Deer Isle Area Sightseeing Itinerary (3-day)
Itinerary Note
Note – we put some scheduled times in here just to give you some ideas. You can pick and choose what you want to do. Be sure to look at when they are open and if there are any COVID restrictions. In fact, it would probably be a good idea to call any that you plan to visit just to be on the safe side.
Day 1
Walker’s Pond Beach is a wonderful first stop in this itinerary. Start the day off right with a swim in Walker Pond! It’s a sandy beach with picnic tables available if you happen to bring food with you to snack on for breakfast.
Stop for lunch for some delicious wood-fired pizza at:
- Strong Brewing Company 7 Rope Ferry Rd, Sedgwick, ME 04676 | (207) 359-8722
- Local brewery with a taproom; its products have been distributed to many places across the state.
“Naskeag Road, Brooklin
Fishermen use this peninsula in Jericho Bay to access clam flats and lobster grounds, and share the public boat ramp with kayakers and visitors to the small memorial park. Sit on a granite bench and remember “all the fishermen who brave the sea.” There are more distant memories, too: a Revolutionary War battle, and a Norse coin found on the beach, possible evidence for early contact and trade in North America.”
Day 2
Located on the Little Deer Isle side of the Deer Isle Bridge, Bridge End Park is a great place to bring some takeout food to enjoy the rustic beauty of this historic bridge to start the sightseeing day.
This wonderful little trail takes you through a granite quarry, showing off the process by which people have drilled and cut granite blocks for decades in the area. Experience famous Deer Isle granite in its natural environment!
If you are in Deer Isle, you cannot miss a visit to Nervous Nellie’s Jams and Jellies! 598 Sunshine Rd Deer Isle, Maine 04627 1-800-777-6845 jam@nervousnellies.com
“Nervous Nellie’s, is an eclectic campus covering several acres in an idyllic island setting, a one-time homestead and heirloom orchard at the edge of a spruce forest. The grounds: meadow and woods are filled with sculptures made by Peter from discarded metal, locally-milled lumber, dump-foraged material. A Western town–jail, lawyer’s office, fortune teller, hotel, saloon, Chinese laundry–sits shoulder to shoulder with a Delta-style juke joint, a Deer Isle general store, a church, a Grail castle, wizard’s tower, 50’s garage complete with jam session, all comprise Nellieville, a lifelong work in progress. ” Se his video!
Sand Beach is the perfect way to end the day. Take a nice refreshing swim in the Atlantic, and appreciate the beautiful natural ledge formations that characterize the Maine coast. In the distance, you can see two island outcroppings, The Fort and Second Island. On a clear day, you may be able to see the nearby islands that host the communities of Pulpit Harbor, North Haven, and Vinalhaven.
The Deer Isle area is wonderfully picturesque, especially when it comes to the ledgy formations composed of rocks of various types. Deer Isle is probably best known for its massive granite stock, formed millions of years ago when nearby volcanic calderas solidified after spewing out tons of ash and magma into the air. Deer Isle granite has been used in famous buildings all over the United States.
Packing List
Aroostook/DownEast/Western:
The weather in Maine can be unpredictable. Therefore, here are some ideas to be prepared. Wear comfortable clothes and dress in layers, Maine is very casual, so you probably will not find any restaurants that require formal attire.
Spring/Summer/Fall: clothes, comfortable sneakers or hiking shoes for walking, sun hat, sunscreen, sweater or jacket, insect repellent, toiletries, and phone/camera
Winter: clothes (layers), ski pants highly recommended, winter boots, jacket, hats, scarves, gloves, warm socks, toiletries, and phone/camera. Please pack a helmet if you are participating in snowmobiling, skiing, or snowboarding.
Day 3 (Optional)
On Day 3, you can take the ferry to Isle Au Haut if you like. The ferry carries passengers only, so be sure to bring a bicycle with you if you wish to explore the island’s roads and points of interest.
The island itself is partially the result of volcanic activity millions of years ago. If you explore around the ledge that lines the coast, you can sometimes pick out the layers of volcanic ash and lava that solidified and stratified.
A beautiful light house located on Robinson Point. It was built in the early 20th century, and remains in use today. It has since been automated, and the gorgeous Victorian keeper’s house has been restored. It is listed under the National Register of Historic Places.
Isle Au Haut is covered with several hiking trails that vary greatly in length and difficulty. Some are as short as 0.3km and some are as long as 4.8km. Check out the link in the subheading for a list and map of trails available.
Fun Facts
- When people refer to “Deer Isle” they are usually referring to what is actually two islands, both Deer Isle proper and Little Deer Isle, the island that you first land on when you cross the bridge.
- The Deer Isle Bridge was designed by one David Steinman, an engineer known for his numerous bridge projects that span the country.
- Isle Au Haut is a small island south of Stonington, that hosts a small general store and is half federal park land; it makes the perfect detour!
