Location: Newry
Top Things to do in Newry
The 10 Best Things to Do in Newry, United States
Newry is a town in Oxford County, Maine, United States. The population was 329 at the 2010 census. Newry was the site of one of Maine's worst Cold War aircraft crashes. Newry is the home of Sunday River Ski Resort and has a proportionately large seasonal (winter) population.
Restaurants in Newry
1. Grafton Notch State Park
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 150 reviews
Affords breathtaking views of waterfalls, caves, and hiking trails without the parking lots, tourists, gift shops and hot dog stands.
Reviewed By Janet D
The Table Rock Trail is marked with orange blazes and is easy to follow. It climbs quite steeply over its 900' of elevation gain. There are literally hundreds of rough granite steps set into the mountainside over much of the distance. Some of the stretches without steps require some scrambling, but all of it was manageable for this 63-year-old gal, and I refused to be intimidated by the young teens who passed me, scrambling up the trail like mountain goats. There are a number of slab caves about 9/10 of a mile from the trailhead. If you decide to do any exploring, do so with care, as some of the caves are deep. If you look straight up while standing in front of the caves, you'll see a rock that looks a bit like a shark's fin. From the caves, the trail continues around the base of Table Rock to the right. When you round the base of the ledge, you'll be confronted with a huge boulder that has a blaze indicating that the trail goes over the boulder. There was just enough space between the boulder and the ledge for me to toss my pack through and then squeeze through the gap. Other hikers have made an informal trail down the slope and around the base of the boulder. In about 1/10 of a mile, you'll see blue blazes; follow the blazes to the left to the top of Table Rock. From there, you have great views of the notch and Old Speck, which is one of the 4,000+ footers in New England. To descend, follow the blue blazes for about 1/2 mile to connect with the Appalachian Trail. At the junction, turn left to return to the trailhead on Route 26. The trail down is much less steep than the trail up.
The day we were there, Table Rock was populated by several pairs of adults, one dog, and about fifteen 12-year-olds. Given that it's only about a mile from the trailhead to the ledge, this tends to be a popular hike.
If you want a longer hike, there are many connecting trails in the park. Just make sure that you have the right gear and a good map.
On our way out of the park, we stopped at Moose Cave, Mother Walker Falls, and Screw Auger Falls. All of these features are scenic and easily accessed by short, well-groomed gravel paths. If you time it right, you could enjoy a picnic lunch at Screw Auger Falls, followed by a chilly dip in the river.
2. Screw Auger Falls
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 52 reviews
Reviewed By sadler8613 - Kiawah Island, South Carolina
The B&B in Bethel (Holidae House) suggested we take a trip to see the falls. It was about a 30 minute ride past the turnoff to Sunday River ski resort and well worth it. Right up route 26. The falls are right near the highway with adequate parking. It is a short walk down a path to the falls. It was full of kids playing in the water and having fun, but the views are really nice. It is not a large waterfall, but a series of smaller drops with one about 30 feet. The rock formations are very interesting, but not very difficult to negotiate as you witness the flow of water through the park as it cascades over the different various routes it takes. Good opportunities to take pictures. You could spend about 30 minutes there and get the feel of the place.
3. Sunday River Ski Resort
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 360 reviews
Large resort complex for downhill skiing.
Reviewed By GlobalTravelerKim - Boston, Massachusetts
Sunday River Ski Resort is a large, yet not overwhelming, ski resort with all the amenities you expect - outdoor swimming pool, outdoor Jacuzzi, several on-site restaurants and an excellent ski school. Our family absolutely enjoyed our stay there, and we'll be going back next winter!
4. Step Falls Preserve Hiking Trail
Overall Ratings
5 based on 31 reviews
Reviewed By Bruce O
Step Falls is located close to Bether, ME. It is a failry easy hike up to the falls and provides nice views. The falls are a popular place to slide inot the pools carved in granite from centuries of nature doing it's thing. The water is cold, but a fun experience. The falls preserve is an enclave surrounded by private property, with well marked boundries. Care and respect for loacal land owners will keep this a public treasure for years to come.
5. Sunday River Covered Bridge
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 131 reviews
A covered bridge built in 1872 that is said to be one of the most painted and photographed covered bridges in Maine.
