One of my personal very favorite destinations. Acadia National Park, Ogunquit and the southern beach areas, Bar Harbor, Bangor and Orono...the list goes on. Feel a sense of peace and serenity in this state that I've rarely gotten elsewhere.

Maine provides an opportunity for each individual to know their elected officials, influence what happens in state & local government, and develop a feeling that you are well represented. Excellent scenery, a great four seasons, and inexpensive housing in other than seashore areas.

Maine is my neighbor.  I go there to buy blueberries although we can get them here in New Hampshire.  That's about all we can raise in this part of New England.

I was born and raised in Maine. I have travelled extensivly throughout the USA adnd still find myself drawn back Hom. I think thats the charm of this state. low crime rates beautiful scenery and Peace. I remember never having to lock the doors to our home, try that in New York or Boston or even Atlanta. Awesome coastal scenery can't be found anywhere else.

I personally traveled to Maine for 'nothing', if that makes any sense. Nothing in the sense where I was looking for wide open spaces, clean air, and a real vacation without a big themepark, parade, or huge city crowded with ugly and rude people. I stayed in the Portland area. Portland was ok, but the Old Port, which was just walking dictance (from my 'Inn' atleast) was very nice. Plenty of shops, and every moment was a Kodak moment with it's beautiful New England feel, and striking scenery from the port itself. Some pretty good restaurants along this way, and not to mention the musicians playing in the city for tips. Lots of Art, and nice humble people make Maine a nice vacation destination for those truly seeking time-off

I am also from the south, but that didn't stop me from falling in love with this beautiful state. The temperatures there were quite warm while we visited, reaching the 90s for two days, but there was always a nice breeze when I was by the harbor or the beach. The people up there (for the most part) were a lot more openminded and down-to-earth than those in the superficial city that I am from. Plus, the people who live up there seem a lot happier than those in Atlanta. Traffic was not much of an issue except in cities like Freeport and Portland, but it was still lighter than that of metro Atlanta.
The seafood was excellent, and the scenery was gorgeous. And who needs billboards, anyways? A must-visit.

This state has all the negatives and none of the(very few) positives of it's New England neighbors.


The weather is horrible, the people are borderline retarded, you really have to be a loser, hillbilly, recluse to love this dump.

In fact all of New England sucks.....

This state has all the negatives and none of the(very few) positives of it's New England neighbors.


The weather is horrible, the people are borderline retarded, you really have to be a loser, hillbilly, recluse to love this dump.

In fact all of New England sucks.....

I was vacationing in a cabin in Northern Maine once and I looked up at the night sky. You could see EVERY STAR! I almost lost my balance and fell over! Maine is a good place to simply kick back and relax, and get some excellent seafood. You will not find stress in Bangor; everythings a little slower up there. Great place for hunting and fishing and getting some fresh air..if thats what your into.

this state has to go just like massadump, not one person as gone past the fifth grade, everyone has missing teeth, dirt poor, nothing to do, freezing cold, just plain awful, send this one up to Canada.

I grew up in Maine and have since moved away, but I still go back to visit as often as I can. Portland could be one of the best places to live if only there were more opportunity there (I moved away because I didn't want to spend the rest of my life waiting tables), but the people are the nicest anywhere, it's one of the most beautiful places in the country and you can't beat the fresh seafood. It's liberal politically (most the republicans I know there are pro-choice and pro-gay marriage) and Portland has a great art scene. Yes, winters are rough, but if you know how to ski it makes them infinitely more tolerable. It's also one of the few states to ban advertising billboards on the highways which makes driving much more pleasant.

I have visited Maine several times, and with every visit find it to be more beautiful, charming, relaxing, friendly, and interesting than before. Locals are very accepting of travelers, including the ones like myself, who by the way, ARE from the south. My husband and I have always been treated with respect, and with invitations to return anytime. Whether this is the nature of the people or their response to our actions - polite, friendly, generous tippers as opposed to Mr. Cobb's assessment below is of no consequence. We truly love everything about this wonderful state -the scenery, the coast, the food, the people, and the break from the South's oppressive summertime heat.

