Questions about Maine

[RainMaker]

I live in Texas and always have.  My wife and I are thinking on where we want to retire. Maine came up today.  Those in Maine - give me the positives and negatives, please.

RainMaker

[_Sheffjs_]

Ask Old Fart on Florida board

[Oss]

+
LOBSTER (so I hear) is abundant
COLD WATER AT THE BEACH is invigorating  many rocky beaches to enjoy
"YOU CANT GET THERE FROM HERE"  ayah
COLD WINTERS with lots of snow
LARGE MOSQUITOS and biting flies
if you like boating its pretty cool
nice weather in the summer
seasons are summer, fall winter and mud season which is when the potholes bloom

[Patrick]

Well, I'm not from Maine. But, its a nice state, during the summer. I know many from Maine that spend the winters where we are in Florida.

[J.Mencalice]

Ultimate negative:  You'll freeze to death if you are a lifelong southerner.

[DirtyDan]

Great to visit

Maine was my first long Valkyrie ride (2002)

Get ready for COLD n SNOW

if that's a problem don't go

Dan

[Hook#3287]

You should post to the NE board, there's a few " Mainiacs" that hang out there.

Like said so far, winter can be brutal up that way.

Outside of the coast is mostly wooded landscape punctuated by logging roads with some lakes thrown in.

Beautiful coastline and back country.

My opinion is, out of all the NE states, Maine is the least nanny one.

[Andy Cote]

What are you looking for?

Scenery, oceans, lakes, mountains, farmland?  Excels at all.
Food, restaurants, organic/native, breweries, distilleries?  Yep, pretty good.
Traffic?  Some crappy spots, lots of rude drivers and some are not tourists.
Taxes?  Bad and probably getting worse after next election.
Housing?  Cheaper than Boston but prices going up, especially within 50 miles of Portland.
Welfare?  Very generous politicians.
Weather? Rare tornados, bitter cold lasts for a couple weeks, snow can be in feet or absent.
Recreation, bicycling, skiing, watersports, hiking, golf, hunting, fishing (fresh & salt water)?  Better than excellent.
Health care?  Runs from excellent to average and can be hours from where you live.
Museums, art galleries?  quite a few.

There are four Maines.  Southern urban Maine is like Boston wanna be.  Coastal from Bath to Downeast is all about the tourists and lobster but exceptional views and mostly quaint towns.  Mountains and Moosehead Lake area are about recreation and relaxation in all weather and seasons.  Northern Maine (a.k.a. The County in reference to Aroostock County) is summer quiet farmland and snowmobiling in the winter.

The state is big - not as big as Texas but still a day trip from one end to the other.

[Hooter]

If it turns into a serious consideration I suggest
you visit Maine especially in the winter if you think its one of your possibilities. Its a completely different environment than you are used to.

[John Schmidt]

The weather....ten months of winter and two months of poor sledding. Nice place to visit though, I was stationed in northern ME for a little over three years. Winters with -35 temps or lower aren't unusual, especially in the northern sections which are sparsely populated.

[JimmyG]

Main was beautiful to visit in summer   No global warming up there in winter???

[old2soon]

Moved furniture with a guy from Maine. He told me they had 2 seasons and 2 seasons ONLY. Those seasons are-winter and the 4th of July. RIDE SAFE.

[J.Mencalice]

There's an old adage about living in the northern half of Vermont, New Hampshire, or Maine.

When winter is over, begin cutting and stacking firewood to match the dimensions of your house.
When you are done, you will have enough to heat your home for next winter.

[northernvalk]

LOL, I thought Texas was a retirement destination ?!?!?! Lotta Canadians started buying there instead of Florida in the last few years.

[The emperor has no clothes]

LOL, I thought Texas was a retirement destination ?!?!?! Lotta Canadians started buying there instead of Florida in the last few years.

He is probably trying to get away from all them Canadians infiltrating Texas. 

[RainMaker]

LOL, I thought Texas was a retirement destination ?!?!?! Lotta Canadians started buying there instead of Florida in the last few years.

He is probably trying to get away from all them Canadians infiltrating Texas. 

Actually, trying to get away from all the Califonicators.

[RainMaker]

Thanks to all for the replies.  We appreciate the responses.

Mark

[Dennis from Blythe]

It was a great place to visit.
You can get Lobster everywhere,  even McDonald's  

[northernvalk]

Thanks to all for the replies.  We appreciate the responses.

Mark

My Maine experience was short but pleasent. the people where welcoming. I have family in Perth Andover NB who cross the border regularly, its more of a maratime community with unique border and fishing regulations. Good hunting and fishimg in the interior if you hunt/fish.