Auburn & Lewiston

Auburn’s Center Street is a pathway to many shopping experiences from chain stores and restaurants, to an urban mall and smaller retailers. Visitors will find many casual dining experiences as well as pubs, bistros and sandwich shops. The mighty Androscoggin River, that extends for 178 miles from NH through Maine and to the ocean, runs between Lewiston and Auburn. There are plenty of locations to launch kayaks or canoes or to simply enjoy the riverbank walking trails that dot the area.

Auburn is home to a skiing venue with a recently added snow tube park and brewing company. If ice-skating is your preference, you’ll find Auburn has a state of the art arena, Maine’s only dual surface ice arena. Auburn is home to the Auburn-Lewiston Airport sprawled on 547 acres. The airport caters to the varied needs of corporate, charter, cargo and recreational aviation activities.

Lewiston is the birthplace of TV star, Patrick Dempsey (Known as Dr. McDreamy on “Grey’s Anatomy”) who founded the Patrick Dempsey Center for Cancer Hope & Healing, a vibrant testament to the area’s commitment to health and wellness. Each year, the Dempsey Challenge hosts thousands of visitors to walk, run or bike in a fundraiser to support free cancer care to area residents.

Local Favorites: You can take a quick hiking excursion on Mount Apatite, an extensive network of forested trails that link abandoned quarries, gleaming slag piles, steep ledges, and giant boulders. While only 900’ in elevation, this is a favorite spot for gem collectors in search of tourmaline, quartz and apatite.

Must See: The Basilica of Saints Peter and Paul is an iconic structure dominating the Lewiston skyline. It’s the second largest church in New England and the only New England Basilica outside of Massachusetts.

Hidden Gems: Lewiston is home to Bates College, one of the nation’s finest liberal arts schools.