A local landmark since 1922, the Long Lakes Sporting Club is located only nine miles from the Canadian border. The entrance area looks like a taxidermist’s office, so if petrified animal heads make you nervous, just keep walking until you reach the lounge. Here you can relax and order a mudslide, Margarita, coffee brandy or martini while enjoying the warmth of the fireplace. If you’re hungry, choose an entrée from the handmade pine menu on the wall. From both the bar and the restaurant, the view of Long Lake is outstanding. During the winter, you might see people ice fishing, cross-country skiing, snowshoeing or snowmobiling. Some brave folks have even attempted hitting golf balls on the frozen lake.

The bar draws a diverse crowd, and the place starts hopping on Saturday nights when Gaston Hebert, who’s been performing here since 1975, plays popular dance tunes on his organ. The bar closes when the last person leaves. “I never kicked nobody out of here yet -- in 12 years,” says Martin. --Lauren Kafka