I've been traveling to Penobscot Bay for 18 years of my life to the same squat, wooden house in the forest. Situated on a hill, an ocean visit only requires a walk past the treehouse, a quick stop by the ripe blackberry bush and a bold tread over the homemade bridge, teeming with fat bumblebees getting nectar from purple Lupines. Then, it is all ocean. Ocean that stretches beyond Turtle’s Head and into the Pacific, but does not have a limit to its abundance of porpoise, lobster and sand dollars.
Every summer, each family member carefully packs a suitcase laden with the newest additions to our wardrobe as we prepare for a month of fun on the coast of Maine. It’s been a tradition that sticks like honey — I don’t always like the mess, but it never fails to be sweet. Maine has allowed me to experience life outside the Nevadan desert and get a taste of humid heat and salty air. It's my go-to recommendation for adventure, and it's not hard to see why.
1. The Atlantic Ocean
My blood is warm from the heat of the Vegas sun, but a cool dip in the Pacific is as good as any tonic. I've fallen in love with the endless fun the ocean holds. There are crabs, barnacles, mini shrimps, mussels, sea stars, hermit crabs, sand dollars, and an abundance of other creatures that will spark imagination from young to old.
2. Lobstah
Spoken with the drawl of a native New Englander, lobstah is an East Coast delicacy. Where I'm at, Young's Lobster Pound is the best around and offers fresh crustacean on the spot with a wonderful view of the Belfast port. You'll never want to have West Coast surf and turf again.
3. Small towns
Maine offers a variety of small coastal provinces that have wonderful people built on family values. Summer offers a tidal wave of local support for farms and the arts, such as Belfast Summer Nights and Farmer's Markets.
5. The hiking
There are some wicked views out there which are the finish lines to great hikes. We've got some favorites picked out like the hike to Blue Hill and Bald Rock Mountain, but the state is teeming with foresty adventures by Mount Katahdin and Baxter State Park too.
4. Acadia National Park
This national park is one for the books. Complete with old carriage trails, Jordan Pond is now surrounded by bikers whizzing by on their way to the Jordan Pond house for the famous popovers. While Cadillac Mountain offers the best view of Penobscot Bay and is great for photo ops.
6. Moose tracks ice cream
I always get a little sad knowing that I will not be eating moose tracks for another year. Complete with ribbons of chocolate (and I mean ribbons) mixed with mini Reese's peanut butter cups on a chunk of vanilla, this is the best flavor of ice cream ever. Unless, of course, you're allergic to peanut butter, in which case have the salted caramel instead.
7. L.L. Bean
A brand born and raised in Maine, L.L. Bean offers all sorts of outdoor clothing, shoes and backpacks. If you really want to get a thrill from what this brand has to offer, then take a stop at the huge flagship store open 24 hours a day, 365 days a year in Freeport. It's kind of awesome.
It's also kinda hard to summarize such a large and wicked good state. The desserts are awesome, the living is simple and the adventures are filled with beautiful scenery that will inspire tall tales for years to come. There is a reason Maine is called the Vacationland. I’m a Vegas girl that’s been raised next to the flashy glitz of Sin City, but there will always be a part of me that will connect with the oceany green of Maine.
