{"id":8155,"date":"2009-11-21T16:13:07","date_gmt":"2009-11-21T20:13:07","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/offmetro.com\/ny\/?p=8155"},"modified":"2025-08-21T09:33:51","modified_gmt":"2025-08-21T13:33:51","slug":"belgrade-lakes-maine-hotels","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/offmetro.com\/ny\/8155\/belgrade-lakes-maine-hotels\/","title":{"rendered":"Back to the Belgrade Lakes With E.B. White’s Words in Tow"},"content":{"rendered":"

In his timeless essay, \u201cOnce More to the Lake,\u201d E.B. White recalled the \u201cpeace and goodness and jollity\u201d of the Belgrade Lakes in Maine<\/strong>. His words still ring true for this author who spent good portions of her childhood summers there at camp, learning to windsurf and hit the bull\u2019s eye with a rifle. Returning to the lakes this fall, no longer concerned with boy cooties and saltine eating contests, I found that in addition to the adventure-filled outdoors there is an entire adult playground in town worth visiting during any season, as E.B. also discovered: the general store and caf\u00e9s, the charming Bed & Breakfasts, hikes, pristine bodies of water, and those fresh lobster feasts.
\n
\nGet yourself a lay of the land<\/strong>
\n\u201cMaine is one of the most beautiful states in the Union, and Belgrade is one of the most beautiful of the lakes of Maine,\u201d <\/em>wrote E.B. White in his “Pamphlet on Belgrade Lake (1914).” \u201cThis wonderful lake is five miles wide, and about ten miles long, with many coves, points and islands. It is one of a series of lakes, which are connected with each other by little streams. One of these streams is several miles long and deep enough so that it affords an opportunity for a fine all-day canoe trip.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

Central Maine\u2019s premier lake area for recreation, Belgrade Lakes is located just an hour from the coast and from various mountain ranges. Great Pond (not to be missed) is the largest of the Belgrade Lakes\u2014a watershed containing 14 lakes and over 5,000 acres of conservation land.<\/p>\n

Your own cabin near the woods<\/strong>
\n\u201cThere were cottages sprinkled around the shores, and it was in farming although the shores of the lake were quite heavily wooded.\u201d \u2013E.B. White<\/em> <\/strong><\/p>\n

Belgrade Lakes Four-Season Cottages<\/strong> | belgradecottages.com | 207.495.9217 | Daily rates start at $125
\nSituated on 8,500-acre Great Pond, the six cozy and traditional Maine “camps” are within a short cast’s distance from fishing for Northern Pike, Small Mouth Bass, and Brown Trout.<\/p>\n

Among the Lakes B & B<\/strong> | amongthelakes.com<\/a> | 207.465.4900 | Double occupancy begins at $145
\nCamp Runoia alums, Polly Beatie, and Sandy Famous, own and operate this beautiful white B&B in North Belgrade.<\/p>\n

Belgrade Lakes House B&B<\/strong> | belgradelakeshouse.com | 207.495.2786 | Rates start at $135 per room
\nConveniently located in Belgrade Lakes, this B&B offers comfortable lodging in a classic 1843 home, overlooking the picturesque Long Lake where boating and fishing (and swimming in the warmer months) are readily available.<\/p>\n

Food even better than the Mess Hall<\/strong>
\n \u201cUp to the farmhouse to dinner\u2026There was a choice of pie for dessert, and one was blueberry and one was apple.\u201d \u2013 E.B. White<\/em><\/p>\n

\"Belgrade

For a local bite:<\/strong> Head over to The Tavern at The Village Inn<\/a><\/strong> for tasty grilled flat bread pizzas, lobster crepes, and sirloin burgers (only $8.95). To be reminded that you\u2019re not in New York anymore, slurp down some thick New England Clam Chowder or savor the plumpest Maine Lobster Crab Cakes, while watching the mallard ducks quacking out on the pond. Dinner hours are 5pm-9pm, and you\u2019ll need to call ahead for reservations.<\/p>\n

