Gifts

Your presence and enjoyment for the weekend is all the gift we need.  We sincerely appreciate your willingness to travel all the way to Maine to celebrate with us.  And thanks to all the locals for bringing their crockpots!

Very important information...

Parking - The Eastshore Cottages are each owned privately and therefore we will need to be very careful throughout the entire weekend to respect their space, particularly with respect to parking.  Please leave your cars at your B&Bs, or if tenting or driving from afar, unload at the house and park down on Main Street in Belgrade Lakes Village. 

Septic system - The septic system at the main house is fragile.  We'll leave it simply at that.  Please flush sparingly, if necessary, and use water in the kitchen extremely sparingly.  We will have port-o-potties available for use by our guests and we ask that you use these facilities, rather than those in the main house.  For those tenting - we will provide an outdoor water source as well as biodegradable soap for you to use in the lake (ie. no showers in the main house!). 

Kitchen - This space is generally available to everyone but will be in heavy use by volunteer cooks during the hours just before dinner.  Please try to limit your use of the main house during the mid-day hours on Saturday unless you volunteered to help prepare food.


Thanks for all your help with these very important matters...

Schedule of Events

Friday, August 26th

Guests arrive throughout the day and evening  (Please park your cars at your B&Bs or along the main street of Belgrade Lakes and walk up to the house).  Come early to take an evening swim or kayak ride.  Stop by Pam's House for a pre-dinner drink and hors d'oeuvres from 5:00 - 7:00pm and then head out to dinner at one of the places listed on our 'things to do' page.

We all hope to rendezvous later in the evening to greet the late arrivals at the Sunset Grille at the other end of Main Street.

We will have a sign-up sheet at the house on Friday night if you'd like to help out with meals/cleanup during the weekend.

Saturday, August 27th

Come swim or lounge on the dock anytime, read on one of the porches, or help chop some veggies for the dinner!  We'll have several kayaks and a canoe as well as a pontoon boat for use on the lake throughout the day.

We are organizing a hike up a short incline for views of Long Pond.  The hike will leave at 11:00 am from Pam's house and should return well before 1:00 pm. Alternatively, spend the day at antique shops, golfing, doing some fishing or swimming, visit the Day Spa across the street, or just poke around the antique and artisan shops in town. 

We will be chopping veggies and setting up through the early afternoon, with plans to start our ceremony at 4pm.  PLEASE DRESS CASUALLY as we may be getting our hands dirty or our feet wet... Heels will not be appropriate for the lawns.  Dinner will be served when its ready and we'll get the bonfire going when its dark!

Sunday, August 28th

Come to breakfast/brunch, hosted by Pat and Adrian from 10-1 at Pam's house.  Feel free to spend the day at the house to enjoy the lake.

Also, make sure to check out the Belgrade Lakes Farmer's Market which Conor and Tricie helped to organize in 2006 (belgradelakesfarmersmarket.org).  The market happens in the middle of Main Street and has music, cheeses, produce, baked goods, berries and more.  Sunday from 8am - 1pm. 

Things to Do in Belgrade Lakes

Kayak or boat rental:

A short drive around Long Pond brings you to Castle Island Camps where you can rent a boat, do some fishing or rental paddleboats and kayaks.  The paddle over to Pam's house from the camp is a leisurely 1-2 hours with a stop to listen to the loons or explore blueberry island.  www.castleislandcamps.com 

Spa:  

 Belgrades Lakes has a wonderfully relaxing and peaceful day spa, located just opposite Pam's House.  Cheryl will pamper you with a full range of facials, body work and hand or foot care, providing these services is her beautiful old 1800s farmhouse.  Please make reservations in advance as spaces do tend to fill up!    www.belgradelakesdayspa.com

Golf:

The excellently reviewed Belgrade Lakes golf course has stupendous views of the surrounding lakes and is worthy of a walk to the top of the hill, even if you're not golfing. www.belgradelakesgolf.com

Dining, snacks, etc:

Day's General Store has pizzas, subs, coffee, pastries, wine and beer and a variety of groceries.  Definitely check this place out at least once while you're here - located just south of the dam.  www.go2days.com

Sunset Grille is the local hotspot for breakfast, dinner and drinks.  Located on the opposite end of town this place is usually packed with locals (and often shunned by tourists).  1214 W Rd Belgrade, ME 04917  (207) 495-2439.  We'll be kicking back and celebrating our arrival in town here on Friday night starting around 9:00 pm.

