Quite often, the states of this great country have very corny and inaccurate slogans, or slogans that are just lazy.
“Pure Michigan.” “I Love New York.” “Vermont, Naturally.” “Find Your Alaska.”
What?
After my honeymoon in Maine last week, I discovered there is at least one state that has a tourism motto that lives up to the immense expectations it sets.
The first time I saw a sign that said, “They Way Life Should Be” I thought, “Well, we'll see.” It wasn't that long into my stay before I wholeheartedly agreed.
My wife and I stayed in the Kennebunk/Kennebunkport area and just let life come to us while we were there. Bike rides up and down the coast, great seafood, amazing blueberries (which I was completely unaware of before the trip), awesome tourist attractions, fall colors, perfect weather – it couldn't have been a better trip.
I will be thinking about my lobster roll and blueberry pie from Mabel's Lobster Claw for a long time, and, regardless of your politics, it was cool to check out Walkers Point. The Bush family is very involved in the community during their summer stays, and the locals made it well known how much they miss George H.W. and Barbara.
I actually met a lady whose husband delivered newspapers for the 41st president in his youth. As someone who works in newspapers, it was cool to hear how the young boy (named Michael) would get buzzed into the Bush compound and ride his bike to the end of Walkers Point where the main house on the property resides. He would be met at the door by an up-and-at-em H.W. who would always greet the paperboy with a, “Hello, Michael. How's the newspaper business treating you?”
Taking a lobster boat tour and learning about the industry was a highlight, and a windy sailboat ride with sharp turns that put me at a 45-degree angle to the ocean water while holding tightly onto the handle was a very immersive experience. If I didn't have any respect for sailors before, I surely do now!
Maybe I'm just a contrarian, but the whole “tropical all-inclusive resort” type of honeymoon doesn't do anything for me. I like adventure, and quite honestly, it creeps me out that those countries' governments do everything they can to attract high spending Americans/Europeans while it's a third-world country with people begging for food outside of the walls of the little resort paradise. Bad vibes, and to be frank, not something I support.
So, since Maine is beautiful in the fall and I'd heard all about the lobster rolls and opportunities for adventure along the coast, Morgan and I thought it'd be the perfect trip. Lucky for us it was exactly that.
We even ran into a guy from Iowa City, talked to a couple whose son went to Iowa State and sat next to a lady from Kansas City on a boat. The Midwest won't let me go!
If you ever get the chance, make a trip to Maine and experience the way life should be. I personally had never even thought much about Maine – it was just one of those 50 states that wasn't really on my radar. Now, it's a place I'll never forget.
