monhegan island

We took the mail ferry from Port Clyde to Mongehan Island. The ferry ride itself is a destination as we glided through lobster pots and past the island home of Mrs. Andrew Wyeth, who waved from her front door. The island is great for walking and hiking. The only down side is the relative lack of restaurants/food vendors. There are no cars on the island, so be prepared to walk while you are there. In all, great day and would recommend it highly.

What a beautiful place! We spent a week in Boothbay Harbor with several couples. One of the couples wanted to take the trip out to Monhegan Island. To be honest, I wasn't particularly interested in a day-long journey in which we would have to leave around 9a.m. and not return until 4p.m. I am so glad the day-trip meant a lot to our friends because we would have missed out on one of the highlights of the week.The boat ride to the island was beautiful. We had amazing views of the Maine Coast and finally got to see several lighthouses. Once you get to the island, the hikes are very simple and worthwhile. The jagged cliffs and coastline is fantastic. We couldn't stop taking pictures trying to capture all the beauty. We had lunch in the little store - fresh made soups and sandwhiches. On the boat ride back to Boothbay groups of dolphin accompanied us - including mothers and babies. It was a beautiful and worthwhile trip.

What is it about islands that make them intrinsically appealing? Perhaps it's the challenge of just getting there, or the surrounding sea, or the small community of hardy year-round residents. All three apply to Monhegan Island. We chose to go in September near the end of the busy tourist season and took the ferry from Port Clyde. Although we are not artists, we appreciate the beauty that has brought artists to this small island for over a century. At every corner, vista, and path, there were artists working at their easels.The island was smaller than we realized and extensive hiking trails make it easy to traverse the whole island in a few days. We stayed at a bed and breakfast (Shining Sails) run by year-rounders who helped us understand the day to day life on the island. The other guests were mainly artists who return year after year so the breakfast discussions were lively and informative. We loved the lighthouse, the trails, the brewery and the dirt roads with no traffic that made us feel we had stepped back in time. This is a place to unwind, unplug, and slow down.

My sister and I took a day trip to Monhegan Island from Port Clyde. We enjoyed a bright sunny Fall day which added to the appeal of the island. We spent the day exploring and hiking. The island was one of the highlights of our trip, and I hope to make it back someday.

For about 15 years my husband and I have been visiting Monhegan Island. It is where we got engaged and where we LOVE to go on vacation! It is a quiet, quaint little island with some great visitors and great islanders. The hiking is amazing and be sure to bring a good book and a sweater along no matter what time of year. It is the perfect place to "get away". It is however, kind of hard to get to but all the boat lines are very helpful and run fairly often. Be sure to pack your items in plastic tubs or waterproof bags as they may get damp or wet on the boat. Be sure to add this place to your bucket list!

Love everything about this place. Views are breathtaking. Hiking or just sitting are both spirit lifting.

I loved everything about the island except for truck drivers who are perfectly willing and happy to push people physically off the road and into bushes...this by a Trailing Yew employee. Trucks have the right of way on the island, but I think the island needs to make it clear that this does not mean riding on the edge of the road, so close that pedestrians have NO WHERE to go. In my book this was an assault on three people who could not move out of this trucks way. I told this man he could have killed us. He agreed, with a smile, that "yes," he could have.

The island is very interesting and very rugged. Be sure to wear good, sturdy shoes. I thought mine were sturdy enough, but I was mistaken. Depending on the time of year, you will need to layer your clothing. Our adult son absolutely loved it. He did more hiking than I. It is very peaceful and very quiet. We were looking for a place to have lunch and saw hand printed signs advertising "Hot Fat"! Well, how could one resist. We followed the signs to Hot Fat. It was a trailer with a couple of picnic tables. We shared fish & chips and a fish taco. Both were fresh and tasty. They also had soft drinks. Other diners had onion rings, mushrooms, etc. All said it was very good. The owner, a lobsterman, was at one of the tables. He said that he open this to sell his catch.