In all the northeast winter freezedie states, Maine definetly has the most going for it. Very beautiful and nicely rural. People are rumoured xenophobes but I found all very friendly. But to be honest I'd take the Northwest over it if not for Maines friendly inhabitants.

Awesome beaches and scenic beauty all over the state. Wish I could live there...

i drove up here from my state (trashachutsetts) and it was cold, boring, and nothing to do. wow, a pine tree...you gotta show me more than that. if you arent a winter person like myself, there is absolutely nothin to do here. the people here are stuffy at best. who cares about the gay sports teams?? is that all there is to do is sit around and watch sports all day or look at a pine tree?? give me a break.. maine = no palm trees, no white sand, bad marijuana with tons of seeds, women are uptight (just like trashachutsetts), and its cold

I love Maine and would like nothing better than to give it five stars. Portland and Acadia National Park gave me some of my best memories ever. That being said, the winters are brutal and the fact is more and more people just don't want to put up with them. The country has been moving south and west for over a half century and will continue to do so. This trend is aided and abetted by retro hard left blue state politics. Maine is doing its part by attempting to tax one of its most successful companies, Poland Springs out of business. Jobs are hard enough to come by in Maine but dogma must trump all.

Cold, nothing to do. Full of regressive people. Not enough influence on the Bible and not enough churches. Needs more Southern values for me to even consider this cold country.

It looks extremely beautiful and there seems to be a lot of good wildlife there. But the cold winters don't seem that good. But what makes this place a bit more special is I have friends there. I would love to visit this place, but I don't know if I want to love there. It seems a bit too small for my liking. It is almost compared with Tasmania in Australia. Tasmania is a small island full of forest and beautiful landscape, and Hobart (it's capital city) is very small. Tasmania is also a cold place.

They sure make it look nice on "Murder, She Wrote."

As a former exchange student from Switzerland to Orono, Me, I must say that i was a little worried about going there at the beginning. When i experienced the beautiful landscape and the lovely people there, i changed my mind... Maine is just so awesome! i loved the Acadia National Park and Baxter State Park! Mound Kathadin is one of the most beautiful mountains Ive ever been to (I know them all from Switzerland....). As to the people, they are a little slow and they do havde a funny accent (not all of them), but their hospitality couldnt be bigger.... Everyone out there, visit the most beautiful state..... the lobster state, Maine!!!

This is a very nice state with lots of nice people.

The Maine coast is stunning- with Portland being a fine small city with much art and culture for resident and visitor alike. There are many other charming small towns and villages that offer peace and solitude as well. At mid coast there is the National Park (Acadia) Inland Maine offers vast forests for hunting and camping.

Maine is a nice state. Very scenic rocky Atlantic shorline dotted with lighthouses and quaint seaside New England towns. Portland is a nice city with an old colonial feeling downtown with a handful of bistros, pubs, and shops but there really aint much to do there. Acadia National Park is gorgeous. The further north you go in Maine the nicer it gets. Southern Maine is nice but it is becoming way too crowded in the summer and traffic piles up on Route 1 very frequently, especially in Ogunquit. It seems this area is taking in the overflow from New Hampshire for sprawl and development with extended bedroom communities coming up from Boston and soaring real estate prices. Sugarloaf is the best ski area in New England hands down. Also the lakes and forests in the northern half of the state are a great place for recreation, peace, and solitude.

Gotta give credit to the blue state. Great environment for a summer vacation resort. ... Hey dudn't George Bush 41 vacation in Maine?

Maine is at the top of this list for many reasons- a beautiful envirionment that has and is being preserved, quality achools and services offered to its citizens, an idealic coastline, great recreational outlets, low crime and one word PEACE.

