by Eric H., lifelong New England native. Photo left: A mix of evergreens and hardwood trees creates a colorful display on Songo Pond along Route 5 south of Bethel. Credit: Bethel Area Chamber of Commerce

New Hampshire and Vermont get most of the credit for stunning New England fall foliage, but in certain areas Maine is every bit as colorful.

We often think of Maine as a coastal wonderland with its rocky coast beaches and seaside lobster dinners, but pristine inland regions like Sebago Lake, the Rangeley and Bethel areas and even coastal destinations like Camden can fulfill your foliage expectations.

You can expect the best Maine fall foliage from the last week of September to the third week of October. With more than 7 million acres of forest, Maine has more land covered by trees than any other state in the country, according to www.visitmaine.com. Seventy six tree species, 52 of which are the hardwood leaf-producing variety create this foliage friendly environment, even on the Maine Turnpike that offers some wonderful foliage, en route to more wonderful foliage.

The intensity of yellow, orange, red and purple hues do not discriminate to inland areas of Maine. We have seen some amazing colors at Camden Hills State Park in Camden, the York Harbor area, and Kennebunk, all near the coast. Last year, we experienced some terrific fall foliage in the Portland area, all the way down to Kittery in the southeast coastal region of Maine. The benefit of having fall foliage near the coast is that there are still some warm enough days to enjoy a walk on the beach --and having an unbeatable shore seafood dinner -- thus doubling your Maine vacation fun. And with Kittery (as well as Freeport), you can not only shop for great fall foliage, but also at the myriad outlet stores offering great bargains.

Ideally, we recommend touring all the New England states for different fall foliage perspectives. If we had to choose one state, however, Maine would be the choice. That might sound odd given the famed colors of New Hampshire and Vermont, but Maine has the advantage of miles and miles of coastline as well as inland areas every bit as good in color as the most heavily promoted New England regions.