Stop in for lunch:<\/strong> The Lazy Lab Cafe<\/strong>, just up the street from the post office and next to the Enchanted Swan and Antique shop, is the perfect place to stop in for a bite mid-day. Serving great coffee, cappuccino, lattes, smoothies, sandwiches and salads for lunch, the Lazy Lab also has warm pastries and muffins for breakfast, High-speed Internet access, and stock of wonderful old books to cuddle up with in the colder months.<\/p>\n

Snack:<\/strong> A trip to Belgrade Lakes is simply incomplete without a visit to Day\u2019s General Store<\/a><\/strong>. Pick up a few snacks in the afternoon, or for the late night munchies; you can find almost anything here\u2014from live lobsters to delicious fresh-baked doughnuts\u2014in this brown house-cum-general store.<\/p>\n

Hikes, hikes, and more hikes<\/strong>
\nMount Phillip:<\/strong> Jump on the \u201cHemlock Trail\/Bradley\u201d and wander up the trail to enjoy lovely views of Great Pond (where later in the day\/weekend you\u2019ll enjoy swimming, canoeing, and maybe a spot of fishing as well). Take a 5-6 minute taxi from town, or bike there in about 20 minutes. It is about 20 minutes to the summit.<\/p>\n

French Mountain: <\/strong>This hike is in Rome, Maine, just about a quick taxi ride from town. You follow the signs to the Rome Strawberry Patch. It will only take about 15 minutes to summit, and when you do, the views at the top span Whittier Pond, Long Pond, the village, and Great Pond. Wings Hill Inn has a great listing of the local, moderate hikes and scenic overlooks as well.<\/p>\n

Boating<\/strong>
\nArrange to go (ice) fishing, rent a boat, sea kayak, or canoe, and call Whisperwood Lodges & Cottages<\/a><\/strong> for great guided trips around the lakes.<\/p>\n

How to get there:<\/strong> Bus or train it to Boston. Depending on your budget, Amtrak<\/a> is an easy, quick option; BOLT Bus is a cheap alternative and takes approximately 4 hours total travel time. From Boston\u2019s South Station, take the Greyhound Bus<\/a> from Boston to Augusta, ME (approx. 3 hours travel time). Taxi, or arrange pick-up from your accommodations, about 15 miles up the road from Augusta to the town of Belgrade Lakes. It may be a longer trip \u2018off Manhattan,\u2019 but it is worth it for the cleanest lakes, fresh mountain air, and that carefree feeling of escape. Bring or rent a bike to toodle around town during your stay.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe arriving had been so big a business in itself, at the railway station the farm wagon drawn up, the first smell of the pine-laden air, the first glimpse of the smiling farmer, and the great importance of the trunks and your father’s enormous authority in such matters, and the feel of the wagon under you for the long ten-mile haul, and at the top of the last long hill catching the first view of the lake after eleven months of not seeing this cherished body of water.\u201d \u2013 E.B. White<\/em><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

In his timeless essay, \u201cOnce More to the Lake,\u201d E.B. White recalled the \u201cpeace and goodness and jollity\u201d of the Belgrade Lakes in Maine. His words still ring true for this author who spent good portions of her childhood summers there at camp, learning to windsurf and hit the bull\u2019s eye with a rifle. Returning […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":37,"featured_media":14989,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[784,786,747,791,790,748,316],"tags":[176,133,282,28],"class_list":{"0":"post-8155","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-adventure-activity-2","8":"category-boating-adventure-activity-2","9":"category-bus-2","10":"category-fishing-adventure-activity-2","11":"category-hiking-adventure-activity-2","12":"category-train-2","13":"category-weekend-getaways","14":"tag-bed-and-breakfast","15":"tag-outdoors","16":"tag-romantic","17":"tag-water"},"acf":[],"mv":{"thumbnail_id":14989,"thumbnail_uri":"https:\/\/offmetro.com\/ny\/wp-content\/uploads\/2009\/11\/camp_5_slide_1-227x300.gif"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/offmetro.com\/ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/8155","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/offmetro.com\/ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/offmetro.com\/ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/offmetro.com\/ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/37"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/offmetro.com\/ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=8155"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/offmetro.com\/ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/8155\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/offmetro.com\/ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/14989"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/offmetro.com\/ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=8155"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/offmetro.com\/ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=8155"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/offmetro.com\/ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=8155"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}