This little island is one of the best-kept secrets in New England. If you like out-of-the-way places with incredible scenery that takes true determination to get to and if you can get by without certain creature comforts for the duration, Monhegan is it. First off,…Read More

This little island is one of the best-kept secrets in New England. If you like out-of-the-way places with incredible scenery that takes true determination to get to and if you can get by without certain creature comforts for the duration, Monhegan is it.

First off, getting there is part of the adventure. There are three commercial boat lines that operate passenger ferries to Monhegan (visitors' cars are not allowed on the island and neither are bicycles, motorcycles, or ATVs). Year-round, you can leave from Port Clyde. Seasonally, you can choose to use Balmy Days Cruises (from Booth Bay) or Hardy Boat Cruises (from New Harbor). Reservations are definitely recommended. (Each has their own website with further information.)

The boat from Port Clyde is my personal preference. During the summer, the passenger ferry (there are actuallytwo different boats) makes the sea crossing three times daily. There's a small charge to park your car close by (at the time I went, it was $4 a day, combined with the round-trip fare of $27). Port Clyde itself begins to give you a sense of what awaits you on the island; it's basically a fishing village, and as your ferry leaves the dock, it won't be hard to see that: The waters of the harbor and beyond are dappled with hundreds of multi-colored marker buoys, lobster traps at work below. The boats themselves are working boats; along with passengers, they carry freight to the island, and the freight takes precedence (you'll probably have to wait to board while that freight is loaded or unloaded).

The ferry trip takes about 70 minutes, the weather is not always perfect, and the ride might get bumpy. If you're prone to seasickness, be warned. On my voyage out, the sea was fairly calm, but it was very foggy; still, I found that arriving at Monhegan this way only added to the island's mystique. (Ah, I love the sound of foghorns in the morning.)

As you get off the boat, you'll discover a small fleet of pick-up trucks waiting to carry your luggage to the inn or cottage of your choice. YOU will have to walk, though, and it will be uphill. This island (even the civilized part) is NOT for the physically-challenged. The village roads are well-worn but unpaved, and in many places, uneven. BE PREPARED. Wear shoes made for hiking; leave the high heels on the mainland.

While you can visit Monhegan as a day-tripper, you cannot truly appreciate what this place is without staying at least 2 days. There are at least three inns/B&Bs and several guest cottages that can be rented for two or three nights (or longer stretches). Most of these places are only operated during the short summer months. All of them are adequate but none would qualify as resorts. I stayed at the "landmark" Island Inn—so called because it's the biggest manmade structure on the island and sits atop the hill overlooking the harbor— it's a landmark.

At the Island Inn, the accommodations are not, by any stretch of the imagination, luxurious, but they ARE surprisingly comfortable. On the ground floor are sitting rooms to relax in (including a sunroom with a good supply of jigsaw puzzles, shelves of books, and board games). There's a veranda with rocking chairs and a lawn with Adirondack chairs, where you can sit and watch the boats in the harbor. The rooms (at least the one I stayed in) are decidedly small and VERY simply furnished (mine had a full-size bed, night stands, and a single chair). You get the bare necessities, so if you want an alarm clock or wake-up call, bring your own. Do NOT go in expecting access to a television, minibar, in-room coffee pot, or even a telephone! There's fresh coffee always available downstairs in the parlor, but beer and wine are strictly bring your own. Remember, this is an inn in the old-fashioned sense of the word, and I for one like that word.

There's a resident population of about 75 people living in the little village at the island's southern end, and the people who live here are either lobstermen, someone who works for the lobstermen, someone who runs one of the inns or guest cottages— or they're artists. The island has actually been a well-regarded artists' colony since the 1880s, and in the summer, every other house in the village seems to be an art gallery. You can even see some of those artists in action at many of the scenic places all around the island. In the springtime, bird-watching is also a prime attraction, and the visiting birdwatchers can actually outnumber the resident population.

The island itself is small—over 1 mile long and a half a mile wide. And it is wild in a civilized way. There are deep woods; brawny, soaring cliffs; and ocean views that could only be made better by hitching a ride on a passing seagull. Outside the village is nearly 18 miles worth of trails that crisscross the island's center (and Cathedral Woods) or run around the outer reaches.

Trek out to Christmas Cove and look upon the hulk of the shipwrecked tugboat D.T. Sheridan as she slowly rusts away on the rocks (ran aground in the '40s, I've learned).

On the back side of the island, the cliffs rise 160 feet above the ocean vista (you hike up from behind on a trail that's easy to follow, but it can be a strenuous endeavor). Be careful—one wrong step here and you will literally be lost at sea. There aren't any Baywatch Babes around to come rescue you.

The nightlife belongs completely to nature—there are no nightclubs or discos or bars. There are no shopping malls, no movie theaters, and no Riviera-style beaches to sunbathe on. The roads are dirt and traversed on foot (and those freight-and luggage-hauling pick-up trucks).

At sunset, climb the hill to the lighthouse for a view that will explain the magic of Monhegan to you like nothing else can. Those who love Monhegan love it not for what it has but for what it hasn't— there are no tourists, no hustle, no bustle, no traffic.

It is simple. It is peaceful. It is Monhegan. It is Maine.

P.S. To get an idea of what I mean, I've got pictures: http://community.webshots.com/user/faye2k

P.S.S. GORP.com has just put up this FANTASTIC article about Monhegan: http://gorp.away.com/gorp/location/me/monhegan.htm