Belgrade Lakes Seafood sells fresh, steamed and fried seafoods as well as homemade ice-creams and sundaes.  On Route 27, just south of town, this place serves food outdoors at picnic tables.  207-495-0296

The Village Inn has both a restaurant and tavern, the latter of which is probably better value for the quality of food served.  www.villageinnducks.com

Wing's Hill Inn serves a 5 course prix fix meal on Friday night for $57 (and Saturday too, but you'll be eating with us!).  Call ahead for a reservation at one of their two seatings at 6:00 and 8:00 pm.  (866) 495-2400  www.wingshillinn.com

 

Hikes, hikes, and more hikes

Mount Phillip: Jump on the “Hemlock Trail/Bradley” and wander up the trail to enjoy lovely views of Great Pond.  Located in Rome. From Belgrade Lakes Village, follow Rt. 27 north to Rome Corner (Junction of Rt. 225) and turn right on Rt. 225. The trail is 1. 1 miles east from the Rome Community Center and on the left opposite a camp road labeled "Hemlock Trail." The trail goes up a bank near a yellow "curve" roadway sign and is easy to follow. The mountain rises 755 feet at the north end of Great Pond.  It is about 20 minutes to the summit.

French Mountain: Located in Rome. From Belgrade Lakes Village, follow Rt. 27 north past Rome Corner (Junction of Rt. 225). Continue on Rt. 27 for 1.2 miles, then turn left on Watson Pond Road. The trail is on the left side of the road 0.7 miles from Rt. 27. This mountain is the shortest of the hikes, but has the best views of Great and Long Ponds. 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.

The Mountain
Located in Rome. From Belgrade Lakes Village, follow Rt. 27 north. The first road on the right is Crane Road which leads to the trail on the left side of the road rising 663 feet overlooking Great Pond. 

Also check out the Kennebec Highland Trails:  www.belgradelakes.org

Traveling to Belgrade Lakes

The drive from Logan Airport in Boston to Belgrade Lakes, Maine is approximately 3 hours.  From Portland, Maine the drive takes 1.5 hours.  Many of our friends will be driving from Boston or New York City so please let us know if you're looking for a ride and we'll try to coordinate. 

Travel Directions:
Drive I95 North to Augusta.  Take Exit 112B for Route 27 N toward Belgrade.  Merge onto 27N.  After 14 miles you will arrive in Belgrade Lakes with Long Pond on your left and the stream on your right.  Cross over the dam and drive up the hill (Wings Hill will be on your right).  Eastshore Cottages are on the left, a shingled gray house with pine, spruce and fir in the front.  The house is opposite Lake Drive. 

Parking:
We have a very limited number of parking spaces available, therefore the best places to park will be in the town of Belgrade Lakes itself.  The entire street on both sides is available for parking and the walk up the hill to the house is a short 5 minutes.  Thanks for your help with this!

Places to Stay in and Around Belgrade Lakes

Updates on Accommodation:  
This website lists ALL of the accommodation in the area - if you haven't yet found a place to stay, this list will be your best option to find accommodation.  
http://www.belgrademaine.com/community/info-ctr/members.html

     fine dining and distinctive lodging

in the heart of Maine’s lake country

toll free (866) 495-2400 | innkeeper@wingshillinn.com

P.O. Box 386, Belgrade Lakes, Maine 04918

9 Dry Point Drive, Rome, Maine 04963

Welcome ...

to Wings Hill Inn: comfort and charm, a touch of sophistication, and award-winning fine dining in a quiet lakeside village.
Our accommodations feature private bathrooms and special, unexpected touches. Mornings begin with a full complimentary breakfast; afternoons end with fresh-baked sweets. Dinner at Wings Hill is every bit as memorable. Our prix fixe dinners focus on fresh local products carefully prepared by innkeepers, chefs and owners Christopher & Tracey Anderson, who trained at the renowned Culinary Institute of America. The restaurant is open to the public, by reservation. Catering services and specialty cakes are available as well, to bring all the best of Wings Hill to your event.


We've reserved all 6 of their rooms for our guests - THESE HAVE ALL BEEN BOOKED!
Prices $155 to $195 a night.    Two night mininmum.

