🔒Postcards from Vacationland: Maine’s favorite summer resets

From pristine lakes to offbeat museums, Vacationland offers plenty of places for busy professionals to reset over the summer. For Amanda Rand, president and CEO of Spinnaker Trust, a favorite spot is her family’s camp on West Grand Lake in Maine’s Downeast region. “It’s not easy to get to, with the final stretch being 13 miles down a dirt logging road, but that’s what makes it so special,” she says. “Feels like your own personal paradise once you arrive.” With vacation season in full swing, we checked in with Maine movers and shakers — including two Mainebiz 40 Under 40 alumni — about their favorite summer escapes in the Pine Tree State. Justin Chenette, Sweetser: “Mount Desert Island is heaven on earth. I try to get up there once a year, before or after the season, to feel spiritually connected to the beauty Maine has to offer.” Yellow Light Breen, Maine Development Foundation: “While there are many extraordinary places in Maine that we love when there is the chance for a longer getaway or when we’re willing to drive a few hours — it’s really important to have a spot closer by to go for that weekly (or sometimes even daily) summer reset — and for me that hidden gem is Fields Pond in Holden just a few minutes from downtown Bangor (stewarded by Maine Audubon) for a quiet pause to listen to the loons and a quick evening swim in the setting sun to shed the heat and cares of the day at the tiny sliver of publicly accessible beach.”

Nancy Strojny, SCORE Maine: “Tucked away on the eastern edge of Boothbay Harbor, Bayville is a hidden waterfront gem with shingled cottages and breathtaking open-ocean views. Spending summer days swimming in Linekin Bay offers me the perfect, slow-paced retreat — my happy place.” Lynn Tillotson, Visit Portland: “My happy place in Maine is our camp on Beddington Lake. It's a simple camp with no frills, but it has everything that matters: breathtaking views, the lake and time together. For the past 18 years, our family has been fortunate to spend time there, and our kids have grown up experiencing what ‘Maine camp life’ is all about. We spend our days fishing, swimming, playing games, sitting around the campfire, soaking up the sunshine and unplugging from electronics and the busy pace of everyday life. It's where we reconnect with each other, make memories and remember that sometimes the simplest places are the ones that mean the most.”

Keith Luke, City of Augusta: “As a Boothbay Region native, it is naturally my favorite place to vacation in Maine, and one of my favorite things to do is pick up lunch or dinner at Bett’s Fish Fry in Boothbay Center or Dunton’s Doghouse in the harbor and take it out to the Maine State Aquarium to eat at one of the picnic tables overlooking the harbor. That’s effectively the cheat-code in Boothbay for an affordable meal with a view that can’t be beat anywhere in Maine." Sarah Smith, Startup Maine, is a fan of Appalachian Mountain Club's Gorman Chairback Lodge & Cabins in Greenville "because it allows for every type of adventure plus some relaxation," she says. "Last summer, I bikepacked there with friends and the trip ended in a moose sighting on the lake — what could be better?" Quincy Hentzel, Portland Regional Chamber of Commerce: “There are few places I’d rather be than Casco Bay on a summer day. The islands scattered across the bay give it a beauty and character that’s uniquely Maine — providing a view from every direction worth taking in. No matter how many summers I have the great privilege to spend here, it never gets old." Tae Chong of Furniture Friends also relishes time at Casco Bay: "Walk to it, bike to it, wade in it, swim in it, boat on it, kayak in it, marvel at it," he says. Chris Wolfel, Corsair Venture Partners: “If I had to pick one place that everyone should check out, it's the Owls Head Transportation Museum. There's something special about a museum where things just don't sit behind ropes and everything runs. Between the vintage cars and airplanes, the incredible people there and the summer events, there's always something happening. This summer, we even sent our 7-year-old to STEM camp there. If you're not on the water, it's pretty hard to beat a day at OHTM, especially if you head to McLoons for a lobster roll after.”