Deer Isle MaineATTRACTIONS & THINGS TO DO
Listed below are the best attractions and things to do near Deer Isle, Maine.
1. Barred Island Preserve
NATURAL COASTAL WONDERLAND
Barred Island Preserve offers an easy 1.5-mile trail with spectacular views of Barred Island, Crockett Cove, and a sandy beach. Visitors can walk across a natural sand bar at low tide to access the small island, making timing essential for this adventure. The preserve showcases the quintessential Maine coastal experience with its rocky shores, dense woods, and pristine waters.
2. Stonington Village
CHARMING WORKING HARBOR TOWN
Stonington Village is a picturesque coastal community on the southern tip of Deer Isle known for its authentic working harbor and lobster industry. The village features historic architecture, artisan shops, and waterfront dining establishments with fresh seafood. Visitors can enjoy watching fishing boats come and go while experiencing the rhythm of life in a traditional Maine fishing community.
3. Deer Isle Village
HISTORIC ISLAND CENTER
Deer Isle Village serves as the historic and cultural heart of the island with its quaint New England charm and buildings dating back to the 18th century. The village center offers local shops, galleries, and eateries housed in historic structures along its main street. Visitors can stroll through this walkable community to experience the authentic character of island life.
4. Edgar M. Tennis Preserve
SCENIC COASTAL HIKING
Edgar M. Tennis Preserve encompasses 145 acres of protected woodlands with trails leading to stunning shoreline vistas. The preserve features several loop trails suitable for various hiking abilities, winding through spruce forests and emerging onto granite outcroppings with panoramic ocean views. Nature enthusiasts can spot diverse wildlife and enjoy unspoiled natural landscapes representative of Maine's coastal ecology.
5. Opera House Arts
HISTORIC PERFORMING ARTS VENUE
Opera House Arts occupies the historic Stonington Opera House, a cultural landmark built in 1912 that hosts year-round performances ranging from theater to music to film. The beautifully restored venue combines historic architecture with contemporary artistic programming that reflects the community's creative spirit. Performances often feature both local talent and visiting artists, creating a vibrant cultural hub for the island.
6. Discovery Wharf at Maine Center for Coastal Fisheries
INTERACTIVE MARITIME LEARNING
Discovery Wharf at Maine Center for Coastal Fisheries offers interactive exhibits about the region's fishing heritage and marine ecology. Visitors can explore touch tanks with live marine creatures and learn about sustainable fishing practices central to the local economy. The center provides educational programming that connects people with the maritime traditions that have shaped the island's culture for generations.
7. The Turtle Gallery
FINE ART AND CRAFTS
The Turtle Gallery showcases fine art and crafts by established and emerging Maine artists in a converted barn setting. The gallery features changing exhibitions of paintings, sculpture, pottery, jewelry, and other handcrafted items that reflect the island's artistic community. Since its founding, the gallery has become a cultural destination for collectors and art enthusiasts visiting the region.
8. Settlement Quarry Preserve
HISTORIC GRANITE LANDSCAPE
Settlement Quarry Preserve offers visitors a glimpse into the island's granite quarrying history with trails winding through this former industrial site. Massive granite blocks, remnants of quarrying operations, dot the landscape alongside interpretive signs explaining the techniques and history of the industry that once dominated the local economy. The preserve's elevated position provides spectacular panoramic views of Penobscot Bay and surrounding islands.
9. Sand Beach
HIDDEN COASTAL GEM
Sand Beach is a striking natural attraction featuring crystal-clear blue-green waters reminiscent of Lake Tahoe, surrounded by large rocks and tall trees. Visitors can enjoy the beautiful sandy beach area and explore wooded pathways leading to spectacular viewpoints of the coast. This less-crowded beach offers one of the area's most photogenic natural settings, making it a favorite spot for locals and tourists alike.
10. Nervous Nellie's Jams and Jellies
WHIMSICAL FOOD ARTISANS
Nervous Nellie's Jams and Jellies combines a working jam kitchen with an eclectic sculpture garden and folk art installation. Visitors can sample and purchase handcrafted preserves while exploring the whimsical wooden sculptures and buildings created by artist Peter Beerits throughout the property. This unique attraction offers both culinary delights and artistic surprises in a charming forest setting.
11. Deer Isle Granite Museum
ISLAND INDUSTRIAL HERITAGE
Deer Isle Granite Museum celebrates the skill and bravery of local quarrymen through exhibits highlighting the area's distinctive pink granite industry. The museum features a detailed 3D model showing the nearby Crotch Island quarry as it existed in the early 1900s, bringing this important historical industry to life. Visitors learn how granite from Deer Isle was used in famous structures like New York's Rockefeller Center and the John F. Kennedy Memorial in Arlington National Cemetery.
12. Deer Isle-Stonington Historical Society
ISLAND HERITAGE PRESERVATION
The Deer Isle-Stonington Historical Society maintains a campus of historic buildings including the Sellers House, Marine Hall, Exhibit Barn, and Boat Shed, each preserving different aspects of island history. Founded in 1959, the society collects and preserves important records, artifacts, and stories that document the area's rich cultural heritage. Visitors can tour the museum buildings and explore the Heritage Gardens and Orchards during summer months to experience the island's history firsthand.
13. Mark Island Lighthouse
HISTORIC MARITIME BEACON
Mark Island Lighthouse, officially called Deer Island Thorofare Lighthouse, has been an active navigational aid since its construction in 1858. The picturesque tower stands as a sentinel on its small island, visible from boat tours that provide the best vantage points for photography. While not open for public tours, this iconic lighthouse represents the maritime heritage that has shaped life on Deer Isle for centuries.
14. Rabbit Hill Farm
SUSTAINABLE ISLAND AGRICULTURE
Rabbit Hill Farm sits 80 feet above East Penobscot Bay, offering a unique combination of certified organic farming and artisanal cider production. The self-sustainable homestead includes a rabbitry and the Deer Isle Cider Company, which produces sparkling hard cider from hand-picked heirloom and wild apples. Visitors can experience sustainable island agriculture while enjoying the farm's treetop location adjacent to the Crockett Cove Woods Preserve.
15. Haystack Mountain School of Crafts
RENOWNED CRAFT EDUCATION CENTER
Haystack Mountain School of Crafts is an internationally recognized craft education center offering workshops in a variety of media including ceramics, glass, metals, and fiber arts. The campus features distinctive architecture designed by Edward Larrabee Barnes, perched on a granite hillside overlooking the Atlantic Ocean. While primarily a working school, the campus occasionally hosts open studio events where visitors can experience the creative environment that has influenced American craft education since 1950.