Deer Isle is a rugged island community connected to the Maine mainland by a graceful suspension bridge, encompassing several villages including Deer Isle village, Sunset, and Stonington at its southern tip. Long a magnet for artists, craftspeople, and those seeking genuine Maine coast character, Deer Isle offers spectacular kayaking, world-class craft education at Haystack Mountain School, and some of the most dramatic scenery on the entire Maine coast.
Deer Isle: Island of Artists and Fishermen
Deer Isle is a scenic island in Penobscot Bay, connected to the mainland by a graceful suspension bridge at Sedgwick and reached by one of the most beautiful drives in Maine. The island is a rare blend of working fishing villages and a world-class arts community — anchored by the Haystack Mountain School of Crafts, one of the most respected craft programs in the country, whose presence has seeded the island with potters, weavers, blacksmiths, and glassblowers who sell their work in studios and galleries throughout. At the island’s southern tip sits Stonington, Maine’s most active lobstering port and the departure point for the boat to Isle au Haut.
Things to Do on Deer Isle
Explore the island’s art galleries and craft studios, many run by artists connected to Haystack — the roadside studios are part of the pleasure of driving the island. Tour the Haystack Mountain School of Crafts campus (public tours on Wednesday afternoons in summer), a striking Edward Larrabee Barnes design cascading to the water’s edge. Hike the preserves maintained by the Island Heritage Trust, including trails at Settlement Quarry with panoramic bay views. Visit Nervous Nellie’s Jams and Jellies for its whimsical sculpture garden, browse the shops in Deer Isle village, and continue down to Stonington for the working harbor and the mailboat to the wild Acadia trails on Isle au Haut. For a quieter experience, seek out the island’s hidden coves and the small preserves that dot the shoreline.
See our Stonington guide for the island’s southern harbor town.
Best Restaurants in Deer Isle, Maine
Dining on Deer Isle is intimate and locally sourced. Aragosta at Goose Cove near Stonington is widely considered one of the finest restaurants in Maine with a nationally recognized tasting menu built around local ingredients. Eaton’s Lobster Pool in Little Deer Isle is a classic Maine lobster pound experience on a scenic cove. The Pilgrim’s Inn dining room has long been a destination for refined New England cuisine in a beautifully historic setting.
Best Hotels in Deer Isle, Maine
Deer Isle accommodations are small-scale and personal. The Pilgrim’s Inn is a beautifully restored 1793 inn in the village with exceptional dining and a warm atmosphere. Goose Cove Lodge offers secluded waterfront cottages perfect for a week of kayaking and exploring. The Inn on the Harbor in Stonington has rooms with stunning views of the lobster fleet and Penobscot Bay islands.
Things to Do in Deer Isle, Maine
The Haystack Mountain School of Crafts is one of America’s most celebrated craft schools offering summer workshops in weaving, blacksmithing, ceramics, and more — with occasional open campus days for visitors. Nervous Nellie’s jam kitchen and folk art environment in Deer Isle village is a one-of-a-kind Maine experience not to be missed. Sea kayaking the Merchant Row archipelago is world-class with dozens of uninhabited islands to explore. The Edgar Tennis Preserve and Crowley Island Preserve offer quiet coastal hiking on spectacular undeveloped shoreline.
Deer Isle, Maine FAQ
What is Deer Isle, Maine known for?
Deer Isle is known for its blend of working fishing villages and a renowned arts community, anchored by the Haystack Mountain School of Crafts. The island is dotted with galleries and craft studios, connected to the mainland by a scenic suspension bridge, and home to Stonington — Maine’s most active lobstering port — at its southern tip.
What are the best things to do on Deer Isle, Maine?
Top things to do include visiting art galleries and craft studios, touring the Haystack Mountain School of Crafts (Wednesday afternoons in summer), hiking Island Heritage Trust preserves like Settlement Quarry, stopping at Nervous Nellie’s Jams and its sculpture garden, and continuing to Stonington for the working harbor and the boat to Isle au Haut in Acadia National Park.
How do you get to Deer Isle, Maine?
Deer Isle is reached by driving down through the Blue Hill Peninsula and across the suspension bridge at Sedgwick. It’s about 1 hour from Bar Harbor, roughly 1 hour 15 minutes from Bangor, and about 3 hours from Portland. The scenic approach across the bridge and down the island is part of the experience.
Day Trips from Deer Isle
Stonington at the southern tip offers the ferry to Isle au Haut and its remote section of Acadia National Park. Blue Hill is 45 minutes away with outstanding pottery studios and a wonderful bookshop. Castine is about an hour for history enthusiasts exploring one of New England’s most storied colonial towns. Bar Harbor and Acadia are roughly two hours for a full day trip to the main park.
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