Mainer-by-choice here -- living in Maine 30 years as of next month. Everything you say is absolutely true, but it is still the best place in the world IMHO. I'm 74 years old, spent most of my first 44 years in NYC (grew up in the Bronx), have lived in West Virginia, Wyoming and Colorado. Love them all but Maine is the home of my heart. And I say this as a disabled single person on a very limited income. Yes, the winters suck. Yes, folks are only half-joking when they call the mosquito "the state bird." And yes, I worry every year how I am going to pay my heating bill. But the incredible beauty of the state still takes my breath away, the people are (mostly) wonderful, and I am part of am amazing, historic community. Certainly things in my personal life could be better, but Maine is a great healer and I still thank God every day that I live here.
❤ That's awesome. I feel the same way about Arizona. Sure, the summers are practically unbearable and the Mexican cartels are insufferable but the beauty of the state feeds my soul. I visited Portland once back in '97 and I loved it. Always wanted to explore Arcadia National Park. One summer.....
When I came home to the US, from being deployed in Afghanistan, Bangor citizens gave our entire plane the best welcome I’ve ever experienced. They shook our hands and patted our backs as we came off the plane. They had a big basket of phones ready for us to call our families. They had coffee and cookies waiting for us during our layover. We felt sooo welcome. After the layover we flew off, to our post, and families. Personally, after 28 years, I retired. A chance came and I jumped on it…to go to Bangor, Maine, general hospital, to do anesthesia. There I met some fine people, again. The hospital provided excellent care for the patients. I finished my temporary locums gig and had to leave. I’ve retired on a little river bank in east Tennessee. I will honor the people of Maine as long as I live.
Glad you got treated well. Milwaukee WI anesthesia threw me in the trash after a year. I found out the gas program has 1 self ending person, and they ditch 2 others like me from every class out of 20. I didn't know, but I also didn't get a choice. I think older residency programs treated Dr's pretty good. Many now just use you.
I had a similar experience arriving in New England from Afghanistan! We were given gifts, food, and kindness. Unforgettable. I departed from Bangor though, and as someone whose life-dream is to live in Maine, it was hard to be there, knowing I was heading to the unknown in Afghanistan. It was overcast, and there was a lighted lobster sign in the airport. I was so close to everything I wanted. I'm working my way to you, Maine. One day...
I live in Montana, and I absolutely love it here but even though our winters are relatively mild in the northwest part of the state, every successive winter gets more and more depressing. Summers are fantastic but short, we're just starting Summer now.
I've lived in Maine for a little over a couple of years. Listen to this, I moved from Phoenix. I like the outdoors and fishing. The thought of a state with many lakes, rivers, mountains, and forests is really appealing. And an ocean to boot. Finding housing was brutal. I live in the Augusta area and I rent. I stayed in an Airbnb for a few months, trying to find housing. For one, you better have a credit score over 700 to be considered. If an apartment opens up, 2 dozen people instantly want to rent the place. I was lucky. I visited the local pub and got to know a landlord. So when an apartment opened up I was able to get one. There are 2 major problems with housing. Locating refugees here, and Massholes. The problem with refugees is they are given housing when there is a shortage. I wanted to work in Portland, but the housing was way too expensive. I would have to commute. Yet, refugees are given housing. That makes a lot of people angry here. Don't get me wrong, I know refugees and I don't blame them. I get that they need a place to live. I blame the government. Housing isn't available and refugees shouldn't be sent our way. Massholes are the Californians of the area. No one likes them moving in, especially when they overpay for housing, only to use it as a summer vacation home, and leave the house vacant during the winter. I am close to retirement and plan to move. If you have a decent amount of money, retiring here is okay. I love northern New England and plan to move to New Hampshire. Their tax laws are much better, especially for retirees. BTW, I thought this video was well researched.
You call them refugees. Many more call them illegals. Keep voting for Democrats & this problem will never go away. There is nothing wrong with legal refugees. Illegals are given million$ of handout$ & all American taxpayers are paying for it. Vote Red to stop the insanity in Washington. 🇺🇸
Massholes aren't really comparable to Californians in this context, for a few reasons. First of all, the issue with Californians is they're actually _moving,_ often because they can't afford to live there. Bay Staters meanwhile are buying the houses that you couldn't afford even with a credit score of 600. Sure, they're reducing availability, but they're also increasing demand for more construction and paying taxes to the state without hardly ever using what those taxes pay for. Last but not least, depending on your political preferences, while Bay Staters and Californians are both overall pretty politically left, those buying a 2nd home are not. Depending on your political preferences, maybe you'll see this as a good thing; Maine is rather split politically.
It’s kind of discouraging and depressing to hear someone called an Masshole, which is a very low class slang word for Bay Stater. It’s true you might as well leave if you look down on your next-door neighbor in that manner. Maybe the city is better and you won’t need to get acquainted.
Well, the third world immigrants do keep Democratic politicians, police officers, security guards, welfare case workers, and special education teachers employed.
Yeah those green heads won’t leave you alone. When I would get home from work I would have to stay in my car for about 5 minutes waiting for the couple of dozen or so that had followed me to go back into the woods.
The thing I love most about Maine is its beautiful winters. I was born in Russia (currently live in NJ), so I'm more than capable of handling a Maine winter.
Former Mainer here! Lived there from age 4 to 34. I lost my home in the December 18 storm that caused flooding in my hometown of Fairfield. I moved to Indianapolis where cost of living is cheaper, there’s thing to do and my friends and sports teams are all out here . I love being from Maine, but it’s a retirement state and it is not for the young. I simply couldn’t afford it anymore and they did very little to help after the storm. Gear video, all accurate reasons. I’m impressed!
@@mathieust.thomas4582w Hoosyers are isolated, which is a good thing because when you run into them in other parts of the country they all act like they escaped from a basement 😬. I'm just glad none ever make it to Australia and try driving... HOLY SHIT WOULD THAT BE A CLUSTER
An old friend of mine moved up to Maine. It was the childhood place of his father and I suppose he talked it up a bit. He actually grew up in the semi-arid scrublands of the border town of Del Rio, Texas. He finally got tired of the heat. He loves it there in Maine - even the cold and snow. I'm really happy for him. For me, I moved to Colorado - I need good skiing to justify cold weather. Yes, I know Maine has ski resorts, but I think they could all fit into Breckenridge. In both places, I think the summers are amazing, although I think we have less bugs in Colorado.
I’ve been to Breckenridge and it’s beautiful. I love Colorado, mostly have seen Denver, but was able to visit The Stanley hotel. So cool! Vacation in southern Maine every summer. If I lived in Maine it would have to be southern Maine because I like to be near upscale malls. Denver has two wonderful malls!
@@kookietherapy9398 I know! I’ve skied New Hampshire, Vermont and Massachusetts. Never skied Colorado but my kids have snowboarded there. Much more “powder” as they say!
I grew up and currently still live in Maine. I was in Colorado for a few years for the army. I miss Colorado every day. It has its problems there but it's so beautiful there and so much to do.
'You can`t get there from here.' I remember that from when I was very young. I live in Connecticut and have vacationed in Maine many, many times. I LOVE it, despite the skeeters and black flies. You ain`t lying when it comes to that. But, it is beautiful, very friendly people, and a laid back, relaxing atmosphere. I look forward to going again sometime very soon.
Way back in 1985 I was stationed at Naval Station Winter Harbor, Maine. In the winter. Back in the day there was an Alka Seltzer cold medicine commercial that talked about how winter weather in Winter Harbor, Maine was the worst of all. Me from California was not ready for five straight days of snow. Lots of snow.🥶🥶🥶🥶🥶
5 straight days of snow? That’s nothing. Try 2 straight weeks without power. In the winter. Better study up on generators and how to live for weeks off grid. It’s not for lightweights. I like it like that.
Winter Harbor ( NAVAL SECURITY/GROUP ACTIVITY )! I lived above Chase's restaurant and that was ol' Dale Torey. Comes into the restaurant every morning with his two dogs in the back of his truck. Tiny world!
Not on the list but very notable: Tourist Traffic Troubles (Especially between Mid May and Mid September), you get everyone from Boston, RI, CT, NYC, and other points coming up for the weekend or extended stays. **THERE ARE NOT MANY WAYS TO ENTER OR LEAVE MAINE VIA ROAD!** Interstate 95 and US 1 frequently see 10+ miles of congested traffic getting in and out of the state, as well as congestion headaches on I-495 (Mostly people and trucks coming from NYC and other points). If you plan to come up, I strongly suggest you travel during off peak hours if possible or consider an alternate route through the backwoods of New Hampshire.
