Deer
Isle, Activities and Information
There
is a lot to do on Deer Isle! We’ve
compiled a list of some places to explore and things to do while you’re visiting
the island. In particular, those guests who are coming for a longer visit may
find themselves with extra time on their hands to explore. Since internet service on the island
can be a little spotty, we’ll also print out this list to include in a welcome
bag for everyone coming, and we’ll include maps showing where these places are.
The local paper, printed on Thursday and available at markets, is also a great
place to find events.
We
have listed outdoor activities
(hiking, watersports, farmer’s market, and beaches), indoor activities (Opera House, historical society museum,
galleries), food (restaurants,
coffee shops/breakfast, groceries, lobsters/seafood, specialty shops), day trips (Blue Hill, Isle au Haut,
boat trips), and amenities (medical
center, gas stations). We hope you
find this helpful!
Just
a note: in directions below, “Sunset Road” is also Rte. 15A.
OUTDOOR
ACTIVITES:
Hiking:
There
are lots of fun trails through forests on or near the Island, many on or near
the ocean. When you arrive, your welcome bag will include maps from The Island
Heritage Trust to help you find and explore the hikes described below. For those eager to hear more about hiking in
the meantime, here is some information about hiking on the island from The
Island Heritage Trust. See their
website (islandheritagetrust.org) for more information.
“Scott’s Landing is open to the
public with over 20 acres of fields, trails, and shorefront to explore. Access
to the property is off Route 15 at the end of the Causeway just across
from Causeway Beach.
Signs, a kiosk, and brochures will welcome you. Like all IHT preserves, parking
is limited so come early or come back another day if the area is full. There
are places to picnic and view Eggemoggin Reach (the body of water that runs
between the island and the mainland – you cross it coming over the bridge onto
the island) and watch sailboats and powerboats pass under the Deer Isle Bridge.
Explore the old fields and sand beach. Dogs are not allowed, so please leave
your pets at home. See the Island Heritage Trust’s Hiking page for a
link to the Scott’s Landing brochure: http://www.islandheritagetrust.org/visit.html
Take a hike up Pine Hill on Little Deer to
enjoy the wonderful views of the Reach and surrounding mainland and outer
islands. Read about and see the rare serpentinized peridotite and the quarry
where rock for the Causeway was mined. To get to Pine Hill, turn off Route 15 at the Chamber of Commerce Booth onto
Eggemoggin Road. Continue .2 miles until you come to Blastow Cove Road at the
church and turn left. Go another .2 miles to Pine Hill parking area on the
right.
See the Island Heritage Trust’s Hiking page for a link to
the Pine Hill brochure: http://www.islandheritagetrust.org/visit.html
In between the two preserves is Bowcat Overlook right before you head onto the Causeway from
Little Deer Isle. This one-acre shore property is the access point to Carney Island that was a companion parcel when IHT purchased the
northern end of Carney. You will see a plaque there highlighting the connection
between this point and Robert McCloskey’s book Time of Wonder, the
history that provides the name for the region, and the interesting geology of
the area.
Settlement Quarry – NOTE FOR TYNAN/MCDANIEL VISITORS:
Mary Ann Tynan’s grandfather and great-uncle quarried and later acquired this
spot, so the site is important to her and all her family.
Come and explore this old granite quarry.
Trails guide you around the quarry and through the woods. Take in the great
views of Merchants Row and Isle au Haut. Settlement
Quarry Brochure.
To get to the Settlement
Quarry, take Route 15 toward Stonington until you come
to Ron’s and take a left onto Oceanville Road, just under a mile and you will
see a sign on the right after Settlement Road. Plan to spend a good half a day
as there are many trails you may take throughout the Quarry.
To preview
the geological highlights of the Settlement Quarry, go to http://www.maine.gov/doc/nrimc/mgs/explore/bedrock/sites/jun11.htm.
