Moose Adventure In Rangeley, Maine

DAY 1

Beat the heat and connect with nature and the great outdoors on the summer retreat to the majestic mountains of Maine in search of moose. Board the motorcoach and depart PA with meal and rest stops at your expense enroute to your first overnight stay in Ogunquit, ME at the Meadowmere Resort (1-207-646-9661). Meadowmere offers contemporary elegance blended with old-fashioned Maine hospitality. The room amenities include complimentary wireless internet, refrigerator, hair dryer, and cable television. The hotel offers an indoor pool, jacuzzi, and a movie theatre. (The hotel does not have an elevator). Dinner this evening is included at a local favorite with the remainder of the night to relax after a long day's travel.

DAY 2

Begin your day with breakfast included at the hotel before you check out and continue traveling north to Turner, ME for a visit to Ricker Hill Orchards where you will tour local cranberry bogs and apple orchards, view the cider mill and see how cranberries and apples are harvested and packed. Enjoy a delicious snack, see the barnyard animals, take in the view and shop, all at this local farm. Next, the past is not merely preserved and remembered at Norland Living History Museum, it is brought to life. Norlands is an estate in the rural hills that includes a 19th century one room schoolhouse, the town library and the home in which the Washburn family lived. You will take part in two programs including the "laugh and learn" and the busy cradle program that tells the story of the Washburns and their seven famous sons who rose to serve as state governors, congressmen, a U.S. Senator, Secretary of State, foreign ministers, a Civil War general and a Navy captain. While at the estate a country style lunch is included. Following lunch, you will travel to Rangeley for check-in at the classic New England Rangeley Inn (207-864-3341) for a two-night stay. Located in a charming western Maine mountain village, the Rangeley is a beautifully restored landmark hotel dating back to the late 19th century. Guest rooms feature satellite tv, coffeemaker, hairdryer and complimentary WiFi. After time to get settled in your room, you may want to relax on the front porch and watch the passersby or take a stroll and browse the quaint shops nearby before dinner is included at the inn. Enjoy a nice quiet evening with fellow travelers and get to know one another.

DAY 3

Breakfast is included this morning at the inn prior to an early morning Moosin Tour of Rangeley to the most likely sites for spotting "the gentle giants" (there is no guarantee that you will see a moose). Meet your local guide at the inn for this 2-hour tour around the lake. Moose are most likely spotted during late spring to mid-summer and the month of September. Early morning and evening seem to be the best times of the day to spot moose while they are eating a diet of woodland and aquatic vegetation - up to 40-50 pounds a day. Moose do have poor eyesight, but a keen sense of hearing and smell. Your moose guide will share more fascinating information about moose during your adventure. Happy spotting! Next, you will tour the Oquossoc Union Log Church and Rangeley Outdoor Museum. The Oquossoc Church is a historic non-denominational church built in 1916. The church is a unique structure whose walls and major interior fixtures are all built out of spruce logs. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1984. You will also visit the Rangeley Outdoor Museum to learn about the wooden boats and steamers that traveled the lake and the hunters, fishermen and Native Americans who have flocked to the beautiful Lakes region for centuries. The museum features fascinating collections and exhibits detailing the human experience dating back nearly 13,000 years ago when the Paleoamerican people inhabited this land. Afterwards, lunch is on your own and at your expense in the area. Following lunch, you make a photo stop at the Height of Land scenic overlook offers visitors an expansive, panoramic view of the sprawling Rangeley Lakes region and declared one of the finest in the state, if not in New England. After your breathtaking experience, you will participate in a unique gold panning expedition in Coos Canyon. Meet a local prospector and pan for gold overlooking the Swift River - without getting wet. You will also have a guided walk to explore the canyon area, a natural gorge with waterfalls and swimmin' holes. It's known as one of the best places to pan for gold in Maine (Please make sure that you have appropriate footwear and clothing to enjoy this unique adventure). Then, you return to Rangeley Inn to relax and enjoy free time to take a stroll or sit a spell on the front porch. Dinner is included tonight.

DAY 4

Wake up to a delightful breakfast included at the inn before you check out and depart for Quechee Gorge Village for free time to shop and explore. A boxed lunch is included while at Quechee Gorge Village. Next, it's off to the village of Shelburne Falls for a photo stop at the Bridge of Flowers. Enjoy the beauty of this unusual, one-of-a-kind garden that is meticulously tended by the Shelburne Women's Club and features 500 varieties of flowers, vines and shrubs that assure a 400-foot span of continual blooming from the pastel tulips of April through the last blazing chrysanthemums in October. Your travels today continue to Yankee Candle Village, the largest candle store with over 200,00 candles and more than 200 fragrances. Stroll through the Bavarian Christmas Village, the Black Forest and Nutcracker Castle, as well as the General Store, Kitchen Store and Toy Shop. You will also have the opportunity to make and take your own medium, scented candle jar to commemorate your visit. Then, you reach your host hotel for your final night's stay, the Hampton Inn Chicopee/Springfield (413-593-1500). The hotel features an indoor pool and fitness center and business center with complimentary WiFi. Guest room amenities include a mini refrigerator, microwave, coffee/tea maker with supplies, hairdryer and complimentary high-speed internet access. Dinner this evening is included at the Steaming Tender Restaurant, railroad themed and located inside the original Palmer Union Station where 7 railroads once merged. Enjoy a delightful meal surrounded by interesting memorabilia. You then return to the hotel to turn in for the night.

DAY 5

The time has come to pack up and return home following breakfast included at the hotel. During your return trip back to PA, you will have meal and rest stops at your expense along the way.

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***ALL WOLF'S TOURS - TIMES AND ITINERARY SUBJECT TO CHANGE**

B=Breakfast, L=Lunch, BL=Boxed Lunch, D=Dinner