A laidback lakefront lifestyle in Cumberland County
Situated above one of Maine’s most popular state parks, Casco offers lakeside living in an easygoing community. “So many people grew up going to camp here and had the best time in their lives going away to Maine. They want to relive it, so they come up here and buy property,” says Lois O’Connor, broker/owner of Sunset Lakes Realty, who has served the region for 20 years. Sebago Lake State Park and Lake Crescent offer plenty of opportunities for waterfront recreation, and the neighborhood’s densely forested roads create a rustic camp atmosphere for both seasonal and year-round residents.
Small seasonal cottages and sprawling lakefront homes
With lakefront properties, homes on quiet multi-acre lots and condos in Point Sebago resort, Casco offers a range of housing options that all retain access to the peaceful wooded landscape. Those looking for a second property or camp can find newly built cottages and manufactured homes with one or two bedrooms in the seasonal Point Sebago Resort priced between $140,000 and $230,000. On larger forested lots throughout Casco there are bi-levels and ranches from the 1970s priced between $350,000 and $450,000. Newly built properties in New Traditional styles cost around $650,000, while New Traditional lakefront mansions from the last 1990s are priced around $2 million.
Fish, paddle or hike at Sebago Lake State Park
Sebago Lake, the second-largest and deepest lake in Maine, hugs the neighborhood’s southern edge. Sebago Lake State Park is a hub for outdoor recreation, featuring hiking trails that wind through woodlands and along the shoreline and a sandy beach clearing with picnic tables for swimming and lounging. Public boat ramps offer motorized boats access to the water for fishing or exploring. In the winter, there are groomed trails for cross-country skiing or snowshoeing. Golfers of all experience levels can head to the par 72 Point Sebago Golf Course. For panoramic views of the White Mountains, Maine forests and lakes, residents can head to Hacker’s Hill Preserve. Residents can also access a couple of lesser-known lakes to boat or fish as well — Crescent Lake is on Casco’s eastern border, and Pleasant Lake is to the north.
A Ferris wheel, fireworks and parades at Casco Days
Every year, during the last weekend of July, the community comes together to celebrate the town in an all-volunteer fair called Casco Days. “It’s an old-fashioned fair and the highlight of life in Casco year after year,” O’Connor says. The fair features red-striped gazebos hosting fair food, an antique carousel and a Ferris wheel, fireworks, parades and a road race. For more frequent events, the Casco Public Library hosts book clubs, a knitting club, children’s story hours and a Mahjong meet-up group.
20 miles to Auburn and 30 miles to Portland
Since the neighborhood is more rural, residents rely on personal vehicles to commute and run errands. The neighborhood’s state highways allow residents to travel to nearby towns and connect to Interstate 95. Casco is located along U.S. Route 302, a major road in Maine that runs west to the New Hampshire border and southeast to Portland, which is 30 miles away.
High schoolers prep for the future Lake Region Vocational Center
Children may begin at Songo Locks School, which serves grades prekindergarten through second and has an overall C-minus grade from Niche. In third grade, students attend Crooked River Elementary, which has yet to be rated by Niche. Students advance to Lake Region Middle and Lake Region High, which have C-minus grades. High school students can apply to technical programs at Lake Region Vocational Center to prepare for careers in law enforcement, automotive technology, culinary arts and more.
Casual brunch platters at Eastern Harvest Café
Though residents usually go out of town to shop, there are a few local restaurants to go out to eat. For breakfast, there’s Eastern Harvest Café, which serves pancakes and eggs benedict in a rustic atmosphere. Locals can swing by Butcher’s Seafood for take-out lobsters and clam chowder or find beer and pizza at Webb’s Mills Eats and Craft Brews. There aren’t grocery stores in Casco, so residents drive 9 miles northwest to The Umbrella Factory Supermarket, a family-owned supermarket in Naples or 9 miles southeast to Hannaford in North Windham. For retail shopping, residents can head to South Portland for a large mall or big-box stores like Target.
Seasonal residents increase the neighborhood’s population in warmer months
Casco hosts some seasonal residents who live around Lake Sebago and Lake Crescent, so the neighborhood is busier in the summer. Most restaurants are open year-round but may have limited hours in the winter.
Photography Contributed By
Jason Veilleux
