Monhegan Island
Monhegan Island
4.5
About
A square-mile rock off the coast of Monhegan that is home to 70 residents.
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  • Michele T
    23 contributions
    Exceptional ecperience
    Monhegan Island was incredible! If you like to hike and see beautiful Maine scenery, Monhegan is the place to go. The trip over was about an hour on the Hardy ferry. When we got to the island, there were trucks (the only vehicles on the island) waiting to take our luggage to our Bed & Breakfast ($4/bag). We walked up the “road” to the “town square” where we found the our bed & breakfast…The Cracked Mug. Melanie was waiting outside to welcome us. Our bags had already arrived. Melanie was great! She had ginger beer and freshly baked treats waiting for us. She told us about the house, the island, things to do, and made us feel very welcome in her home. After showing us our beautiful rooms, she made suggestions for the afternoon. For dinner she suggested we get food at the “Fish House” and bring it back to eat…GREAT! We ordered food (lobster, soup, and fish tacos) and brought it back to the B&B to eat. In the morning, we were awoken to the smell of fresh baked goods, coffee and bacon. Melanie made an amazing three course breakfast! She began with a fresh strawberry/almond bread…warn from the oven, French press coffee and a large selection of teas, and a selection of juices. Then she made oatmeal with baked apples and a selection of other toppings. The main course was “French eggs” placed over a bed of fresh spinach and topped with tomateo sauce. She also made potatoes, bacon, and garlic tossed English muffins. The food was played with an orange slice and looked (and tasted) like it came from a gourmet restaurant! If you are looking for night life…there isn’t any! The island is basically shut down by 7 pm. There isn’t any alcohol other than wine and beer for sale on the island either. BYOB if you want anything else. There is a small general store that carries an amazing selection of things you might need, but that is closed by 5:30pm. The brewery sells root beer, ginger beer, and of course BEER. They have outdoor seating and a food truck too. We walked the trails and saw a ship wreck, seals, beautiful houses, and amazing views! The cliffs were really beautiful! The trails were narrow and at times rocky, but fun. After our hike, we went back to the Cracked Mug and showered in the outdoor shower. Melanie was in no rush for us to leave and made it clear that we were welcome to use the facilities until our ferry left at 3pm. She offered us snacks and root beer as we relaxed on the deck. Monhegan is an amazing place to keep things simple, see beautiful views, and have fun! I would absolutely recommend staying with Melanie at the Cracked Mug!
    Visited June 2021
    Traveled as a couple
    Written July 2, 2021
  • NatureLoverMass
    Salisbury, Connecticut153 contributions
    An unspoiled, special place
    Most visitors to Monhegan come for a day, as we did, but do try to plan for a couple of nights in one of the few inns on the island. The ferry schedules do allow for about 3 hours on the island for day trippers, and that is sufficient time for a quick hike to the sea cliffs on the far side of the island. However, to truly explore the miles of trails and soak up the peaceful village vibes, a longer stay would be worthwhile. Do note, however, that the island culture is one of peaceful contemplation. No bars, or raucous eateries. No night scene other than an occasion sing-along with an acoustic guitar in someone's front yard. Come for the beautiful vistas, the hiking experience, and the quiet vibes.
    Visited June 2021
    Written June 27, 2021
  • Chris Heim
    Bethesda, Maryland243 contributions
    Great Way to Spend a Day
    There is plenty to do here to fill the time between ferry rides. Take a hike to the beautiful coast. Spend time chatting up resident artists and purchase their work from their studios. Have lunch. Get ice cream. Visit the brewery. See the early-20th century wreckage of a tugboat still strewn about the rocky coast. The time will pass by quickly and soon it will be time to ferry back!
    Visited July 2021
    Written July 31, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Detailed Reviews: Reviews order informed by descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as cleanliness, atmosphere, general tips and location information.
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4.5
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Timl
Tucson, AZ2 contributions
Sep 2019
Before you plan a trip to Monhegan Island it would be good to decide why you want to go. My wife and I spent four days on the island. It is a beautiful island where time slows down, the cell phone will not ring and there are no emails to answer. However, it is NOT Disneyland. If you need to be catered too, pampered, and made to feel welcome and special don't spend more than a day. Take the ferry from Port Clyde, get some hiking in, and enjoy the scenery then go home.

