Orono is an attractive New England town of about 10,000 permanent residents, located at the confluence of the Penobscot and Stillwater Rivers (see map), and in part on an island, Marsh Island, formed by these two rivers. Canoeing on the Stillwater is a popular warm weather pastime. Favorite gathering places of faculty and students include the famous Pat's Pizza (with a working fireplace in the basement taproom), and The Store and Ampersand, featuring wonderful muffins and coffee in the morning.

The Thomas Hill Standpipe in Bangor still functions, as it has for 100 years, as an important part of the city's water system and its most distinctive landmark.

Orono is only eight miles away from Bangor, Maine's third largest city (34,000 people). Bangor is remarkably cosmopolitan for a small city, having both the nation's oldest community symphony orchestra, a professional theatre company, and several fine restaurants. Its central location allows easy access to many popular sites in northern New England and eastern Canada. Montreal, Quebec City, and Boston are a drive of about five hours away. For those who love the outdoors, the rugged Presidential Range of northern New Hampshire and the Atlantic Provinces region of Canada are also close by.

The Maine Center for the Arts on the University campus brings music and dance to the areas regularly. Performances have included the New York Opera Company's La Boheme, and Yo Yo Ma and Isaac Stern playing the Brahms Double Concerto with the Bangor Symphony. In additions, campus organizations such as the University Orchestra, University Singers, Oratorio Society, and the Maine Masque Theatre periodically stage productions. The Carnegie Art Museum maintains an extensive collection of paintings, sculptures, and graphics arts by artists such as Wyeth, Picasso, Matisse, and Roualt. The Hudson Museum has a nationally renowned collection of Native American artifacts.

Recreational facilities available on campus include a spacious field house, an all-season pool, an ice rink, and indoor and outdoor tracks. Miles of cycling and ski trails are maintained around the campus. For those who like to watch, as well as participate, the Maine men's ice hockey team has won the NCAA championship twice in the past six years, and women's basketball is a powerhouse in the Northeast. Intramural sports programs are active as well.

Biking in nearby Acadia National Park

Maine itself, of course, from the woods and lakes region of the north, to the mountainous west, to the Downeast coast and Acadia National Park, provides innumerable opportunities for outdoor recreation in all seasons.

During the winter months, Maine's abundant snowfall and mountainous terrain provide the setting for some of the best downhill skiing in the East. Conditions at the many ski areas normally are excellent from Thanksgiving thorough late March. Cross-country (Nordic) skiing is enjoyed by many Mainers, including the University community. The University maintains several miles of trails around the campus, and several ski touring centers are nearby. Skiing the Maine woods is an excellent way to meet some of our more famous citizens, like this curious native. Snowshoeing is growing in popularity as well.

During the spring, runoff from the melting snow provides for some of the most exciting whitewater canoeing and kayaking in the United States. Numerous races are held each year, attracting competitors from all over New England and eastern Canada. The gentler excitement of canoeing on Maine's more than 2500 lakes also is enjoyed by many.

Maine's coast is perhaps its most popular region, from the sand beaches of the south to the rocky coves of the midcoast and Down East. One may go on whale-watching cruises, spend a lazy afternoon on a sailboat (day cruises are available from both Bar Harbor and Camden), or choose the more active adventure of sea kayaking.

Mount Katahdin, in Baxter State Park an hour north of Orono, is the northern terminus of the Appalachian trail and the beginning of a new international trail leading north through New Brunswick. Other favorite hikes and climbs include Gulf Hagas, a scenic gorge on the Pleasant River, and the Rangely Lakes area of western Maine. Acadia National Park, just an hour south of Bangor, contains camping areas, and numerous hiking trails on glacier-scoured peaks (including Cadillac Mountain, the highest point on the eastern seaboard of the United States) and rugged cliffs. The combination of mountains and ocean is found nowhere else in the East.

Finally, Maine's autumn colors are so brilliant that, as one new faculty member put it, "It's like living in a post card!"