Maine is the northeasternmost state in the contiguous United States — a place of extraordinary natural beauty, deep maritime heritage, and a culture shaped by the sea, the forest, and the long cold winters that define life here. With a population of just 1.3 million spread across an area larger than all the other New England states combined, Maine offers a quality of solitude and wildness that is increasingly rare on the eastern seaboard.
Geography
Maine’s coastline stretches 3,500 miles when every cove, inlet, and island is counted — more than the entire Atlantic seaboard from Maine to Florida. The coast ranges from the sandy beaches of York County in the south to the bold, rocky headlands of Washington County’s Bold Coast in the far northeast. Inland, the terrain rises through the lake-studded hills of the midlands to the mountains of the west, culminating in Katahdin at 5,268 feet.
Culture & People
Mainers are known for their independence, their dry wit, and their deep attachment to the land and sea. The state has a strong tradition of fishing, farming, logging, and boat building that continues today alongside a growing creative economy centered in Portland and the midcoast. Maine has long attracted artists, writers, and intellectuals drawn by the light, the landscape, and a pace of life that still allows for deep work and deep thinking.
Getting to Maine
Portland International Jetport and Bangor International Airport serve the state with connections to major hubs. By car, Maine is 2 hours from Boston on I-95. Amtrak’s Downeaster connects Portland to Boston’s North Station with multiple daily departures. Once in Maine, a car is essential for exploring beyond Portland and the major coastal towns.