If you want to get away from the phone, do some landscape painting, writing, reading, etc. Then maybe you will enjoy staying a little longer, but you will need to bring your own entertainment or just relax. This is a working community just like the neighborhood you live in. It is not a resort. It is not an amusement park, and tourism is only one piece of the economy on the island.

Having said that, I agree the island resident could be a little nicer. We stayed at Shinning Sails and I do not recommend it. We got your four on the first floor which is too small. The bed is a double tucked in a corner and is right on the street so you hear a lot of pedestrian traffic. The breakfast is a little below average and owners always talking about how difficult Maine Island life is.

To get a place to stay you typically have to go on the locations website. I thought it was odd at the time but it does prevent guests from posting bad reviews later. Still, they don't seem to have a problem renting rooms. The island tourism rides pretty well off the history of being an artist community. As an artist myself, I didn't think it lived up to its expectation.

It would be a great place to spend the summer with the kids if you do that sort of thing but if I was going to do that I think I would prefer the Cranberry islands off Mount Desert Island ME. The people are much friendlier.
Written July 11, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Dream682868
4 contributions
Jul 2021
In July of 2014, 2015 & 2016 I spent a week on Monhegan painting with a group of other artists. Then I was completely enchanted with the sheer unspoiled beauty of the place and sense of peace that prevailed. Five years later, in 2021, I returned for a weekend with family, and while we had a wonderful time it was not the same experience I had before. Trucks constantly plied up and down the dirt roads, almost causing traffic jams at times. There were trucks in the past but not this many. There are no sidewalks and pedestrians were expected to jump out of the way when the trucks approached since they didn't slow down. Also before, golf carts were only allowed for those who were handicapped. This year the "Monhegan Taxi Service" golf cart sped families to and from their destinations. Shopkeepers and proprietors were polite but aloof, as if they were tolerating us because they must. There is a subtle but definite change in the character of the place, and I question whether I would again spend the time, effort and money required to be there.
Written July 21, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Mrs Spots
145 contributions
Aug 2020
The mobile reception is spotty. The internet can be slow. If you are okay with these and looking for tranquility, solitude, hiking trails, and stunning vistas, this is an excellent getaway place. Time slows down on the island. Although there aren't plenty of restaurants to choose from, there's delicious food and good beer. The beach may be small and a little rocky, but it was perfect after a day's hike in the humid summer. The best place to watch the sunset is at the top of the hill overlooking the town.
Written September 18, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Tina K
Dracut, MA20 contributions
Jul 2023 • Family
I visited Mohegan Island about 20 years ago with friends to hike the island. We had a wonderful time and I decided to go back with my husband and teen daughter this time. We didn’t have a lot of time on the island so we wanted to make sure we saw some of the key places. They sell maps for $1.00 at a few places on the island. It was very helpful to tell what areas we would be able to do in the time we had. We hiked over to Lobster Cove and explored the shipwreck area. Took a walk to the museum and Lighthouse for some spectacular views! (This was our favorite!) The Island and the views are truly beautiful. We spent most of our time around the Village area where there were some cute shops, galleries, and a few places to grab some food and snacks. Also in the Village area are the only bathrooms on the island.

A couple of negatives to this trip was how crowded it was! There were too many visitors at one time. We also constantly had to move for passing trucks and golf carts on the dirt roads. There are no sidewalks and most times you are moving to the side in someone’s yard. The residents do not seem to enjoy the visitors.

My family and I were all glad we went because it truly is beautiful, but not sure we would go again. Or at least go during a time when it may not be as busy? If that is possible?