Check out Shore Acres Preserve off the Sunshine Road. From Route
15, take Sunshine Road in Deer Isle across from the Irving station and travel
1.2 miles and bear left on Greenlaw District Road and almost a mile until you
see the preserve entrance on the right. There are two looping trails (Stonewall
and Goldthread Trails) that connect and bring you to the Shore Trail. The trail
loop is 1.5 miles long. The woods are quiet and enchanting. The shore offers
spectacular views of Greenlaw Cove and Campbell Island. See the
Island Heritage Trust’s Hiking page for a link to the Shore Acres Preserve
brochure: http://www.islandheritagetrust.org/visit.html
Not far from your turn onto Greenlaw
District Road, you will find the Edgar
Tennis Preserve further down Sunshine Road. Go about 1.3 miles
from where Greenlaw intersects Sunshine and take a right onto Tennis Rd. and
continue on to find the preserve register box on the left and small parking
spaces after that. Pick up a brochure and you can weave through beautiful
walkways to the Davis or Pickering Farm foundations and read about the Davis
history on a new historic display. This state land is managed by IHT. Look for
eagles and ospreys along the shore and try to spot seals resting on Toothacher
Ledge. See the Island Heritage Trust’s Hiking page for a link to
the Edgar Tennis Preserve brochure: http://www.islandheritagetrust.org/visit.html
In Stonington, off Whitman Road from Route
15A (Sunset Road), you will find the Crockett Cove Woods a "100-acre wood" and
sanctuary filled with a wide variety of ferns, mosses, and lichens. Famed
designer and painter Emily Muir donated this "fog forest" to The
Nature Conservancy. We have installed new signs and an easy to read map. Listen
for the call of a red-breasted nuthatch or a kinglet.
Finally, off the Sunset Road down Goose
Cove Road, you will find the popular Barred Island Preserve managed by IHT and owned by The
Nature Conservancy. The land belonged to Charles Seller and then Frederic Law
Olmsted. IHT recently took on an easement protecting an additional 28 acres
abutting the Preserve to protect its fragile wildlife habitat and forest. Its
mile-long winding trail leads you through a variety of forest scenery until you
come to a commanding view of a panorama
encompassing Isle Au Haut to Mark Island and beyond. Turning back
to the main trail, you will shortly discover wonderful beaches on either side
of the bar leading to Barred Island. The island itself has been open recently
since no nesting bald eagles are present. Check out the eagle information sign
on the shore loop trail before heading out to the island.”
Watersports:
Isle au Haut Boat Company.
See
below, under “day trips,” for more information about taking a boat ride through
Stonington harbor or out to Isle au Haut.
Great for a half- or full-day outdoor adventure.
Old Quarry Ocean Adventures.
This is an oceanfront recreation center
and campground. Guests can rent kayaks
for unguided days or for guided tours, or book boat tours to explore
neighboring islands. Sailing
lessons are available, and sailboats can be rented for half- or
full-days to those who have experience.
130 Settlement Road, Stonington ME 04681.
207. 367.8977
Farmer’s Market:
On Friday mornings (10 am to noon) in the
summer, there is a Farmer’s Market (known as one of the best in Maine) selling
lots of yummy food and local crafts.
It is located next to the Island Community Center, off 15A. Parking is available in the Little
League field across the street. There may not be too much fresh local produce
this early in the season but there will definitely be baked goods, local
cheeses and meats, pottery and crafts, as well as Indian, Vietnamese, and
Mexican food.
207-367-5059
Beaches:
Many
of the beaches on the island are rocky, but there are also some sandy beaches
people may want to visit for a swim or relaxing afternoon. Maps in goodie bags will show you how
to get to Sand Beach (be sure to park only in the designated spots so
you don’t get towed) or Reach Beach. Be warned – tides on the island are pretty big, and Reach
Beach exposes clam flats (mud) at low tide (while Sand Beach is sandy at high
or low tide). Causeway Beach
(aptly named – it’s by the causeway as you’re coming onto the island) is a
public beach that’s a good spot to look for nesting eagles.
INDOOR
ACTIVITIES:
The Stonington Opera House:
The Opera House features live music.
On Saturday June 22, there will be a concert of Paul Sullivan and Friends –
Paul Sullivan is a jazz and classical composer and pianist, and a grammy winner
as a member of the Paul Winter Consort, and the “friends” are interesting guest
talents, sometimes local. The
Opera House is also the place to go to catch movies on the island –
we’ll try to keep people posted about what movie will be shown while we’re
there.
Corner of
Main & School Streets
Stonington,
ME 04681
207-367-2788
Historical
Society Museum:
Island museum, archives/records,
artifacts, marine gallery, 1830 house.
416 Sunset
Road (Rt 15A)
Deer Isle,
ME 04627
207-348-6400
Galleries:
There
are lots and lots of little galleries scattered all over the island displaying
the work of numerous local artists. Call for hours. We’ve
included a small sampling below, along with the descriptions posted under each
on the Chamber of Commerce website:
Katy Allgeyer-Fine Artist. Original
Paintings, gallery, oil portraits.
