The Gem Hunt
America decides what makes the map.
Every state has a spot the algorithms miss — the one locals send strangers to. Name it. Vote on the finalists. The winners get built into Roamward, the scenic road-trip app that proves you actually went. No download required to play.
Nominate
What does Maine do better than anywhere?
One hidden gem — a place a chatbot would never know. The most-named spots become finalists, and the crowd votes the winner into Roamward.
Vote
Maine gems, most-loved first
- 1Desert of MaineA genuine 40-acre patch of glacial-sand dunes tucked into the pine woods just off I-295 in Freeport, with a self-guided dune tour, a half-buried barn, and gemstone hunting.
- 2Wild Blueberry LandA giant blueberry-blue geodesic dome rising off Route 1 in Columbia Falls, now a heritage center celebrating Maine's 10,000-year-old wild blueberry barrens in Downeast country.
- 3Maine Solar System ModelA to-scale model of the solar system strung along 40 miles of Route 1 between Presque Isle and Houlton, turning a long haul through Aroostook County into a planetary scavenger hunt.
- 4Nervous Nellie'sOn Deer Isle, this jam-making studio doubles as Nellieville, a free, wander-at-will sculpture village of whimsical found-metal creations, a Grail castle, and a blues juke joint.
- 5Smalls FallsA 54-foot run of waterfalls and clear plunge pools right beside Route 4 south of Rangeley, with a short trail climbing past each tier in the western Maine mountains — an easy swim stop.
- 6Perry's Nut HouseIn Belfast since 1927, this midcoast institution sells exceptional fudge alongside a wonderfully odd collection of curiosities and taxidermy — a charming roadside stop with treats and weirdness in equal measure.
- 7Len Libby Chocolate MooseIn Scarborough, a 1,700-pound chocolate moose named Lenny stands inside a candy shop, joined by a chocolate bear and pond scene — a free, sweet, only-in-Maine photo op off Route 1.
- 8Million Dollar Birdhouse WallIn Moscow on Route 201, locals transformed a dull retaining wall above the Kennebec River into a riotous canvas of hundreds of handmade birdhouses — a cheerful burst of folk art.
- 9Alexander Art TrailNear the Down East town of Alexander, the state's largest collection of hand-carved outdoor sculpture features two dozen oak figures shaped by skilled Lithuanian artists — a free woodland gallery.
- 10Moxie Bottle HouseIn Union, a building shaped like a giant bottle of Moxie, Maine's official and famously bitter state soft drink, celebrates the cult beverage — a small, quirky homage worth a grinning detour.
Not your state’s turn yet?
Want Roamward to map Maine next?
Add your vote — the loudest state gets mapped first.
How it works
Nominate
Drop the most underrated spot in your state — the gem an itinerary generator would never surface.
The crowd ranks it
Name a place someone already nominated and it rises. The most-loved gems become the state’s finalists.
Vote the winner in
Finalists go to a public vote. Winners get built into Roamward — credited to the people who found them.
Go verify it
Drive it, GPS-verify the stop, earn the badge, and share the map that proves you were first.
Don’t miss the winners
Be the first to find what the crowd picks.
Join early access and we’ll tell you when your state’s gem wins — and when Roamward opens for iOS testing.
Get early access