In Northern Maine, off Mount Desert Island, a short ferry ride from either Northeast Harbor or Southwest Harbor, you will find the idyllic 2 mile stretch of land called Great Cranberry Island. The largest of the five islands of the Town of Cranberry Isles, Maine, Great Cranberry boasts a year-round population of 40, while the summer population swells to 300. To spend a summer on this lovely island is the true definition of “living a simpler life”. To get a glimpse, we took our bikes over for an afternoon ride.
And you cannot believe the views from these homes…
At times, you get an idea of what one has to do to prepare for a winter here…
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| Reminds me of the ant in Aesop’s Fables who works all summer to prepare for winter… |
Dining is pretty straight-forward: you can either stop at the Seawich Cafe in the Cranberry General Store, or at Hitty’s Cafe at Cranberry House for a sandwich, or a movie, if you are so inclined.
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| Seawich is located by the town dock |
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| Hitty’s is about 1/3 mile up the road on your right |
We were tempted to stay for the movie, but had to keep moving on to our next destination: Little Cranberry Island, specifically the Islesford Dock Restaurant for a sunset dinner. A short ferry ride away, Islesford Dock is run by Dan and Cynthia Lief and serves traditional Down East fare. We were also in search of the best lobster, which many locals say is found here. The wings would have to wait for another day.
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| Islesford Dock |
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| The dining area |
Hubby was all over his 2 pound lobster, which he agreed was the best one he had eaten in Maine. I admit that, at times, I am a bit of a princess. So, not in the mood to get my hands dirty, I ordered the Lobster and Burrata Cheese with Pickled Beach Rose Petals, along with the Scallop Ceviche. Everything was exceptional. To work off the extra pounds, take a stroll through the art galleries attached to the restaurant.
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| Gorge away on this beauty |
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| Lobster with Burrata |
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| Scallop Ceviche |
Fun Fact: For seven years, Great Cranberry Island hosted a 50K Ultra Marathon (31 miles) from one end of the two-mile road to the other (again and again). A large post-race lobster bake was held at the community field the night after the event. There’s one way to work off those pounds. Have a lovely weekend!
