Ten Summer Smells Mainers Love The Most

Summertime in Maine brings with it both positive and negative things.

While the blackflies and mosquitoes, tourists, and unpredictable weather can be kind of an assault on the senses sometimes,  there are certain things folks look forward to in our great state, especially when it comes to the way Maine smells.

We asked around, and here are Ten Summer Smells Mainers Love The Most. 

1.) The Ocean Breeze

There's something really serene and lovely about stepping out onto the hot sand and having the smell of ocean air hit your nostrils as a warm breeze helps cool you off a bit. The number one smell people from Maine say they enjoy is the smell of ocean air, and if you've ever been to a Maine beach, you'll know why. It's a bit sweet and a bit salty. It's a smell that makes you grateful there are miles of coastline in our great state.

2.) Low Tide

This one surprised me, mostly because to me, it's not the most pleasant of smells; in fact, it reminds me of rotten eggs sometimes. But there are a LOT of folks who LOVE the smell of low tide in Maine. I'm not here to judge, but simply pass along our findings. For a state whose economy has a lot to do with fishing, it makes sense that Mainers find the smell of low tide a positive thing. For those who visit Manie from away, it may also be so different from some of the other smells in nature that they mind find it attractive to their senses.

3.) Suntan Oil/Sunscreen

Our summer season is short in Vacationland. And as such, the amount of time the sun is actually out and effective at brightening the sky is also small. We tend to take full advantage of it when it makes an appearance, but many of us also play it safe by wearing sunscreen or sun tan oil. The smell of coconut-scented sunscreen, for a multitude of Mainers, is often something that reminds them of these sunny days and good memories on the beach.

4.) Lilacs

It's a tree that tends to bloom right at the end of spring/beginning of summer here in Maine. Light and fragrant, lilacs (unless, of course, you're allergic to them) are a sweet reminder that summer has arrived.

5.) Tomato Plants/ Veggies From The Garden

As dirty a job as gardening can be, there's something so clean and fresh-smelling about veggies picked from a backyard garden or local farm. Tomato plants, in particular, have an interesting smell to them that Mainers enjoy.

6.) Camp

Most camps I've ever been in have "a smell"...could be of old moth balls, or cedar pannels or cigar smoke....but the smell of camp, a place many Mainers go to relax, reconnect with either nature or family (sometimes both) is something so transformative, it was high on the list of favorite summer smells for those who live in our state. Camps are so often a place of escape from the hustle and bustle of life, back to the way life should be, and they're often places that have spanned multiple generations. It's understandable why people love the smell of being "upta camp" so much.

7.) Campfire and S'mores

The sweetness of melted chocolate and marshmallows is a smell I think most of us can get behind. Often accompanied by stories, laughs, and memories, the smell of s'mores brings back a simpler time for many, one where we were young and silly and didn't mind getting sticky.

Get our free mobile app

8.) Meat on the Grill

Summertime BBQs in Maine are a definite treat for the senses. But one smell seems to start most mouths watering, and that's the smell of meat on the grill. So many Mainers said the smell of a red snapper or a steak on the grill is a summertime thrill because that smell usually means you'll soon be tasting whatever it is that's being cooked!

9.) The Woods

The woods in Maine smell different in the summertime than they do in other seasons. As the weather gets warmer, smells become richer and stronger in the woods. Plants bloom, insects and birds fly about, and the air gets more musty

10.) Freshly Cut Grass

The most mentioned summertime smell that Mainers seem to love is fresh-cut grass. And again, aside from those who suffer from terrible seasonal allergies, this is a smell that's almost solely associated with summer in Maine. And it's everywhere! Walk through any residential neighborhood in Maine, drive by any field or pasture, and you'll likely get a strong scent of fresh-cut grass.

Honorable Mentions:

1.)Seafood/Lobsters Cooking In Salt Water Over A Fire

This is one that you don't really find too many places outside of our state. Specific to the coastal towns in the Pine Tree state, open wood fires with saltwater boils are a great sign that summer is here.

2.) That smell right before or after it rains

There's something pretty specific about the few moments before and the few moments after a summer rain fall that are kind of magical, to all the senses. But that smell, that kind of damp/earthy smell...that's a smell folks from Maine really seem to enjoy, too.

Read More: These Are the Best 'Classic' Restaurants in Maine