Suicide Hill and the meaning of life

  A few weeks ago (after our most recent big snowstorm) I invited a friend from work to hike Essex Street’s loop trail, around a hill that’s colloquially known as Suicide Hill.  It’s known as Suicide Hill since its angle is treacherously steep, often causing sledding conditions to become dangerous during the winter months. We met […]

The Great Blizzard of 1717 (and the bright side to all this snow)

As you may have noticed, fellow Mainers, we’ve had a bit of snowfall lately. And while this has been a doozy of a storm, I’m here to tell you about when Maine had it worse. Introducing: The Great Blizzard of 1717 The Great Blizzard of 1717 (Also called “The Great Snow”) was a series of […]

Ice Sculpting and a Polar Plunge…It’s Winterfest!!

On Saturday, I picked up my sister and we took the beautiful drive along route 1 to Camden to attend their 15th annual Winterfest!  After parking, we made our way to the Amphitheater to view the ice sculpting.  On our way, I couldn’t help but notice that the air was abuzz with the excitement and joy […]

Umami Noodle Bar!

If you’re like me, then you’ve walked and driven past Umami’s in downtown Bangor, and wondered what it was like inside.  Well, you can put your wonderings aside. I finally went in, and now I’m here to deliver my rave review! When I stepped through the doors of Umami, I was greeted with warmth, acoustic […]

Lifeguard Actually Saves Life While on Duty!! EXTRA! EXTRA!

I am approaching this piece with some uncertainty. I fear that my title is over-sensational and sensationalism is something that I do not strive to attain when it comes to these articles. Also, the content of this article (though it was an adventure!) is quite varied from my usual discover-Maine style. But read on, dear […]

I Found My Thrill… on Blueberry Hill in Maine!

Happy belated Martin Luther King Jr. day! When you think of hiking and discovering beautiful colors in Maine, your mind probably runs to our warm summers or dazzling autumns.  However, the colors and fresh air I enjoyed over this past weekend were found in Maine and, that’s right, in January! Regardless of the chilly air. […]

Canoeing the St. Croix River!

Hello everyone! Although today’s adventure is longer, and not as accessible as most of the posts I strive to write, The St. Croix River is too near and dear to my heart to leave out. For a bit of background, I began co-leading overnight canoe trips with Living Waters Camp when I was sixteen, and […]

The Desert of Maine

A few months ago, I got a call from one of my best friends.  She said that she had something exciting to show me, and when I coaxed the surprise from her, she revealed that we were taking a drive to Freeport where we’d be visiting The Desert of Maine! My first response was… What?? […]

Gulf Hagas & Screw Auger Falls

What a day!  The morning dawned clear and bright, and my husband Grant and I loaded the car for our trip to the Northwoods.  It was only about 1.5 hours from Bangor to the KI Road (a dirt road that, after about 15 miles, lead us to the trail entrance).  We stopped in at the […]

Introducing, Adventures Beneath Katahdin Skies

Danielle Hines

The funny thing about locals is that we rarely seem to find wonder or excitement in the places that surround us. We get caught in the rut of going from home to work, then home again, etc. We spend months and months planning and saving for vacations to take us away from that very rut. But this is Vacationland!!! We are the destination that so many scheme for months to be able to come to.