Maine is America Off the Beaten Path

While most of the state remains as pristine as a primal forest, its villages offer a glimpse of contemporary New England life inextricably linked to the past. Maine’s seafaring, farming, and lumbering heritages are well preserved in museums, parks, and local traditions. Maine is a state of awesome natural beauty, with 5,500 miles of coastline, 32,000 miles of rivers and streams, nearly 6,000 lakes, and all the sports and recreation those numbers imply. Many of the best-known and largest cities and towns hug the coast; more than half the population lives in the narrow coastal strip between Augusta and the New Hampshire border, but if you’re interested in adventure vacations, be sure to head inland as well.