200-Year-Old Shadows Dance Through Stately, Historical Hotel

Back in the early 1800s, farmer Nathan Phillips began taking weary travelers into his home, offering them a warm bed and a stable for their horses. But when an opportunistic horseman took advantage of Phillips's hospitality, an altercation resulted in the death of both men and the innkeeper's philandering wife. Today at The Lucerne Inn, the spirits in room 8—the site of the impassioned crime—are said to haunt the majestic, lakeside hotel, allegedly casting shadows on the walls at night and murmuring faintly behind close doors. Antique furnishings and panoramic country views recall the mansion's idyllic roots and thankfully keep visiting ghosts content.

In the clapboard estate's junior suite, a queen-size poster bed is warmed by a roaring gas fireplace, and quaint seating areas look out onto a canopy of colorful trees. Natural light pours in from paneled windows in the executive suite, illuminating colonial wood furnishings and a plush king-size bed as a jetted tub fizzes in the background. The romantic ambiance and whimsical charm of the bed-and-breakfast accommodations inspire guests to raise their glasses while enjoying a bottle of wine. Perched atop a sloping hillside that overlooks Phillips Lake and a forested mountain range, the sprawling colonial mansion at The Lucerne Inn rivals its breathtaking surroundings. Expansive windows in the upscale restaurant frame sunsets over the lake as buttery Maine lobsters are delivered to white tablecloths.

Dedham: Quiet Country Town with Stunning Lakes and Mountains

Stationed 13 miles north of the hotel, the Bangor Museum & Center for History houses more than 10,000 prints documenting the history of the city since the 1840s. An assortment of historical clothing including suits, handbags, and shoes illustrate New England life throughout the 20th century, and donations from the Grand Army of the Republic showcase war artifacts such as an apothecary chest, soldiers' handwritten letters, and battle swords. Since 1896, the Bangor Symphony Orchestra has hosted rousing performances of traditional ballets, classical concertos, and popular ringtones. The oldest continually operating community orchestra in the country, located 15 minutes north of The Lucerne Inn, infuses its performances with educational elements, fulfilling its mission to inspire young musicians.