Glad you mentioned Healthcare. Before anyone consider moving to Maine, they need to see if they can find a PCP accepting new patients. Not to mention if you need specialized care, forget it. There are few hospitals and they don't even have MRI machines. The MRI machine is a mobile unit that travels to the hospitals and sets up in the parking lot. Three month wait if you are lucky and hope not in January. If you like to travel, realize you will be traveling to start your travel. You'll probably have to drive to Boston (2-10 hours away) to catch a flight. Not only is internet not good or not available in some places, electricity is worst. We have some of the highest rates in the country and least reliable. I loose power no less than five times a year for days at a time. Bugs. Yes they are brutal. It is deerfly season now. Ticks get worse every year. I no longer have a garden because ticks are too dangerous. Yes, housing is ridiculous. But that seems to be a problem most places. And yes, it's a 45 minute drive to my gym.
MRI never had one and dont plan on getting one..Flights never been on a plane in my 60 years of life and dont plan on going on one i live on the gulf coast and everything i could ever want to do is just a few hours drive away...Bugs yea ok...If you got the money you can get a house today..Going to the gym never been to one my job is he gym every day work out...ROLL TIDE ROLL...
You dont need to drive to Boston. Take a flight from Bangor International. Or if you want to head to Boston on the cheap, take the Concord bus to Boston for $50.
I moved here recently about 30 minutes out of Farmington in pretty much the middle of nowhere. this is probably a pretty bad area for this kind of stuff, so i'm not speaking for the entire state, but a LOT of landlords refused to let us rent, and we had upwards of $80k in the bank from selling our apartment before we got here. even after showing them bank statements and all of that kinda stuff they were asking for upwards of a full YEAR of rent just to move in. i get there's a lot of poverty out here, but that's straight up insane. and that's the story of how me and my grandparents live in an RV with 5 cats.
I took my first trip to Maine in October, and it was a hell of an experience. Very gorgeous, great people even Stephen King was really cool. It was 80 that week, the beaches were awesome and i hated to leave. You people calling it home are lucky
@@jimoconnor6382 lol, i dont know if 26 years has softened him to non-asshole status but back in the day he was terrible to the servers at the Loons Nest - a pub/restaurant at the Kezar Lake Marina over in Lovell. Now mind you this was the summer job for my sister who was in high school, but as she tells it, he was just a total jerk every time he went in there.. I hear the folks in Bridgton love him tho... he will always be "meh" to me.
Did some work with the Maine Military Authority in Limestone ME on the old Loring Air Force base. If you want to see the end of the world, you don't have to look too far. A story that one of the guys who worked there told me that as kids in the winter, they would go out to the road. Then they would climb up the snow bank, grab the telephone wires use them as a tire swing and jump off and slide down the snow bank.
Southern Maine is only about 75~90 minutes from Downtown Boston in good traffic. Portland, ME can be done under 2 hours in good traffic. Of course the rest of the state is much farther away. However, getting there and back around a premium tourist weekend is an exercise in frustration - I strongly suggest you plan your drive in and out of the state during off peak hours.
My dad was born and raised in Maine …I grew up visiting. Portland , Poland Springs , Old Orchard Beach , Livermore Falls ,and Lewiston ……we would go camping a lot …loved it
I live in Maine. Healthcare: Recent appointment. State gives contract to lowest bidder for medical transportation. That means your odds of getting stranded at an appointment go way up. The transportation company was using taxis which was reasonably good, but perhaps in an attempt to make more money started using Uber and Lyft. Problem is...this is a rural area and not many people sign up as drivers because apparently, it's not worth it. I was left stranded by medical transport 12 miles out of town. They could care less. They sit in a call center out of state and talking to them is like talking to a rock. I live in Augusta. It's not a high quality of person on average (if we are looking at educational and even spiritual levels), but there are very few areas you'd feel unsafe. There are some educated people who you might meet at Barnes and Noble possibly, but you probably will just see them, take note and walk by rather than actually meet anyone. You will need to learn how to entertain yourself in Maine...get a hobby, do continual learning. Finally, no sun for months for the most part. You will need vitamin D for sure and a good winter coat.
@@ausflygirl3430 Thanks. It sounds worse than it is. I just wanted a realistic view of living in the area and not the tourist brochure view. Still probably the best place to live in the country.
Housing inventory and pricing shot up when people from away came to Maine during the pandemic. When we left Texas after a few years to come back to Maine, my Daddy burned up the road to get home.
I know someone who moved from PA to Maine. Their ski mountain wasn’t making snow during snowmaking winters. He skis Sunday River which does a very good job on snowmaking as well as getting more snow.
I wanted to move from Colorado to Maine but the boss bribed me to move back to California instead. Looking forward to the video. Can't wait to finally visit New England this Fall
I’ve always been puzzled by the fact that Maine has such a high average age while health care options are so limited. Unless the elderly are just frozen solid.
Spent a summer in Houlton and LOVED it back in 1977. From the photos I've seen on the computer is has really grown and got expensive. But while summers are nice (both days LOL)but as one person told me about Maine living. "Their winters are great for arthritis! If you didn't have it when you came in, you will when you leave." Love to own a cabin there if I could keep vandals and bears out in the times I wasn't living there, but health issues keep me in Central Illinois.
I was stationed in Northeastern Maine for three and a half years while I was in the Air Force. Looking back it was a good assignment and i had good times but that did cure me of the northeast. I will always live south of the Mason-Dixon line.
Lived there for a year, some but not all, once they find out you're "from away" they treat you different. Not blatant or mean, but you get the message that you're not one of them. And it doesn't matter how long you're there.
It comes from OUTSIDERS driving up the market in an area they never put any real roots down other than a second or third home. No, we don't you coming here and then telling US how to live. Gtfo.
Lived my first 31 years there. Wish I'd left sooner. I've only been back a few times, and when the last of my immediate family that's still there passes, I don't think I'll ever go back. It's sad as hell. Last time I visited, I was in a semi-depression for like a month after I got home. I imagine if you're rich and you live on the coast, I imagine it's pretty nice. If your greatest ambition is getting drunk off your ass every night, smoking like it's your job, being asked "what'cha readin' for?" by a rawhide faced 30 year old waitress who looks like she's 70, and dodging meth-heads, then living inland is for you. The only thing you really missed is#14: The People. They don't want you there. If you're not from there, you're "From Away." If you're From Away, they think of you the way Fox News thinks of immigrants. They may nod at you (the local equivalent of a smile), but they're just being polite, hoping you'll buy something and leave. You'll never be welcome. Not really. Your kids, even if they're born there, won't be considered locals. If you're lucky, your grandkids will be accepted as Mainers. That sort of thing isn't as extreme in the "cities," but it's still there, especially among the old guard, which statistically, is most of them. Also, my hat's off to you. "Maine is a little further away than it actually is" may be one of the most Maine things I've ever heard anyone say. It is the state where the common response to someone asking directions is, "you can't get there from here."
When I visited Maine, I got the vibe that I was not welcomed. It was like, "Please leave your tourist money in a collection box at the states visitor center and leave."
@@snoopiesadventures8713 Yup. The economy there is a shadow of a shadow of what it was 120 years ago, and almost all they have left is tourism. But they hate tourists. I remember in the late 90s when Phish was touring and inconceivably, people intentionally went to see them in large numbers, even following the band around like a rich Seattleite's version of The Dead, they played at an old military base way out in the back woods of Maine. Their fans, faux-Hippies driving nice SUVs & wearing designer peasant clothing, swooped down upon local shops and dumped a TON of money into the local economies all along their pilgrimage route. By any measure, this was a huge boon for everyone. Yet, while it was happening and for months after, locals did nothing but complain. Even shop owners, who had their best days ever, complained about these outsiders coming in and buying all their stuff. You even saw people lamenting when they found out Phish was coming back, which they did several times.
Great video, Briggs. Can you make a video why people are leaving Minnesota? I do love the people from there but have a lot of hate for the state at the same time.
After living 6 yrs in ND, I see a lot of comparisons with Maine, especially when you mentioned bugs & brutal winters, among other reasons. Living in North Central Coastal CA now & every winter celebrate not having to shovel snow or plug in my car because it's so cold. & when I get the urge for lots of snow, I can head to Lk Tahoe, leave when I need to warm up, & be thankful someone else has to shovel the snow & that it's not me.
@@arribaficationwineho32It was supposedly in Maine. By the sounds of locations mentioned in various episodes, I would say the writers wanted it to sound like Bucksport, Camden or Rockland, but it’s made up. I think the intro is filmed in Northern California.
Healthcare is actually a pretty decent field in Maine too because of the old population and large veteran population. Togus is the first VA hospital in the country
A technicality here... Maine isn't the northernmost state (it's northernmost latitude is ~47.45°N). Minnesota is the only state above the 49th parallel (49.38°N)
I live in Bellingham, WA. Pretty sure we are further north latitudinally then Maine. Although everyone seems to have a mental map that says otherwise...including myself.
