Dreamy Maine Island Near Acadia: Explore Mt. Desert

4th of July week SPECIAL. Special rate due to late cancellation. Here's your 2023 family , friends or couples vacation or remote-work spot. The Sea Glass House, my vintage 1892 Victorian full of stained glass windows and sea breezes, is a great base for exploring Mt. Desert, Acadia National Park and Bar Harbor. The house has all modern amenities and vintage charm on one of Maine’s last unbridged, year-round inhabited islands. There’s plenty of room to hang out with family and friends or tuck away for a nap or a long read.

The island is an unbridged island only reached by a 20-minute ride on the mailboat (leave your vehicle in Northeast Harbor, on Mt. Desert Island), so you'll truly be away from it all. Yet you'll be at the center of a busy island community, where work centers on the lobster co-op and welcoming seasonal visitors and guests. If you've forgotten something, you can pick up basics at the seasonal lobster co-op shop or order from a shop on Mt Desert for delivery via mailboat. The mailboat schedule makes off-island trips to explore Acadia National Park or for a lunch in Bar Harbor easy and scenic.

The house is an easy drive from metropolitan Boston or New York or a quick flight (to Bangor or Bar Harbor) from either.

The mailboat runs 6xdaily in the summer; 4xdaily in the spring and fall. A parking space for your car in Northeast Harbor is included in the rental fee; the mailboat ticket price is not included in the rental fee. Check out the Beal&Bunker site for the most up-to-date fees and schedules

The island was listed among 'The Best Secret Islands on Earth' by Travel & Leisure magazine and has been lauded by Martha Stewart, Rockefellers and generations of artists, writers and vacationers. The house was built by the island's merchant family and is embellished with original woodwork and other architectural treats that reveal the island's history. It's of course outfitted with 21st-century comforts, including WiFi, comfy beds and luxe linens and a cook's kitchen. A well-stocked library and puzzles and games help fill evenings and rainy days. Beaches and fantastic views are 5-10 minutes in any direction.
Amenities on the island include:


# A fine little library (wireless access, a good collection of modern literature and childrens' books as well as videos/DVD)
# A much-lauded restaurant, The Dock, which attracts visitors from the region
# An artists' gallery, gallery of sea glass creations and a potter's studio and store
# A gift store, Winter's Work
# A post office and school (with playground)
# The Neighborhood House, host to movie nights, readings and other social gatherings
# Two churches
# Boatworks, a not-for-profit that runs summer boat-building classes for children
# A yacht club (in name only) that offers lessons for adults and children
# Access to daily grocery delivery

What to do on an island?: -- The wonders of Acadia National Park are 20 minutes away, on Mt. Desert Island. Take an early mailboat and spend the day hiking or biking or horseback riding, or just drive up Cadillac Mountain, take in the view, and then have popovers and lemonade at Jordan Pond House.
-- Numerous small museums and galleries dot Mt. Desert, as do various gardens open to visitors. There's a muasuem on Islesford plus several galleries.
-- If you must, go to Bar Harbor and buy fudge and t-shirts. You'll be delighted that you can take the 6 pm boat back to the idyllic Islesford.
-- If antiques and/or rummage sales are your thing, there's plenty of opportunity on Mt. Desert and on the mainland.
-- Walk around the island, collecting rocks and shells and amazing views along the way. Don't forget a snack.
-- Walk out to Bakers Island on the sandbar.