21 Weed
Field Road
Stonington,
ME 04681
207-367-6369
Dishwashable, microwaveable, affordable
pottery for home/office use.
56 Pressey
Village Road
Deer Isle,
ME 04627
207-348-6422
Featuring watercolors, sculpture and jewelry. Open daily 11-6.
687
Sunshine Road
Deer Isle,
ME 04627
207-620-0590
DIAA is a nonprofit organization of
artists and supporters of the arts.
15 Main
Street
Deer Isle,
ME 04627
207-348-2330
Featuring 65 studio artists, American
made, crafted with pride.
23 Dow
Road
Deer Isle,
ME 04627
207-348-6498
Unique & affordable gifts from nature:
gourds, feathers, eggs & slates.
176 North
Main Street
Stonington,
ME 04681
207-367-2326
Art Gallery/Studio Asian brush
painting/watercolor workshops; all ages
81 North
Deer Isle Road (Rt 15)
Deer Isle,
ME 04627
207-348-2782
Hand crafted furniture, including the Owl:
unique, affordable seating.
43 North
Main Street
Stonington,
ME 04681
207-367-6555
Sculptural and forged metal work;
decorative and functional pottery.
73 Reach
Road
Deer Isle,
ME 04627
207-348-2601
A
painting gallery featuring work from both established and emerging artists.
68 Main
Street
Stonington,
ME 04681
207-367-2900
International craft school. Workshops,
exhibitions, community programs.
22 Church
Street (Rt 15)
Deer Isle,
ME 04627
207-348-2306
Functional & artistic pottery, vivid
& matt glazes, mugs, vases, bowls.
741 Oceanville
Road
Stonington,
ME 04681
207-367-2269
Jewelry, paintings, prints, pottery,
lamps, clocks, pillows, furniture.
89 North
Deer Isle Road (Rt 15)
Deer Isle,
ME 04627
207-348-6171
Contemporary fine art.
26 Main
Street
Stonington,
ME 04681
207-367-2700
Artistic utilitarian pieces celebrating
the beauty of domestic woods.
51 Georges
Pond Road
Stonington,
ME 04681
207-367-2333
Plein air oils of coastal Maine, vital oil
paintings, watercolors.
80 North
Main Street
Stonington,
ME 04681
207-367-2368
Fine art sculpture indoor and garden.
Studio with display area.
41 Church
Street (Rt 15)
Deer Isle,
ME 04627
207-348-2363
Fancy decorative ropework for boat, home,
nautical art, jewelry.
58 West
Main Street
Stonington,
ME 04681
207-460-6034
Vibrantly colored paintings of coastal
scenes by artist Shari Ciomei.
58 Indian
Point Road
Stonington,
ME 04681
207-367-2751
Hand editioned prints and paintings,
picture framing too.
115
Airport Road
Stonington,
ME 04681
207-367-5037
A group of artists and galleries.
Stonington,
ME 04681
Handmade bead and crochet jewelry with lampwork
beads.
639 Sunshine
Road
Deer Isle,
ME 04627
207-348-6789
Photograpy, Maine book, gallery, Maine
photography
4 Main
Street
Deer Isle,
ME 04627
207-348-2676
The Red Dot Gallery.
Among
its collective of nine Maine artists, this small gallery in Deer Isle Village
has many connections with the Island’s popular Haystack Mountain School of
Crafts (www.haystack-mtn.org)
3 Main
Street
Deer Isle,
ME 04627
207-348-2733
Turtle
Gallery.
A
small gallery featuring fine art in many media: craft, painting, print, photo,
glass, clay.
61 North Deer
Isle Road (Rt 15A)
Deer Isle,
ME 04627
207-348-9977
40 years of designing and building custom
fine furniture.
16 Spruce
Hill Farm Lane
Stonington,
ME 04681
207-367-2749
FOOD:
Restaurants:
A very casual restaurant with lots of
fresh fish (great clam chowder and fish and chips!) and options for
non-fish-eaters (burgers, etc.), too.
There is also an outside deck.
5 Atlantic
Avenue
Stonington,
ME 04681
Fine
dining in a historic house in Little Deer Isle.
207-348-6615
A Portuguese restaurant overlooking the
water at Goose Cove Resort.
Goose Cove
Road
Deer Isle,
ME 04627
207-348-2300
Madelyn’s Take Out:
Good
burgers, hot dogs, ice cream, etc with outside picnic tables and a playspace
for kids.
