Travel Spotting: 5 things to do in Maine

Maine has a very specific New England vibe that is unlike any other place I have ever visited. The days are overcast and cool, while the nights are quiet and relaxing. The water is clear and filled with lobster traps, and everything comes with a side of chowder (I still have no idea WTF chowder even is). I remember sitting by the water on my first day there and just listening to the wind whistle through the trees, and thinking about how far removed it was from my normal life in New York City. So I put together this little list of a few things you should do to get the Maine experience.

1. Eat the Lobster. I don’t typically eat seafood unless I am well plied with liquor and feeling daring, but I admit that I knocked back a few vodka tonics and tried a crustacean or two. Unsurprisingly is isn’t that bad, although I can’t say that I agree with boiling them alive in salt water.

2. Go to Sebago National Park. I am kind of an outdoorsy gay, so oceanfront rock climbing was pretty high on my list of things to do. The best part about this was watching the waves overtake the rocks and seeing how close I could get without being swept away. There were also driftwood covered beaches, swimming areas (but it was too cold) and some breathtaking views.

3. Visit BoothBay Harbor and get coffee at the Moosehead Coffee Shop. Second only to their preoccupation with Lobster, Maine is also all about Moose. BoothBay Harbor is an idyllic Maine town which struck me as the perfect place to be murdered because everything was so beautiful and quiet. The Moosehead Coffee Shop was a rustic little place with one of those old wood stoves, and even though I don’t drink coffee I figured if I was going to meet any other gays a coffee shop was the right place to be.

4. Visit the LL Bean Outlet in Freeport. I have never seen so many white people in one place in my entire life. The LL Bean outlet is about the size of Lower Manhattan, with different locations for Biking, Canoeing, and Apparel. We literally got lost amongst all the camouflage and found it hilarious that you had to walk past the guns, firearms, and bow and arrows to get to the bathrooms (an excellent shoplifting deterrent).

5. Bring mosquito repellent. Second only to the white folks in LL Bean were the numerous mosquitos. I am from Florida originally but have still never encountered such an overt attack by legions of mosquitos. Luckily the owners of the cottage where we stayed were prepared with electrified tennis rackets. We made a game of killing as many mosquitos as we could but still ended up looking like plague victims.

I left Maine with a sense that I truly understood what it was all about–which is my goal when visiting any new place. So go visit if you have the time and inclination. If not, here are some photos to help paint a more accurate picture.

Editor Note: TLS writer Gary on the verge of drowning in Maine