If you follow this blog, you know that Maine is our absolute favorite place; when G and I first started dating back in 1995, we often spent our weekends driving to Maine and visiting the small towns dotting the coast. We fell in love with the coast and with Maine itself; 26 years later, we’re still making those coastal drives, and Maine still has our heart. One of these days, maybe we’ll hop the border and even make our home in “Vacationland.” While we love Maine year-round, there’s something especially beautiful about the coast in winter—the quiet, the stillness, the solitude (all the more appreciated these days!).

I missed Monhegan the minute we left and vowed to return. It’s one of those places that sticks with you, and I was filled with questions and curiosities. Still, we needed to leave and continue on our journey, with our next stop just a mile down the road: Marshall Point Lighthouse, the lighthouse featured in the 1994 film Forrest Gump. The lighthouse is a beauty and so very worth the stop. That day, the bridge, the fog, the light itself—incredible. Ah, Maine. Maybe it’s true what the state’s welcome sign says; Maine really is the way life should be.