The Rest Stop and Dog Hours
Sign at the Maine State Visitor Information Center, 2026.
”It is my wish that this Hopeful sign will serve as a signifier of hope and inspiration to both residents and visitors to Maine and that it will provoke a positive dialogue and illuminate our better natures.”
Charlie Hewitt, Artist
I believe the Rest Area is undervalued. Let me explain: I’ve spent the last week on the road from Winter Park, Florida, to Cape Elizabeth, Maine, a distance of 1385 miles. It took 5 days and many stops to charge my car, take a break, and find a meal. The highlight of the trip: the highway rest stops, offered shadty trees, clean restrooms, and picnic tables along with a chance to meet friendly travelers.
Selkie loves the rest stops!
My favorite rest stop was the Maine State Visitor Information Center rest stop, located in Kittery, Maine. The parking lot was full, visitors smiled, and I was delighted to finally find myself in luscious, leafy Maine.
It was also a chance to reflect on the value of rest, both while driving as well as in life. US cultural norms value overworking and productivity, and while those traits have value, they’re better when balanced with rest and contemplation. The apple tree does not produce apples year-round, it rests during the winter so that it can come back invigorated in the Spring. And if you look closely at Maine license plates, you will find the word Vacationland displayed proudly!
Like the apple tree, the creative mind needs downtime to come up with new ideas to keep the energy flowing. Here’s to the quiet rest stop, a time to reflect and appreciate our lives.
Dog Hours
Raindrops pitter-patter on my bedroom window. I open my eyes to daylight, but my watch says 5:30 am. I might as well get up, I’m awake and Selkie knows it. There’s no escaping a dog wanting to go out first thing in the morning. It isn’t cold, just a little wet so Selkie and I head out for our early walk. Our goal is to explore Willard Beach, a short mile from my AirBnB. The Maine shoreline is rocky with a few beaches and I love exploring the area while everyone slumbers.
At the beach, we amble alone, except for a few seagulls. The water laps along the shoreline and I marvel at the beauty of this misty, wet morning. As we make our way toward the beach exit (it’s a very small beach), I notice a Park Ranger walking toward me, clipboard in hand.
‘Are you aware of Dog Hours?’ he asks.
Confused, I shake my head. ‘Dog hours?’
‘Dogs are only allowed on the beach between the hours of 7 and 9 am’ he continues. I raise my eyebrows and cock my head.
‘Really?’
‘It’s a measure intended to support local wildlife nesting habitat’ he explains. ‘I’ll let you off with a warning, since this is your first time.’ he finishes. He takes down my information and hands me my warning.
Tucking the folded piece of paper into my pocket, Selkie and I walk off the beach and head home. I’m a little confused by this regulation, as people are allowed on the beach at all times. But later, when I research the question, it turns out that off-leash dogs are the real problem. Ground-nesting piping plovers see dogs as predators and may avoid nesting to stay safe. Luckily, Selkie was on leash the entire time, so we didn’t do any damage, but as a guest of Maine, I want to be respectful.
Thankful that I only got a warning, we head home to dry off and find breakfast.
Maine Coastline - August, 2026