Maine Islands

The Maine Summer Real Estate Company - 289 Water St. Gardiner Maine, 04345 207 582 0582

Downeast Islands
Bay of Fundy, Penobscot Bay
Gulf of Maine

Rural, quiet and contemplative. For the summer folks who want true peace and quiet... and not many other distractions. The islands off the Down East coast are wonderful places to breathe the fresh sea air, walk and ride your bicycle, listen for loons, watch osprey and keep track of the bald eagles that inhabit these lonely outposts.
Swans Island, Great Cranberry Islands, Frenchboro and Isle au Haut can all be reached by ferry from Bass Harbor in Acadia National Park. You can rent a cottage or vacation home by the week or month. Most of these islands do also have an inn or B&B. The small villages have restaurants, shops & nicely stocked grocery stores. These islands make great day-trip destinations if you are based on Mount Desert Island in Acadia Nat'l. Park. A short ferry ride can take you and your family on a fun adventure.

Isn't that what a vacation is all about?

LITTLE CRANBERRY ISLAND / ISLEFORD

This charming island is one of the many that make up the Great Cranberry Islands. If you are looking for an island getaway for a day, week or month, this little gem could be the one. A great restaurant near the dock serves fine and inspiring meals. There are a few galleries and shops, plus a grocery store.

You could spend the day walking along the shoreline, collecting the rolled sea glass that comes in on the tide. Bicycling and walking the miles of roads & trails -- watching birds or stopping for a picnic could easily fill an afternoon. This is a great place for relaxing and being one with nature.

Summering on an island in the Penobscot Bay could easily become addictive. The heady fragrance of the pines mixed with that of the salty air is intoxicating. There are miles and miles of trails to walk or ride your bicycle upon. You can observe over 200 species of birds and hundreds of wildflowers. The sea sparkles in the sunshine, with views to other islands or the open ocean. It is a delightful treat to take a row in a small cove -- around dusk -- and watch the osprey fishing for their supper. Nature lovers, this is the place for you! A ferry services the more popular islands of Monhegan, Vinalhaven, North Haven and Isleboro. These islands all have many cottages and grand homes to rent by the week or by the month. There are also hotels and B&Bs available for overnight stays. The charming villages on these rugged islands have quaint shops and wonderful restaurants for lunch and dinner. Or you can buy the freshest of lobster at the co-op and cook it up at your cottage. A perfect end to a perfect Maine summer day.
	*FEATURED ISLAND:* VINALHAVEN
When I think of Vinalhaven, it always brings a smile to my soul -- the sun shines brighter, the sea smells sweeter, and the birds fly higher. This is a fun and interesting island, one could spend a lifetime of summers here and never really see it all. The ferry from Rockland takes about one hour and fifteen minutes. And then, truly, the world slips away and island magic takes over... This is a great place to walk -- swim -- or lie upon a rock and let the sun warm you to your very core. One of my favorite places is Lanes Island Preserve. The trails go on forever, rambling over rocks and meadows. In foggy weather, one can hear the distant bleating of the fog horn. Dew drips from the rosa rugosas, and wild berries are found everywhere!
The town, although compact, has a few good restaurants, a general store, grocery, and one tourist-y shop. Walking up the hill to the old part of town,one finds a monument commemorating the boys of Vinalhaven lost in the Great Rebellion of the 1860's. A tour of the island will reveal the old granite quarries (now swimming holes), beautiful Tiptoe Mountain (an easy scramble to views that go on forever), fern forests, and some of the most spectacular rugged granite coastline, with pines marching down to the sea.
Vinalhaven is one of the most popular islands in the Penobscot Bay, with a year-round working community and a fair number of summer folks. There is only one hotel on the island, plus a few B&Bs. You can rent cottages by the week or month. Do plan in advance, so you don't miss out on this divine experience.

CASCO BAY The Casco Bay has so many islands that an explorer named them collectively "The Calendar Islands", saying that there was an island for each day of the year... He was stretching the truth -- the actual number is 180 -- and the Casco Bay Lines ferries can take you to many of them. Some of the most popular are Peaks, Great Chebeague, Little Diamond, Big Diamond, Cliff Island and Eagle Island (the former home of Admiral Peary, the famed polar explorer). All of these islands make for wonderful day trips. Some are great for an overnight stay, while others are perfectly suited for a week of rest and relaxation. When on the ferry, you will almost always see harbor seals, gulls and once in a while, an osprey. It is fun to watch the lobstermen checking their traps and puttering around, a reminder that this is not only an enchanting vacation area, but also a place to earn a living while enjoying the surrounding beauty of Casco Bay.
	*FEATURED ISLAND:* PEAKS
Peaks Island is one of the most popular destinations in the Casco Bay. A short (approx. 15 minutes) ferry ride from Portland takes you by a lighthouse and a few small islands before landing on this enchanted little island of Peaks.
The hub of commerce is clustered into one square block around the landing area, but is chock-full of everything you may need for a pleasant stay. You can rent bicycles and kayaks, pick up a t-shirt, have a morning espresso or a lobster dinner, or go to the grocery and stock up on everything you need for a picnic, or for a week-long stay.
This island is a treasure trove of natural beauty -- outstanding views, grassy meadows and beautiful rocky beaches. There's even a couple of old garrisons on the island. These are now private property, but can easily be seen from the road. The eastern side of Peaks is a great place to watch the sun rise, assemble rock sculptures or take a long walk along the shore road. The island's western side is a beauty at sunset, and as twilight turns to night, the lights of downtown Portland sparkle from across the bay like jewels against the inky backdrop of a star-strewn sky.
	Peaks Island is home to many interesting people, some year-round residents, others staying only the summer. Many writers and artists make their home here. A short distance from the ferry landing, you may find the 'Umbrella Cover Museum'. It really is as quirky as it sounds! If you are lucky the owner will treat you to a song while she accompanies herself with the accordion...
There is one hotel on Peaks, plus many privately owned cottages for rent (reservations only). You may also bring your car on the ferry, but one word of caution: there are a lot of deer on the island -- some islanders say there are more each year -- so be very careful when driving, especially at night. Whether you stay for a day, a week or a lifetime, we suggest you bring your camera and good walking shoes. You will have a great time!

Questions? Email us at info@mainesummer.com
KDB INC
MSC inc. 289 Water St. Gardiner Maine, 04345 207 582 0582
All photographs Copyright © 1999-2006 by K. L. Dominguez-Brann
Do not copy or reproduce in print or on the web.