Reasons why I want to move to Maine…

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Maybe the title of this post should really be ‘reasons why I want to visit Maine’. It is a state which I have never visited, but it has caught my imagination and I have a dream of living in Maine…. Oh yes, The Pine Tree State is where my mind wanders when I should be doing other things, like paperwork and chores.

The natural beauty and scenery of Maine is spectacular. The landscape varies, from mountains to rocky cliffs to wilderness to beaches. And Maine hosts 281 miles of the Appalachian trail. The northern terminus of the trail is Katahdin: the highest mountain in the state of Maine. The mountain was named by the Penobscot Indians and its name means ‘The Greatest Mountain’.

There are thirty-two state parks in Maine and one of these is Acadia National Park:

Acadia Park, Maine (public domain image)

Public domain image: A Look Through The Trees by Shari Weinsheimer.

Maine is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean and water is a prominent feature in the landscape of the state — shipbuilding was an important part of the state’s economy in centuries past. There are many pretty harbours scattered around the coast as well as the iconic lighthouses which a lot of people associate with Maine.

Camden Harbor, Maine (image copyright Back Road Journal)

Photo © Karen at Back Road Journal.

I love the traditional white clapboard houses with windows looking out on the ocean.

Old clapboard house (public domain image)

Public domain image: Old House by David Wagner

And the beautiful lakes:

Long Lake, Maine – image copyright Back Road Journal

Photo © Karen at Back Road Journal.

Maine is also home to lots of wildlife and native species. Moose is the state animal:

A female moose (public domain image)

Public domain image: Female Moose by Charles Rondeau.

As well as moose, Maine is the residence of much cuter animals:

Chipmunk (image copyright Back Road Journal)

Photo © Karen at Back Road Journal.

And the state bird is the pretty songbird, the Black-capped Chickadee.

Maine’s state bird: Black-capped Chickadee (public domain image)

Public domain image from: Black-Capped Chickadee by John Witherspoon.

Chipmunks and chickadees, black bear, beaver, coyotes, lynx, seals, puffins, whitetail deer, moose… Maine is filled with nature and beauty.

The state is diverse and that appeals to me. There are quaint little towns which have a quintessentially New England flavor and then there are state parks which are rugged, wild and perfect for hiking.

“In Maine
we are glad to be part of a land
that remains so beautiful under its green skin
of woods and open fields, that is glitteringly
bordered by thousands of miles
of breaking waves, and that is lovely,
too, with an unbroken tradition
of concerns, with the kind, enduring grace
of its neighborliness.”

(Excerpt from Neighborliness by Kate Barnes. Source: Poets of Maine).

It is a very special place and I long to visit. In the mean time, I will dream.

With thanks to Karen from the wonderful blog, Back Road Journal, for giving me permission to use her photographs of Maine in this post.

39 thoughts on “Reasons why I want to move to Maine…”

  1. I think your post has captured the wonderful aspects of the state. We love our summers and falls in Maine as there is so much to see and do. I hope you will get to Maine someday and enjoy it for yourself. Thank you for mentioning my blog and asking for permission to use my photographs. Well done.

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  2. I love the lake sunrise shot. I actually went to Maine this past May, and it was gorgeous. My mom and I decided to have a spontaneous trip to Maine to look for sea glass, and it was lots of fun. Whenever you get the chance, visit Maine. Experiencing the natural beauty is even more surreal than photographs. 🙂

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  5. It puts a smile on my face when I hear positive things about Maine. I grew up in Maine (born in Louisiana due to the fact that my mom was Cajun). 🙂 My grandfather’s side of the family has a strong presence in Maine. Merele L Fogg who is my relative was the first aviator in the state of Maine. I believe one of my ancestors had a first grocery store in one town…something like that. My great-grandfather was a talented artist and would draw landscapes of Maine. My uncle is a lobsterman from Bar Harbor. I didn’t really appreciate Maine till I moved out, though.

    I hope you visit Maine sooner than later. 🙂 I told my husband we should visit Maine in the end of September to mid October next time around. It’s not so high season and you can appreciate what Maine has to offer (and it’s not so cold yet). My husband thought Portland was like a cute mini European city. My husband did so much diriving. I warned him that when Mainers say it’s down the road we mean within 40 miles. 😀

    I agree, the photography is amazing. I hope to see your photos of Maine one day. Cheers. 🙂

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    • Wow, it sounds like you have really interesting family history!

