Acadia National Park at Schoodic Point in the village of Winter Harbor has one of the most beautiful rocky stretches of coastline in the whole state or for that matter the country. The waves breaking against the rocks can be truly spectacular especially if there has been a storm at sea. We've had many artists vacation with us over the years and one thing they all keep repeating is that "the area is an artists dream come true".
Rte 186, Winter Harbor, Maine Beautiful one bedroom vacation rental apartment in coastal village. Short walk to the harbor, marina, stores, restaurants, golf course and LL Bean supported tour bus stop. Enjoy hiking trails, bicycling, fishing, kayaking, golf, swimming and picnicing along our rocky granite shoreline. Experience a little bit of life in the slow lane and treat yourself to some real downeast treasures.
Fully furnished: Kitchen, living room with a futon, recliner, end and coffee tables, full bath, bedroom with a full size bed, end tables dresser plus. Ample parking.
Amenities:
Wireless broadband internet access
Bring your cell phone, service is good Television, DVD, VCR player,
large collection of recent and older DVD movies and videos plus a CD plater.
Central heating
Rental inclusions:
Linens/towels,
dishes, silverware, pots, pans, tide clock, etc.
(Porta crib & highchair available on request) And just about everything else you should need to get started or forgot, right down to the soap, tissues, toilet paper, hair dryer, tea bags, coffee, etc., etc., etc..
Welcome to Winter Harbor in Downeast Maine. The way life should be.
During tourists season there is a free shuttle bus service that starts in Winter Harbor and tours the park and the southern tip of the peninsula before returning. The bus runs every half hour or so and stops are scattered around the peninsula. Not that it matters since the drivers are more than happy to pick you up if you wave them down from the side of the road. Anyway in the immediate area there are shops, stores, restaurants, piers, coops to buy your lobsters and allot more. In Winter Harbor there is a nine hole golf course on Grindstone Neck that is sandwiched between our harbor one side and Frenchman’s bay on the other. If you really enjoy the ocean and don't mind getting wet then rent or bring a kayak and meander through the bays and coves. Ride out and see the seals basking on the rocks on the other side of Turtle Island, the osprey nesting near the Halibut Hole or the lighthouse on Mark Island. (There's more about the town and area on the front page.)
Througout the year the Schoodic Arts For All organization hosts different programs, theaters, concerts, dances and many other cultural events mostly on weekends. Then during the summer they sponsor the Schoodic Arts Festival for two weeks which usually starts around the first of August. But still overall it's generally quiet here (compared to where you probably live) except for the Winter Harbor Lobster Festival and a few other things. Once a year the entire area goes on holiday. Usually the second Saturday in August. The only time of year the tourists are thicker than the black flies. Sometimes the cars get backed up at the stop sign downtown ten deep waiting to make the turn for the craft fair or boat races. (What can I say I'm not used to crowds and lines anymore ) The day starts off with a 5k road race in the morning and ends with a parade in the evening. Of course there are lobster dinners, barbecues and allot of other things. It's always a good time.
It is a little over a mile from the park road where you can bike or hike the trails. The first thing you will come to after you enter the park is Frazier’s Point picnic area that juts out on a finger of land overlooking the harbor and the town of Winter Harbor. There is a long pier with a float attached that people fish for mackerel, bluefish and striper's when they run. From here you'll have spectacular views of the mountains, Mark Island Lighthouse and you can watch the harbor porpoises, seabirds, osprey and of course the lobstermen pulling in the days catch or the sail boats races from the Winter Harbor Yacht Club. The vistas are nothing less than magnificent and many have spent the entire vacations right there. I know, I spend enough time there myself. We love to picnic by the fire in the evenings. And I'm not really sure why but lobsters always seem to taste that much better there. Words can't really describe time in this place. Anyway the gray and pink granite coastline is a sight you won't soon forget.
Next, hike or drive to the top of Schoodic Mountain to see some breathtaking sunrises, sunsets and a commanding view of the area, ocean and islands. On a clear day you can see the Petit Manan lighthouse and preserve on the next peninsula over. From there, head out to the point relax or picnic and gaze straight out into the Atlantic. It can be really spectacular if there has been a storm at sea. People come from all around to watch the waves break over the rocks. And actually it's pretty much spectacular almost any given day.
There is also freshwater swimming and canoeing at Jones Pond (5 miles away) where you can also enjoy fishing for its landlocked salmon, brook trout, lake trout and bass.
If you are a leaf peeper and plan on visiting to view New England’s fall foliage in all it's colors. The leaves generally reach their peak in October and can be quite spectacular.
And finally if you are itching to see more or you just like boating you can always ride the ferry to Bar Harbor. In fact buy an unlimited weekly pass at the dock. But don’t forget to look up when you are on the pier. Believe it or not I can’t count the number of times over the years that I have had to point out the eagles sitting atop the utility pole. It's just about a 7 mile leisurely 30-40 minute trip. First out by Mark Island Light and then around Grindstone point and then either through the narrows between Turtle and Spectacle Islands or through the Halibut Hole and then back into Frenchamns Bay to the dock in downtown Bar Harbor. On the trip you’ll see seals, porpoises, ospreys and round many small islands. And, some of the cottages, camps and cabins out there on the islands can really take you back in time. If you go early in the morning you might see deer coming out to the rocks to lick the salt. Sometimes and quite often as a matter of fact moose swim between the mainland and the islands. There are also the occasional sea turtles, whales and one of the most unusual looking fish you have probably ever seen, a sunfish. They seem to average around 400-600 pounds downeast but can get as large as 3000 pounds. They are round in shape and have a fin that gives the first impression of a shark in the water. You can get right up and pet them if you like. Most people think they are dead or sick when first seen and when I first glimpsed one I thought it was the front half of a great white shark. My second thought was, what could eat that and I think I want to go home now! Seriously though they are very friendly, curious and primarily eat jellyfish. It's a really gorgeous trip and the views from the ocean give you an entirely different perspective.
Anyway, I could go on and on. Instead I'll just say
where ever you vacation this year. Hope it's a great one. ~ Wes
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Wes & Carney Williams
