The photo above captures September in Maine perfectly. Most of the leaves are still green, but here and there you’ll find a few beginning to shift. The sun sits lower in the sky, casting a softer, longer light across the landscape. And the air, still warm at times, teeters on the edge of something cooler, something almost eerie. I actually wrote a post a while ago that captured September in northern New England in detail. Looking back, I’d say it was one of my better posts.
September is a month of transition in Maine. At the start, you can still slip into a lake for a comfortable swim, with daytime temperatures often climbing into the 70s and 80s, while nights cool off into the high 50s. By the end of the month, though, evenings in the 30s aren’t uncommon, and wood stoves begin to glow again. It’s a season of ups and downs; one day calls for a sweater, the next for shorts. True sweater weather doesn’t settle in until mid-to-late October.
September is usually the month when Laura and I pick ourselves back up and begin exploring the state again. Neither of us has much appetite for long drives in the sticky, hot days of summer, but once the humidity fades and the leaves begin to change, it’s tough to hold us back. We take walks through the woods with coffee in hand, talking about where we’ll head next. My suggestions typically go in two directions: west to the White Mountains in New Hampshire or east to the coast. This year, the plan is Conway’s shopping outlets in New Hampshire and Blue Hill on Maine’s coast, two spots I’ve had my eye on for years.
September is a wonderful month in Maine. Personally, I wouldn’t even consider traveling here in the summer. It’s just too hot and sticky. September, though, paints an entirely different picture. The nights are cool and perfect for sleeping, while the days are made for walking, exploring, and simply putzing around. Everything feels just right. The warmth lingers and the air is usually dry and comfortable. With the rains not arriving until October or November, September truly is the best time to visit, if you’re coming from out of state, or become active again if you’re from in state.
