Island Hopping in Downeast Maine

The Downeast area of Maine has no shortage of outdoorsy adventures and beauty. One stand-out activity in the area is island hopping. The Cranberry Isles are near Bar Harbor and Acadia National Park make a unique day trip if you’re staying in the area. They are up of 5 islands: Great Cranberry, Islesford (or Little Cranberry), Sutton, Bear and Baker.

2 of these islands can be visited by catching the mail boat. The Beal and Bunker mail boat ferry runs at scheduled intervals taking locals and adventurous visitors between Great Cranberry, Islesford (or Little Cranberry), and the Northeast Harbor on the mainland. These easily accessible islands promise stunning scenery and a relaxing day.

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How we’d spend the day.

We think the best combination is starting early making Great Cranberry your first stop, then going to Islesford, before heading back to the mainland.

Start by catching the Beal and Bunker Mail Boat to Great Cranberry Island.

Great Cranberry

Consider starting your Great Cranberry adventures at Hitty’s Cafe. This cute little cafe is the only place to eat on the island (other than the General Store) and severs up non-alcoholic beverages, soups, sandwiches, bagels… you get it. There is also a little gift store across the street that’s definitely worth a stop.

Once you’ve got your goodies, we highly recommend catching the Cranberry Explorer, a free shuttle run by volunteers from the Historical Society. You’ll get to ride around the island on a golf cart, taking in the sights and learning about the history and interesting tidbits. Once you’ve finished the tour (it’s a small island so it’s a quick trip) the driver can drop you close to the hiking trail of your choice (jump here for your options).

After you soak in the serene and usually empty trails and coastline, hop back on the Mail Boat and head to Islesford island.

Islesford (AKA Little Cranberry)

When you dock at Islesford, you’ll see some shops galleries and a restaurant over looking the harbor. We suggest starting with some of the sights.

The Islesford Historical Museum was founded by Acadia National Park in 1919 and celebrates the history of the island.

Next, stop by the new art museum that was created to honor Ashley Bryan. Ashley was a colorful and passionate artist, author and storyteller who lived on island. This museum is tribute to his multi-media art work and is a must see while you’re there.

Finally, head back down towards the dock swing into the shops and grab a bite to eat at the Islesford Dock Restaurant before taking the Mail Boat back to the main land.

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Great Cranberry

The number of year round residences here is tiny (around 40 people) but bounces to around 250 in the summer. There are also a few homes that can be rented through Air BnB for those that maybe looking for a low-key, local stay.

This 1,000 acre island is the largest of the archipelago, or group of islands and has a 2-mile road that run from the dock to the eastern tip of the island. You can easily explore this island on foot, bike or by grabbing the Island Explorer (a free golf course shuttle).

Island Explorer

The Island Explorer is a free shuttle is run by the Historical Society. The volunteers drive the 8-person golf cart up and down the island road allowing visitors to hop on and off. While they drive, they share the history of the island and point out the best scenic views and interesting sights. If you do catch the shuttle, make sure to leave a donation to show your thanks and support.

Hitty's Cafe

Hitty’s Cafe is cute little cafe that severs up non-alcoholic beverages, and food like soups, sandwiches and bagels. There are plenty of outdoor tables where you can sit and enjoy your food, drinks and the free wifi.

The Cranberry House

The Preble-Marr Museum documents the history of Great Cranberry Island and is free to visit. There is also an Art Center in the building that’s used as a community space.

Hiking Trails

All of the trails on Greater Cranberry and very short and lead to the coast. They are pretty chill trails, but are rocky and rooty so a solid pair of shoes is key.

Whistler Cove Trail

This trail starts at the Cranberry House and in just 10 - 15 short minutes it delivers you to a cobblestone beach. The rocks are finer here, which makes it a great place to hunt for sea glass. This trail is about 30 minutes round trip and is a great place for a picnic.

Pebble Cove Trail

This trail also starts at the Cranberry House and is shorter than Whistler Cove. Like the others on the list, it leads to the coastline. It has smaller pebble like rocks, which makes it a good place to hunt for sea glass.

Cranberry Shores Trail

This trail starts at the east-end of the island and leads to the rocky shoreline. There are huge, colorful boulders here and if you time it right with the tides, you may see some creatures hanging out in the tide pools that collect in the rocky divots. This short trail takes around 20 minutes round trip.

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Islesford (AKA Little Cranberry)

Islesford Island is sometimes also called Little Cranberry. With around 65 year-round residents and 200 summer residents, Islesford is the most populated for the Cranberry Isles. You can easily explore this island on foot since there are only a few paved roads. The Islesford dock used to be an operating fishing dock, but was converted over 25 years ago to be used for art galleries, shops and a restaurant.

Ashley Bryan Center

Ashley Bryan was an artist, author and storyteller that lived on Islesford until his death in 2022. During his life he wrote and illustrated children’s books and experimented with many different types of art mediums. The Ashley Bryan Center is a beautiful tribute to his art and the volunteers do an an amazing job of sharing interesting tidbits about his life and the works of display. It’s a must stop if you’re on the island.

Islesford Historical Museum

This small museum does a wonderful job of telling the history of the island and giving insight into the Lobstering industry. It was founded by Acadia National Park in 1919, it closes during off months, so check their website for their months and hours of operation.

Islesford Shops and Galleries

There are a few shops near the public dock area. These shops are filled with goods and art from local artists and artisans. Make sure you stop in while you’re in the area.

Islesford Dock Restaurant

This restaurant is perched above the water at the very end of the Islesford dock, giving you perfect views of the ocean, local boats and the mountains of Acadia National Park. Catch a gorgeous sunset here while you have a drink and some delicious food.