Five years ago we bought a house in Maine, and have spent the following years giving advice and recommendations to friends, relatives and co-workers on where to go and what to do in Maine. Because we make frequent trips to our place in Maine, many short in duration, we often find ourselves sampling the local fare and trying out new restaurants instead of cooking our own meals. We also have a passion for local beers, wines, and liquors (especially whiskey) so we try to make the rounds and find new places to sample.

So who exactly are “we”? My name is Joe and my wife’s name is Donna. We have two grown children, a son who is a biologist, and a daughter who is a pastry cook/chef. We also have two children of the furry variety (yorkshire terrier/poodle mix) whom I will often feature in pictures.

So what is my intention for this blog? I plan to use it as a place to point people when they ask me “I want to take a trip to Maine, where should I go? What should I do?” Another popular question is “what is the best way to get to Maine? Which way should I go?” Over the years we have experimented with many different routes getting to and from Maine. Most people assume taking the Mass turnpike is always the fastest route. This is far from the truth. If you’ve ever traveled the Pike on a holiday weekend you know this is true. Also, because we often take back roads and alternate routes, we often find quaint little towns and places that are off the highways in other states. I will try to provide a good log of these places.

Lastly, why Maine? Why do I go there? Why would I want to talk about it? Well for close to 50 years, I have been traveling to and vacationing in Maine. Initially I went with my parents and sisters, and then later with my own family. When I was about 8, my parents started taking summer vacations to Maine, typically going to a small place on Bailey Island (near Brunswick), but often stretching out and trying other locations. For those who may wonder why Maine? I will try to answer that question with both pictures and words.