495 N. Deer Isle Road
Deer Isle ME 04627
207-348-9444
The Stonington Ice Cream Company:
An
ice cream shack on Main Street in the village of Stonington that sometimes also
has good lobster rolls and baked goods.
Main Street
Stonington ME
207.367.2900
Coffee
Shops/Breakfast:
A small batch, organic coffee roasting
coffee company in Deer Isle. Written up in Down East magazine as one of the
best roasters in Maine.
11 Church
Street
Deer Isle,
ME 04627
This is a good breakfast spot for people
heading to the Farmer’s Market on Friday because it’s right across the
street. It’s a café/diner that
offers breakfast, lunch, coffee, and baked goods, as well as gift items,
crafts.
40 School
Street (Rt 15A)
Stonington,
ME 04681
207-367-2415
Fibula/Sophie’s Cup.
Coffee
Shop in Deer Isle center.
Harbor View.
A
sandwich shop located in Deer Isle center, which also sells ice cream and shakes.
Groceries:
The main grocery
store on the island is the Burnt Cove Market.
3 Burnt
Cove Road (Rt 15A)
Stonington,
ME 04681
207-367-2681
There is also a smaller grocery in
Stonington village called the Harbor View Shop.
The Galley is a small version of the Burnt Cove Market
on the North Deer Isle Road (Rte. 15) near the Deer Isle/Stonington High
School.
Lobsters/Seafood:
For
people staying somewhere with a kitchen who want to cook lobsters or seafood,
there are a few places on-island to look.
Live lobster & seafood retail shop. Go
into the little alcove to tell them what you want and get a bag, and then
they’ll send you down the ramp to pick up your lobsters from the dock.
51 Indian
Point Road
Stonington,
ME 04681
207-367-2286
Wholesale/retail seafood market.
38 Ocean
Street
Stonington,
ME 04681
207-367-0950
Carries fresh and smoked seafood, fresh
crabmeat, and great smoked clams and mussels.
Rte. 15 A
near the junction of Cemetery Road
Stonington
ME
Family owned business - live lobster,
lobster and crabmeat, shellfish.
179
Sunshine Road
Deer Isle,
ME 04627
Specialty Shops:
Art park, jam factory, shop & café.
598
Sunshine Road
Deer Isle,
ME 04627
Farmstead goat cheese, yogurt, eggs, vegetables
- Oceanville farmstand.
16 Spruce
Hill Farm Road
Stonington,
ME 04681
DAY TRIPS:
People visiting
for longer stays may have time to explore off-island; there are some great
nearby spots for a day or half-day trip.
Blue Hill:
Everyone
will drive though Blue Hill on the way to the island. It is about a half hour
trip north of the island – follow Rte 15 as it twists and turns off the island
and you will drive right into it.
Blue Hill is a larger town than Stonington, with great restaurants (the caterer from our
reception is the chef at the Blue Hill Inn!), little shops, and a farmer’s market
on Saturdays at the Blue Hill Fairgrounds, from 9:00 am to 11:30. There are also often Church bazaars, as well as lots of
little antique shops in and around
Blue Hill. It’s also a good bet
for live music – we’ll post whatever
we can find for live music as we get closer to the wedding date.
Isle au Haut:
Isle
au Haut is a small island some ways off Deer Isle, much of which is preserved
land in Acadia National Park. This
is a good place to go for a picnic and day hike – there is very little building
on the island but it’s a great place to take a loop hike. Isle au Haut Boat Company
(www.isleauhaut.com) is actually the mail boat for the people living on that
island; it offers trips at
scheduled time to and from Isle au Haut’s two ports. This is also a pretty ride through Stonington Harbor – the
boat weaves through all the lobster traps and you get a great view of the small
nearby islands. Check out the
website for information on hiking on the island. When on the island, head to
Black Dinah Chocolates (about a half hour walk from the boat landing), which
serves sandwiches as well as their chocolates. There is also a food truck on that road that serves great
lobster rolls and other sandwiches.
Boat trip Saturday (Ask Mom)
AMENITIES:
Medical Center:
The
Island Medical Center is located in the center of Deer Isle. It does not do
urgent or emergency care and is not open on weekends or in evenings.
354 Airport Road
Stonington ME
207.367.2311
In
case of emergency, call 911 – the ambulance service on the island is very good
and well-trained.
Gas Stations:
There
is a gas station at the Burnt Cove Market.
3 Burnt
Cove Road (Rt 15A)
Stonington,
ME 04681
207-367-2681
There is another gas station on the North
Deer Isle Road.
