Swap out your snow boots for bowling shoes and your goggles for reading glasses at these indoor venues offering a place to warm up and wind down. Remember to check websites and call for the most up to date hours.
Rangeley Public Library
7 Lake Street, Rangeley
rangeleylibrary.org
(207) 864-5529
Rangeley’s beautiful library is still in the Romanesque Revival building that was purpose-built in 1909 and is now listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Offering a large literature collection, e-books and public access to the internet, the library is great for everyone, but especially kids. Rangeley Public Library has a preschool story hour every Friday at noon, and O.W.L. Club, for K-5 kids, meets every Wednesday and Thursday from 2:45-4:00pm. Sign up sheets for O.W.L. Club are at the check out desk.
Moose Alley
2809 Main Street, Rangeley
moosealley.me
(207) 864-9955
Get rolling as early as 7 a.m. at Moose Alley, and get breakfast from the attached Spirits Bar Grille & Café while you do. This bowling alley features 10 lanes for parties of all sizes to enjoy, along with an arcade and prize center, billiard tables, darts, shuffle board and a full bar area. More lunch and dinner options are available from Spirits, day and night.
Rangeley Health & Wellness Fitness Center
25 Dallas Hill Road, Rangeley
rrhwp.org
(207) 864-3055
Like many gyms, the Rangeley Health & Wellness Center has top-of-the-line cardiovascular and strength equipment and offers a variety of fitness and wellness services including personal training, fitness classes and massage. What makes this gym special, besides its great views, is that it is part of Rangeley Regional Health & Wellness, which began in 1993 as a grassroots initiative to bring stable, locally-based, high-quality primary health care to the community, including a clinic down the road. Also at The Wellness Pavilion is a therapy pool, physical therapy, community health and behavioral health offices, massage therapy, nutrition and orthotic services, as well as RHW’s administrative offices.
Access gym, classes and pool via membership, day pass, class packs or lesson packs. If it’s a mild day with the kids, visit the Wellness Woods playscape on the RHW campus.
Pickleball Rangeley
2268 Main Street, Rangeley
pickleballrangeley.org
(207) 246-7138
Pickleball Rangeley is the area’s newest spot for fun, fitness and friendly competition. Located right in town, the facility offers multiple indoor courts, open play sessions and lessons for all skill levels. It’s a great way to stay active and meet locals or other visitors, whether you’re a seasoned player or picking up a paddle for the first time.
Mountain Miracles Med Spa
2485 Main Street, Rangeley
mountainmiraclesmedspa.com
(207) 864-5700
Since 2019, Mountain Miracles Med Spa has brought health and beauty services to Western Maine. The spa offers a combination of traditional spa services, massage therapy and medical aesthetic treatments along with a full hair and nail salon. Book individually or plan ahead with your favorite people. Visit their site for a description of offerings and online scheduling.
Shopping on Main Street, Rangeley
You’ll have to pop in and out of the fresh air while exploring, but Main Street Rangeley has many cozy, independently owned-and-operated stores where you can have a full day of retail therapy, perusing mementos, gifts, art, books and replacements for the favorite ear muffs you forgot to pack. Here are five shops that caught our eye.
The Alpine Shop By Cool as a Moose (2504 Main Street) carries outdoor outfitters like Patagonia, Gramicci and Royal Robbins, plus books, jewelry, toys and more. Barn Doors & Burlap (2499 Main Street), owned by a mother and daughter team, carries home goods and provisions like cheeses, meats, Booker’s Brew coffee and Simply Scrunch Co. candles and soap. Books, Lines and Thinkers (2513 Main Street), nearing 30 years in business, has specialty items, gifts and stationery in addition to the new and used book stacks. Housed in the same artsy nugget of space is Birds of a Feather Gallery, organized by local artists, with fine art originals, prints of local scenes and other unique local art items. If a regional second home is on your mind, Welcome Home Furniture and Accessories (2750 Main Street) will seal the deal with their artful staging arrangements of furniture and accessories. Offering advice for tastes ranging from country to cottage and modern to rustic, the vibe is Maine-inspired beauty for comfortable living. Made in Maine (2501 Main Street) carries 1901 Maine flags, t-shirts, hats, blaze orange and tick repelling apparel for pets and people by Dog Not Gone, jewelry, art, home goods, sail bags and all kinds of great stuff.
RFA Lakeside Theater
2493 Main Street, Rangeley
rangeleyarts.org
(207) 864-5000
After the very outdoorsy “Walk to Bethlehem” Christmas Pageant on Sunday, Dec. 7, RFA Lakeside Theater becomes a hub of indoor activity in Rangeley.
Catch a movie on their Big Screen (See more details and events here). Rent it yourself for a private movie night, or rent a costume to win best dressed at a holiday party. Take a dance class with the Lakeside Dance Academy. Volunteer with WRGY, the community radio station. Yes, winter is not nearly as hopping as summer, especially this past one, when live theater and music was sold out every night, so “it is nice to take a little breather,” said Diane Bellington, the Executive Director of Rangeley Friends of the Arts. They own and operate the Main St. building. “We are planning the next season, gathering sponsors, thanking donors and contributors and finding artists for the gallery.” RFA acquired the theater in 2016 and have spent 10 years of what Bellington describes as “constant renovation” to make a state of the art theater, where local youth can learn technical and performance skills with career applications. The stage lights, screen projection, sound room, lobby gallery, concession stand and workshop for sets are all new, along with listening devices and ramps, rails and other considerations to make both the audience and stage fully ADA compliant.
“People are amazed at what they see when they come here, and it’s mostly homegrown talent,” said Bellington.“A lot of love has been put into this place.”
