Michelle's life is a colorful map of exploration and adventure. From the iconic streets of New York to the sunny shores of Florida, the jagged coast of Maine to the rugged terrain of Montana, she's been fortunate to call some of America's most beautiful states home. Beyond the U.S., Michelle's wanderlust has taken her on a motorcycle journey through India, led her to teach English in Hanoi, and saw her studying Spanish in Guatemala. Michelle graduated with a communications degree from the S. I. Newhouse School of Public Communications at Syracuse University and in addition to a career in advertising has worked with OnlyInYourState since 2016, where her love for travel and storytelling converges. Alongside writing and exploring, Michelle finds joy in photography, staying active, and time with her family.
For questions, comments and inquiries please email: mstarin@onlyinyourstate.com.
I think we can all agree that Maine is #1 in our hearts. But, that’s not exactly enough to sway the opinion of winter-hating people from away. If you’re like me, you’ve found yourself embroiled in heated conversations debating the merits of Maine versus just about any other state. Those conversations are challenging without some cold, hard facts. So, for those of you in need of data points to back up your state pride, here are a few things Maine does best. Although, let’s be honest, we don’t need to prove ourselves to anyone. Keeping things a secret is probably for the best anyway.
Maine had the highest voter turnout of any state in the 2014 general election. And, for those of you with voting on the brain, you might find it interesting that Maine distributes its electoral votes using a Congressional District Method rather than the typical winner-take-all method.
If you've had lobster at a restaurant in the US, it was probably from Maine. Over 90% of the nation's lobsters are caught all along the Maine coast, which makes it an important part of our economy.
Well, sort of. From 1990 until just recently, we had the lowest rate of violent crime in the US. Vermont recently pushed us down to #2, but I like to think that's just because the criminals were on a holiday in Maine when the data was collected.
98% of the low bush blueberries in the US are harvested in Maine. Blueberry plants are plentiful in the state because their hardy nature allows them to withstand our harsh weather and rough soil.
The website estately.com recently named Maine as the #1 state for cat lovers in the US. The ranking is based on a variety of factors including, percentage of households with cats, Facebook "likes" for cats, frequency of heartworm disease, number of no-kill shelters and online search queries for "cat pics."
Not only can you see the absolute first sunrise in the US in Maine, but you also have three options for viewing depending on the season. You'll want to head to either Mars Hill, Cadillac Mountain or Lubec. From late March to mid-September, you'll want to head to Mars Hill for first light. But, from mid-September through the first week of October you should head to Quoddy Head. If you want to work for your view and see it from Cadillac Mountain you have some more time. Be there between mid-October and early March and you'll be greeted by America's first light.
At around $800, Maine has the least expensive average car insurance premium in the country, according to Insure.com. If you absolutely hate saving money, move to Michigan where you can pay the highest premium at about $2,738. For perspective, the national average is around $1,300.
