Maine's motto -- "The Way Life Should Be" -- captures something real about this vast New England state. Ninety percent forest, over five thousand miles of coastline, and a culture that values independence and self-reliance above all else.
The coast draws the most visitors. Portland is the state's cultural hub, with a thriving food scene and a walkable Old Port district. Further up the coast, Bar Harbor serves as the gateway to Acadia National Park, the first national park east of the Mississippi. Kennebunkport, Boothbay Harbor, and Rockland each offer their own take on the classic Maine coastal town -- fishing harbors, lobster shacks, and rocky shoreline.
Inland, the character changes. Augusta, the state capital, sits on the Kennebec River. Brunswick is a Bowdoin College town with museums, old houses, and easy Midcoast access. Bangor was once the lumber capital of the world and claims to be the true birthplace of Paul Bunyan. The Belgrade Lakes region is a popular summer retreat, and Katahdin -- the state's highest peak and the northern terminus of the Appalachian Trail -- anchors the vast wilderness of Baxter State Park.
Maine thrives on tourism and knows it. Summers bring visitors from around the world for the scenery, the lobster, and the Atlantic coast. But the state is big enough that solitude is always within reach -- especially once you head north of Bangor into the Great North Woods.
