Living in our beautiful little corner of paradise in Tennessee, we wonder why anyone would want to live anywhere else. However, several places I’ve traveled make me realize that, while the good Lord may not have spent as much time and effort creating them as he did Eastern Tennessee, he did well, nevertheless.
The Northeast state of Maine is such a place.
With more coastline than California (3,478 miles), Maine is larger than the other five New England states combined. Fortunately, though, it maintains the New England charm but is far less congested, ranking 41st in overall state population (1.33 million). Mainers – a term they prefer to be called – love their affiliation with the sea and their lifestyle, homes, recreation, cuisine and occupations are oriented accordingly.
Despite their easygoing demeanor, Mainers, in my opinion, maintain the cleanest and most pristine environment of our 50 states, aided, of course, by Mother Nature’s natural beauty.
The Portland Breakwater Light, also called Bug Light, was originally built in 1855 with wood, but was later rebuilt with cast-iron plates. Although shut down in 1943, the light was fully restored in 1989 and reactivated in 2002.We focused primarily on the area around Portland, a bustling coastal community of 68,000, slightly smaller than Chattanooga, except when the mega cruise ships berth there and add another 5,000 or 6,000 folks and lots of money to the local economy. The city also is well-served by a beautiful new air terminal hosting most major airlines.
Portland is all about the waterside. Although the maritime trade business is not as great as it once was with the advent of trans-oceanic air travel, it is still a bustling port facility. By ship, it is a day and a half closer to Europe than most large East Coast cities. Because of that geographical advantage, it was a major ship-building facility and assembly point for “guns, beans and bullets” loaded onto ocean-bound convoys during World War II.
Portland’s docks are now mostly used by recreational boaters, tourist boats and fishing trawlers. Interspersed among them are quaint bars, restaurants and shops exactly like you might imagine in a New England coastal town.
Casco Bay surrounds Portland and creates a naturally deep and well-protected harbor off the Atlantic. It contains dozens of inhabited and uninhabited islands with names like Hog Island and Cow Island that reflect their uses during Colonial days. Others are named in memory of the original families who owned them. At night, lights on the islands reflect against the surrounding sea like a shimmering diamond necklace around Portland’s graceful neck.
The crown jewel of Mainers’ cuisine (and much of their economy) though is found under those waters: lobster. It is served in a variety of ways, including whole, rolls, omelettes or salad. The best way I found to eat it is in the traditional Maine way, sitting at a picnic table by a “lobster shack” right along the rocky coast. Whole lobsters are cooked to perfection, served with delicious sides, and most lobster shacks invite guests to bring their own beverages. Lobster shells must be cracked to access the sweet and flavorful meat, then dipped in melted butter. It’s messy, but that is part of the experience.
Dining on the best food I’ve ever eaten, enjoying a soft breeze from the sea, gazing at stars twinkling above as a nearby lighthouse silently beams its welcoming beacon and listening to waves gently lapping the rocky shore interspersed frequently by the laughter of friends sharing the goodness, I want to capture the whole experience in a bottle to apply it as a soothing balm next time I’m stuck in rush hour traffic.
However, the Maine coast offers far more than food. There are museums galore, hiking trails, shopping, beaches, sailing, art studios or simply enjoying the beautiful vistas from your car or motorcycle. The famous author Henry Wadsworth Longfellow lived in Portland and his home offers a great glimpse into what Maine was like in the mid-1800s. One can almost hear the pounding hooves of horses racing through Colonial New England villages as Longfellow described in “The Midnight Ride of Paul Revere.”
To the south of Portland lie the villages of Old Orchard Beach, Biddeford, Kennebunk, Wells and Ogunquit. Like most of Maine, all are focused on the sea. The seven-mile sandy beach at Old Orchard is a paradise for sunbathing, swimming, surfing and shore fishing. Biddeford is a vacation community that has turned thousands of square feet of former brick textile mills into seasonal residences.
Many towns in Maine retain their old-fashioned, New England charm with mom-and-pop shops, boutiques and longstanding churches.Kennebunk is perhaps the most bustling of the coastal villages. Former President George H.W. Bush and his wife, Barbara, were attracted by the beauty and friendliness of the area, and they frequently participate in fundraising and holiday events. Crowds of tourists are, in turn, attracted to catch a glimpse of the presidential compound, then dozens of tourist businesses were attracted by the tourists. It’s a happy arrangement. The Bush family loves the area, and the residents love them.
Further south, one comes to the delightful vacation communities of Wells and Ogunquin, an artist community with studios reflecting a maritime flavor in any medium imaginable.
To the north, there are more scenic villages and coasts. You can stop in Freeport and stock up on boots, jeans and sweaters at L.L. Bean, or you can continue on to beautiful Bar Harbor, next to Acadia National Park. While there, hike up Cadillac Mountain and enjoy breathtaking views of the coast. The hike will also help burn off the calories from the abundance of good food.
No matter what we did in Maine, we noted some common elements: There are few franchise operations, reflecting a bygone era when character-lacking “cookie-cutter” large restaurant and hotel corporations hadn’t nudged unique mom-and-pop operations out of business (how do we get those small, family-owned businesses back in Tennessee?). The state area is incredibly clean and neat with almost no trash, dilapidated buildings or unsightly lots; homes are mostly small but tastefully decorated and well-maintained to blend in with the rustic maritime environment; there are lots of green spaces and outdoor activities (in winter, the thousands of hiking trails and country lanes become snowmobile trails); the locals are friendly and helpful, character traits Southerners respect.
Go, and I assure you, you will Maine-ly have a good time.