May 15, 2018
On my 50 state journey I visited Kittery, Maine located right across the border from New Hampshire. I put my foot on the ground, breathed the fresh Maine air, and saw a lighthouse. Surely I ate lobster in Maine, but I can’t remember. This is enough of a reason for me to go back to Maine! Our members have shared many, many reasons to see more of what Maine has to offer.
Before we get to the reasons, let’s clear up a couple things first. Many think Maine is the most northern and the most eastern states in the United States, besides Alaska. That is the way it looks on most maps. Believe it or not Maine is not the most northern at all, Washington, Idaho, Montana, North Dakota, and Minnesota all extend farther north. Flat maps vs. true longitudes and latitudes. Maine is, however, the most eastern state. A plaque designates this at West Quoddy Head Lighthouse, pictured above, while overlooking Sail Rock the most easternmost point.
Doesn’t the idea of driving up the coast of Maine on U.S. Route 1 sound great? It truly is as it has sandy beaches and picturesque boating towns but it isn’t like driving Highway 1 in California on which you are driving right up along the coast. Maine is full of tidal inlets making its coastline actually larger than California. Member Jeff Short described it as “meandering up and down the various peninsulas and finding one beautiful seascape after another and wonderful small towns.” And “This trip is one to be done at a slow pace and with a willingness to just explore.