1. The Claremont Hotel
City: Southwest Harbor, ME
Category: Accommodations
Telephone: (207) 244-5036 or (800) 244-50
Address: Claremont Rd.
Description: The rambling old Claremont offers accommodations in the grand hotel style of Maine summers past—not fancy, mind you, but classic, tasteful, simple. Amenities are plentiful for an old-fashioned place, and they tend toward the old-fashioned as well—clay tennis courts, croquet courts (this place is famous for its croquet tournaments), bikes, rowboats, library, concerts, lectures, and afternoon tea. A favorite are simply the Adirondack chairs lined up on the grounds with a fantastic Southwest Harbor panorama spread before them. The 24 rooms in the main hotel have recently been renovated and they are comfortable but spare, and the Phillips House has six more, two with fireplaces. And then there are 14 cottages of varying styles and degrees of luxury, from split log to contemporary, all with fireplaces and living rooms. Dining is in the Boathouse in the summer. If you want to relax, this gracious old inn is the place. Open from late May to late October.
2. Clark Point Inn
City: Southwest Harbor, ME
Category: Accommodations
Telephone: (207) 244-9828
Address: 109 Clark Point Rd.
Description: Three stories of 1883 colonial charm are to be found at this old inn across from the town dock. The three rooms are all decorated to a theme—and have water views, private baths, queen-size beds, TV, Wi-Fi, and fineries like damask loveseats and quilted coverlets. There are also two third-floor suites with living rooms and fireplaces.
3. Inn At Southwest
City: Southwest Harbor, ME
Category: Accommodations
Telephone: (207) 244-3835
Address: 371 Main St.
Description: An extraordinary 1884 Mansard-roof Victorian overlooking Southwest Harbor, this seven-room inn is pleasasntly appointed with nice touches like sleigh beds, four-posters, wrought iron beds, down comforters, sitting rooms, and gas stoves. Some have a bit of a water view, and all have private baths. Breakfasts are served on the wraparound porch or patio in nice weather; they’re highly regarded and might include cheesecake crepes, rhubarb crunch, or Belgian waffles with raspberries.
4. Seawall Motel And Restaurant
City: Southwest Harbor, ME
Category: Accommodations
Telephone: (207) 244-9250 or (800) 248-92
Address: Route 102A
Description: No doubt what the principal attraction is here—the famous seawall of Southwest Harbor, an expanse of rocky shore that seems to be holding back all of the Atlantic when the waves hit hard. It’s right across the street from this motel complex, and the lagoon created by the wall is adjacent, with all its birdlife. Eagles, seals, muskrats, and a range of ducks and other shorebirds are commonly spotted, and Acadia wraps around the back of the motel. Rooms are simple motel units, no frills but clean and with phones and Wi-Fi. The room rate includes the continental breakfast. You can hop on the Island Explorer shuttle right here and enjoy everything on the island without having to worry about driving and traffic. Open year-round. Rates are reasonable in summer and a real bargain in the off-season—which could even be the end of June.
5. Causeway Golf Club
City: Southwest Harbor, ME
Category: Golf
Telephone: (207) 244-3780
Address: 10 Fernald Point Rd.
Description: Built in 1920, this nine-hole course is considerably simpler than some others in the Mount Desert Island area. It has some nice water views, a couple of challenging holes, and a pro shop. Clubs and carts can be rented, and snacks can be had when you start to get hungry. Allow three hours to play 18 holes, and don’t worry too much about tee times.
6. Rachel B. Jackson
City: Southwest Harbor, ME
Category: Parks & Recreation
Telephone: (207) 288-2216
Address: Beal’s Lobster Pier
Description: Built to resemble an 1890s schooner, the Rachel B. Jackson has quite an interesting history. It has circumnavigated the globe, been the state of Maine’s representative in the Tall Ships 2000 race, served as a whale research vessel for the National Geographic Society, and been used to train student sailors as a Sail Training Association ship. The salient point to you, though, is that this 67-foot beauty takes passengers out on cruises around Frenchman Bay daily in summer at 10 a.m., 1 p.m., and 6:30 p.m. You might see porpoises, ospreys, eagles, and seals, and even if you don’t, you’ll enjoy breathtaking vistas of Acadia, Bar Harbor, the bay, and its islands. Passage is $30 per person.