Reviewed By Richard B - New Cumberland, Pennsylvania
The Sunday River Bridge, also known locally as the Artists Bridge, is a historic covered bridge in Newry, Maine. (not far from Bethel Maine) Built in 1872, it is one of Maine's few surviving 19th-century covered bridges. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1970.
6. Mahoosuc Guide Service
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 50 reviews
Mahoosuc Guide Service is a small family run business with over twenty years of experience. All of our trips are owner guided and a high percentage of our clients are returning as friends. Polly and Kevin are professional year round guides, equally comfortable poling a canoe up the Allagash or driving a dog team across the sea ice of Hudson Bay.Mahoosuc is unique in that we make much of the equipment we use on our guided trips, such as cedar canvas canoes, ash dog sleds and maple paddles. We have found the traditional equipment and materials we use to be durable, functional and in many ways preferable to today's high technology outdoor equipment. The craftsmanship that goes into our equipment is an extension of the care we put into each of our trips. We have traveled extensively in the north with the Cree and Inuit and many of the techniques we use for northwoods and tundra travel were developed by them. Mahoosuc Guide Service offers a wide variety of activities for all seasons and levels of experience.
Reviewed By A TripAdvisor Member - NH
Let me first say that I was presented with a gift of Dogsledding with Mahoosuc Guide Service by my girlfriend as a Christmas present. I couldn’t have been more thrilled and literally was counting down the days until I got to partake in guiding dogs in the snow. As a complete animal lover, nature enthusiast with a lineage linked to Alaska where dog sledding is renowned, I couldn’t wait to experience some of the excitement.
There were 2 of us that would join the other 6 participants, 2 owners and their 2 assistants utilizing 5 sleds.
In the “training”, we were instructed on how to stand on one side of the sled (one footboard) with our feet one in front of the other and hands on the corresponding side of the handle bar. We were instructed on how to lean when the handler leaned (if they go on front, we go in back and vice versus but leaning in the same direction). We were then lead out (about 4 miles) to the lake in our vehicles where we would prepare for our trip.
The dogs were unloaded and tied to the trucks. At this point, Kevin (one of the owners) started sort of mumbling / grunting orders. None of us really knew what to do but certainly tried to help anyway we could by taking dogs and hooking them up to the main line by their two D rings on their harnesses. After about a dozen dogs had been hooked to a couple of different sleds, Kevin barked at me to “get in the sled”. Honestly, I didn’t even know which sled and didn’t realize that I was there to be cargo. After inquiring about which sled, I climbed in to only witness 4-5 dogs take off from my sled. One of the “puppies” had apparently chewed through the main line. Kevin had to go get a snowmobile and chase after the dogs. This was just the start to an unforgettable experience that simply got worse for me.
After roughly 25 minutes of the employees wrangling the dogs and then re-hooking those dogs, we took off with Kevin driving my sled. He immediately yelled at me to “get the rope!”. Well, there are ropes everywhere, so I grabbed the one in front of my face. He immediately barked “not that rope!!”, so I grabbed another. Apparently this wasn’t the right one either and he repeated (even more coarse) “not that one!!!!” There was apparently a small cargo rope on the outside if the sled that I couldn’t even see. He proceeded to throw that one in my face.
Once we were 20 minutes out, he stopped the sled and simply said “get out!” When I did so, he had me stand on the brake and the snowhook. I did so as he tended to the dogs. When he returned he told me to move to the side and we were now actually dogsledding with me on one side and he on the other. This is where it got worse.
They had told us that they don’t speak while sledding, so I tried to simply mirror whatever Kevin did with his body weight like we were instructed. Well, apparently Kevin needed to make a statement about him being the alpha male as he barked at me to “get down!!”. Honestly, I’m an avid downhill skier, hiker, mountain biker and have ridden just about everything you can imagine, so I’ve got a great sense of balance and center of gravity. So, this order seemed random but I obeyed as best I could without a single word. A bit later, Kevin put his elbow on the inside of my left elbow and rapidly, and forcefully pushed my arm down as hard and quickly as he could while yelling at me to “get down!!”. He literally injured me at this point (trapezius and deltoid injury).
I hung on until we got to the lunch spot where I was ordered to stand on the brake and snowhook while Kevin started unhooking the dogs. When my girlfriends sled (run by Meg ... who was great by the way) arrived behind us, Kevin began barking orders at me to unhook certain dogs in a certain order.
At lunch, we were allowed to pet the dogs who are all friendly. Lunch was bagels, soup and cookies by an open fire.
