Bar Harbor Shorefront Rentals
What could be more fitting for a Bar Harbor vacation than to stay at a historic cottage overlooking Frenchman’s Bay? Luxurious and private, yet at the center of it all, these homes allow you to experience the high-style reminiscent of Bar Harbor’s cottage era.
Devilstone is known as one of Bar Harbor’s original shorepath estates. The home offers 4000 square feet of elegant and comfortable accommodations overlooking one of the nation’s most renowned shorefront settings. A garden landscape and hot tub, and additional service kitchen and wet-bar are just a few amenities that make this special vacation rental complete.
Formerly known as the Vanderbilt Estate, The Porcupine House sits on the shore of Cromwell Cove, and offers guests a grand interior complete with theater and luxurious master suite, and a lush outdoor setting with pool and hot tub, and a sandy beach.
Located in the Eden Historic District, Bagatelle is perched at the ocean’s edge and offers seven bedrooms, easily accommodating a large family or group. It is one of the original cottages designed by architect Arthur Rotch, and Bagatelle is one of the historic homes that survived the fire of 1947. Lovingly restored to it’s former grandeur, Bagatelle is a lovely home for entertaining and enjoying the easy proximity to town.
For those looking for a month’s stay or longer, Hale Makai offers a modern home with all the right amenities, just minutes from the entrance to Acadia National Park. Set on a point overlooking the ocean, Hale Makai’s impeccable interior, sauna, and incredible views are ideal for a long and relaxing retreat.
Top 10 Things to do in Acadia
It can take a lifetime to get to know all of Mount Desert Island, which is why so many people return year after year. Some visitors only have a brief time to explore the area, so in addition to touring the local villages, and testing for the best lobster, here are a few activities to help you make the most of your vacation to this unforgettable part of the coast:1. Drive along breathtaking Park Loop Road in Acadia, of course! But make sure to get out of the car and picnic somewhere on the rocks and take in the salt air. Bring your camera to capture the amazing variety of sea-birds riding the waves.
2. Take a guided sea kayak tour along the shore between Seal Cove and Barlett’s Island. Known to locals as the most pleasurable paddle around for relatively protected waters and watching porpoise, seals, and bald eagles.
3. Delight all of your senses with a walk through the Asticou Azalea Gardens in Northeast Harbor. Extend your serene afternoon by taking the stairs up to Thuya Gardens and Asticou Terraces, and take in the beautiful green-blue water of the harbor from above.
4. Hike to the fire-tower on Beech Hill, and climb to the top for views of the offshore islands. On a clear day you can see all the way down to Penobscot Bay. Stop in at Beech Hill Farm on your return trip for local produce, breads, and pies!
5. Visit the Bass Harbor Lighthouse and climb down onto the masses of pink granite to watch boating activity from this quintessential rugged Maine coastline.
6. Put your name on the list for Popovers and Lemonade on the lawn at Jordan Pond House. Walk the trail down to the nearby brook, or stroll down to the pond while you wait for your table. Don’t skip this one if there is a wait. The light and delicious popovers are worth it!
7. Take a mid-day swim at pristine Echo Lake beach when the sun is high and warming the rocks along the surrounding shore.
8. Ride bikes on the famed Carriage Roads. Bar Harbor and Southwest Harbor have shops to outfit you with everything you need, including maps. Keep your eyes and ears open as you wind through the gorgeous scenery of this national treasure.
9. Active visitors will want to hike the South Ridge Trail of Cadillac Mountain. Experience the various terrain and some of the best geologic features on the island as you climb this long sloping trail. Don’t stop until you see the tour buses!
10. Don’t leave Mount Desert Island until you’ve seen it at least once from the water! Take a nature cruise, charter a Friendship Sloop, or go whale watching, but be sure to see the bold coast of Maine from the water. That is where the magic begins.
Acadia Shuttle Bus
The Island Explorer Bus offers a great way to explore the park without worrying about parking. There are eight bus routes across Mount Desert Island that link Acadia National Park and neighboring village centers. The buses are clean, propane-fueled, FREE transportation to hiking trails, beaches, carriage trails, shops and restaurants. The Island explorer welcomes your bikes, and your pets, and runs June 23rd through Columbus Day.
Click Here to view maps and timetables.
Somesville Vacation Rental: Your best summer house for enchanted evenings
A moonlit night with the sound of the loons calling on nearby Long Pond is the perfect setting for making the “Goodwood” your summer vacation retreat. Fragrant gardens surround the home, and the not a minute of outdoor enjoyment need be missed with the covered wrap around deck with chairs facing the lawn, as well as two outdoor dining tables. Open wide the doors in the dining room, and let the music from the surround sound fill the night air as you create a masterpiece in the kitchen.
If “Goodwood” is your summer house, here is what’s in your neighborhood:
Swimming: Right of way to a shared access to Great Long Pond, and the public beach is right around the corner
Dining: Local favorite restaurants in Town Hill, the Town Hill Bistro, and Mainely Meats Barbecue
Shops: The village of Southwest Harbor is just 10 minutes away
Attractions: Beech Hill Farm is just up the road with organic produce, pies, flowers, and local goodies
For more details on “Goodwood” please visit our website, or contact us at inquiries@summerhousecottagerentals.com
Lakefront Vacation Rental
The Fountain House offers a beautiful quiet setting on Little Echo Lake, located centrally on MDI in Somesville. The cottage has four bedrooms, three baths, and a spacious interior with views looking out over the wooded yard and lake.
Vacationing on beautiful Somes Sound
Wonderful fall colors in this photo of Spinnaker, Jibe Ho, and Clove Hitch cottages on Somes Sound. The view is even better looking out at the water from these great vacation homes! Located in Hall Quarry, they are toward the quiet side of MDI, and just a few minutes from swimming at Echo Lake beach. The owners of these properties offer a shared pool, local seafood for sale, and a pier and boat launch. Featured here is little Spinnaker Cottage on the left, Jibe Ho poised right over the water, and above that is Clove Hitch. Check them out on our website for a full amenities list, and to see their lovely modern interiors.
When is the best time to book your Maine Vacation Rental?
We Mainer’s love the fall – the crisp days and cool nights, and the beautiful foliage lining our carriage roads and hiking trails. You might think we’d be far from thinking of summer, now that the streets have quieted and most of the visitors have gone home. But the truth is, we never stop thinking about summer, and our long-time visitors don’t either. So while it might be fine to wait until spring to book your vacation rental in other parts of the country, for those visiting Acadia National Park, the time to book is now.
Popular locations like The Looney Bin cottage on Long Pond, and fabulous oceanfront compounds such as Welles Camp, already have bookings for July and August. The secret to getting your top pick of a waterfront or in-town cottage is to plan ahead and book early. Give us a call and we’ll help you find the best cottage to make the most of your Maine vacation.
