My fiance and I took a trip to Northern Outdoors on the opening weekend of spring/summer. We had randomly found the place online when we were looking for wedding venues. While we are both originally from Maine, neither of us had heard of it prior to this day.

Upon arriving we were a little shocked that there was very little to no cell phone service while we were there but decided it wasn't much of a con, it just happened to be a bonus to getting away from the city as we both currently reside in Boston.

We met with Dawn at the lodge and she was awesome and asnwered all of our questions and then we stayed over for the night. The cabins were extremely nice and cozy, there's a lake onsite which allowed for fishing to be close by and the lodge was very accommodating. We had the opportunity to play baggo, shoot some pool, play video games in the arcade room and of course hang out at the bar and watch the Kentucky Derby followed by watching the Bruins play. (Bad outcome to that game).

The drinks were reasonably priced, the food was great and also priced well and as for the beer, I highly recommend the Porter. However take into account it's about 9% alcohol by volume. We were unaware of this prior to consuming our fair share and it made for a rough morning that didn't include our goal of hiking. But overall the place is amazing and they sold us on having our wedding reception there. And now we can't wait to go back.

Matthew C
Revere, MA

Rating: 5 *****

Maine Adventure Wedding Venue

What a fantastic wedding party we had at Northern Outdoors Center Lakeside Resort. Everything was wonderful. The food was beautifully presented and absolutely delicious! Our guests are still raving about the BBQ ribs & chicken. The staff effortlessy guided our guests through each stage of the event resultng in a beautiful evening for all.

We were leery about having a reception in a tent. The tent was great! Clear windows looking out on the inlet, beautiful lighting, heaters, and no poles, allowing for easy movement. Having many of the wedding guests staying right there in the cabins made the party last even longer and allowed for everyone to have fun without worrying about the noise bothering others or needing to drive anywhere. Those who did stay at the lodge were provided with free shuttle service. It all allowed for a fun and worry free evening for all.

Dawn Knowles and her staff did an amazing job of making Hilary & Dan's marriage party the perfect evening for them to remember. Throughout the evening we were able to enjoy ourselves and the company of our guests.

Sari O
Brewer, Maine

Rating: 5 *****

Maine Adventure Weddings

Recently I celebrated my wedding at Northern Outdoors Lakeside Cabins site. We met with the Event Planning team on New Years Eve, and got married in September 2012.

The past nine months of planning with Dawn and her team was amazing. Being from Maine and familiar with Northern Outdoors as a rafting and hunting outfit, I wasn't sure what to expect from them in terms of wedding planners. But in the end, ALL of our expectations were met, and often exceeded.

The staff was very warm and fun to work with. The food was great as was the beer we chose from the Kennebec River Brewerey which is located at Northern Outdoors main lodge. Kevin and his staff never said NO.

Our guests will be talking about our wedding for a long time. They couldn't get over the hospitality that Northern provided, from shuttle services, food service and overall positive attitudes. I have received so many compliments on the food offering. The food presentaion was clean and visually stunning. The beer was also a focal point of the wedding as our guests got to try many different flavors responsibly. It isn't very often a couple can reflect on their wedding and be 100% satisfied, but I can honestly say Northern Outdoors will not dissappoint. I would reccomend them to anyone that wants to experience a Maine destination wedding!!

Michael N
Standish, Maine

Rating: 5 *****

Maine Adventure Wedding

Kennebec River Brewery

Dawn Knowles at Northern Outdoors did an amazing job coordinating with my fiancé and I. We planned our wedding from out of state and Dawn was able to provide us with local vendor information and asked questions to help make our day custom to us and memorable for our guests.

At Northern Outdoors we found all of the aspects of a "destination wedding" we were looking for; our wedding guests went white water rafting during the day and then had a lobster bake rehearsal dinner that night at one if the fully equipped cabins.

The wedding over looked beautiful Wyman Lake, the food and catering staff was phenomenal and we were able to celebrate into the night at the Osprey Lodge! I whole heartedly recommend Dawn Knowles and Northern Outdoors as your choice for a beautiful wedding location with great food and great staff!

