Here Are 12 Things People from Maine Do That Seem Insane To Everyone Else

Life in Maine is rugged, salty, and a little mysterious to anyone not from the Pine Tree State. What Mainers see as perfectly normal, outsiders often find baffling—or downright bizarre. From lobster feasts to weather-related toughness, Maine has its own set of quirks that make the rest of the country raise an eyebrow.

1. Eat Lobster Like It’s a Tuesday Night Dinner

While outsiders save it for anniversaries, Mainers crack shells and dip claws in butter like it’s takeout pizza.

2. Put Whoopie Pies on a Pedestal

Outsiders see a giant cookie sandwich. Mainers see a state treasure.

3. Brag About Swimming in the Freezing Atlantic

Yes, the water’s about 55°. No, they don’t care. Outsiders are still wrapping themselves in towels.

4. Use “Ayuh” as a Complete Sentence

It’s not just a word—it’s an attitude. Outsiders need subtitles.

5. Treat Bean Suppers as Social Events

Church basements serving baked beans, brown bread, and pie? To outsiders it’s odd, but in Maine it’s community.

6. Plan Life Around Moose Sightings

Locals hardly blink at a moose in the road. Outsiders nearly crash trying to take photos.

7. Drive Through Snowstorms Without Flinching

Ten inches of snow overnight? School’s still open, work’s still on, and Mainers still make it to Dunkin’.

8. Complain About Tourists But Love Their Money

“From away” is both an insult and a welcome sign—depending on how much you tip.

9. Put Moxie Soda on the Same Shelf as Coke

Outsiders think it tastes like medicine. Mainers defend it with pride.

10. Debate Lobster Roll Purity

Hot with butter or cold with mayo? Friendships have ended over this.

11. Heat Homes with Wood Even in the 21st Century

While outsiders rely on central heating, many Mainers are still stacking cords of wood every fall.

12. Measure Driving Distances in Hours, Not Miles

It’s a three-hour drive to anywhere worth going, and nobody questions it.

To outsiders, these Maine habits might look strange, extreme, or just plain insane. But to Mainers, they’re as natural as fog on the coast or snow in April. Spend enough time here, and you’ll be sipping Moxie, saying “ayuh,” and cracking lobster shells like you were born with a bib.