I have lived in the state of Maine for 22 years. I moved here when I was ten and vowed to move back to MA when I was 18. I didn't. I would like to address the comment by Amy55rose. If you don't think Maine has very many sights to see, you have not left your hotel room. There is something for everyone here. The north (the county) is filled with farmland, starry skies and forests where you can find bear, mountain lions, deer, etc. Inland is filled with forests and mountains and farmland. Up and down the coast is the most beautiful part of the United States I have yet to see. For unspoiled, low-populated coastline, again, head north. Stay along the southern coastline for the more touristy spots. Midway up the coast of Maine (ironically called Midcoast Maine) is an up and coming coastal town--Rockland. What was once a wasteland for going out of business sales is now a hip little city with wine bars, phenomenal restaurants, and upscale boutiques and galleries. It's a small community where everyone knows everyone, and everyone cares about their city and cares about making it a more beautiful place. And since it's on the ocean, there's plenty of sailing and fishing. Another great spot is Portland. In my opinion it is one of the greatest small cities in the country. It is small in population (about 70,000), but big on culture (a HUGE arts district, theater, outdoor concerts in the square, semi-pro sports teams) and has some of the most amazing restaurants I have eaten in. The small shops and boutiques are among the best I've shopped in. And Portland, too, is on the coast. A great city on the OCEAN! Take a ferry to one of the islands on Casco Bay (just off Portland) and have lunch at one of the seasonal restaurants or pack a picnic to take with you (try Great Diamond Island or Peaks Island). In the southern part of Maine you'll find some of the best beaches. Big beachy/touristy areas are Old Orchard Beach (a bit on the cheesy side but great for the kids with their huge amusement park), Scarborough, Kennebunkport (beautiful--a must see), and York. The summers in Maine are fantastic, the falls are beautiful and rich in color, the springs are a little muddy (it's called mud season up here) and the winters are brutal (but beautiful). If you are planning a visit, plan to have or rent a car to take in as much as you can. If you can't get access to a car, pick Portland as your location and really dig in and discover the beauty the city has to offer.

Maine is a very nice place to raise a family, retire or get away from the rat race. The coastal areas are especially nice- with sea breezes and idealic towns. Lots of woods, pretty beach side resorts (to mid coast) And the famous rocky coast in down east Maine. Pro envirionment, ANTI corporate and pro people.

Nice state- with really two regions- the progressive better heeled south, and the less sophisticated and poorer north. Southern Maine is a great place to live- with some great towns and small cities. Low crime rate and few traffic problems make it an ideal place to retire or raise a family- close to Boston (less then 2 hours) Great arts and shopping, beach's and resorts. The central coast has great and historic towns like Bath and Ellsworth- close to the rugged coastline and national parks. Coastal Maine also has a milder climate then areas inland. Northern Maine is very remote with few towns and is mostly forest and lakes. A great place for campers and hunters.

I found it to be a redneck state, the only one up north like this. Seem to hate Canadians (French more so). I worked fishing boats and they never were too nice with any outsiders (99% of us). I take any other NE state or Canada. LL bean is OK though.

Very restful and beautiful state to visit, very decent place to live. Clean, quiet, underdeveloped (especially up north), close to the Maritime provinces, low crime rate, affordable cost of living, low keyed and progessive people living there. The topography is stunning. Close enough to Boston, one of the best U.S. cities, in the event you get the smalltown heebee geebees. Several very good colleges there. Weather can be daunting in Winter, however, and making a decent living might be an issue. I imagine this is one of the best locations for retirement.

I would think that it would be really cool to see maine in all four seasons. I think that Winter, Spring, Summer and Fall would all be great times to visit Miane. In many many years when i am old and retire, and i felt like a change in life, i would consider maine

Great place to live- especially if one is seeking peace and a less hectic life from the rat race. Portland and vicinity in southern Maine has over 100,000 people- so it has many ammentities that large cities have- plus ample arts, music and fine dining. All at a slower pace of life compared to the rest of the northeast Bath on the mid coast is a wonderful place to live and retire. Coastal Maine has winter conditions that are milder then many expect. Summer are very nice- with little or no air pollution that can plague regions to the south on the eastern seaboard. If you seek a peaceful retreat, with a liberal thinking populace, that treasures people, new ideas and the envirionment- live in Maine!

Great state..Nice people. Cool accents, lots of woods, mountains, lakes..homey type environment. This has always been one of my favorite states to visit. I don't get why a couple people gave the states bad ratings because of a mostly white population..Did they ever think that it's mostly white because minorities don't like it there? Maybe it's too cold for them, I don't know. Maybe thats why the majority of minorities live in the south and SW. Whatever. people seem so anti white now adays. lol

No doubt about it - Mainerates very high for unspoiled scenic beauty. It's almost a waste to designate some areas natural parks, given the basically unspoiled status of most of the state. I've been to Maine a few times (too many years ago), but it was always fun to go there. I worked on a construction project in Portland in the 1960s (before its urban renewal, which turned out nicely), and when the workday was over, there wasn't much to do. For fun, we'd go out to a local landfill in the evening and shoot at rats scrambling around in the trash. It's a nice place to visit and, if you prize the totally quiet, solitary, contemplative life, I guess Maine would fit the bill very nicely.

