Think of the perfect moment in Maine like a firefly — captivating, bright-burning and brief. “Summers don’t last long up in New England, but that’s what makes it a bit more exclusive,” says Mary Cropper of luxury travel company Black Tomato.

Rows of clapboard houses with bikes propped up against sea-weathered fences, and winding, sandy lanes leading to secret beaches make a trip to Maine the ultimate all-American vacation, she adds.

Gorge on lobster rolls, pick up a few surf-polished seashells and take refuge under one of the rows of umbrellas — preppily stripey, of course — dotting the sand dunes. 4

The southernmost reaches of the state are about a 90 minutes’ drive from Boston (fly there, for lower prices and more flights, versus state capital Portland). This stretch of seasid

See Full Page