One irrefutable fact has been emerging as people travel more, after years of being hammered down by pandemic restrictions.
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Travel is more about a desire to disconnect, and re-connect with oneself, through mindfulness, meditation, places and experiences where one can attain an inner state of relaxation. Wellness tourism is at the heart of consumer decision-making on where to go.
Quoddy Head State Park, Maine
Roadtrip through Maine: Rugged natural beauty
If that means putting down the mobile phone, so be it. The issue people have when travelling to places like Maine is they don’t want to disconnect their mobile phone cameras.
Picnic
The northeasternmost U.S. state offers travellers a stunning rocky and rugged coastline, stretching over 5,000 miles, a rich maritime history and culture, lighthouses to explore, breathtaking ocean views, lobster shacks and sandy beaches, and nature areas like the granite and spruce islands of Acadia National Park, 18 miles long, 14 miles wide, shaped like a lobster claw.
Hikers go there to trek to the top of Cadillac Mountain, the tallest peak on the U.S. Atlantic coast. Also accessible by car, all the way up to the summit, it offers magnificent views of the glaciated coastal and island landscape, Or they will bike along scenic carriage roads.
Bold Coast
Maine juts right up into Canada and is parallel on the map to the provinces of Nova Scotia and New Brunswick.
Like it’s Canadian province brethren to the east, the state is rich not only in natural beauty, with its numerous lakes and rivers, lush forests, vibrant fall colours, but also its wildlife.
DownEast Acadia is the quintessential Maine experience, the eastern coastal region of the state, located northeast of Acadian National Park and Bar Harbor. That maritime history is baked right into the name: “DownEast” referred to the direction sailing ships would take from Boston, travelling downwind and eastward towards Maine.
Quoddy Head State Park
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Quaint coastal towns
Those soulful experiences travellers are seeking are found in the fishing villages, the coastlines, the islands and forests, the charming small towns, the local farm-to-table cuisine, the overall natural beauty and tranquility. The entire region invokes a sense of serenity to those who travel there – whether it’s hiking through the forests, taking a secluded walk down the beach, pulling up a chair next to a serene lake.
Eastport sunrise
In DownEast Acadia, it’s all about helping one retreat from the bustle of daily life, the toxicity of social media, big city traffic, the wailing of sirens and crime. Similar to the U.S. west coast experience, through places like Oregon, here it’s about re-charging.
Maine is known for its laid-back and unhurried lifestyle. The locals here embrace a relaxed pace of life. They prioritize quality time, nature, and simple pleasures. That slower rhythm can be infectious, encouraging visitors to slow down, let go of stress. For those who live there, and for tourists, it’s about immersing oneself in the present moment.
Cutler Coast
Serenity now
Popular spots for travellers heading to this area of Maine include Mount Desert Island, which Acadia National Park is a part of, the coastal landscapes and hiking trails of Schoodic Peninsula, Lubec, a quaint fishing village located on the easternmost point of the U.S. mainland, is home to the West Quoddy Head Light (pictured up top) marking the entrance to Passamaquoddy Bay.
Campobello Island, just across the border in Canada and accessible from Lubec via bridge, was famous for being the summer retreat for president Franklin D. Roosevelt and his family. Visitors can check out the Roosevelt Campobello International Park.
Bold Coast Scenic Bikeway
I am a 50-something Torontonian who loves everything about my city. It’s been my home, my playground, for my entire life. I went to school here. I met my wife here. I own real estate here. I love writing about the transformation of my city on the world stage, which hasn’t been anything short of dramatic. That continues on, as I write this. I write on the real estate scene. I write on travel and fashion. I like following the world of luxury watches.
But I love writing about cars – check that, luxury cars, a level of superior, engineering sophistication, high performance and style, that transports you not just from one destination to another but also out of whatever you are going through on a particular day, whatever mood you are in, all to another head space. It’s complete and total exhilaration, head to toe.
For me, driving a BMW, Porsche, Audi, Land Rover, and the like, is like a personal island, a respite from the frenetic pace that only people who live in the core of North America’s fourth largest city (and growing) can understand. That may sound dramatic, but it’s truth.
And I am not interested in writing Car + Driver-type stuff. When I get a car, I want to experience it. That could be a drive down the U.S. west coast from Vancouver to Los Angeles, down the Pacific Coast Highway, or a drive to the bright lights and energy of New York, or a weekend sojourn to the great city of Montreal.
Check out my stories, and email me direct at mkeast@regardingluxury.com