Maine, Vermont, and New Hampshire are very similar New England States. They are scarcely populated except for a few small cities. They do however fill up in their respective tourist seasons. People go to New England to get away from it all; these states are all peaceful. The locals are generally friendly in all 3 states, crime is low, the population is predominately white, and the taxes are on the low side. Since they don't have any large cities, these states really don't serve much importance to the rest of the country besides a weekend getaway. Nice weather in the summer, great for camping and the beach, and the snowy winter season provides for some great skiing and snowboarding. Again, great to visit but if you are a city person you'll be bored to death if you live in these states year round.

A little dull but very beautiful in terms of nature. The inland areas close to the border between Quebec and Maine have some very beautiful mountains and the entire coastline is very nice as well. Some of the best coastal scenery in the country.

Maine is a quiet, beautiful state that seems to be unspoiled. Hopefully it can always stay that way. NOTE: I think it is really ridiculous that some of the reviewers on this website have judged the state of Maine based purely on how many white people live there...if that isn't racist, I don't know what is ! While I think it would be awesome if every state had an equal amount of every color of people, sometimes things don't work out that way, and it doesn't always mean it is because the people in that state are racist. Those remarks are just totally redundant and ignorant..give me a break ! There is absolutely nothing wrong with white people, black people, brown people, or even purple people..give it a rest...

This is a state I have always dreamed of visiting. Perhaps it just seems exotic to me since I am a Southern gal.

Born and raised, great place to go for some fresh air and starry nights

Probably America's best state. Definitely the nicest east of the Mississippi. The only problems are the toll roads and the fact that the population is like 99%white.

I really like Maine because of its calm climate in the summer. There weren't many sights though, it would be a good place to retire.

Old fishing villages, sea breezes, lighthouses, home of Stephen King and the Collins family of Dark Shadows fame - what's not to like? Seriously, I have never been to Maine but I am very intrigued by this very woodsy northeastern state by the sea. It just has a kind of romantic old charm that has been calling me for a long time. I hope to take a trip there soon.

My wife and I traveled here and stayed in Wells, on the southern coast. A very pretty state; unfortunately, it's gotten very tourist-y, esp. along U.S. Highway 1 along the coast. I prefer the northern part, up in Aroostook County and the Madawaska River Valley-Fort Kent-Edmundston, N.B. area, where it's much more rustic and Acadian. Nevertheless, a beautiful state and one that I would recommend to anyone visiting New England. Eric the Federalist was right: it IS a very white state. One of the most homogenous in the Union.

Only white people here. :-(

Maine is a nice little state to visit, and there are some things that you can fins here. Some great shopping. Lots of warm, small little shoppies selling homemade candies and candles. Not too many amusement spots here, but some really nice parks. The food is another situation. You won't find too many McDoanlds out here, but lots of homestyle cooking places like Cracker Barrel.

two lights, baa haabaa, lobster, boats, mountains, acadia national park, fog, the ocean, everything!! maine is a wonderful place!!

Maine is certainly one of the best states in the union. I loved it so much I moved here! Think Seattle 25 years ago before they were overrun with people. Portland retains it's old port beauty with it's turn of the century brick buildings and cobble stone streets. Living in Portland affords you all the ammenities of city living with the ocean and mountains all around and Boston is only 1 1/2 hours away. A great place to raise a family!

A very cool state - especially in the summer. It's rocky, rugged coastline with its quaint little towns are definitely worth a trip.

Maine is a very versitile state and is a miniture New York, especially Portland which is deffinetly a small NYC. by far a great state.

all in all one of the most overlooked treasures in the states. the sail from rockport to camden is short but lovely. bar harbor is, by far, one of the most beautiful places i've seen in the world! i have many romantic and fond memories of maine.