A year ago (technically 11 months ago), I made the greatest decision of my life and moved to Maine. I left the small suburban town in Delaware County, Pennsylvania early in the morning and drove all day to an island off the coast of Maine.

I am extremely happy and proud to call Mount Desert Island/Bar Harbor, Maine my home. I’ve been asked by a lot of people why I decided to one day pick up my things and move to Maine, and I always find a new reason but in the end, I have the same response:

“You should visit Maine and see how magical it is.”

To help paint the picture for those who still don’t quite understand, here are 10 reasons why Maine is so magical.

1. A lot of spots on the island look like the scenes in a Nicholas Sparks movie.

Whether you’ve seen or read “The Notebook”, “Nights in Rodanthe”, or “The Last Song”, you can walk around town, sit on a bench at Agamont Park (by the gazebo), or stand by the ocean and feel like you’re the main character in one of his love stories. If you have a significant other, it’s the perfect place to enjoy a romantic stroll together. If you’re single, don’t worry, you can still go for a stroll and fall in love with the scenery.

2. The sunsets/sunrises are GORGEOUS.

Nicholas Sparks movies not your thing? Sunsets and sunrises are also pretty romantic and beautiful in Maine, especially when there are multiple ways of watching it. You can watch the sun set or rise on the beach, in town over the ocean, in the woods at Acadia National Park and even on top of a mountain after a nice hike. My personal favorite is watching the sun rise while sitting on top of a mountain. You can really see the world waking up right under you!

3. There are many opportunities for adventurous hikers and rock climbers.

I don’t really consider myself a rock climber. I never even thought I would end up in a harness climbing up the face of a mountain, yet here I was climbing up the face of a mountain! There are numerous spots for rock climbers of all levels. Whether you are an experienced climber or a beginner, the mountains of Acadia National Park offer an experience like no other. I haven’t climbed in a while, but while writing this I actually have an itch to get back in my harness. I honestly recommend this to anyone that wants to seek adventure, adrenaline, or just want to simply conquer their fear of heights. It’s truly an incredible experience. If rock climbing isn’t a goal of yours, a quick hike up a mountain serves the same purpose. You still feel like you went on an adventure and with a plus of an amazing view at the end.

4. There’s a beach getaway.

Yes, there are a bunch of beaches on the east coast. Wildwood, Ocean City, Atlantic City, Outer Banks, etc. But are there any other beaches that are tucked in between two mountains? Sand Beach is! As a beach lover, it doesn’t get any better than that. The ocean may be a bit too cold, but the view makes spending your day at this beach worth it. I usually close my eyes and imagine that I am on a small private island, and it really does give off those vibes!

5. Don’t like the beach? No worries, there are lakes too.

Cool thing about the lakes is that the water is not as freezing as the ocean, so if swimming is one of your favorite things to do in the summer, then you would love spending your days at the lake. Long Pond is one of my favorite places to go to in the summer. I can lay on the rocks and get my tan and go for a swim with the tiny fishes in the water. With a mountain running along the lake, the view is fantastic here too.

6. Picture perfect spots for a mermaid-esque photoshoot (or if you just want to be a mermaid in general).

Want to be a mermaid? Visit Maine, go down by the ocean, sit on a rock, and start singing “Part Of Your World”, simple as that.

7. The only place to successfully get away with dressing up as a clown (for those who would rather do that than be a mermaid).

Trust me when I say this: if you are a fan of horror you need to visit Bangor and see the King’s house for yourself. Pictures don’t do it justice, and coming from a huge Stephen King fan, standing in front of that house is any horror lover’s dream come true. Now, you don’t have to dress up as Pennywise in order to enjoy it, however, it does amp up the experience just a tad more.

8. Winters may be cold, but it transforms Maine into a true winter wonderland.

Everyone automatically thinks that Maine is always freezing and that the snow piles up over everyone’s houses, but it’s not like that at all. Yes, it is cold during the winter months, just like any other place that goes through temperature changes in the winter. Yes, it definitely snows a lot, too. But, it’s much better to deal with cold weather and snow while living in a beautiful place rather than a boring suburban town. Also, for anyone out there that absolutely loves the Christmas season and all that comes with it, you would love to visit Maine while it’s under its winter wonderland phase.

9. You can see an ocean of clouds without having to get on an airplane.

One of the cool parts of getting on a plane is that you can see how small the world looks out of a tiny window, especially how pretty the clouds look. What if I told you that you could experience that without having to get on a plane? You can easily walk up Cadillac Mountain on a foggy day and you will see that you are standing in an ocean of clouds. It’s hands down, better than seeing an ocean of clouds through a tiny window on a plane.

10. Last but certainly not least, this place makes you feel like you are on top of the world.

Out of all of the reasons why I believe Maine is so magical, this is the best one by far. The feeling you get when you step out of the trees and into the open view of the world is indescribable and empowering. Standing at the top of a mountain really shows you how small we all are and how captivating and special our planet is. If the other reasons did not inspire you enough to want to make a trip to Maine soon, I really hope that this one does because everyone should experience the magic that happens when you discover the world from the top of a mountain.