Millions of Americans can now visit Maine without a quarantine or test

Maine was gearing up to have one of its slowest summers to date, with a mandatory 14-day quarantine discouraging out-of-state visitors, including those from a next-door neighbor with few coronavirus cases, Vermont.

With an abundance of deals following the Maine governor's earlier order, I booked an Airbnb near Acadia National Park for the entire month of August. My plan was to quarantine for the requisite 14 days, then enjoy life on an unseasonably quiet Mount Desert Island for the second half of the month.

Then, in June, the governor announced a new plan, allowing out-of-state visitors to bypass the quarantine, as long as they arrived bearing a negative COVID-19 test, taken within the last 72 hours. That's a tall order for many Americans, though, and, thankfully, it's no longer required for visitors from three more states with low numbers of new coronavirus cases — effective today, July 3.

Travelers coming from extended stays in New Hampshire and Vermont were previously exempt from a quarantine or test, and now visitors from Connecticut, New Jersey and New York have a waiver, too. Notably, the order excludes Massachusetts and Rhode Island, two other New England states, though they could be added later, should rates improve.

As for visitors from other states? The 72-hour count is based on your arrival time in Maine — you could take the test within that period, then quarantine for a day or two until your negative results arrive, if they're not available in time.

And, if you're headed somewhere else, don't miss our state-by-state guide to coronavirus reopening for more on what to expect across the U.S.