Ahhhh summers in Maine! Being born and raised there, it always feels great to get a chance to go back “home”, visit my parents, and enjoy some of the great things the state has to offer. Although summer in Maine really only lasts for about 10 weeks, Hannah and I always try to make at least one trip back a year during that stretch. Don’t get me wrong, Maine is a great state year-round, but the winter brings a whole different set of challenges when trying to fly in and out of little Bangor International Airport. Hannah and I have a running joke every time we travel back for the holidays that we plan to have a delay or cancellation in our flights since generally you’ll have only one shot at making your connecting flight back to Indianapolis, and any sort of weather on the northern east coast will throw a wrench into those plans.

Travel difficulties aside, we always have a blast once we are there. The most recent trip was no exception, and we wanted to highlight a couple of spots we enjoy that may be slightly off the beaten path of normal touristy stops.

The first is an amazing hike just outside of the coastal town of Camden. The town itself is your quintessential Down East fishing town, ramped up a notch by a steady flow of tourist money in the summer. There are so many amazing photos to be had, and we highly recommend taking some time to walk around downtown and grab a lobster roll while sitting on one of the waterfront restaurant decks to watch the boats come in and out. Once you feel up to the hike, drive up north just a mile or two to Camden Hills State Park, grab a trail map, and find the path up to the top of Mt. Megunticook. The hike is what I would call moderate, with a couple steeper sections. The trails are easy to navigate, well-hiked, and in most steep places have stairs built in to help with the ascent. The hike itself is enjoyable, but the real treat is at the top of the mountain where you’ll find wide granite ledges that provide unbelievable views of Camden, the ocean, and the islands dotted along the coast. It really is well worth the hike and a perfect spot for pictures and a picnic. We love it and definitely plan on hiking it again someday with our future kids!

Our next spot we love to visit every time we are in Maine in the summers is Thurston’s lobster pound. It’s located on Mount Desert Island, the same island that is home to the major tourist destinations of Acadia National Park and Bar Harbor. The thing we love about this place is that it sits on the opposite side of the island from the park and the heavy tourist areas. It’s a bit of a bear to find, but that is half the fun! Once there, you’ll have some of the freshest lobster possible while sitting on a pier over the bay, surrounded by lobster boats. We love the vibe here as it truly is an authentic fishing village, and it immerses you in true “Maine”, away from the tourist traps and more glitzy areas.

Finally, we love visiting my parent’s camp on Schoodic Lake. One of the differences in lingo from Maine to Indiana is that what a Hoosier would refer to as a lake house is called a camp in Maine. Hannah was very confused (and a little worried) when I told her we were going to be heading to camp to spend the night in the Maine woods, ha ha! The point I’m after here is that I recommend trying to get a chance to visit any of the great Maine lakes, and get away from the coast if you get burnt out on all the ocean-themed activities. The inland areas of the state offer such beautiful and clean lakes, fresh air, and some much-needed peace and quiet. If you end up renting a “camp” for the night, you’ll see more stars than you knew existed on a clear night!

That about wraps up our quick three tips of places to check out while in Maine if you happen to be in the areas of any of them. We hope you enjoy them as much as we do, and will be sure to update our list if we find any other great spots. Also be sure to reach out to us if you have any other Maine related questions. We aren’t experts, but love to help out if we can!