I am not on your vacation: A Maine Welcome

I once saw a bumper sticker on a beat-up old truck on Block Island, RI. It said, I am not on your vacation. And I haven’t stopped thinking about it since.

It was clearly a local’s truck. Someone who lived and worked in a place that, for a few months a year, becomes something very different from what it is the rest of the time. That phrase stuck with me because it walks a fine line: it’s funny, a little salty, but also true in a way that locals everywhere understand. And if you live in Maine, you know exactly what it means.

Maine is the kind of place people dream about. Rugged coastline. Lobster rolls. Endless wilderness. Quiet roads. It’s where people come to slow down. And they should. We want them here. Truly. Tourism is the lifeblood of so many Maine towns and people. From the coast to the lakes to the mountains, we rely on it. Yet most of us are deeply proud to share this place.

But also? Some of us are just trying to get to work. Drop off kids. Run ordinary errands. Deliver firewood. Get home. And when the roads are jammed and the line at the store is 20 deep, it’s easy to forget: we’re not all on vacation.

That’s where “I am not on your vacation” comes in. It’s not a complaint, it’s a reminder. A nudge. A little Maine-style dry humor that says: we’re glad you’re here… just please pay attention, drive like you’re not the only one on the road, and remember that some folks are mid-shift, not mid-happy hour.

So what’s the mission? Simple:

Welcome to Maine. Please stay. Please enjoy. Please spend money. Just maybe don’t stop in the middle of the road to take a picture of a moose.

We love this place. We love that you love this place. Let’s just make room for everyone. Locals, tourists, and everyone in between.