Picture the perfect fall family vacation in Maine… a cozy cabin surrounded by fall foliage, pumpkin carving, and the kids playing nearby. It sounds like the start of a made-for-TV movie capturing the beauty of fall in Maine.
Too good to be true? Not at Point Sebago Resort. Insiders know this Southern Maine resort on Sebago Lake is where classic Halloween fun draws families from all over New England.
“There’s a whole countdown going on in my family: how long before we get back to Point Sebago?”
Renee Dempsey, Cabin Owner at Point Sebago Resort
Fall Vacations at Point Sebago for Families
Insiders like Massachusetts native Renee Dempsey know where to find the perfect Maine vacation for families each October. It’s Point Sebago in Casco, Maine, during the first two weekends in October.
While tourists are flocking to Bar Harbor and Acadia National Park for the foliage season, New England families prefer the family-friendly setting at Point Sebago. In early October, the Sebago Lake campground resort transforms into a Halloween-themed destination.
It’s a fall family vacation must for families like the Dempseys. They’ve spent nearly 40 years vacationing in Maine, and now a third generation is discovering the magic of Halloween at Point Sebago Resort.
“Halloween weekend at Point Sebago Resort, that’s one of my family’s all-time favorites.”
Take that made-for-TV, classic fall family vacation. Now mix it with over-the-top costume contests, campsite decorating, a parade, hayrides, dance parties, trivia, crafts, and a haunted forest to understand why families are counting down to October at Point Sebago Resort.
Planning for Halloween on Sebago Lake
Guests start booking reservations up to a year in advance for the popular holiday weekends. Families can preview upcoming events and Halloween activities online or in the annual Point Sebago magazine.
The resort offers cabin rentals, glamping tents, and RV sites. Insiders know you’ll need a reservation and a costume plan in advance.
“I start making my family’s costumes in May or June,” explains Renee, who is a costume contest legend at the Maine resort.
She takes group Halloween costumes to the next level, from jailbirds to hippies to cereal box characters. In 2026, three generations of Dempseys dressed as aliens complete with a custom-crafted UFO.
Tap any photo above to expand the photo gallery of Dempsey family costumes.
“When Halloween is over, they all decide what they’re going to be next year,” adds Renee. “And I’m the one that makes all the costumes.”
It’s an impressive level of dedication for a family vacation. But it’s not just two weekends of fun for the Dempsey family.
Finding a Family Vacation Forever Home in Maine
Renee and her husband Dana first brought their kids to Point Sebago in 1988. Their oldest was five years old at the time.
“We were looking for a place to vacation. We stumbled upon Point Sebago. We rented a cabin, and we absolutely loved it.”
The Dempseys kept returning, and as their family grew, so did Point Sebago.
The Maine summer vacation destination began as a lakeside retreat in 1970. The resort later expanded in more than 700 acres expanding to include a modern marina, 18-hole golf course, restaurants, RV sites, cabin rentals, and even privately owned cabins.
The Dempsey family bought their Point Sebago cabin in 2015.
“We wanted something by the water. We wanted a cabin that our children would go to. I didn’t want just a log cabin somewhere in the woods,” explained Renee, who found everything she wanted at Point Sebago.
The seasonal resort campground offers something for everyone in the family, no matter their age.
“Even if you’re 95, you can still take part in the entertainment. I can’t brag enough about Point Sebago.
It’s the perfect vacation mix for a family like the Dempseys, where the youngest is only 18 months old.
Inside the Point Sebago Activities & Entertainment
Point Sebago offers more than 200 weekly activities during peak summer season, which runs from mid-June to mid-August. Kids can enjoy everything from crafts to archery to the beloved Point Sebago mascot, Chippy. Guests enjoy access to sports courts. There are also canoe races, fishing classes, live music, and adult comedy nights.
“If I wanted something really busy, I could have that. But if I wanted to sit around a campfire and just relax and have no noise, I can have that. I have the best of it all.”
But you won’t find Renee relaxing if the grandkids are coming to stay.
The resort opens each May with a string of themed weekends leading into summer. There’s flower arranging and brunch for Mother’s Day Weekend. Country Western weekend includes family fun like line dancing and the pig calling contest.
Renee and Dana go all out for their grandkids on themed weekends. It’s one of the many perks when your grandparents own a Point Sebago cabin. The Dempsy grandkids had costumes and treasure maps courtesy of Grandma and Grandpa on Pirate Adventure Weekend in June. There was even buried treasure in the yard.
Building a Point Sebago Family Legacy
However, it’s bigger than costumes and candy.
“My grandchildren think it’s their home. They say, ‘Let’s go to the Sebago house.’”
For Renee, owning a piece of Point Sebago is about building a family legacy.
“I want something that these kids can grow up and have memories of. I don’t ever want to leave here. I want the kids and grandkids to take over when we leave.”
It’s a poignant thought for a grandmother who puts so much into every season at Point Sebago. The cabin is a second home that’s anything but secondary.
“I don’t pack a suitcase. Everything is there,” explains Renee.
Renee’s everything includes a long list of Point Sebago friends that the Dempseys consider family. There’s a special bond between the guests who return each season. They stay in touch during the off season and remember the early days at Point Sebago.
“The memories will never change. Making friends at Point Sebago will never change.”
Those early years at Point Sebago are just as dear to Renee. She laughs thinking back on the campground activities her kids enjoyed in the 80s like frog races along the beach.
“My kids still talk about when they first went there. Now they have kids. So it’s just been wonderful to watch my kids and grandchildren making memories at Point Sebago.”
Now her grandchildren are making memories for the next generation with small Point Sebago treasure hunts. Renee and her grandkids hide beach balls, pool noodles, and bubbles across the sprawling Sebago Lake campground. Each comes with a “you’re lucky you found this” note attached. Renee shares clues leading to the prizes in the Point Sebago Facebook groups. In fact, Renee is already shopping and planning for next season.
Booking a Family Vacation for October in Maine
So book your cabin rental or RV site (yes, tents are allowed) at this unique New England vacation spot. And discover what the Dempeys already know – Point Sebago is perfect for families.
It’s a different kind of fall vacation from the traditional Maine attractions like Cadillac Mountain, Camden Hills State Park, or Boothbay Harbor lighthouses. Insiders recommend staying at Point Sebago for the start of your New England vacation and then traveling north for leaves and lighthouses.
Reserve your cabin now for next October when Point Sebago brings another year of Halloween magic for the whole family to enjoy.