Retired here 4 yrs ago from Boston, love it. I need cancer surgeries , not a problem, we live 1 hr north of bangor in Island falls. We paid $49K for our house, its worth $110K now. You learn how to deal with winter, stay out of the woods in summer to avoid bugs. I bought a crapped out snowmobile and rebuilt it, get out there and enjoy the snow. Snowmobile and ATV trails are everywhere, they run right past the back of the garden ( we've got 1 acre). A snowblower is a must, a decent car (2004 volvo v70). People watch out for their neighbors, never lock the car or the house, we had no covid either.
I must moved from Maine to GA in 2023. Maine is very beautiful. I lived in Maine for 28 years. Before that my grandparents lived there and my mother moved to Maine in 1978. So all my life i have been going or living in Maine. I have lived a lot of places and I think Maine is a lovely state. However, we decided we didn't want to deal with the 6 month winters anymore and the isolation. Taxes are high. I pay less now for 5 acres and a bigger house than I did for two acres in Windsor, Maine. Housing prices are sky high now. It's crazy how high homes have gotten. Drugs are a big issue. You get drugs coming in from the coast and from Canada. I was not pleased with the medical care or veterinarian care for our animals. Very sub par. Lot's of homesteaders in Maine. Lots of fresh farm to table food. Portland Maine is an amazing little city with restaurants galore that are 4 and 5 star. Every place has it's pluses and minuses. I think we are drawn to places that we fall in love with. I will always love Maine (and will visit) but much happier here in the very friendly and gorgeous South.
I was born and raised in Maine, in Gorham, 13 miles from Portland, in the 1950s and 1960s. My paternal grandmother's family had lived in the Massachusetts-Maine area since the 17th century. It was a wonderful place in the '50s and '60s-but so were a lot of places. The winters would kill me now. They were extraordinary when I was a kid, and I loved it. The Maine folk born there were quiet and minded their own business. Some of my happiest memories are going to the Scarborough State Fair and spending summers at Little and Big Sebago State Parks. Oh, I forgot--the mosquitos; they're practically non-existent here in St. George, Utah. If you want to see some spectacular beauty come to southern Utah and tour the Mighty Five National Parks. The most incredible geology on Earth.
Jobs in that area don't pay well and Maine has a high tax burden. It's difficult to live well here. My fiance and i both make decent money, but still, the wages don't match the COL in my opinion.
And the prices are lower because it's Augusta. If you really want cheap housing, go to Caribou or Limestone. The only drawback to buying a house there is that you have to live there. Enjoy.
I really can’t stress enough if you’re young and looking for excitement/nightlife it’s not the time to be in Maine. I’m in the back half of my 20’s and spend pretty much every weekend bouncing off the walls because nothing’s in walking distance, I refuse to drive drunk, and public transportation doesn’t operate anywhere close to me.
I went to the University of Maine, Orono to get my Master's Degree in Geological Sciences. With several campuses in the University of Maine System, I think the rural areas have good access to an excellent education.
From Maine, born and bred, now living in SoCal. Maine is obviously a very beautiful place, from May through October, but I do NOT miss the winters. Maine's tax burden is always going up, so there's little incentive to move back.
@@KamBar2020oh yes, safe indeed Right here in Augusta I had to stop for a minute because there was a deer in the driveway where the cemetery is at the airport. It was a beautiful doe. She wasn’t about to stomp me to death.
Maner here again. When it comes to "Airports" yes Portland & Bangor are our International Airports but we also have > Brunswick > Augusta > Lewiston > Auburn > Jetports. Not to mention we got The Downeaster Which is connected directly with Amtrak.
The Southern part of the state where I grew up is much more urban. Shops, access to coffee, nightlife, beaches, etc. With that, of course are high prices, traffic in summer, and FUN! ❤ Lol
Flying in and out of Maine isn't really that bad. I just take the one hour flight down to Logan Airport in Boston and you can get good flights to anywhere from there. Bugs are pretty localized in Maine. Yes, if you go inland you will likely get carried away by mosquitos and if that doesn't happen you will need a transfusion due to all the blood loss to the ticks, mosquitos and black flies (not to mention a 6 month course of antibiotics). On the other hand, where I live on the coast the only bugs I see are lobsters. Housing is nuts on the coast. Nobody rents year round since the landlords can make a lot more renting the houses out to tourists by the week for five months. Where I live there are ZERO rentals longer than a week available. Also the cost of buying a house varies a lot by location. Inland, and particularly up north you can buy a house for under $150K, but unless you like working as a wood cutter or potato farmer, there is no work. On the coast a million will get you a place a mile or so inland, but you will pay a LOT more if you want to see the water from your property. As far as the weather goes, again it depends on where you live. If you live in the county (northern Maine), the winters are definitely cold and snowy. However, the hot muggy summer weather there is no fun either. Where I live on the ocean side of an island our winters are much milder and summers are bearable, although we did hit 80 three times this last summer. That said, you can always escape from the hot weather by taking the boat out onto the ocean where 65 is a hot day.
I live in Maine moved up here from New Jersey in 2003 love it. The black flies are only around from late May till late June! Maine peaceful and beautiful but it gets cold and Icey in the Winter
When you can only enjoy a place from inside looking out a window, you may as well live on the West Coast and get a good big screen, launch World According to Briggs to look at winter elsewhere.
Why can you only enjoy a place from inside? The bugs are bad but that’s what bug spray is for. And by the middle of July they’re mostly gone. Winter? Get out and do something! There are more days above 20F than below, so make use of them. Most towns and cities have parks, golf courses, or trail networks for XC skiing and snowshoeing, a lot of places flood a field for ice skating, there are plenty of places to go ice fishing, and if you want to spend the money the skiing is good (and NH is close, too) and the state is a snowmobiler’s paradise. All in all the video was pretty factual. In the town where I live (Jackman) the biggest employers are logging, a lumber mill, and outdoors rec related. There’s a small, kinda expensive grocery store in town, the closest large-ish one is about 45 miles away. We have a clinic with 1 doctor in town, there’s a small hospital in Greenville (50 miles) and a larger one in Skowhegan (75 miles.) Other than that you’ll be traveling 2-3 hours, Maine Medical Center in Portland is an absolute top-notch hospital with cardiac and oncology centers that are among the best in the nation. Jackman has an airport and a local pilot will fly you to a hospital for free. I moved here from southern Maine 5 1/2 years ago and had been visiting for about 4 1/2 years prior to that, since my best friend moved here. I’m 55, a logging equipment and truck mechanic, and an avid outdoorsman in all 4 seasons. Moving up here is the best thing I’ve done with my life since enlisting in the army back in 1986, and for the first time in over 15 years I don’t dread going to work. If you move to Maine, especially rural Maine, please don’t try to turn it into the place you just left. We don’t *want* fast food places, Starbucks or Dunkin’, or Walmarts no more than 15 minutes apart. The town shuts down at 9pm except for the bars, and everything is closed for Thanksgiving, Christmas, and Easter. Get your stuff the day before or after. A bear or moose being weighed at Bishop’s Store always draws a crowd, and yes, that’s blood on the asphalt. The gas stations will be FULL of snowmobiles or ATVs at times, so maybe come back in 1/2 hour to see if the pumps are free. Log trucks are heavy and accelerate slowly on hills, just be patient behind them. The place you’re going will still be there. Allow at least 2 hours to drive 75 miles to Skowhegan. It’s great up here even with the negatives - most of which are pluses to me. I LOVE our winters, and the only reason I’d leave Maine is if I found a place that has 365 days of Maine winter and at least 6 feet of snow on the ground the whole time.
I've lived in the upper midwest and new england. The winters in New England are more mild and there's more to do because of the mountains and coast as far as outdoor recreation.
Maine is beautiful. I'm from Hawaii born and raised 90s baby but when it comes to mainland America I always looked at Maine in the books of study as a mellow cold coastal paradise. Gonna learn a lot from this video. I'm honestly nauseated by the South, Deep South states and California in terms of it must be uncomfortable to live there.
I'd love to go to the more rural parts of the US. The cities and young people all seem like they are completely losing their shit, but the travel vlogs in the smaller, middle-of-nowhere locations always seem so much more relatable and salt of the earth as opposed to all the fake pretense and polarization in the more urban areas. I would have loved to visit America i the 90s.
I grew up in Auburn, Maine. My parents still live there. I visit them every August for a couple of weeks. Its a beautiful state, but the winters are brutal! After about 2 or 3 weeks there, I'm always ready to return from whence I came, which is currently So Cal.
Been in SoCal my whole life, and I got to visit Maine last summer (it was on my bucket list and top two states to visit in the East Coast) because I stayed in New Hampshire for 9.5 days which was great and I got to visit York Beach for a few hours to make time for my flight. I really liked it there, and it is one of the few states I would move to if I had to leave CA. How are the winters in southern and central Maine? I would not relocate up north.
