7 Reasons Why Maine Summers Are The Best

Sure Maine has some long, cold winters. But our summers have some weather so absolutely perfect, they can make California look like England.

1. Ice Cream

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Maine summers were almost made for ice cream. Every small town has at least 2 legendary ice cream shacks. What they have in common is their long list of amazing ice cream concoctions. And any good ice cream shack in Maine serves only Gifford’s Ice cream (their vanilla will straight up blow your freakin' mind). What kind of ice cream treat do we do best? It’s called a Nor'easter. These bad boys are so thick, you’ll be given a spoon-straw. Yup that’s right, a spoon that is also a straw. Nor'easter's are mixed with any kind of candy you like. I prefer good old Cookie’s and cream. Oh, and don’t forget about Milkshakes. None of this, luke-cold, milky crap you get in NYC. We are talking thick as a brick. Best of all we specialize in COFFEE MILKSHAKES. Sorry, good bye, that would be my death row desert. Thanks.

2. The Parties

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Mainers know how to party. They know how to drink, and they certainly know how to do a bunch of stupid shit. Parties with campfires so big they'll make you nervous. Outdoor rock shows, just because. Skinny dipping in your friend’s pool. We have it all. Parties in the woods at “spots” that have names like: “Drunken Slut” and “Devils Den.” So yea, you can imagine.

3. Our Lakes

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Oceans, yea they're great, we have them too. But our lakes are what will take your breath away. Lake’s are plentiful in Maine, almost everyone lives 15 minutes’ drive away from their local watering hole. These lakes are surrounded by beautiful tall pine trees. Loons can be seen diving and calling all day and night, giving an eerie yet ancient beauty to the whole place. Best of all, our lakes during the summer are small enough to heat up during the day, and when the temperate in the air drops after the sun goes down, the lakes are still warm. You can dive in under a huge night sky, watch the milkway above and feel like you’re in a giant hot tub.

4. Hot Dogs

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Sorry, New York and Chicago. Maine is the secret winner here. Why? Because we have Red Hot dogs, aka "Red Snappers". Yes these hot dogs are actually bright red. They are thin and long, and when they are cooked on the grill they pop and sizzle in your mouth with the tastiest “meat” filling that will almost make you ashamed of Nathan’s hot dogs. Oh, and we grill our buns lightly buttered. Add relish, sweet onions and ketchup, and you have the perfect Maine summer dog.

5. The Mountain Hikes

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Maine is fantastic for a good old hike up the mountain. We don’t have very large mountains compared to the rest of the U.S. But they are tall enough for a 4 hour hike to the peak. The views are incredible and you can see all the way to Canada on one side, and New Hampshire on the other. Not to mention the incredible fresh blueberries you can pluck and snack on all the way up. Best of all, there is hardly anyone else on the mountain besides you. You can sometimes feel like you’re the only person left on Earth up there.

6. The Seafood

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Between Portland Maine’s famous Harbor Fish Market, to the wonderful restaurants on Diamond Island, and the town of Bar Harbor, Maine has some of the freshest seafood available in the U.S. Plus, when you see the market price of a Lobster in Maine in mid July, you’ll drop your jaw so hard you’ll have to pick it up off the floor. How about a fresh wild lobster for $4 a pop? Yup. It’s real. Oh and one more thing: Beacon. Wrapped. Scallops.

7. The Weather

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Dear god. This weather? 89 degree days, no humidity? Clear skies with a cool breeze constantly everyday? Yes really. Best of all at night the temperature dips down to a cool 60 degrees. This gives you the kind of nights where you can wear shots and a sweater and sit by a nice roaring campfire.

8. PIE

Raspberry Rhubarb Pie with vanilla ice-cream. Next. Level.

One thing we should caution you on about summers in Maine. The bugs. We have not only bigger and more Mosquitoes then you've ever experienced, but we have another critter that makes Mosquitoes look like butterflies: The Black Fly. These tiny suckers travel by the hundreds and will get everywhere to suck on your blood. Ears, eyes, fingers. Nothing is safe. And the bites they leave behind. Dear god, have mercy! Oh there will be ITCHING.