7. Maine State Sea Kayak Guide Service
City: Southwest Harbor, ME
Category: Parks & Recreation
Telephone: (207) 244-9500 or (877) 481-95
Address: 254 Maine St.
Description: A couple of major magazines (National Geographic Adventure and Travel + Leisure) have given this outfit the nod in the past, and its good reputation might be due to 20-plus years of experience. Its specialty is introducing new paddlers to this graceful game, and its guides use the waters off Southwest Harbor to that end, regularly paddling five or six different routes, depending upon weather, tides, and clients. Half-day trips, giving you four hours of kayaking and instruction—a good taste—are $48 per person. They’re available from mid-May through mid-October.
8. Beal’S Lobster Pier
City: Southwest Harbor, ME
Category: Restaurants
Telephone: (207) 244-3202
Address: 182 Clark Point Rd.
Description: Right next to the local Coast Guard base, this lobster pound has an incredible view, overlooking Southwest Harbor and the mountains of Acadia. Beals have been working the waterfront here for generations, and the seafood at their restaurant is newly landed. Chowders, clams, and lobsters a variety of ways are the specialties, and they’re done right. If you fall in love, you can ship whatever you want home via next-day air.
9. Fiddler’S Green Restaurant
City: Southwest Harbor, ME
Category: Restaurants
Telephone: (207) 244-9416
Address: 411 Main St.
Description: Like the best of Maine’s restaurants, this place makes fine use of fresh local fish and seasonal ingredients. The chef here makes everything possible on the premises, smoking the fish, stuffing the ravioli, baking the breads. The menu changes frequently, and guests in the eatery’s three dining rooms can choose from a half dozen specials in addition to the nightly fare, which might be smoked rainbow trout, seared and roasted duck breast with pomegranate glaze, or grilled and marinated rib-eye steak. Extensive wine list.
10. Little Notch Pizzeria
City: Southwest Harbor, ME
Category: Restaurants
Telephone: (207) 244-3357
Address: 340 Main St.
Description: The name of this place suggests a small alpine eatery sandwiched between tall peaks. But it actually comes from the notch in the side of Acadia’s Western Mountain, which cafe owner Arthur Jacobs grew up looking at. The Seal Cove native left Mount Desert for cooking school and returned to open this great lunch spot smack in downtown Southwest Harbor. The gourmet pizzas, sandwiches, salads, and soups attract a whole host of regulars, and the smartly decorated cafe, with its picture windows looking out on the street and wrought-iron chairs, has enough curb appeal to attract passersby. Pizzas are topped with an array of original flavors, like turkey sausage, prosciutto, hot chili peppers, and artichoke hearts. The sandwiches are just as creative—sweet Italian sausage with Parmesan, say, or roasted broccoli, onions, and cheddar—and they come on delectable focaccia.
11. Red Sky Restaurant
City: Southwest Harbor, ME
Category: Restaurants
Telephone: (207) 244-0476
Address: 14 Clark Point Rd.
Description: With its tile floor, central fireplace, wood-panel ceiling, and white table cloths, Red Sky is a welcoming place, and that was the intent of owners Elizabeth and James Lindquist. Delicious without being stuffy. The fare is as fresh and local as they can get it and it might be a roasted chicken from Sunset Acre Farms or lobster shucked and sautéed, all served with veggies from a trio of area farms. The breads are baked daily, the meats cut by hand, and the desserts from scratch and worthy of genuflection. Even the ice teas are brewed by the glass.
12. Deck House Restaurant And Cabaret Theater
City: Southwest Harbor, ME
Category: Shopping
Telephone: (207) 244-5044
Address: 11 Apple Lane
Description: Show tunes in the round are on the menu at the Deck House, where the audience eats and the waitstaff doubles as the players. Music from Broadway is the usual fare, but dance, mime, puppetry, and barbershop harmonies have happened here in the past. Reservations are recommended.