Maine Ranks #2 on Best States For a Luxury Vacation

So, you've been grinding for months, living off gas station coffee and adulting way too hard—and now you're finally ready for that dream vacation. But instead of defaulting to Florida or California (again), maybe it's time to look a little further north. Like way north. According to a new ranking from Wander, Maine was just named one of the most luxurious vacation states in the U.S.—yes, Maine. Lobsters, lighthouses, and now…luxury?

Wander pulled data from all over—Michelin Guide restaurants, luxury yacht marinas, five-star spas, golf courses, and high-end rental listings—to come up with their "Luxury Escape Score." And Maine snagged the #2 spot, right behind Florida, with a solid 6.86 out of 10. Pretty impressive.

That said… somehow, we scored zero Michelin-starred restaurants per 100,000 people. Which feels a little sus, right? Especially considering Maine—and Portland in particular—has a killer food scene. Bon Appétit even crowned Portland the #1 Restaurant City of the Year back in 2018. Not to mention, the city has one of the highest numbers of restaurants per capita in the country. So yeah, while the Michelin stars might be missing, the flavor definitely isn’t.

Wander also states that Maine leads the pack with a whopping 23.05% of spas rated five stars, and 2.21 luxury yacht marinas per 100,000 people—meaning even your boat can get bougie. Also, Maine has more golf courses per capita than any other state on the list, so you can work on your swing between oceanfront massages and fresh lobster rolls.

I was a bit surprised to see that we ranked #2, but after I thought about it, not really. I always tell people that there is not better place in the country to be than Maine... in the summer, of course. Don't try to get me to come visit you down south during the summer months, I'm staying put.

If you're into skipping the overcrowded beaches and traffic jams. In Maine, you can unwind in peaceful seclusion, sip craft beer and cocktails on the coast, and maybe spot a moose while you’re at it. That’s luxury—Maine style.