Native (born here) Mainer here... The low choice of good paying jobs is totally true. I'm living even more rural than what I grew up in and it drives me nuts sometimes. But unless I chose to leave my family and go to another state I'm pretty much stuck in "drive 45 mins to get to a movie theater" rural Maine.
Thought this comment would help I live in Massachusetts and have a good friend that lives in Maine he says he enjoys it because he's been there a while but it is tough at times
@@RG-hf4et They are nice. Average high summer temperature is in the upper 70s. A hefty chunk of the state will never hit triple-digits year-round. Mountains, lakes, rivers, and the ocean are all easy ways to beat the heat in the few times of the year it gets to be a little uncomfortable.
Portland ME is a great city. I would love to move there..BUT...it's still a city of 60k people. Remote work defiantly makes moves to smaller cities possible. But if that doesn't work out, you basically work for : LL Bean, the state/city/county, the local hospital, or a tourism based business.
Born and raised in northern Maine. The wife and I have raised 2 (in the Bangor arear) and they will be off on their own in the next year or so. Once they are out of the house. We are selling and moving back north to our second home. Too many people in the Bangor area for us. Cannot imagine how people can live in, or around a city. We love the quiet life. 🙂
I would put the bugs up to #1. I went to Maine with my old girlfriend and on the 4th of July we went to watch the fireworks out over the water in Portland. I got eaten alive by Black Fly's, when we got back to our room I took a shower and I had bite marks everywhere, and I mean everywhere! "Black Fly's Don't Bite They Suck!" Other than the bugs Maine was pretty nice, Freeport was a nice little town, along with New Gloucester, even Portland. Portland back then had a problem with crystal meth.
Fell in love with Maine 20 yrs ago and on my Appalachian Traul hike. Bought a forest on lake for camping near Bucksport . Love it. But haven't been in winter.
The colors are absolutely beautiful though…I could live there for the quiet but not the extreme cold or the bugs ugh…not my thing my son would loose his mind
@World According To Briggs The reason for the all or nothing electoral college vote is to give the entities that are the states just as much say in an election as the population in general. I all the states had split delegates there would be no need for the electoral college since it would be election by popular vote, something the writers of the Constitution (and most of the states that ratified it) found to be a desirable trait. It's the same reason we have a bicameral legislature. The Senate was to represent the interests of the state entities while the House was supposed to represent the people. If you did get rid of the electoral college, or made it all split delegates, Places like LA and New York City would still dominate the politics of the whole nation. And that would not be a good thing.
Its not a good thing if rural america has more say than it should either. You only like the ec because it benefits you. Half the country doesnt like it
@@SA-hz1rs Rural America doesn’t have “more” say. The system is set up so that rural America isn’t ignored by the large population centers or the people seeking public office.
@@TimothySielbeck Ok? You said cities shouldnt get more of a say. That goes the other way too. I can guarantee you if the situation was reversed and cities were republican, republicans would flood every social media comment section, every day, about getting ridding of the EC. No doubt at all. They would and you know it. Its not about the EC. Is about the side that BENEFITS from the EC
@@SA-hz1rs Cities as a political entity, no. Remember the object is to win the state as a whole. Cities are given no consideration in our political system and to lessen the impact of the larger population centers the electoral college was devised. "I can guarantee you if the situation was reversed and cities were republican, republicans would flood every social media comment section, every day, about getting ridding of the EC." No, you can't. "No doubt at all." Then you are a fool. "They would and you know it." No, I do not. "Its not about the EC. Is about the side that BENEFITS from the EC." A problem with this world is there are always those who seek power over others. They are usually the ones that scream loudest when they don't get their way. Reply
1:12 AI isn't quite there yet but it's still just as unsettling. I've been looking to move out of Florida and Maine is basically the dream state to move to for me but it's too expensive. I get very depressed on sunny days and feel invigorated or at peace on gloomy days. Visiting Maine in the winter was wonderful but it's expensive. It really sucks.
Mainer-by-choice here -- living in Maine 30 years as of next month. Everything you say is absolutely true, but it is still the best place in the world IMHO. I'm 74 years old, spent most of my first 44 years in NYC (grew up in the Bronx), have lived in West Virginia, Wyoming and Colorado. Love them all but Maine is the home of my heart. And I say this as a disabled single person on a very limited income. Yes, the winters suck. Yes, folks are only half-joking when they call the mosquito "the state bird." And yes, I worry every year how I am going to pay my heating bill. But the incredible beauty of the state still takes my breath away, the people are (mostly) wonderful, and I am part of am amazing, historic community. Certainly things in my personal life could be better, but Maine is a great healer and I still thank God every day that I live here.
You realize your neighbors fucking hate your guts, right Flattie?
❤ That's awesome. I feel the same way about Arizona. Sure, the summers are practically unbearable and the Mexican cartels are insufferable but the beauty of the state feeds my soul. I visited Portland once back in '97 and I loved it. Always wanted to explore Arcadia National Park. One summer.....
How can you stand living in Aloha?
And I am sorry that you don’t have a spouse/partner! I truly wish you to find someone.
@@borisgetman9222 I do have a spouse. 23 years together.
When I came home to the US, from being deployed in Afghanistan, Bangor citizens gave our entire plane the best welcome I’ve ever experienced. They shook our hands and patted our backs as we came off the plane. They had a big basket of phones ready for us to call our families. They had coffee and cookies waiting for us during our layover. We felt sooo welcome. After the layover we flew off, to our post, and families. Personally, after 28 years, I retired. A chance came and I jumped on it…to go to Bangor, Maine, general hospital, to do anesthesia. There I met some fine people, again. The hospital provided excellent care for the patients. I finished my temporary locums gig and had to leave. I’ve retired on a little river bank in east Tennessee. I will honor the people of Maine as long as I live.
That's the state I know, thank you for your service 🙏 heros deserve a heartfelt welcome
Thank you for your service ❤
Glad you got treated well. Milwaukee WI anesthesia threw me in the trash after a year. I found out the gas program has 1 self ending person, and they ditch 2 others like me from every class out of 20. I didn't know, but I also didn't get a choice. I think older residency programs treated Dr's pretty good. Many now just use you.
Thank you for your service! What a beautiful memory!
I had a similar experience arriving in New England from Afghanistan! We were given gifts, food, and kindness. Unforgettable. I departed from Bangor though, and as someone whose life-dream is to live in Maine, it was hard to be there, knowing I was heading to the unknown in Afghanistan. It was overcast, and there was a lighted lobster sign in the airport. I was so close to everything I wanted. I'm working my way to you, Maine. One day...
I watched one of your videos a few years back and it was a integral part as to why I moved to Maine. Been up here for 3yrs and I LOVE IT HERE!
I live right next to Maine in New Brunswick Canada. The snow is real! US Expat from Florida, regret it every winter!
Maine? 😮
I live in Montana, and I absolutely love it here but even though our winters are relatively mild in the northwest part of the state, every successive winter gets more and more depressing. Summers are fantastic but short, we're just starting Summer now.
I like Endless Summer. To each his own. 😎
@@marknewton6984 Maine is swallowed by Canada. There’s only one road out and that’s through New Hampshire.
Been there down that! Lots of snow
I've lived in Maine for a little over a couple of years. Listen to this, I moved from Phoenix. I like the outdoors and fishing. The thought of a state with many lakes, rivers, mountains, and forests is really appealing. And an ocean to boot. Finding housing was brutal. I live in the Augusta area and I rent. I stayed in an Airbnb for a few months, trying to find housing. For one, you better have a credit score over 700 to be considered. If an apartment opens up, 2 dozen people instantly want to rent the place. I was lucky. I visited the local pub and got to know a landlord. So when an apartment opened up I was able to get one.
There are 2 major problems with housing. Locating refugees here, and Massholes. The problem with refugees is they are given housing when there is a shortage. I wanted to work in Portland, but the housing was way too expensive. I would have to commute. Yet, refugees are given housing. That makes a lot of people angry here. Don't get me wrong, I know refugees and I don't blame them. I get that they need a place to live. I blame the government. Housing isn't available and refugees shouldn't be sent our way. Massholes are the Californians of the area. No one likes them moving in, especially when they overpay for housing, only to use it as a summer vacation home, and leave the house vacant during the winter.
I am close to retirement and plan to move. If you have a decent amount of money, retiring here is okay. I love northern New England and plan to move to New Hampshire. Their tax laws are much better, especially for retirees.
BTW, I thought this video was well researched.
You call them refugees. Many more call them illegals. Keep voting for Democrats & this problem will never go away. There is nothing wrong with legal refugees. Illegals are given million$ of handout$ & all American taxpayers are paying for it. Vote Red to stop the insanity in Washington. 🇺🇸
Massholes aren't really comparable to Californians in this context, for a few reasons. First of all, the issue with Californians is they're actually _moving,_ often because they can't afford to live there. Bay Staters meanwhile are buying the houses that you couldn't afford even with a credit score of 600. Sure, they're reducing availability, but they're also increasing demand for more construction and paying taxes to the state without hardly ever using what those taxes pay for. Last but not least, depending on your political preferences, while Bay Staters and Californians are both overall pretty politically left, those buying a 2nd home are not. Depending on your political preferences, maybe you'll see this as a good thing; Maine is rather split politically.
