When Maine Became Vacationland

There’s nothing we love more than a little travel destination trivia! Have you ever wondered how Maine’s famous “Vacationland” slogan came to be? If the answer is yes, keep reading, because we’ve done the homework for you.

Hotshot Vacation Spot

Maine became a popular tourist destination after the Civil War, more specifically around the 1880s. Author Sanford Phippen attributed this increase to improvements in steamboats and rail lines, allowing vacationers to access the area with greater ease.

This boom, and of course the beauty of Maine’s natural areas, attracted some well-known names from America’s industrial period. Ford and Rockefeller are just of the few individuals to frequent the area, with many others visiting and eventually building cottages and lakeside homes as a retreat from bustling metro areas such as Boston and New York City.

There’s even an incredible story of Eleanor Roosevelt taking a road trip through Maine on her way to Quebec accompanied only by her friend Lorena Hickok and a revolver in her handbag; no Secret Service escort in sight! It was a deal she cut with the Secret Service that led to her participating in shooting lessons and taking precautions to keep a low profile while driving.

On their way to a play at Lakewood Theater in Madison, Maine the two women encountered dense fog preventing them from driving any further. That night they stayed at the Ellis Farm tourist court like any other ordinary tourist visiting Vacationland.

The Birth of “Vacationland”

By the 1930s, it’s speculated that the term “Vacationland” had been thrown around quite a bit in society’s higher circles. However, the term did not gain perpetuity until 1935, when a first-year in Maine’s senate, Frank MacKenzie, suggested license plates be printed with the unofficial slogan.

MacKenzie’s bill was met with criticism by his peers, most notably Roy Fernald, one of the world’s best-educated human beings. Fernald gained that title through Bob Ripley’s “Believe It or Not” column, highlighting his nine college and graduate degrees from schools such as Harvard, U-Maine, BU, and West Point as well as his accomplished career as a college economics professor.

At this point there was not a single U.S. state to include a promotional expression on license plates. Fernald, with his vast experience and knowledge of Maine’s economic landscape, argued that the bid to include “Vacationland” was “an asinine proposition” and would be obliterated from the bottom of the plates within a year of them being printed.

Despite his efforts, Governor Louis Brann overruled Fernald’s protests and signed the bill into law in 1936. To this day you are still able to receive a Maine license plate proudly printed with the term “Vacationland” making it the longest continuous promotional license plate in existence.

Vacationland Today

At the root of the history of the term “Vacationland” lies Maine’s exceptional natural beauty and excellence as a tourism industry.

Maine is home to over 17 million acres of natural areas, and its tourism industry brought in $9.37 billion in 2025, supporting 108,800 jobs and contributing nearly $5.2 billion to Maine’s wages.

Acadia National Park is Maine’s most popular National Park with over 4 million visitors per year, and on our Maine Bike Tour you’ll get to see the best parts of it from the seat of your bike!

Along with Maine’s incredible landscape is deliciously fresh seafood, charming towns, compelling history, and so much more. Take a look at some of the things you’ll see and do on our Coastal Maine Bike Tour:

Acadia National Park

There’s no doubt that the best way to experience the beauty of our National Parks is from the seat of your bike, and Acadia National Park is no exception!

Lovely Lighthouses

Explore historic lighthouses like Bug Lighthouse and Portland Head Lighthouse, one of the oldest in Maine!

Scrumptious Seafood

Craving fresh seafood? There’s nothing that quite compares to an authentic Maine lobster roll, and you’ll have plenty opportunities to enjoy some of Maine’s finest food on this tour.

Set Sail!

We’ll make this a proper coastal New England vacation with a beautiful and relaxing sunset schooner ride!

Join Us In Vacationland!

Ready to take your trip to Vacationland? Start by requesting your FREE itinerary! This itinerary is a detailed look into each day of our Maine bike tour. You’ll see the daily mileage, interesting highlights and facts, as well as each night’s lodging.

Wilderness Voyageurs Bike Tours operates Inn-to-Inn Bicycling Vacations across the United States.

If you want to experience the sights, sounds, culture, and geography of a place, what better way than from the saddle of your bike?

All Wilderness Voyageurs tours are fully supported with a Support-and-Gear vehicle and include beautiful routes through stunning landscape, excellent food and accommodations, top rate equipment, and dedicated and enthusiastic guides.

Give our wonderful reservations staff a call to book your next bike tour vacation (800) 272-4141