Shane and Nicole

Shane and Nicole A
Johnstown, Colorado

Rating: 5 *****

Maine Adventure Wedding

My husband and I live in Georgia and visited Maine for the first time this past weekend to attend our son's wedding. His new wife grew up in Maine and their dream was for an adventurous weekend with family and friends in a beautiful setting. Northern Outdoors exceeded my expectations.

The cabins were perfectly appointed and comfortable with beautiful views from every window. The wedding venue was gorgeous, overlooking the lake. We hosted the Welcome Party on Fri. night and everything was professionally done and presented so nicely AND the food was delicious. The reception dinner with lobster was fabulous. Northern Outdoors met every wish my son and daughter in law had of their perfect wedding. Many of the guests commented it was the best wedding they had ever attended.

Thanks for memories to last forever. Sincerely, Peggy

Peggy
Roswell, GA

Rating: 5 *****

Maine Adventure Weddings

First off I'd like to say, THANK YOU! This is how your resort became a part of our lives.....

I had always wanted to experience white water rafting. That being said, it seemed a big ordeal to plan. I run my own business as a pet care provider and finding time to vacation along with finding people to go with and accomadating everyone's schedules seemed a heavy load. Then, at a friends birthday party four years ago, a friend showed us his video from rafting on the Kennebec with his family. It was love at first sight. I said, "that's it! I'm going! Even if I have to go by myself!" I was obsessed and determined to plan this trip. My friend had said he stayed and rafted with Northen Outdoors. He said such great things about his time there, lodging, staff, pub and atmosphere....i just knew I had to call you guys! So, the next day, I Did! Let me just tell you....Debbie is a SAINT! I don't know how i would have survived planning that first trip. I swear I had a zillion question, changes in reservations from switching dates and number of people. I think one day i even called her like 5 or 6 different times! She was more than helpful, accomadating, professional, sweet and patient with my never ending questions! At the end of the day, I got nine people to venture out down the kennebec with me in 2009. Our group consisted of friends and family, ALL rafting VIRGINS! It blew our mind! I had no idea this would turn out to be a love affair with both white water and YOUR resort!

Last weekend we completed our third annual trip on the Kennebec Turbine release. Our group consensus-----best trip yet! At this point its no suprise to us that we are in for a great time. We always ask for the same cabin and luckily have always got it :) Great lodging, pub brews/food are great! Staff is always so wonderful. Feels drama free, inviting, safe and relaxing. In a nut shell----the BEST! We booked our trip for next year before leaving last weekend. It will be our first time down the DEAD river and I am already counting the days!!!! I think you do a fantastic job with the BBQ, photos and video presentation. Fun, FUNNY raft guides who know their stuff and make our trip a blast! Our group in particular is a fun and funny group. We really enjoy a guide who can keep up with the banter and inside jokes and at the same time lead us down the river in a safe yet adventurous manner. This year especially we hit the jackpot! Our guide was Mark Schaub. He is our FAVORITE! What a blast! We told him when we'd be back and he put us in his schedule as well as the girls in reservations put a note in for us requesting him to bring us down the DEAD in May 2012!!!! We miss him already!

In the future, We hope to visit at least twice a year. We look forward to also planning a winter trip and hitting the snowmobile trails! We have all taken away fun and everlasting memories over the years that shine on in our minds, hearts and endless candid photographs! Thank you for giving our friends and family special memories that no amount of money could buy......

We love you Northrn Outdoors,
Till next year, Lots of love,
Jeannine and family

Jeannine S
Allenstown, NH

Activity: Kennebec Turbine Test High Release Rafting

Rating: 5 *****

Maine Whitewater Rafting

Northern Outdoors is the perfect destination for adventure weddings, just ask our friends at Love & Lobster who recently interviewed us for their blog titled Rustic Weddings: Northern Outdoors.  Love & Lobster assists creative couples seeking clever online inspiration in planning their wedding along New England’s beautiful coastline.  The site provides insider tips, interviews with local venues and vendors, and photographic eye candy. 