Go home.
It’s kind of discouraging and depressing to hear someone called an Masshole, which is a very low class slang word for Bay Stater. It’s true you might as well leave if you look down on your next-door neighbor in that manner. Maybe the city is better and you won’t need to get acquainted.
Well, the third world immigrants do keep Democratic politicians, police officers, security guards, welfare case workers, and special education teachers employed.
Forget black flies and mosquitos, it’s the deer flies you’ve got to avoid. Those things will try to eat you whole
Yeah those green heads won’t leave you alone. When I would get home from work I would have to stay in my car for about 5 minutes waiting for the couple of dozen or so that had followed me to go back into the woods.
The thing I love most about Maine is its beautiful winters. I was born in Russia (currently live in NJ), so I'm more than capable of handling a Maine winter.
Mainer Born and bred and I love this! I am 41 and the 'everyone and their lobster' made me LoL it is so true!
I love Maine. I’ve been here 28 years I am original from Africa. This is home. ❤
Closest state to Africa!
@matts4852 that's Florida. Or another SE state
What country?!!
Out of all states, you chose the whitest one lol. But, i hope all has gone well for you. Maine is a really beautiful state.
@@dangercat91884th
Former Mainer here! Lived there from age 4 to 34. I lost my home in the December 18 storm that caused flooding in my hometown of Fairfield. I moved to Indianapolis where cost of living is cheaper, there’s thing to do and my friends and sports teams are all out here . I love being from Maine, but it’s a retirement state and it is not for the young. I simply couldn’t afford it anymore and they did very little to help after the storm.
Gear video, all accurate reasons. I’m impressed!
You traded the sanity of a civilized world for West Virssippiapolis????
@@jimoconnor6382 30 years of rural isolation was enough, I need people. People my age and things to do. I love it here!
@@mathieust.thomas4582 Hoosyers turn 80 years old when they hit 30 there for some reason 😬
I moved from Indy to Maine and I miss how much there was to do. Plus Maine doesn't have much of a metal scene compared to Indiana
@@mathieust.thomas4582w Hoosyers are isolated, which is a good thing because when you run into them in other parts of the country they all act like they escaped from a basement 😬. I'm just glad none ever make it to Australia and try driving...
HOLY SHIT WOULD THAT BE A CLUSTER
Mainer born and raised and proud of it! This video explains why we natives are glad that outah state-ahs can stay home.
Airports: Portland is relatively close to Boston and Manchester, NH which gives you a lot of options.
Pretty spot on, I think. FWIW the winters are getting easier. Ppl can deny the change all their want, doesn't mean it's not happening.
An old friend of mine moved up to Maine. It was the childhood place of his father and I suppose he talked it up a bit. He actually grew up in the semi-arid scrublands of the border town of Del Rio, Texas. He finally got tired of the heat. He loves it there in Maine - even the cold and snow. I'm really happy for him. For me, I moved to Colorado - I need good skiing to justify cold weather. Yes, I know Maine has ski resorts, but I think they could all fit into Breckenridge. In both places, I think the summers are amazing, although I think we have less bugs in Colorado.
And Colorado cold is way different than Maine cold. It's dry and if you bundle up, you'll be nice and warm. Plus, the Rockies are way prettier, imo.
I’ve been to Breckenridge and it’s beautiful. I love Colorado, mostly have seen Denver, but was able to visit The Stanley hotel. So cool! Vacation in southern Maine every summer. If I lived in Maine it would have to be southern Maine because I like to be near upscale malls. Denver has two wonderful malls!
You learn to ski on ice in New England, stick to CO. Visit your friend early to mid October for the foliage.
@@kookietherapy9398 I know! I’ve skied New Hampshire, Vermont and Massachusetts. Never skied Colorado but my kids have snowboarded there. Much more “powder” as they say!
I grew up and currently still live in Maine. I was in Colorado for a few years for the army. I miss Colorado every day. It has its problems there but it's so beautiful there and so much to do.
'You can`t get there from here.' I remember that from when I was very young. I live in Connecticut and have vacationed in Maine many, many times. I LOVE it, despite the skeeters and black flies. You ain`t lying when it comes to that. But, it is beautiful, very friendly people, and a laid back, relaxing atmosphere. I look forward to going again sometime very soon.
Way back in 1985 I was stationed at Naval Station Winter Harbor, Maine. In the winter. Back in the day there was an Alka Seltzer cold medicine commercial that talked about how winter weather in Winter Harbor, Maine was the worst of all.
Me from California was not ready for five straight days of snow. Lots of snow.🥶🥶🥶🥶🥶
5 straight days of snow? That’s nothing. Try 2 straight weeks without power. In the winter. Better study up on generators and how to live for weeks off grid. It’s not for lightweights. I like it like that.
I grew up near there. Winters are rough. The superintendent refused to call snow days, even on days cars were off the road.
Winter Harbor ( NAVAL SECURITY/GROUP ACTIVITY )! I lived above Chase's restaurant and that was ol' Dale Torey. Comes into the restaurant every morning with his two dogs in the back of his truck. Tiny world!
Not on the list but very notable: Tourist Traffic Troubles (Especially between Mid May and Mid September), you get everyone from Boston, RI, CT, NYC, and other points coming up for the weekend or extended stays. **THERE ARE NOT MANY WAYS TO ENTER OR LEAVE MAINE VIA ROAD!** Interstate 95 and US 1 frequently see 10+ miles of congested traffic getting in and out of the state, as well as congestion headaches on I-495 (Mostly people and trucks coming from NYC and other points). If you plan to come up, I strongly suggest you travel during off peak hours if possible or consider an alternate route through the backwoods of New Hampshire.
Just moved to Maine. Absolutely ❤ it. Never going back.
Your own people werent good enough so you moved to Maine?
@@hyperquantum3020who the hell do you think you are talkin to a complete stranger like that?? Betcha wouldn't in person huh?!😡
@@Runswithwolves6323 Oh look at that, a white woman with a white guilt mentality...never seen that before
Welcome
Glad you mentioned Healthcare. Before anyone consider moving to Maine, they need to see if they can find a PCP accepting new patients. Not to mention if you need specialized care, forget it. There are few hospitals and they don't even have MRI machines. The MRI machine is a mobile unit that travels to the hospitals and sets up in the parking lot. Three month wait if you are lucky and hope not in January.
If you like to travel, realize you will be traveling to start your travel. You'll probably have to drive to Boston (2-10 hours away) to catch a flight.
Not only is internet not good or not available in some places, electricity is worst. We have some of the highest rates in the country and least reliable. I loose power no less than five times a year for days at a time.
Bugs. Yes they are brutal. It is deerfly season now. Ticks get worse every year. I no longer have a garden because ticks are too dangerous.
Yes, housing is ridiculous. But that seems to be a problem most places.
And yes, it's a 45 minute drive to my gym.
MRI never had one and dont plan on getting one..Flights never been on a plane in my 60 years of life and dont plan on going on one i live on the gulf coast and everything i could ever want to do is just a few hours drive away...Bugs yea ok...If you got the money you can get a house today..Going to the gym never been to one my job is he gym every day work out...ROLL TIDE ROLL...
What confuses me is how it's the number one state with the oldest population and medical care sucks?? I can't wrap my head around that
You dont need to drive to Boston. Take a flight from Bangor International. Or if you want to head to Boston on the cheap, take the Concord bus to Boston for $50.
I moved here recently about 30 minutes out of Farmington in pretty much the middle of nowhere. this is probably a pretty bad area for this kind of stuff, so i'm not speaking for the entire state, but a LOT of landlords refused to let us rent, and we had upwards of $80k in the bank from selling our apartment before we got here. even after showing them bank statements and all of that kinda stuff they were asking for upwards of a full YEAR of rent just to move in. i get there's a lot of poverty out here, but that's straight up insane. and that's the story of how me and my grandparents live in an RV with 5 cats.
Maine has 4 seasons Black Fly Season, Mosquito Season, No-See-Em Season and Horse Fly Season 🤣😁😄😆
@@PhilSallaway Deer flies, more than no-see-ums. The bugs want you to see them LOL
@PhilSallaway you forgot Construction Season! 😂
Add Brown tail Moth
And MUD SEASON!
Do they have 120 degree summers like here in Texas? Nope...all I need to know!
I took my first trip to Maine in October, and it was a hell of an experience. Very gorgeous, great people even Stephen King was really cool. It was 80 that week, the beaches were awesome and i hated to leave. You people calling it home are lucky
wow, you got a rare experience with the King,,, he was always an asshole in Lovell
@@RevBTB LOL, really? Does he yell at people?