Written July 29, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Jessica K
Tarpon Springs, FL275 contributions
Jul 2022 • Family
The boat trip takes about an hour and a half from Boothbay Harbor. It’s not a guided tour, just a straightforward boat trip, nothing fancy. The island itself is very rustic with gravel roads and a few scattered stores, restaurants, and an Inn. What we found so interesting is how unfriendly the locals are towards visitors from the mainland - not a single shop keeper looked up or even said anything when we entered any of the stores. We felt like they were almost annoyed that we were invading their island. Even when we went to the island museum, the staff was distant and unfriendly. There’s a privately owned trail that circled the island, which is generously open freely to the public. The trail was beautiful and fairly easy to traverse, with spectacular views. I would recommend bringing cash, as some places didn’t take credit. I’ve lived in a place that relied on tourists for their livelihood, so I do know how it felt to have boats of people flooding “my” home, but the amount of people off the boat didn’t seem exorbitant, so I was rather taken aback by the unfriendly attitudes from everyone we came into contact with. There were seven of us, and on the boat trip home, we all discussed our impressions, and all found the locals to be unfriendly. Overall, an enjoyable visit, not fantastic.
Written July 21, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Allison Cochran
1 contribution
Jun 2022 • Couples
It is worth the trip. I enjoyed most was the spectacular views of the high cliffs and the ocean. The views were breathtaking. I had to stop every once in a while to really take in the beauty. I have never seen something so beautiful in my life. The hike was spot on, perfect. The weather was not to hot but warm in the sun, once in a while we got a little cold front to cool us down. It was like God made it the perfect temperature for us. I saw a seal on the rocks and it was funny it looked like he was waving at us like he was waiting for us the whole time. I saw an old ship wreck along the way so it gave the experience some history. We got to meet some other nice travellers along the way. Everyone was so respectful of each other making room for us to pass. At the end of the trail they had a little outside bar and grill and root beer. The staff were so friendly that welcoming feeling. I have to mention our Captain Terry Arford did an exceptional job running the cruise ship Balmy II that got us to the island and back.
I would suggest is packing snacks or a little lunch for along the way with plenty of water. Take a short routine for hiking as you only have 2 hours and you want to be able to stop to get pictures and take in the scenery. Most importantly wear hiking boots with tread.
I hope you enjoy your next trip to Monhegan Island. I think they have an Inn if you want to stay there. There's the option of staying at Boothbay Harbor. People are great there inviting us travellers through.
Written June 29, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Lizzie
3 contributions
Sep 2022 • Solo
If you are seeking a chance to unplug and rewind, this is the place for you! Gorgeous vistas and simple walking paths dot this artist's colony. My goal was to get the first part of my novel written, and I succeeded. Nothing but good things to say about this secluded community located an hour's ferry away from the main land.
Written October 18, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Andrew M
Topsham, ME203 contributions
Jun 2020
We had three wonderful days and nights on Monhegan Island. Fog the first day didn't dampen the beauty of our hike along the southern tip of the island. The next day was bright and clear with a wonderful hike along the northern end. I was pleasantly surprised by all of the beautiful gardens around town. It was fun to explore the cemetery and walk up to the lighthouse at sunset.
Written July 1, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Andrew
7 contributions
Sep 2022 • Couples
Beautiful ferry ride over and back, out of Fort Clyde,which took 65 minutes. Some vertical terrain, especially to the Lighthouse Museum, but certainly doable when in decent condition. Museum was very interesting and the views were stunning of the island town. Had lunch at the Fish House, OUTSTANDING haddock sandwich and shrimp tacos. All enjoyed while sitting by the water. Will definitely be back again to hike the trails and stay overnight. It is a rustic island, gravel roads and basic services. Loved it!
Written September 26, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

william k
Media, PA31 contributions
Jun 2021
Monhegan is reached only by ferry, usually from Port Clyde. The island is small, and in 2 days one could eaisly hike all the available trails. The trails are well maintained although they could be marked more clearly at intersections.
There is only one excellent restaurant but plenty of take out food elsewhere. A general store/grocery is open daily.
For hiking-- wear sturdy shoes. There are lots of rocks to clamber over.
Written July 5, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

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