This is one of my favorite places in the world. I won't wax poetic about its awe-inspring beauty, since many here have already done so. I'll concentrate on how to get there and maximize time and enjoyment. There are 3 different boats that go to Monhegan: The first one, Balmy Days from Boothbay Harbor, is more like a cruise, allowing just 2 1/2 hours on the Island. It doesn't make much sense if you're interested in hiking any trails beyond the village. One benefit of this boat is the round-the-island circle for a unique perspective of the cliffs. You can hop on-and-off this part of the cruise starting at 2pm on Monhegan itself, if you're staying there or came on a different boat.The Hardy Boat from New Harbor lets you spend about 5 hours (10am to 3pm) - a decent amount, but not enough. The ride, at about 50 minutes, is the shortest. Their crew is exceptionally friendly and will point out wildlife wherever they see it. We had an amazing sighting of a bald eagle pair on our last trip.Finally, there's a mail boat from Port Clyde that sails throughout the year with very limited schedule in Winter. Wake up early for their 7am trip to have a full day on the Island, until 4:30 pm. I'd recommend reserving tickets in advance. All of these options require spending the previous night somewhere close by (anywhere near Rockland is good for the Port Clyde departure). It's almost impossible to do Monhegan as a daytrip from Boston; a weekend trip is very doable - drive up Friday/Saturday night and take the boat the next morning. Or better yet, stay on the Island overnight. I've haven't done that yet, but definitely plan to.The 1-star reviews of Monhegan are quite revealing. Those expecting a touristy experience with shopping and entertainment will be disappointed. Beyond various kinds of seafood, there really isn't much of a food scene. A few shops and galleries are scattered through the village, some of them open only for a few seasons at a time. The library is surprisingly well-stocked (this is an artists' colony, after all). A new addition, opened in 2013, is a brewery, owned by the local lobstermen. There is only one public restroom, about 5-10 minute walk from the dock - the $1 fee supports trash management and recycling. The tiny beach has a bunch of sea glass, but none of it is sharp.The nature trails around Monhegan are of varying difficulty. If you are fit and have 5 hours, you shouldn't have a problem completing the hike around southern half of the Island (starting at Cathedral Woods or White Head and ending at Lobster Cove). In 8 hours, hiking around the entire Island is possible, with some time in the village. Be careful navigating the steep and rocky trails, especially in the northern half. If you are less fit, then a 5-hour visit could include the Lighthouse Museum, Lobster Cove, and the White Head overlook. The area around Ice Pond and the schoolhouse is great for migratory bird-watching. This year, the Monhgegan Accociates published a Nature Guide, well-written and handy in identifying plants and wildlife - it can be picked up in any Island store once you land.

Peace & Quiet - great scenery- every angle is a painting. Many very fine artists live on Monhegan Island in the summer months. You should go!

Beautiful island, very rustic, mediocre food and a great ferry ride on the Balmy Days II. We saw eagles, whales, propose and seals.

This was a great way to spend a day. We enjoyed the ferry ride and the hiking trails all over the island. The village shops and people were all very welcoming. Don't miss the Fish Market for a lobster roll and the new brewery for a pint before you head home again!

This was on our college senior daughter's list of things to do before she graduates. We took the 10:30 mail boat out and the last 4:30 boat back and while you could easily spend several lazy days here relaxing, it was a good day for us. We had a delicious sea food lunch by the tiny beach, sampled the beer at the Monhegan brewery, window shopped at the galleries, visited the library (make sure to check it out) on the way up the hill to the lighthouse and museum. There is fascinating history here. We also had plenty of time to sit in the sun and take in the gorgeous view. If we had more time we would have hiked, but it was a memorable day.

Now we know what captured the imagination of the Wyeths and other noted Maine artists. Although we were only there for a day we saw enough to make us want to return for several nights to watch the sun rise and set and continue our exploration of this little gem.

We loved our anniversary weekend on the island. A must do. Stay at the Island Inn and shop at the Black Duck during your stay. Definitely hike!!! The hike along the cliff is breathtaking!