Looking for Info On Sebago Lake, ME

[campingboaters]

We will be vacationing in Sebago Lake, ME over the 4th of July weekend (2 days travel, 4 days there).  We'll be staying in a house right on the lake with family, so no camping THIS time.  :screwy:
 
I am hoping someone here might have information on Sebago Lake and the surrounding areas.  I've done web searches, but found mostly information about rental properties, resorts and lodges.  We have an 18' boat and are trying to decide if we should bother towing it from PA to ME -- approximately 9 hours with towing, 8 hours without towing.  Is the lake so nice that we'll regret not having our boat?  Are there enough marinas in the area to get supplies and gas if we need it?  Are there little coves in the lake to pull into and swim for the afternoon?  Or, are there so many boats on the lake, you'd rather not put yourself in danger by being out on the lake with your own boat?  I bring that up, because there are some PA lakes like that! :mad:
 
We can rent a pontoon boat for $150/day (for one day) which would get split with family members.  I'd like to get to Old Orchard one night to see that area.  I guess I'm looking for things to see and do in the area if we don't bring our boat and spend all the time on the lake "playing".  We are not the type to just sun ourselves on the beach.   We USUALLY need a "vacation" to rest from our vacations!  :yikes:
 
Thanks for any help you can give me!  :W

[Camperroo]

Sebago Lake is really a beautiful area.  If I had a boat I would definitely bring it.  You can rent them but it gets expensive if you get a nice boat.  If your family is willing to split the cost of the pontoon boat then I'd go for that so you don't have to tow.  There's lots to do in the area.  Old Orchard is ok, but unless they've cleaned up the area bit, it's kind of yuck.  Most fun to go in the evening when everything is lit up...the rides, things on the pier, etc.  If you are looking for a fun place to take kids for rides I highly recommend going to FunTown in Saco which is about 10 minutes from Old Orchard.  The place is spotless and has lots of rides and activities for the kids plus a great water park.  They have a huge wooden roller coaster!!!!!  Which is actually fairly new, too scary for me to go on though.  Bring your mosquito repellant because if you go anywhere in the evening, you'll be dinner for the squeeters...oh geez :J  I mean skeeters!!....so embarrassing....

[Kelly]

Not sure I can offer a whole lot of help ... but, that name sure brought back some memories.  

I stayed in a little cabin there about 15.5 years ago.  It was on a small cove and we did go canoing ~ no big boats.  It was really late in the season, though (late September), so most of the other cabin owners were long gone and their cabins were all ready for winter.  The fall colors were absolutely stunning!  [/COLOR]

This site looked pretty good for information on what to do in the area.  Also, if I remember correctly ChasD60 doesn't live too far from there.  You may want to e-mail him.

It's a beautiful area!  Happy planning and happy vacationing!

[Gone-Camping]

Just make showah that you stop and ohdah some Lobstah...

[chasd60]

You definately want to bring your boat, Sebago Lake is the second largest but the deepest lake in Maine There are places that are in excess of 300' deep. One small section in the southern end is off limits to boats because it is where the public water supply comes from.
 
I am not an avid fisherman but I do know it is a very popular fishing area.
I work in the Portland/South Portland area which is about an hour from the lake. If you have any specific interests just ask, I'm sure I can find the info for you. I work with a guy that is having a home built for his parents on Frye Island in Sebago Lake and he grew up in the area. He knows the region pretty well.
 
I spoke with my friend and he said definately bring the boat, the weekend may be busy but the lake is big enough to support it without being crowded. It has a lot of coves to swim in from the boat as well.

[campingboaters]

Thanks for the initial information.  I'm TRYING to wait until my SIL gets back from a trip to find out exactly where the house is on the lake, but I'm getting pretty excited about this trip.  We're going to wait on the decision about bringing the boat until we talk to my SIL about the nearest marina/boat ramp and if there is a dock at the house we have, etc.

I plan on showing my kids how to eat lobstah while in Maine!  One of my fond memories as a child is on one of our cross country trips as a family.  We went north to Maine and stopped at a road-side shack and had FRESH lobstah that was pulled from the ocean THAT morning!  It was bettah than any lobstah I ever had!   :!