HOW TO MAINE: Two Southerners’ Guide to Vacationland
What makes Maine worth the trip? Two Southerners share where to go, what to eat and why they keep thinking about going back.
James Lewis, Eddie Goepp, Matt Lane (L-R)
In this episode of Retire Southern, James Lewis sits down with Matt Lane and Eddie Goepp to explore Maine through two very different perspectives: a longtime summer visitor and a first-timer who arrived with one mission.
Escape the Georgia heat and eat lobster and oysters every day.
Matt grew up spending summers on Mount Desert Island. His family still gathers at the Parkman House and nearby cottage, where quiet coves, working harbors and meals together have turned a vacation destination into a family tradition.
Eddie recently visited with his wife and two young sons. He came home with restaurant recommendations, lessons from a disrupted coastal road trip and an unexpected reason to return.
The blueberries.
James has never been to Maine. When he wants to experience a place, he turns to people he trusts. People who understand what he loves: authentic food, interesting people and experiences that connect him to a place.
Together, they break down HOW TO MAINE, from choosing an arrival airport and a place to stay to finding a lobster roll worth the drive.
Eddie shares his plan to fly into Boston and travel north through Kennebunkport, Rockland and Camden before reaching Bar Harbor. Matt introduces the quieter side of Mount Desert Island near Bass Harbor, where lobster boats and year-round residents shape daily life. Along the way, they discuss Portland and Bangor as alternative airports and the different experiences visitors can find around Bar Harbor, Bass Harbor and Northeast Harbor.
Then they head into Acadia National Park.
Eddie describes exploring Cadillac Mountain, Jordan Pond, Thunder Hole, Sand Beach and Bubble Rock with his children. Matt shares his favorite hikes and a day around Long Pond that combines time on the trail, swimming, fishing and lunch at Thurston’s.
There is room for different kinds of adventure, which is welcome news to James.
He is built for comfort.
Naturally, the conversation keeps returning to food: a 41-pound roadside halibut, mussels picked at low tide, lobsters collected straight from the dock and the appeal of soft-shell lobsters, known as sheddahs.
Matt and Eddie weigh in on cold versus warm lobster rolls, butter versus mayonnaise and seafood favorites including Thurston’s, Graffam Bros., The Clam Shack, Geddy’s and Brasserie Le Brun.
But when James asks what everyone should order that is not lobster, Eddie answers immediately.
“Blueberry pie.”
“I went for the lobster, but I’ll come back for the blueberries.”
From pie and crisp to soda, cocktails and jam, Maine’s wild blueberries become one of the conversation’s biggest surprises.
The episode also tackles a few Maine myths, what Southerners should pack and what they should leave at home. Bring the quarter zip. Leave the bad attitude.
For Matt, Maine is where he finally feels away. For Eddie, the kindness of the people and the slower pace are as memorable as anything on the plate.
Some vacations become memories. Others become traditions.
Maine has a way of becoming both.
The conversation explores:
Why Matt’s family keeps returning to Mount Desert Island, and where to stay around Bar Harbor and the quiet side
Getting there: a Boston-to-Bar Harbor coastal road trip or flying into Portland or Bangor
Exploring Acadia National Park with children, from Cadillac Mountain and Jordan Pond to Matt’s favorite hikes
Getting on the water: kayaking, paddleboarding and fishing at Long Pond
Eating your way through Maine: roadside halibut, handpicked mussels, sheddahs and the great lobster-roll debate
Matt and Eddie’s favorite seafood stops, plus why blueberry pie deserves its own itinerary
Maine myths, what to pack and why the people and slower pace make it worth the trip
Listen to the Full Conversation
Read the Companion Article
Ready to plan your own Maine escape? Read Matt and Eddie’s recommendations on exploring Bar Harbor and Acadia, eating along the coast and finding the experiences that make Vacationland worth coming back to.
Never Miss an Update from Retire Southern
Rooted in the South. Driven by Purpose. Built for Living.