@@jimoconnor6382 lol, i dont know if 26 years has softened him to non-asshole status but back in the day he was terrible to the servers at the Loons Nest - a pub/restaurant at the Kezar Lake Marina over in Lovell. Now mind you this was the summer job for my sister who was in high school, but as she tells it, he was just a total jerk every time he went in there.. I hear the folks in Bridgton love him tho... he will always be "meh" to me.
@@RevBTBas someone who has lived in Bridgeton I've heard he's nice but the mist (one of his books that takes place there) scares the shit out of me
@@SIN_C1TYI lived in Stow and graduated from fryeburg academy.
Did some work with the Maine Military Authority in Limestone ME on the old Loring Air Force base. If you want to see the end of the world, you don't have to look too far. A story that one of the guys who worked there told me that as kids in the winter, they would go out to the road. Then they would climb up the snow bank, grab the telephone wires use them as a tire swing and jump off and slide down the snow bank.
My father was stationed at Loring AFB in the early 70s. It was my favorite of all the places we lived! It's gorgeous there, and I love snow.
"Maine is a little bit further than it actually is."
I had a stroke trying to comprehend this.
New motto for the license plate?
I grew up there. It makes sense when you have lived there.
Southern Maine is only about 75~90 minutes from Downtown Boston in good traffic. Portland, ME can be done under 2 hours in good traffic. Of course the rest of the state is much farther away. However, getting there and back around a premium tourist weekend is an exercise in frustration - I strongly suggest you plan your drive in and out of the state during off peak hours.
I laughed. I got it. It's a hell of a drive, anywhere, pick a spot. 🤣😂
@@estprr hence the "Can't get there from here" motto
My dad was born and raised in Maine …I grew up visiting. Portland , Poland Springs , Old Orchard Beach , Livermore Falls ,and Lewiston ……we would go camping a lot …loved it
I live in Maine. Healthcare: Recent appointment. State gives contract to lowest bidder for medical transportation. That means your odds of getting stranded at an appointment go way up. The transportation company was using taxis which was reasonably good, but perhaps in an attempt to make more money started using Uber and Lyft. Problem is...this is a rural area and not many people sign up as drivers because apparently, it's not worth it. I was left stranded by medical transport 12 miles out of town. They could care less. They sit in a call center out of state and talking to them is like talking to a rock.
I live in Augusta. It's not a high quality of person on average (if we are looking at educational and even spiritual levels), but there are very few areas you'd feel unsafe. There are some educated people who you might meet at Barnes and Noble possibly, but you probably will just see them, take note and walk by rather than actually meet anyone.
You will need to learn how to entertain yourself in Maine...get a hobby, do continual learning.
Finally, no sun for months for the most part. You will need vitamin D for sure and a good winter coat.
I'm sorry you've had those struggles
@@ausflygirl3430 Thanks. It sounds worse than it is. I just wanted a realistic view of living in the area and not the tourist brochure view. Still probably the best place to live in the country.
Housing inventory and pricing shot up when people from away came to Maine during the pandemic. When we left Texas after a few years to come back to Maine, my Daddy burned up the road to get home.
I know someone who moved from PA to Maine. Their ski mountain wasn’t making snow during snowmaking winters. He skis Sunday River which does a very good job on snowmaking as well as getting more snow.
Snow is fun!!! I would prefer it over Florida or Texas simmering heat
I hate Snow. 😎
So true. I live in the South of California. I hate California's weather long summer with excruciating heat. Unfortunately, I can't move.
Not to mention far lower crime.
Too cold. 😮
It's easier to get warm than it is to stay cool . I'll take 6+ months of winter ❄️ ❤
I wanted to move from Colorado to Maine but the boss bribed me to move back to California instead. Looking forward to the video. Can't wait to finally visit New England this Fall
You will love here in Maine i been here all my life
@@iamdjmj9118 🍻
I'm also in Colorado and looking at the northeast. I lived in the mountains for 30 years and now I'm on the Western Slope. I miss the cold.
New England is hell.
Love Colorado. Would go back to visit anytime.
I’ve always been puzzled by the fact that Maine has such a high average age while health care options are so limited. Unless the elderly are just frozen solid.
Maine healthcare worker here, we have a ton of snowbirds that get a lot of their health needs taken care of down south.
Plus the bulk of the people live around Portland. That is only an hour or two from Boston which has great healthcare.
Great job Briggs ❤❤❤😮😮😮😊😊😊
Thank you!! 😁
This was brilliant !!! Spot on !!!
Spent a summer in Houlton and LOVED it back in 1977. From the photos I've seen on the computer is has really grown and got expensive. But while summers are nice (both days LOL)but as one person told me about Maine living. "Their winters are great for arthritis! If you didn't have it when you came in, you will when you leave." Love to own a cabin there if I could keep vandals and bears out in the times I wasn't living there, but health issues keep me in Central Illinois.
Great job. Thank you.
I plan on moving to Maine in 5 years and I’m so excited!
I only ever spent half a day in Maine, but I already wanna go back.
I was stationed in Northeastern Maine for three and a half years while I was in the Air Force. Looking back it was a good assignment and i had good times but that did cure me of the northeast. I will always live south of the Mason-Dixon line.
Lived there for a year, some but not all, once they find out you're "from away" they treat you different. Not blatant or mean, but you get the message that you're not one of them. And it doesn't matter how long you're there.
Same attitude in Vermont and New Hampshire
It comes from OUTSIDERS driving up the market in an area they never put any real roots down other than a second or third home. No, we don't you coming here and then telling US how to live. Gtfo.
Lived my first 31 years there. Wish I'd left sooner. I've only been back a few times, and when the last of my immediate family that's still there passes, I don't think I'll ever go back. It's sad as hell. Last time I visited, I was in a semi-depression for like a month after I got home. I imagine if you're rich and you live on the coast, I imagine it's pretty nice. If your greatest ambition is getting drunk off your ass every night, smoking like it's your job, being asked "what'cha readin' for?" by a rawhide faced 30 year old waitress who looks like she's 70, and dodging meth-heads, then living inland is for you.
The only thing you really missed is#14: The People. They don't want you there. If you're not from there, you're "From Away." If you're From Away, they think of you the way Fox News thinks of immigrants. They may nod at you (the local equivalent of a smile), but they're just being polite, hoping you'll buy something and leave. You'll never be welcome. Not really. Your kids, even if they're born there, won't be considered locals. If you're lucky, your grandkids will be accepted as Mainers. That sort of thing isn't as extreme in the "cities," but it's still there, especially among the old guard, which statistically, is most of them.
Also, my hat's off to you. "Maine is a little further away than it actually is" may be one of the most Maine things I've ever heard anyone say. It is the state where the common response to someone asking directions is, "you can't get there from here."
When I visited Maine, I got the vibe that I was not welcomed. It was like, "Please leave your tourist money in a collection box at the states visitor center and leave."
@@snoopiesadventures8713 Yup. The economy there is a shadow of a shadow of what it was 120 years ago, and almost all they have left is tourism. But they hate tourists. I remember in the late 90s when Phish was touring and inconceivably, people intentionally went to see them in large numbers, even following the band around like a rich Seattleite's version of The Dead, they played at an old military base way out in the back woods of Maine. Their fans, faux-Hippies driving nice SUVs & wearing designer peasant clothing, swooped down upon local shops and dumped a TON of money into the local economies all along their pilgrimage route. By any measure, this was a huge boon for everyone. Yet, while it was happening and for months after, locals did nothing but complain. Even shop owners, who had their best days ever, complained about these outsiders coming in and buying all their stuff. You even saw people lamenting when they found out Phish was coming back, which they did several times.
With your attitude why would we want you?
Yes, please just visit and vacation unless you like hard work constant weather changes. Put down stakes. Thumbs up on video.
Great video, Briggs. Can you make a video why people are leaving Minnesota? I do love the people from there but have a lot of hate for the state at the same time.
After living 6 yrs in ND, I see a lot of comparisons with Maine, especially when you mentioned bugs & brutal winters, among other reasons. Living in North Central Coastal CA now & every winter celebrate not having to shovel snow or plug in my car because it's so cold. & when I get the urge for lots of snow, I can head to Lk Tahoe, leave when I need to warm up, & be thankful someone else has to shovel the snow & that it's not me.
No snow in Florida.
You are truly humorous 😂 love your humor.
I've been watching Murder She Wrote reruns every night, so Maine has been on my mind. Although it wasn't filmed there, it takes place there. 😊
Steven King got most of the scary ideas for his novels just living in Maine. What's that ya?
@@johncasey1020 Oh, that's right! I read some of his books when I was in high school.
Where was Murder She Wrote set?
Cabot Cove@@arribaficationwineho32
@@arribaficationwineho32It was supposedly in Maine. By the sounds of locations mentioned in various episodes, I would say the writers wanted it to sound like Bucksport, Camden or Rockland, but it’s made up. I think the intro is filmed in Northern California.
