Every year for the past 10 years, my family and I have taken a trip to Maine. We go during the summer where we can enjoy amazing weather, the best food and the prettiest views.
1.The food (especially lobster).
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You can't go wrong with the seafood here. Being on the cooler and rocky waters of the Atlantic Ocean, Maine is home to the best lobster in the United States. Everywhere you go in Maine, people are fishing and lobstering. On this trip, you may get lobstered out, but believe me it is worth it. There will be some type of lobster dish at every food place you come across. Even McDonalds has a lobster roll on its menu. Being a big brunch family, we love going to The Maine Diner in Wells which made an appearance on Food Network's Diners, Drive-In's and Dives. The diner is home to the best lobster benedict and blueberry pancakes.
2. The beaches.
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Being the most northeastern state in the United States, Maine is surrounded by the Atlantic Ocean. The beaches are sandy, rocky and have many creatures living in the water. There are scenic views, lighthouses and lobster shacks surrounding many of Maine's beaches. What more do you need? I recommend visiting Crescent Beach State Park in Cape Elizabeth. It's a public beach mostly for Maine residents where my family and I go every year to swim, relax on the sand, walk along the shore and enjoy the beautiful views.
3. The shopping.
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Being from New York City, I am used to buying shirts that are at least $50, but every year when my family and I go to Maine, we buy as much as we can because of all the sales in the outlets. Our first stop in Maine is always the Kittery Outlets. There are so many stores ranging from Nike, to Lululemon to American Eagle. This year my mom found leggings at Lululemon for $70 when in most states they are at least $100. I stock up on clothes for the year in Maine and always get the best deals. We stay in Freeport where there are even more outlets like Coach, Sunglass Hut and a huge, multiple part flagship L.L. Bean. My family and I walk around L.L. Bean at least 5 times during our one-week vacation because it is the only outlet opened 24 hours.
4. The Portland Sea Dogs.
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Although we're from New York, we are huge Boston fans. Every year, we see the Portland Sea Dogs take on another minor league team. We love remembering every player's name because you never know who will be called up to go to Triple A and then the major league Boston Red Sox team. Many of my favorite players like Andrew Benintendi played with the Portland Sea Dogs. The games are filled with a large cheering section, good food (barbecue chicken and cheese sandwich) and beer (Sea Dog Blueberry beer). My family and I go up to Maine during the week of July 4th where there is always a game at Hadlock Field (home of the Portland Sea Dogs) and an amazing firework after show. This year the Portland Sea Dogs played against the Binghamton Rumble Ponies who the former football player Tim Tebow is currently playing for. I was able to meet him and watch him play a great game.
5. The outdoor adventures.
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My family isn't huge on the outdoors, but Maine is known for its biking trails, hiking trails, fishing, water activities, boating, hunting, camping and skiing in the winter. There is so much to explore, and the views are amazing. There are tour boats like the Duck Tours which go on the water and are a great way to learn about the state of Maine. Everywhere you go, there are lobster pots in the ocean. Whale-watching is something I would like to do in the future which is huge in Maine. My family and I watched a family jet-ski in the ocean which would be fun to try if my family were more adventurous. Don't forget to take a ferry ride from Portland to the Coney island of Maine, Peaks Island to take on more of the adventures that Maine has to offer.
If you love seafood and need a relaxing vacation than Maine is the perfect vacation spot for you. There is so much to do and all the locals are super friendly that my mom makes a new friend every time she goes.
