State Profiles MAINE The Pine Tree State


State Information: Maine Office of Tourism • 01825 763636 • www.visitmaine.com • Population: 1,321,505 • State Capital: Augusta • Largest City: Portland • Local Time: EST – 5 hours behind the UK • Weather: Four seasons offer a healthy, invigorating environment. Average summer temperature is 70°F (21°C). Av winter temperature is 20°F (7°C). • National/State Parks: 50 • International Gateway: Boston


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aine boasts a dramatic coastline of more than 5,500 miles, bold


mountains, clear lakes, sandy beaches, fascinating wildlife and huge tracts of forested wilderness. It also offers bustling cities, quaint fishing villages, fantastic outlet shopping, unique accommodation and some of the finest restaurants in New England. Maine's rich history of shipbuilding, seafaring, fishing and lumbering is preserved today in many cultural, history and art museums. Acadia National Park offers 45,000


acres of spectacular mountain and ocean panoramas. Thousands of islands are accessible by car ferry, pleasure boat, or sea kayak. Going to the beach, whale watching and fishing are highly popular coastal activities. The Kennebec and Penobscot rivers


feature some of the best whitewater rafting on the east coast, while Baxter State Park is home to Mt. Katahdin.


Watching over Maine's coastline


STATE SECRET: October is peak lobster harvest month when the lobster is flavourful and tender. Several festivals around the state celebrate the Maine lobster and culinary excellence.


DON'T MISS: Maine's coastline and inland waters make boating a popular activity. Sail a historic windjammer, cruise on a lobster boat, canoe, kayak or experience whitewater rafting.


MARYLAND The Free State


State Information: Maryland Offfice of Tourism • 020 8339 6048/001 877 333 4455 • www.VisitMaryland.org/www. CapitalRegionUSA.co.uk • Population: 5,633,597 • State Capital: Annapolis • Largest City: Baltimore • Local Time: EST - 5 hrs behind UK • Weather: Generally fairly moderate • National/State Parks: 67 • International Gateways: BWI (Baltimore/ Washington Int'l) and IAD (Dulles Int'l)


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rom mountains, to the Chesapeake Bay and the Atlantic


Ocean, Maryland boasts a vast assortment of outdoor activities, unique attractions, historical landmarks, small town charm and natural maritime beauty. It’s often described as ‘America in Miniature’ since it encapsulates so much within a three-hour drive of Baltimore and Washington, DC. An essential stop during any Maryland holiday is the Chesapeake Bay. Drive past quaint fishing villages that dot the bay’s shores, and find the state capital of Annapolis, a quintessential maritime town. 'America’s Sailing Capital', and home of the US Naval Academy, Annapolis exudes an enchanting ambiance with its picturesque architecture and colonial history. Nearby, Baltimore boasts an unbeatable combination of fun and culture.


Biking in Baltimore


STATE SECRET: No visit to Maryland is complete without tasting the regional Blue Crab. Crab cakes can be found on most menus and each chef uses his own twist on the recipe but the locals favour Old Bay seasoning.


DON'T MISS: The centennial commemoration of the life of Harriet Tubman in March 2013, the 100th anniversary of Tubman’s passing.


MASSACHUSETTS The Bay State


State Information: Massachusetts Office of Travel & Tourism • 01689 827 451 • www.massvacation.com • Population: 6.5 million • State Capital: Boston • Largest City: Boston • Local Time: EST – 5 hours behind UK • Weather: Similar to the UK, but seasons more defined • National/State Parks: www.nps.gov/state/ma/ and www.mass.gov/dcr/ • International Gateway: Boston


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ne of the oldest original British Colonies of the USA,


Massachusetts is the geographic and metaphorical heart of New England. Although most known for its Colonial history and as the birthplace of the American Revolution, the Bay State’s entrepreneurial history, deriving at least in part from Yankee ingenuity, has helped to shape it into the modern destination it is today – where old meets new. The cosmopolitan twin cities of Boston and Cambridge offer the renowned universities of Harvard and MIT, among many other colleges. A great urban greenway ripples through the heart of Boston, from the North End to the hip, new South Boston Waterfront, a haven for foodies. From Cape Cod to the Berkshires, you’ll find wide-open spaces, beautiful sandy beaches, rolling hills, charming islands and quaint, historic villages.


The Boston skyline


STATE SECRET: The Massachusetts Tourism Office offers great ideas for unique things to do nearly daily on its MassFinds Blog – with its mascot, MOTT the Squirrel: www.massvacation. com/blog


DON'T MISS: The Bay State could be called the Bicycle State – check out Boston’s newest transportation phenomenon, and bike through the city and local towns: www.thehubway.com.


MICHIGAN The Great Lakes State


State Information: Pure Michigan • 001 888 784 7328 • www.michigan.org • Population: 10,095,643 • State Capital: Lansing • Largest City: Detroit • Local Time: EST – 5 hours behind UK • Weather: Four distinct seasons from an av low of 6 F (-14 C) in Jan to an av of 83 F (28 C) in July • National Parks/Lakeshores: Isle Royale, Sleeping Bear, Pictured Rocks • International Gateway: Detroit


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ichigan, the state so great it has a lake named after it! Four of the


five Great Lakes lap its shores, it is known as the Automotive Capital of the World, and its residents – known as Michiganders – use their hand as a carry-along map, perfectly describing the State’s lower peninsula mitten shape. The Mighty Mackinac Bridge connects Michigan’s Upper and Lower Peninsulas, a dividing line between development and semi-wilderness. But the pleasures of outdoor


adventure can be found in both. It is easy to see the rich, lumbering heritage in her abundant forests throughout Upper Michigan, while Detroit turned its eye toward progress and innovation. Great strides in music and industry


were made through forward thinkers such as automotive giant Henry Ford, aviator Charles Lindbergh and recording artist Stevie Wonder.


Sailing on Lake Michigan www.visitusa.org.uk 39


STATE SECRET: In the Dutch-inspired town of Holland, six million tulips bloom in the spring. Tulip Time is the annual celebration of Dutch heritage and culture.


DON'T MISS: In Dearborn, near Detroit, the living–history museum Greenfield Village and the Henry Ford Museum provide a compelling chronicle of the state's many advancements.


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