During the summer, I usually spend a lot of time on the coast of Maine with my family. Maine’s state nickname is “Vacationland” and their slogan is “the way life should be,” and as arrogant as those two details sound, they are completely, totally, one-hundred percent dead on the mark. Whether you’re hiking, biking, or just hanging out at a beachy spot, there is a pretty good chance you’re going to get confused about whether you’re experiencing real life or if you’ve somehow hallucinated your way into a live-action Disney movie.

1. Insanely gorgeous sunsets

Ok. Sure. I’ll admit that you can find a gorgeous sunset in a lot of places. However, there’s just something about the sun setting over a body of water that really brings out the wow factor. Not only is there a much more open view of the sky, but there always seem to be a wider variety of colors painted across the sky, plus the water’s reflection of all that chaotic beauty. Sunsets aren’t the most mind-blowing concept in the world, but having a new beautiful work of art happen in the sky every night is certainly an amazing sight to behold.

2. Harbor seals

“What’s so magical about seals?” you’re probably asking yourself right now. Not much, unless you consider the fact that they are pretty much the mermaid version of dogs. Try taking a nice quiet boat like a canoe or a rowboat out on the water, and if you get too close to a seal hangout, their adorable little doglike heads pop up out of the water all around you. It’s a very surreal feeling. Don’t get too close though; they’re not actually adorable mer-dogs that want to be your best friend; they’re wild animals.

3. Abundance of four leaf clovers

This may just be my personal experience but I have found literally hundreds of four leaf clovers all along the coast of Maine over the past couple decades. According to long standing tradition, the four leaves represent faith, hope, love and luck. Why are there so many in Vacationland? I don’t know. Typically only one specimen in 10,000 grow with four leaves instead of three so we’re basically blowing science out of the water here. Chalk another point up for my "Maine is magical" hypothesis.

4. Clouds of butterflies

This particular phenomenon is really only available to people who like to ride bicycles off the beaten path and more specifically, through the mown paths of a local farm preserve. These incredible fields are bursting with gorgeous wildflowers, which attract incredible quantities of little orange butterflies. I don’t know what kind of butterflies they are, but they’re amazing. Taking a bike along these paths results in dozens and dozens of butterflies flying up all around you in a big cloud throughout the entire field. Go ahead, try and tell me that’s not the most enchanting thing you’ve ever heard of.

5. Bioluminescent algae

Ok. Hands down, this is the most incredible natural phenomenon I’ve ever seen in person. At night, in the summertime, you can see algae actually light up in the water. It’s kind of like underwater fireflies, except you have to splash a little bit to see the effect. Instead of intermittent flashes of light, the water you’re splashing will sparkle and glow. It sounds completely crazy, but it’s for real. I didn't believe it myself until I tried it, so I guess that's really the only advice I have for anyone who doesn't believe it either. Go try it out!