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Belgrade Lakes House  Bed and Breakfast P.O. Box 438 (Rt. 27) Belgrade Lakes, Maine 04918 (207) 495-2786 Hosts: Richard and Martha Skeel http://www.virtualcities.com/ons/me/l/mel3901.htm

The Belgrade Lakes House is located in a picturesque village in the heart of Maine's beautiful Belgrade Lakes region. Constructed in 1843 in Italianate style, it was once the home of L.L. Bean's brother, Ervin. The house features an impressive central staircase leading to the four guest rooms and then to the cupola with its panoramic view of the area. A private guest parlor provides a pleasant place to watch T.V., socialize, or just relax with a book. The tastefully furnished guest rooms have private baths and king, queen or single beds and are air-conditioned. Free Wifi Internet Access throughout. The Belgrade Lake House, with a striking water's edge location, is the only Inn on twelve-mile Long Pond. The spacious deck and lawn become the perfect place to enjoy spectacular sunsets on the water or loon watch. A continental breakfast is served every morning starting at 8:00 a.m. This is a great chance to catch up with fellow guests or decide on your plans for the rest of the day. Richard and Martha Skeel look forward to your visit at Belgrade Lakes House, and hope you leave with many new memories of your delightful stay. Enjoy swimming right off the dock, boating, and fishing for large and small-mouth bass, landlocked salmon, trout, perch, pickerel and northern pike. Guest of Belgrade Lakes House have complimentary use of kayak. We've reserved all 4 of their rooms for our guests.   Rates for rooms start at $135.  Three rooms have queen-sized beds, and one has twins.   Wi-fi access. All rooms have private bath and AC. No pets, no smoking, only older children are allowed as the rooms open onto balconies.

Another possibility is Castle Island Camps, just on the other side of the lake.  Very cozy cabins right on the water offer nightly or weekly rentals.  You can rent a boat and paddle or power your way over to our house... 

There are 12 cabins and rates include 3 meals each day - per person is $90 per couple is $160.

email: castleisland@gwi.net
Physical Address:  441 Castle Island Rd, Belgrade, ME 04917
Phone: 207-495-3312

Winter contact: The Rice Family: PO Box 251 Belgrade Lakes, ME 04918
Phone: 207-293-2266

http://www.castleislandcamps.com/
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Whether planning a quiet get-a-way or recreation filled adventure, our cottage & rooms provide the perfect retreat. Located in the heart of Belgrade Lakes Maine, on the shore of Long Pond. Partridge Cottage has 2 bedrooms, bath, screened porch, and is furnished with linens, cable TV, and offers a beautiful sunset view. Give us a call, fill out our online form...or E-mail Us for rates & dates available. Partridge Cottage P. O. Box 139 Belgrade Lakes, ME 04918 1-207-495-3864 rooms@balloonsandthingsmaine.com http://www.balloonsandthingsmaine.com/CottageRooms.htm

The cottage has 2 rooms, one with king bed, one room with two double beds. 
A third room with a queen sized bed is available but does not have an adjoining bathroom.
All rooms have cable TV and air conditioning.  All rooms are $100 each -
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Up the road a little ways in Oakland is:






32 Belgrade Road Oakland, ME 04963
(207) 465-3500


www.presseyhouse.com

5 unique suites ranging from $140 to $235 per night double occupancy.
Some suites sleep up to 4

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Or, find your own cozy cabin or cottage at:

Belgrade Lakes Vacation Rentals 

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As a final option:  Camp out under the stars!

We also welcome any and everyone to bring a tent for our large lawn space.  Loon calls sound extra-special when heard only through that thin nylon... There are some spaces available under the trees, others around the gardens and lawn.  We have a few extra tents and will likely be staying in our own!  For the brave-hearted, you can paddle across the lake and stay on Blueberry Island.

Please let us know if you plan to camp so that we are sure to have enough space!

Welcome to our Blog!

Thanks for stopping by to check out the blog.  We are excited to start planning this party in August and hope you'll all be able to join us in Belgrade Lakes, Maine on August 27th.  We're planning lots of activities on the lake including music and dancing, a taco party, kayaking and swimming, a bonfire, and perhaps a tree-planting.  The event will be informal as our main priority is to gather our friends and family at this beautiful spot to celebrate our love for each other, and for each of you!  Welcome!