For the return trip, I was again assigned as cargo in Kevin’s sled. His team continued to have mishaps and Kevin growled at me on a number of occasions to “get out!!!” Getting out of these sleds isn’t the easiest and apparently I’m not fast enough at this skill, so he continued to berate me to “hurry up!!!!” Each time.
When we were about 15 minutes from the conclusion of the sledding, he asked me if I wanted to be on the back again. After my injury at his hands, I declined and remained as cargo.
At the boat launch, he again hollered orders for to to unhook certain dogs, tie a dog to a tree (I’m sure I didn’t do it his preferred way but at this point I did not care).
I helped pack up all of the bags and unhook as many dogs as possible. When I thought we were about finished, a family was walking off the ice with their dog who was not on a leash. Kevin flailed his arms and grabbed the dog while yelling at his owners. Instead of simply asking them to keep their dog close, he again chose as confrontational approach as possible.
After waiting for the owners to open the meeting place (so that we could return our boots and get ours back) I was not willing to speak with the owners. It would not have been a pretty sight if I had. My girlfriend did explain some things to the woman and she wanted to talk to me.
I explained a little of the situations and explained that on the ice with the dogs that I would honor the fact that they were in charge. But once that was over, all bets were off. She offered to give us a refund but never took ownership of his terrible behavior.
We received 1/2 of what we paid as a refund. In the letter that accompanied the check, Kevin stated that he had a back problem, that he had the flu and that he shouldn’t have worked that day.
Needless to say, we will never return.
This is the longest review I’ve ever left but felt it necessary for anyone else who may be inclined to partake in this activity with this organization.
7. Sunday River Golf Club
Overall Ratings
4 based on 43 reviews
Reviewed By CodyLuckyDog - Killingworth, CT
A beautiful mountain course with considerable elevation changes. Front is more of a placement, shot making course. Back nine is wider with longer carries off the tees...
Beautiful new clubhouse but little in it. Nice bar/restaurant and somewhat skimpy proshop; not fully stocked.
Course in good shape; not incredible. Plenty of divots on the tees and some in the fairways...no sand on the carts so it was clear to see why. Greens not too fast but in good shape and rolled true.
Lots, lots of elevation changes. No "flat" holes. Lots of doglegs. Plenty of traps; a great challenge for even the most discriminating golfer but easy access to others.
Not too expensive (was $80/person with cart). Friendly bar staff (Lynn) and golf shop staff.
Incredible views on side of mountain looking into valley. Will be absolutely phenomenal during foliage season.
Worth your visit.
8. Bethel Outdoor Adventure
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 46 reviews
A campground for tenting, RVs, all pull through sites, big rig friendly. On the banks of the Androscoggin River. Canoe and kayak rentals. Shuttle service. Fishing. a Mineralogy sluice on site.
Reviewed By TravelinFamilyBoston - Boston
Took the 10-mile trip with my college age daughter. What a great time! The water was quite high, so fast-moving and interesting. The 10-mile trip took us just over two hours. Lots of interesting islands with many choices of route. Enough fast water to be fun but not too challenging for an experienced paddler. A rank beginner might have troubles.
Staff were just getting trained in for the season as they had just opened, but everyone was friendly and helpful and appropriately firm about safety rules.
FYI if you happen to fly in to the Bethel Airport (as we did) they can pick you up, though it's under a mile so an easy walk. There are a few food options within a mile after you're finished paddling.
9. Sunday River Zipline
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 6 reviews
Reviewed By bullman99 - Sunny California
Our family was vacationing in Bethel and we went to Sunday River Resort to check out entertainment and adventure options.
Strongly recommend Sunday River Zipline for an awesome experience zooming through Maine forests! The staff are super friendly and made us all feel at ease - because everybody in our group was zip lining for the first time.
Strongly recommend reservations as the few slots per day get filled up pretty quickly. On the day that we were there, the weather was picture perfect and we were able to get some amazing pictures and videos.
10. Maine mineral and gem museum
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 16 reviews
Reviewed By criticalchef - Lynn, Massachusetts
They are on the brink of expanding to the largest Gem and Mineral Museum in the state as of right now they have one large room with many cases filled with local Gem and Mineral samples. There is also a very large case with crystal balls of all types that is exceptionally alluring. They have a shop where you can get something for the kids or the gem lover inside of you.
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