Most of America has to travel to see or do something special. We don't have to — we are somewhere special. We can ski during lunch, fish on the way home from work, hike on weekends. Kayak around the islands, sail around the bay. It truly is an abundance of riches.

Our festivities reflect our values: the Common Ground Fair, by Maine’s Organic Farmers and Growers Association, attracts tens of thousands. Agricultural fairs are held all around the state, as are festivals celebrating blueberries and lobster.

The art scene here is vibrant. While Alan Magee and the Wyeths are neighbors, the many local galleries are full of rising stars. The once-musty opera houses in Camden and Rockport are now gilded showplaces with excellent acoustics, providing venues for concerts of all kinds. The performing arts are gaining prominence as well, with active theater groups in Camden and Belfast. Antique auctions are summer standbys, and our historical societies are small but dedicated repositories for the way life used to be.

For the shop-'til-you-drop crowd there's bad news and good news. The closest malls are in Bangor and Portland, both about an hour and a half away, or Freeport for outlet stores, but our downtowns are much nicer than malls — and about the same size. Just park and noodle around. You'll find local art, handmade crafts, antiques, clothes, great book stores, as well as fine art and loads of small town charm. Our downtowns are full of eclectic shops

If traffic is busier in the summer because of all this activity, we take the side roads. It’s sure to quiet down in winter, season of woodstoves, potlucks and sledding. Time to learn woodworking or languages or celestial navigation.

Finally, that blue all over the map of coastal Maine is part of why we’re all here. Marinas service the local fleet, while Penobscot Bay is dotted with sailboats, kayaks and lobstermen plying their trade. Whatever you do while you’re here, don’t miss the opportunity to get out on the water.