For fifty-plus years my family has been escaping to our lakeside cottage for weeks every summer. Like most families, we love to sit together by the water, go tubing, fishing and hiking and spend quality time with one another. But there’s one thing (among many other quirky traits) that sets us apart from other lake-loving families out there.

We vacation in the middle of nowhere. Weld, Maine, a small town with about 400 residents, is our beloved home away from home. We drive thirty to forty minutes to go grocery shopping or to go to church, and we visit the nearby spring to get clean drinking water. The running water in the house comes from the lake. Most people want their vacations to be simple and convenient, but for our family, a vacation in the backwoods of Maine is nearly perfect. Here’s why.

1. Peace & Quiet

In a town with only 400 people and no tourists, street noise, light pollution, and traffic are nothing to worry about. The only noises come from the loons, bullfrogs and a few boats that go by.

2. No distractions

I suppose you could say our time in Maine is spent “off the grid,” though I often find myself desperately seeking a signal to send a quick snapchat. But ultimately, our vacations are spent with no distractions. We enjoy all of the little things like laughter and love; the way life should be.

3. Fresh air

There’s nothing better than the first deep breath you take after a four-plus hour road trip to the lake. The mountain air fills your lungs as a breeze off the lake runs through your hair. The best way to cleanse your soul is with a bit of fresh air.

4. Adventure

Being so far away from just about everything means that anytime we leave the lake there’s bound to be a story that comes out of it. It may be seeing a moose on the way to the grocery store or getting lost trying to find a new waterfall. Each day in our little slice of heaven is unique.

5. Secret hideaway

New Hampshire’s Lake Winnipesaukee is no hidden treasure on the map. Growing up, just about everyone I knew had a house on “lake winni” and I was secretly jealous that I couldn’t be like the rest of suburbia. However, I’ve come to appreciate my private paradise. There’s something almost magical about the fact that no one ever knows where I go. When I say Weld, they say oh yeah I’ve been there we love it, to which I correct them and say, “No no weld with a d… not Wells.”

Our little piece of the planet has been in the family for a long long time. We vacation in the middle of nowhere because it’s a secret family heirloom of treasured memories and the anticipation of perfect summers ahead.