      It would be great to visit Maine when it isn’t too busy. When I go on vacation I prefer to seek out places where most tourists don’t go, so that I can get a real flavour of the place and not just the part that caters for the tourist trade.

      With regard to the driving/distance thing I’d probably fit in well in Maine; I’m no stranger to long drives to get to places.

      Thank you for your lovely comment. 🙂

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  7. You know when people ask you about a trip you just took and you say “It’s a nice place to visit, but I wouldn’t want to live there.”? Maine is the place that is nice to visit, but better to live there. Very Nice.

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    • I think living in Maine would be perfect for me. At the moment it isn’t possible (not to mention the fact that it’s too far from my family and I’d miss them like crazy) but maybe one day… Thanks for commenting.

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  8. You keep dreaming about Maine. That’s what I did and now am lucky enough to spend about half the year in this wonderful place.
    When I hop off the plane in Portland and see the sign WELCOME HOME, I know it’s where I should be.
    I’m so glad you dropped by and hope you will come again.

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  9. I have a great memory of visiting Maine as a kid with my mom and siblings. We stayed with these hippie friends of my mom and they boiled lobsters on the beach over a giant bonfire in pots covered with seaweed. That was the best lobster I’ve ever had. Good times 🙂

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  10. Do it! Seems like it’s in your Blood. Great place to Raise Kids and the School Systems are wonderful. I see people tend to say it’s hard to make a living here which is untrue for anyone who is ambitious. Both my wife and I have made a great living here. And of course you have the Coast – Camden, Pemiquid, Bar Harbor to name a few. The wildlife is a photographers dream (Great for myself being an artist) If you’re into Gems and Minerals, Maine is one of the best places for looking for Gemstones. Great Food, and you can leave your house unlocked without worries if you need to run into town. Summer Nights you can see all the Stars with no light pollution, Fire Flies fill the meadows and fields, and luna moths visiting your porch light. Oh, and really fresh air!!!!

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  11. Maine is beautiful; I’ve been there twice. The natural landscape is a nice blend of rustic and refined. I especially like Maine beaches – windswept and beautiful. Oh, and Portland is a really fun city!

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  12. I grew up in Maine and apart from traveling abroad for a year, it has always been my home. The winters can be tough, but summer and fall are perfect, in my opinion. If you need advice about where to eat, what to see, or anything else, feel free to ask!

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    • Yeah, I’ve heard about the bad winters but I don’t mind snow, as long as I have a good vehicle to drive. 🙂 Summer and fall sound like the best seasons to visit Maine. I’d love to be a ‘leaf-peeper’ and go see the beautiful colours in the fall. Thanks for commenting! 🙂

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  14. Of course I’m biased but…great post! I have lived in other parts of the country briefly and I do complain about the long cold winters here…but I have to say overall, there is no other place I’d rather live out my life than here. It’s home to me and always will be. I hope you get here someday!

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    • Thank you for the compliment! 🙂

      Cold winters are a pain but otherwise, everything about Maine appeals to me. And I guess there are worse things than being snowed-in for a few weeks!

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  17. Love this post–Maine is on my list of places to visit, too. I’m thinking especially of the Maine Lobster Festival!

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  18. I just found your blog and this post caught my eye 🙂 We left Maine for Colorado a little over a year ago, so I suppose I’ve done the opposite of many people dream of. Maine is a beautiful state and perhaps I had to leave to appreciate it. Although I would strongly recommend heading north of Portland, either for visiting or living. The southern region is more like a suburb of Boston than real Maine. But that’s where most people live, where the economy is the strongest (it’s where we had to live for my husband to have a good job).
    I hope you get to visit soon!

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    • Thank you for your lovely comment. Colorado is a spectacular state too! Thanks for the recommendation. I’ve browsed a few guidebooks and the area north of Portland, around Brunswick, Bath and Camden, looks lovely. I live in the UK but my goal is to move to the States and fulfill my dream career as a professor of Linguistics, ideally in Boston (somewhere with a good economy and close enough to Maine). 🙂

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  19. Maine is a lovely state, indeed!

    I grew up in the Pacific Northwest, and it reminds me of it a bit. My boyfriend lived in Portland for a while, and we went back for a wedding during summer. We stayed at a quaint little campground that had a community house of sorts and it seemed so very “Maine”. Checked curtains, camper signs, the whole bit. And that woodsy smell!

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