New video for a new week!!
Healthcare is actually a pretty decent field in Maine too because of the old population and large veteran population. Togus is the first VA hospital in the country
Stevan King, Maine’s most favorite resident!
A technicality here... Maine isn't the northernmost state (it's northernmost latitude is ~47.45°N). Minnesota is the only state above the 49th parallel (49.38°N)
Well, Minnesota is one of two states…
Alaska
He qualified 'northern most' with 'in New England', pay attention.
I live in Bellingham, WA. Pretty sure we are further north latitudinally then Maine. Although everyone seems to have a mental map that says otherwise...including myself.
@@johncasey1020 13:39 No he didn't, pay better attention.
Falling in love with Maine in the summer and moving there is like marrying a sociopath.
Native Mainer here, that got a big laugh out of me! Thanks🤣🤣🤣💙
😂😂😂"Funner than this"....LMAO. YOU always inform and entertain!!!😊❤😊
Retired here 4 yrs ago from Boston, love it.
I need cancer surgeries , not a problem, we live 1 hr north of bangor in Island falls.
We paid $49K for our house, its worth $110K now.
You learn how to deal with winter, stay out of the woods in summer to avoid bugs.
I bought a crapped out snowmobile and rebuilt it, get out there and enjoy the snow.
Snowmobile and ATV trails are everywhere, they run right past the back of the garden ( we've got 1 acre).
A snowblower is a must, a decent car (2004 volvo v70).
People watch out for their neighbors, never lock the car or the house, we had no covid either.
I must moved from Maine to GA in 2023. Maine is very beautiful. I lived in Maine for 28 years. Before that my grandparents lived there and my mother moved to Maine in 1978. So all my life i have been going or living in Maine. I have lived a lot of places and I think Maine is a lovely state. However, we decided we didn't want to deal with the 6 month winters anymore and the isolation. Taxes are high. I pay less now for 5 acres and a bigger house than I did for two acres in Windsor, Maine. Housing prices are sky high now. It's crazy how high homes have gotten. Drugs are a big issue. You get drugs coming in from the coast and from Canada. I was not pleased with the medical care or veterinarian care for our animals. Very sub par. Lot's of homesteaders in Maine. Lots of fresh farm to table food. Portland Maine is an amazing little city with restaurants galore that are 4 and 5 star. Every place has it's pluses and minuses. I think we are drawn to places that we fall in love with. I will always love Maine (and will visit) but much happier here in the very friendly and gorgeous South.
I was born and raised in Maine, in Gorham, 13 miles from Portland, in the 1950s and 1960s. My paternal grandmother's family had lived in the Massachusetts-Maine area since the 17th century. It was a wonderful place in the '50s and '60s-but so were a lot of places. The winters would kill me now. They were extraordinary when I was a kid, and I loved it. The Maine folk born there were quiet and minded their own business. Some of my happiest memories are going to the Scarborough State Fair and spending summers at Little and Big Sebago State Parks. Oh, I forgot--the mosquitos; they're practically non-existent here in St. George, Utah. If you want to see some spectacular beauty come to southern Utah and tour the Mighty Five National Parks. The most incredible geology on Earth.
I am already there and I love Maine. I have an off grid cabin near Canadian border. I love it. 😊😊😊
I went to Zillow and looked at housing prices for Augusta, Maine and honestly, they didn’t look bad at all. They looked inexpensive to me.
Jobs in that area don't pay well and Maine has a high tax burden. It's difficult to live well here. My fiance and i both make decent money, but still, the wages don't match the COL in my opinion.
And the prices are lower because it's Augusta. If you really want cheap housing, go to Caribou or Limestone. The only drawback to buying a house there is that you have to live there. Enjoy.
@@biggianthead17 Having to live year round in your house is a good thing, vacationing aside.
That's because no one wants to live there.
I really can’t stress enough if you’re young and looking for excitement/nightlife it’s not the time to be in Maine. I’m in the back half of my 20’s and spend pretty much every weekend bouncing off the walls because nothing’s in walking distance, I refuse to drive drunk, and public transportation doesn’t operate anywhere close to me.
Wow, Briggs! A lot of additional followers from when I started following you! I think you had about 325K
Maine has 1.3 million people and 1.3 billion mosquitos.
per person
@@GB-ez6gelol😅
Haha Im in Texas with MANY more millions of lunatics...we have mosquitos too.I choose Maine!
I went to the University of Maine, Orono to get my Master's Degree in Geological Sciences. With several campuses in the University of Maine System, I think the rural areas have good access to an excellent education.
I'll be moving to the Orono area
@@silvershadow013 I hope you'll like it, as I did.
I worked for the State of Maine for two years. The pay was relatively high when I worked there, and the work carried a certain amount of prestige.
Humm.. I've never even given thought to visiting Maine. Thanks for this video
From Maine, born and bred, now living in SoCal. Maine is obviously a very beautiful place, from May through October, but I do NOT miss the winters. Maine's tax burden is always going up, so there's little incentive to move back.
Unless you're a rich flatlander.
Is Maine Safe From Wildlife Though❓
@@KamBar2020oh yes, safe indeed
Right here in Augusta I had to stop for a minute because there was a deer in the driveway where the cemetery is at the airport. It was a beautiful doe. She wasn’t about to stomp me to death.
SoCal got the best weather. We can always see snow in the mountains
Too bad the weather is always hot and dry and the governor is a corrupt moron! - an ex Californian 😎
Love Maine, but the property taxes are a bit high. Lived there for a few years, great place.
One of the heaviest tax burden states. And their power company, CMP, just announced that everyone's electric bill is going up, again.
@@bostonphotographer20 I would guess that New Jersey is still worse.
The new car registration fee will definitely get your attention.
@@dianne5086 In CA the fee for a $60000 new car the fee is $4,266 OUCH
@@jetsons101 Bought a $27000 SUV the new car fee was $800
Maner here again. When it comes to "Airports" yes Portland & Bangor are our International Airports but we also have > Brunswick > Augusta > Lewiston > Auburn > Jetports.
Not to mention we got The Downeaster Which is connected directly with Amtrak.
It dark at 4pm in the winter, so depressing
I think it’s more depressing to have it still dark at 8am. In Maine that is not a problem.
It's dark at 4:30 here in Southern Indiana
Same here in Michigan
Maine? 😮
Just like in St. Petersburg, where I'm from.
The Southern part of the state where I grew up is much more urban. Shops, access to coffee, nightlife, beaches, etc. With that, of course are high prices, traffic in summer, and FUN! ❤ Lol
I live in Maine in the mountain region. Its beautiful here. I have lived all over the country when Iwas a kid but my roots have always been in Maine
Flying in and out of Maine isn't really that bad. I just take the one hour flight down to Logan Airport in Boston and you can get good flights to anywhere from there.
Bugs are pretty localized in Maine. Yes, if you go inland you will likely get carried away by mosquitos and if that doesn't happen you will need a transfusion due to all the blood loss to the ticks, mosquitos and black flies (not to mention a 6 month course of antibiotics). On the other hand, where I live on the coast the only bugs I see are lobsters.
Housing is nuts on the coast. Nobody rents year round since the landlords can make a lot more renting the houses out to tourists by the week for five months. Where I live there are ZERO rentals longer than a week available. Also the cost of buying a house varies a lot by location. Inland, and particularly up north you can buy a house for under $150K, but unless you like working as a wood cutter or potato farmer, there is no work. On the coast a million will get you a place a mile or so inland, but you will pay a LOT more if you want to see the water from your property.
As far as the weather goes, again it depends on where you live. If you live in the county (northern Maine), the winters are definitely cold and snowy. However, the hot muggy summer weather there is no fun either. Where I live on the ocean side of an island our winters are much milder and summers are bearable, although we did hit 80 three times this last summer. That said, you can always escape from the hot weather by taking the boat out onto the ocean where 65 is a hot day.
Bring back on this day, please.
Well done, the character Hawkeye from M.A.S.H. was from Crabapple Cove
Which doesn't exist. 😮
Maine is awesome, but I’m Canadian so value what Maine offers.
Snow. 😮
@@marknewton6984 no such thing as cold weather, only poor clothing choices.
Good points. I just prefer tropical weather 😎!
I live in Maine moved up here from New Jersey in 2003 love it. The black flies are only around from late May till late June! Maine peaceful and beautiful but it gets cold and Icey in the Winter
@@sweetzaracat This year the bugs aren’t bad at all up here in the Jackman area, I rarely even put bug repellent on while hiking.
When you can only enjoy a place from inside looking out a window, you may as well live on the West Coast and get a good big screen, launch World According to Briggs to look at winter elsewhere.
Ha! Yeah, I wonder when the plow guy is gonna show up?
