About 10 miles off the coast of Maine lies Monhegan Island, a small artists’ colony with about 70 year-round residents. For the most part, you walk the island. There are a few pick-up trucks that will carry your luggage to your hotel or rental. And there are golf carts for the older folks. But it’s an art and nature lover’s island.
Day trips from either Port Clyde or New Harbor, Maine, are the way most people go. But overnights are even better. Over the years, I’ve had the opportunity to stay on this island for a week or more, and its rugged beauty is quintessential Maine.
It had been quite a few years since my last visit, but my daughter and I went this past July, to see her mom, who teaches art classes on the island in the summertime. Sure, there are a few more golf carts than before, and it seems that there are more people that have discovered this well-kept secret, but it’s still a very special place to visit.
Finding great food on Monhegan Island is not a problem, especially if you like lobster! A couple of the hotels serve dinner (BYOB…there’s no booze served on the island, though beer and wine are available in the grocery store and there is a brewery.)
If you like hiking, there are plenty of dirt roads and trails in the woods to walk, and the views on this island are really quite spectacular, especially if you get to spend the night.
There’s also a crepe stand, something new since my last visit, and you can choose sweet or savory. I chose one with smoked salmon!
For fancier fare, The Monhegan House reigns supreme for wonderful, thoughtful dishes. Here are a few…
My daughter and I stayed on Monhegan for just a few nights, but it was a wonderful, relaxing trip. If you’re planning a coastal Maine vacation next summer, be sure to include a full day (an overnight is better) on Monhegan Island! But do what I did, and bring your own martinis!
