I met Hannah the way you meet anyone these days. The algorithm.
I was looking for antiquing inspiration for a weekend in Maine, and there she was, sharing an estate sale haul for the house she is building out in Downeast Maine. We have kept in touch since.
She is Coastland through and through. She isn't showing you the flashy version of the coast. She's showing the real, lived-in one, which for a lot of people is the dream. That is why she's the right person for this one. She has also field-tested just about everything we make, which doesn't hurt.
So we asked her for all of it. The spots, the routine, the small stuff. Everything you'd want for a few days Downeast with @hannahnmaine.
On Downeast
What does this part of the coast give you that the rest of Maine doesn't?
Downeast is a really special part of the state because it feels much different than southern Maine. A slower pace of life is embodied here like nothing I've ever seen. It's hard to describe if you haven't lived it, but something about the fact that businesses aren't open 24 hours, or that you can only get ice cream in the summer, forces you to appreciate the little things and spend more quality time in nature instead of in a store or restaurant.
For someone who's only ever seen the postcard version of Maine, what are they missing?
What you're missing is the true reason Maine is the way it is. The generation of working Mainers whose families quite literally sailed here, settled, and haven't left. Real life isn't the Americana Ralph Lauren image you see when you look up Maine. It's tough and rough around the edges. That's another thing we love about Downeast Maine. It's a true glimpse into what Maine was, is, and always will be (hopefully).
A Few Days Here
Three days, and I want the real Downeast, not the tourist loop. Where do I start?
You have to pass the Sullivan Bridge, then you're in what the locals would call real Downeast. From there, taking Route 1 all the way up to Machias, Cutler, even Lubec is going to give you the most scenic views of Downeast Maine. I'd also tell everyone to veer off into Winter Harbor, Addison, and the other small peninsula towns, because they are truly stunning.
The morning move. Coffee, a walk, the thing you'd do before anyone else is up. Where am I going?
It's funny because an hour drive is quite literally so normal here. If I had to choose where I was getting a morning coffee or croissant, I'd drive 40 minutes from home to Jonesboro and stop into La Laiterie for a maple latte and a chocolatine. I dream about their fresh pastries.
Where do you send people to eat when you really want them to get it?
Loaded question. If you want the best lobster roll and pound feel, I love Beals in Southwest Harbor or Lunch on the Wharf in Corea. If I had to choose a dinner spot that encompasses the seafood of Maine but also has a flair for spice and flavor, I'd send anyone to Ironbound in Hancock. It's divine.
The antiquing. Where do you actually go, and what are you always hunting for?
I actually prefer to go Midcoast to antique. You'll pass one every 10 miles driving down the coast once you hit Camden, and from there down to Wiscasset you'll find great shops to stop into. I'm currently on the hunt for the perfect painting for above our wood stove, though I'll never pass on a brass candlestick (if priced right).
On Home
You've built your place out here piece by piece. What's the find you're proudest of?
I think more than the home, we're really proud of our land. When we moved in, the grass was above our thighs, fields of knotweed. I mean this yard was a mess. Little by little, we're shaping it into a space that feels relaxing to be in but also safe for our children to explore and run free in.
How do you know when a room is right? What's the thing most people get wrong?
Is a room ever really right? Because if so, I haven't gotten there yet. Maybe I'm too indecisive, but I'm always changing what I want rooms to look or feel like. As far as what people get wrong, I think buying every piece brand new is a crime, and so are synthetic fibers. Yes, I understand that some things can't be all natural fibers, but I strive to make a large portion of the room feel organic and warm.
On Carrying & Wearing
What's in your Acadia right now? Don't edit it.
Mom bag 100%. I'm carrying diapers, wipes, a beef stick, crayons and coloring books, Marin lip gloss, a first aid pouch, and because we're in Maine, I always have bug and tick spray.
What do you look for in clothing and style, living here?
Honestly, I need pieces that can withstand summers spent every minute outside and winters in Maine (if you know, you know). I also want to love what I'm wearing. Coastland embodies this perfectly. I trust I can throw my bag straight on the dock and it won't ruin it, or wear it to the nicest restaurant in Maine and not feel out of place. Just like my home, I want my clothing to feel timeless and natural, something I can pass down to my daughter that just feels like me.
One Last Thing
If someone took just one thing home from a few days out here, what would you want it to be?
I know someone is probably thinking about how they want to move to Maine now that they've come and seen the beauty. But I want them to take with them that life here may be beautiful, but it is hard. Winters are rough, the darkness is long, the heating oil is expensive, so only move here if you're ready to commit. Maine is what it is because it rarely changes. We welcome the ones who embrace that.
Follow Hannah at @hannahnmaine. And if you go, take Route 1 slow.