Here's a bit from the Love & Lobster interview regarding adventure weddings at Northern Outdoors:

"If the words “outdoor” or “adventure” describe your wedding plans, there’s a gem of a venue tucked in Maine’s upper reaches that’s well worth the drive.

Northern Outdoors boasts an authentic Maine lodge and scenic location in The Forks, a little town perched at the convergence of the Dead and Kennebec rivers, famous among white-water rafting enthusiasts for their thrilling rapids. We checked in with Stephanie Koetzle, a spokesperson for Northern Outdoors, to learn more about how they blend weddings with the wilderness."

To view photos and read the entire article on adventure weddings click here.
At Northern Outdoors, we love adventure and providing an outdoor destination for folks to create lasting memories. Whether it's adventure weddings or classic New England vacations, we've got ya covered!

Maine Adventure Vacations
Love & Lobster

We'd have to say that the coolest summer job in Maine is working as a whitewater rafting guide at Northern Outdoors.  If you love being outside, crave adventure and like meeting new people then guiding Maine whitewater rafting trips just might be your calling.

Northern Outdoors is known as Maine's premiere adventure resort and offers guests guided Kennebec River rafting, Dead River rafting and Penobscot River rafting trips throughout the summer.  During the month of May, we conduct a River Guide Training School that prepares students to become successfully licensed Maine Guides.  After becoming a Maine Guide, most students then continue on to work with us as Kennebec River rafting guides.  We also train our guides to lead several other of our Maine adventure vacations.

Interested?  Well here's a bit of what we're looking for:

- A well-groomed and neat appearance.
- A friendly, cheerful personality.
- A reasonable amount of athletic ability and good health.
- The willingness to work with others in a team environment.

Learn some new life skills, meet great people and spend the best summer of your life in Maine's outdoor recreation epicenter!  Oh and did we mention that our Kennebec River Brewpub is featured on Maine's Beer Trail?  Come join us on the river!

Contact Greg Caruso for more details

  

Up here in Maine, we do what we do best - work and and play hard.  We'd be doing that whether anyone else noticed or not, but every now and then we find ourselves the subject of some great, national level, news coverage.  Recently in the USA Today section 'Travel Tips', our beautiful state got some exposure and Northern Outdoors was right in the mix. 

We like that we do things well enough that other people can appreciate what we have to offer, from the adventure of Maine whitewater rafting, to the luxury of a fully-stocked cabin on the edge of a lake to the fresh brewed beer at the Kennebec River Brewery and Pub.  It's satisfying to know that visiting with us gives people a much needed break and offers many options for fun.  

Thanks to all those who have visited and continue to visit us over the years.  We look forward to seeing you for a long time to come! 

Adventures Weddings in the Maine woods can be both thrilling and unique.  Whether the ceremony is planned for indoors in a timberframe lodge or outside by the pond or on a rocky backroad, there is something about a true north country setting that makes such an event special -- perhaps it is the casual nature of such a wedding. 

The informal nature of an adventure wedding is a pleasant twist on an often overly formal event.  The nice thing about Maine adventure weddings, is they can be causal or grand, back-woods or formal in every aspect from food to ceremony setting.

Single day wedding events are one of a kind happenings set in a rustic yet completely comfortable atmosphere filled with food, drink and fantastic scenery.

Multi-day adventure weddings at Northern Outdoors include cabin lodging, multiple evenings to enjoy live music and time in the pool or hot tub.  With clear rivers for Maine whitewater rafting, hiking trails to explore and stunning lakes to float, brides, grooms, wedding party members and guests will not be at a loss for things to do during the day. 

Great local bands and musicians, catered food from the Kennebec River Pub and fresh brewed beer provided by the Kennebec River Brewery make receptions simple to arrange, and the open, rustic main lodge is the perfect setting for dining and dancing.