and "The Magic of Christmas" performance by the Portland Symphony Orchestra. Both provide for an entertaining enhancement to your Maine holiday experience.

Take the kids on a holiday journey aboard the Polar Express train ride. The train is provided by the Maine Narrow Gauge Railroad with departures starting in November and running until mid-December. Bring your little ones dressed in their pajamas and hop aboard the train which departs from the Ocean Gateway Terminal in Portland. Passengers will be served hot chocolate and cookies while enjoying a live reading of the Polar Express story. Holiday decorations along the train’s route will light up the night! At the end of the journey you will be dropped off at the “North Pole” which is fully decorated for Christmas. Meet Santa and/or shop for souvenirs and gifts.

See also: Maine activities for ANY season