There are few places on the East Coast where you can hike a mountain and, with a turn of your head, shift your eyes from terra firma to a sparkling sea and enchanted islands below. Welcome, friends, to MidCoast and Islands, Maine. If you fall in love at first sight with this coastal Maine region,… Read more »

Sometimes nature just likes to show off. How else can you explain Maine’s Lakes and Mountains region? Here you’ll find pristine lakes and majestic mountains in perfect harmony. Just an hour from Portland (think of it as the ultimate base camp), this four-season, family-friendly area can be as action-packed or serenity-filled as you desire. Many… Read more »

Think of your first memories of the beach. The warm sand beneath your feet. The sea breeze against your face. The sounds of people having about as much fun as people can have. And there you were, with the thrilling feeling that at that moment, on that beach, everything was possible. Does it seem like… Read more »

Rivers have been the lifeblood of humankind since time immemorial. The folks who represent humankind these days in Maine don’t go back quite that far. But there’s one river in Maine that flows quite naturally into the lifeblood category. The Kennebec River, all 170 magical miles of it, rising from Moosehead Lake and cascading –… Read more »

Okay, first things first. It’s not a contest. America has two Portlands. And they’re both cool places. Lately though it seems some media types have suggested that our coolness has increased. To the point they’re suggesting maybe we should be called “The New Portland.” That’s not going to happen. Not that we don’t appreciate the… Read more »

Aroostook. The name comes from a Native American word meaning “beautiful river.” So clearly, Aroostook is a river. It’s also a valley. A county. And, it might surprise you, a state. But not a state like the other fifty. Because more than anything else, Aroostook creates a state of mind, unique to each visitor. That’s… Read more »

Everybody knows North, South, East and West. But you have to know something about Maine to know “DownEast.” Back in the day, “DownEast” described the direction sailing ships traveled to get here from New York and Boston. That is, downwind and to the east. Over time, DownEast also came to represent the rich maritime history… Read more »

When legendary painter and native son, Marsden Hartley, first viewed Mount Katahdin, he described it as “exceeding all my expectations so far that I am sort of helpless with words.” Good thing he brought along the paint and brushes. As Maine’s highest peak, Katahdin has attracted artists, adventurers and lovers of the natural world for… Read more »