@@johncasey1020 Place bets on whether the car will need a jump start.
Why can you only enjoy a place from inside? The bugs are bad but that’s what bug spray is for. And by the middle of July they’re mostly gone. Winter? Get out and do something! There are more days above 20F than below, so make use of them. Most towns and cities have parks, golf courses, or trail networks for XC skiing and snowshoeing, a lot of places flood a field for ice skating, there are plenty of places to go ice fishing, and if you want to spend the money the skiing is good (and NH is close, too) and the state is a snowmobiler’s paradise.
All in all the video was pretty factual. In the town where I live (Jackman) the biggest employers are logging, a lumber mill, and outdoors rec related. There’s a small, kinda expensive grocery store in town, the closest large-ish one is about 45 miles away. We have a clinic with 1 doctor in town, there’s a small hospital in Greenville (50 miles) and a larger one in Skowhegan (75 miles.) Other than that you’ll be traveling 2-3 hours, Maine Medical Center in Portland is an absolute top-notch hospital with cardiac and oncology centers that are among the best in the nation. Jackman has an airport and a local pilot will fly you to a hospital for free.
I moved here from southern Maine 5 1/2 years ago and had been visiting for about 4 1/2 years prior to that, since my best friend moved here. I’m 55, a logging equipment and truck mechanic, and an avid outdoorsman in all 4 seasons. Moving up here is the best thing I’ve done with my life since enlisting in the army back in 1986, and for the first time in over 15 years I don’t dread going to work.
If you move to Maine, especially rural Maine, please don’t try to turn it into the place you just left. We don’t *want* fast food places, Starbucks or Dunkin’, or Walmarts no more than 15 minutes apart. The town shuts down at 9pm except for the bars, and everything is closed for Thanksgiving, Christmas, and Easter. Get your stuff the day before or after. A bear or moose being weighed at Bishop’s Store always draws a crowd, and yes, that’s blood on the asphalt. The gas stations will be FULL of snowmobiles or ATVs at times, so maybe come back in 1/2 hour to see if the pumps are free. Log trucks are heavy and accelerate slowly on hills, just be patient behind them. The place you’re going will still be there. Allow at least 2 hours to drive 75 miles to Skowhegan. It’s great up here even with the negatives - most of which are pluses to me. I LOVE our winters, and the only reason I’d leave Maine is if I found a place that has 365 days of Maine winter and at least 6 feet of snow on the ground the whole time.
@@philsmith2444 Everyone has a favorite place.
@@willtwain1383 And every place has something that will make you want to stay inside. That doesn’t sound like much of a life.
I've lived in the upper midwest and new england. The winters in New England are more mild and there's more to do because of the mountains and coast as far as outdoor recreation.
Maine is beautiful. I'm from Hawaii born and raised 90s baby but when it comes to mainland America I always looked at Maine in the books of study as a mellow cold coastal paradise.
Gonna learn a lot from this video.
I'm honestly nauseated by the South, Deep South states and California in terms of it must be uncomfortable to live there.
Lack of traffic jams? Someone has never driven on 95 in Summer.
Or along the coast on US1
95 ends at Holton still a he'll of alot more to go
Not on eclipse day this past April!
I'd love to go to the more rural parts of the US. The cities and young people all seem like they are completely losing their shit, but the travel vlogs in the smaller, middle-of-nowhere locations always seem so much more relatable and salt of the earth as opposed to all the fake pretense and polarization in the more urban areas. I would have loved to visit America i the 90s.
I grew up in Auburn, Maine. My parents still live there. I visit them every August for a couple of weeks. Its a beautiful state, but the winters are brutal! After about 2 or 3 weeks there, I'm always ready to return from whence I came, which is currently So Cal.
Been in SoCal my whole life, and I got to visit Maine last summer (it was on my bucket list and top two states to visit in the East Coast) because I stayed in New Hampshire for 9.5 days which was great and I got to visit York Beach for a few hours to make time for my flight. I really liked it there, and it is one of the few states I would move to if I had to leave CA. How are the winters in southern and central Maine? I would not relocate up north.
Native (born here) Mainer here... The low choice of good paying jobs is totally true. I'm living even more rural than what I grew up in and it drives me nuts sometimes. But unless I chose to leave my family and go to another state I'm pretty much stuck in "drive 45 mins to get to a movie theater" rural Maine.
Been up here off and on since 02!!
Less people, rural areas? Sound like a winner to me! I never considered Maine but you are making me interested
Thought this comment would help I live in Massachusetts and have a good friend that lives in Maine he says he enjoys it because he's been there a while but it is tough at times
I live in the south but I wouldn’t mind coming to Maine in the summer
Summers in Maine would be nice.
@@RG-hf4et They are nice. Average high summer temperature is in the upper 70s. A hefty chunk of the state will never hit triple-digits year-round. Mountains, lakes, rivers, and the ocean are all easy ways to beat the heat in the few times of the year it gets to be a little uncomfortable.
Lived in Maine almost 20 years. Moved to be closer to my son in Florida. Can't stand the heat & humidity, so now I'm a snowbird & love it!❤
Creepshow 2 was filmed in Dexter Maine.
Wish someone warned me about the many daytime days with darkness. Due to the clouds covering the sunlight.
"Improptu dance party" made me LOL! Thanks for the video :-)
You only said it once but its a pet peeve here .. Not Banger, Ban-GOR. 😂
Portland ME is a great city. I would love to move there..BUT...it's still a city of 60k people. Remote work defiantly makes moves to smaller cities possible. But if that doesn't work out, you basically work for : LL Bean, the state/city/county, the local hospital, or a tourism based business.
Great Series! 😊
Wonderful✨💜💙💚✨🐻
Maine's a great place to live. Just as long as you stay away from places like Derry, Castle Rock, and Jerusalem's Lot.
I LOVE MAINE! ❤
Born and raised in northern Maine. The wife and I have raised 2 (in the Bangor arear) and they will be off on their own in the next year or so. Once they are out of the house. We are selling and moving back north to our second home. Too many people in the Bangor area for us. Cannot imagine how people can live in, or around a city. We love the quiet life. 🙂
I would put the bugs up to #1. I went to Maine with my old girlfriend and on the 4th of July we went to watch the fireworks out over the water in Portland. I got eaten alive by Black Fly's, when we got back to our room I took a shower and I had bite marks everywhere, and I mean everywhere! "Black Fly's Don't Bite They Suck!" Other than the bugs Maine was pretty nice, Freeport was a nice little town, along with New Gloucester, even Portland. Portland back then had a problem with crystal meth.
Fell in love with Maine 20 yrs ago and on my Appalachian Traul hike. Bought a forest on lake for camping near Bucksport . Love it. But haven't been in winter.
The colors are absolutely beautiful though…I could live there for the quiet but not the extreme cold or the bugs ugh…not my thing my son would loose his mind
Love it
@World According To Briggs The reason for the all or nothing electoral college vote is to give the entities that are the states just as much say in an election as the population in general. I all the states had split delegates there would be no need for the electoral college since it would be election by popular vote, something the writers of the Constitution (and most of the states that ratified it) found to be a desirable trait. It's the same reason we have a bicameral legislature. The Senate was to represent the interests of the state entities while the House was supposed to represent the people. If you did get rid of the electoral college, or made it all split delegates, Places like LA and New York City would still dominate the politics of the whole nation. And that would not be a good thing.
Its not a good thing if rural america has more say than it should either.
You only like the ec because it benefits you. Half the country doesnt like it
@@SA-hz1rs Rural America doesn’t have “more” say. The system is set up so that rural America isn’t ignored by the large population centers or the people seeking public office.
@@SA-hz1rs Actually I live in a large city. And if half of the population doesn’t like it that means the other half does.
@@TimothySielbeck Ok? You said cities shouldnt get more of a say. That goes the other way too. I can guarantee you if the situation was reversed and cities were republican, republicans would flood every social media comment section, every day, about getting ridding of the EC. No doubt at all. They would and you know it. Its not about the EC. Is about the side that BENEFITS from the EC
@@SA-hz1rs Cities as a political entity, no. Remember the object is to win the state as a whole. Cities are given no consideration in our political system and to lessen the impact of the larger population centers the electoral college was devised.
"I can guarantee you if the situation was reversed and cities were republican, republicans would flood every social media comment section, every day, about getting ridding of the EC." No, you can't.
"No doubt at all." Then you are a fool.
"They would and you know it." No, I do not.
"Its not about the EC. Is about the side that BENEFITS from the EC." A problem with this world is there are always those who seek power over others. They are usually the ones that scream loudest when they don't get their way.
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1:12 AI isn't quite there yet but it's still just as unsettling.
I've been looking to move out of Florida and Maine is basically the dream state to move to for me but it's too expensive. I get very depressed on sunny days and feel invigorated or at peace on gloomy days. Visiting Maine in the winter was wonderful but it's expensive. It really sucks.