Beach Bliss:  Rocky Coast of Maine

From Greece to Jamaica to Thailand, I’ve been on some of the most beautiful beaches in the world but my heart belongs to the rocky coast of Maine. Being from New England it’s what I know. The sand is darker and coarser than the powder sugar of the Caribbean and there’s usually a line of seaweed you have to step over to get to dark green waters that will never see the other side of 60 degrees. But I love it. Winter, Spring, Summer and Fall. I love how the salt in the air attaches to your skin, how the cooler temperatures of a summer night are warmed by an oversized sweatshirt that reads MAINE and a hot bowl of clam chowder -finished with a deep dish blueberry pie! York, Ogunquit, Kennebunkport, -all charming seafaring villages that will have you slowing down and uttering “uh-yuh” in no time.

Sam’s Tips

• Day Dreaming: To pick out which dream beach house you’ll want to buy when you win the lottery, start in York, ME follow RT 1 to Shore rd to hug the coastline all the way up to Ogunquit.  It’s a gorgeous drive
• Flo’s Hot Dogs in Cape Neddick.  I’ve been going here now for 30 years-and even served them at my wedding.  Order two dogs, with mayonnaise (just do it) and special sauce.  Get a Moxie soda and a bag of chips and you’ve just had one of the best meals of your life for under 10 bucks.

Check out more of what to do in our “Coastal Maine” episode of Season 3’s “Places to Love.”