Maine Named One of the Best States to Visit in Spring, but Here’s Why It’s Really One of the Worst

When asking Mainers what the best season is in the Pine Tree State, the majority will probably tell you fall.

And for good reason: falls in Northern New England are iconic. Sweatshirt weather is unbeatable, and the foliage paints the state in the most beautiful colors. Plus, football.

However, winter is not a bad choice. Woodstove weather, skiing, ice fishing, and pristine snowy fields can also be favorites for many Mainers.

Summers may go by quickly, but they can be rather special, too. Typically, it's never overly hot, and the lakes warm up to a perfect temperature. Plus, dining outdoors is always a positive.

Spring is Maine's Least Appealing Season

I can make an argument for any of these three seasons. What you won't see me defend is a Maine spring, one of the roughest times to be here.

Also known as 'Mud Season,' it's a transitional period where one day it could be 50 degrees, followed by a blizzard. It's hellish.

I don't think you'll find many Mainers who claim that a Maine spring is their favorite, but that didn't stop a popular travel site from including the state on a list of the best places to visit during this time of year.

A Maine Spring is Looked Upon Favorably from a National Perspective

The Travel released a list of the 10 best states in America to visit during the spring months. Many of the selections made a lot of sense, like Virginia, Arizona, Florida, and Colorado.

However, for some reason, The Travel decided to include Maine because, well, I'm not really sure. Here's what they had to say about selecting Maine:

Maine is home to several hiking trails, rocky coastlines, fishing settlements, stunning beaches, iconic towns, and the famous Acadia National Park... These fantastic places are also in their best natural forms in spring, thanks to clear and mild weather, which makes the state more comfortable.

Clear and mild weather? Where is that exactly? As I write this, I'm watching snow fall. The low tonight is around 25. Yeah, spring is great.

As for those hiking trails? More like mud bogs. I mean, I love Maine's trails, and I do hike this time of year, but it pales in comparison to every other season. I'll take snow and ice hiking over mud any day of the week.

I will admit that it is a good time to visit Acadia, though I would recommend a late spring for that. Let it dry out as much as possible before enjoying. But, again, early summer or late fall are certainly more ideal times to go.

States That Have a Better Spring Season Than Maine

I realize this is a little nitpicky, but as someone who has lived in Maine most of their life, I find it comical that Maine is considered one of the best states to visit this time of year. In fact, here's a list of states that I would visit before Maine:

Alaska, Alabama, Arizona, California, Hawaii, Oregon, Illinois, Texas, New Mexico, Louisiana, Florida, Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina, West Virginia, Maryland, Virginia, Kentucky, Tennessee, New York, Rhode Island, and Michigan.

This is without any research. I would imagine that number would increase with some seriously in-depth work.

READ MORE: Maine’s 20 Most Visited Parks and Historical Sites in 2024

I love Maine. I love living in Maine. I love summer, fall, and winter in Maine. I just struggle to get behind a publication that considers Maine's worst season to be one of the best places to visit in America during that season.

This is truly an odd one.