There’s a lot to love about life in Maine, but we’d be fooling ourselves if we said it was perfect. Like anything wonderful, our state has its own drawbacks. The good news? With a little bit of effort, you can avoid some of the things that threaten to put a damper on time spent in Vacationland. Here are 17 things you might want to try to avoid to keep your time in Maine as perfect as possible.

  1. Eating a lobster roll outside of Maine.

bionicgrrrl / Flickr If it’s smothered in mayo and doesn’t come with a side of butter, put it down and slowly back away.

  1. Attempting to actually swim in the ocean in June.

Jeffrey Keeton / Flickr These aren’t Florida temps, folks. As TLC taught us in the nineties, “please stick to the rivers and the lakes that you’re used to.”

  1. Medicinal, flavored beverages.

tami abigador pearson / Flickr This is certainly a matter of opinion. This is ours. We’ll keep trying, but so far…nope.

  1. Ignoring signs like this.

Justin Russell / Flickr Mainers mean business. If it says “no swimin” we mean “no swimin!”

  1. The belief that Maine ends after Bangor.

Jennifer / Flickr There’s still plenty of Maine left up North!

  1. Ticks

Tim Engleman / Flickr They’re awful little creatures that will cower in your crevices and suck your blood. Cover up!

  1. The Old Port or Bar Harbor on a cruise ship day.

Jasperdo / Flickr Unless you like snuggling with strangers while you walk down the street.

  1. Black flies and mosquitoes.

Paul Williams / Flickr Just sit inside and enjoy the scenery from a safe distance.

  1. This guy.

Christine and John Fournier / Flickr Unless you’re in the market for a new car. A run-in on the road could total your vehicle.

  1. Making plans that require walking during the winter.

Corey Templeton / Flickr Or really…

  1. Just the winter in general.

Don Shall / Flickr Skip it. Hide inside. Whatever it takes.

  1. Springtime driving.

Corey Templeton / Flickr Winter made a mess and now our traffic is paying the price. Has anyone else noticed that there’s an unexpected amount of road work happening this spring?

  1. Being lured into an early-spring car wash.

Devin Young / Flickr The salt may be gone, but there’s still plenty to mess things up…

  1. …Such as driving that freshly washed car off-road during mud season.

Rick Payette / Flickr Unless you like your car to look authentic. Then, go for it!

  1. Rushing out to buy bread and milk at the first mention of a snow storm.

liz west / Flickr It won’t go well.

  1. But, you also won’t want to be stocking up at the last minute.

Brian Ng / Flickr You’ll be enjoying leftover cans of Moxie and beans until the roads clear.

  1. Ever leaving Maine.

Kim Seng / Flickr There’s simply no place better.

What do you think Mainers should avoid?

bionicgrrrl / Flickr

If it’s smothered in mayo and doesn’t come with a side of butter, put it down and slowly back away.

Jeffrey Keeton / Flickr

These aren’t Florida temps, folks. As TLC taught us in the nineties, “please stick to the rivers and the lakes that you’re used to.”

tami abigador pearson / Flickr

This is certainly a matter of opinion. This is ours. We’ll keep trying, but so far…nope.

Justin Russell / Flickr

Mainers mean business. If it says “no swimin” we mean “no swimin!”

Jennifer / Flickr

There’s still plenty of Maine left up North!

Tim Engleman / Flickr

They’re awful little creatures that will cower in your crevices and suck your blood. Cover up!

Jasperdo / Flickr

Unless you like snuggling with strangers while you walk down the street.

Paul Williams / Flickr

Just sit inside and enjoy the scenery from a safe distance.

Christine and John Fournier / Flickr

Unless you’re in the market for a new car. A run-in on the road could total your vehicle.

Corey Templeton / Flickr

Or really…

Don Shall / Flickr

Skip it. Hide inside. Whatever it takes.

Winter made a mess and now our traffic is paying the price. Has anyone else noticed that there’s an unexpected amount of road work happening this spring?

Devin Young / Flickr

The salt may be gone, but there’s still plenty to mess things up…

Rick Payette / Flickr

Unless you like your car to look authentic. Then, go for it!

liz west / Flickr

It won’t go well.

Brian Ng / Flickr

You’ll be enjoying leftover cans of Moxie and beans until the roads clear.

Kim Seng / Flickr

There’s simply no place better.

OnlyInYourState may earn compensation through affiliate links in this article.