My wife and I stayed at Neap Tide cottage for a week in mid September 2020. The view and setting of the cottage are amazing. It looks out onto a large bay framed by pine and spruce trees, with a few small islands in the far distance. You don’t see a single house along the miles of pristine shoreline and very few boats. In the morning a few lobster boats can be seen in the distance hauling their traps. In front of the house is a private long sandy beach that you can walk on. The setting is private, quiet, and very peaceful.
The house is nicely set up to take advantage of the view. Two large sliding glass doors from the living and dining areas open onto a deck overlooking the bay and beach. The master bedroom on the second floor also looks out onto the bay, and the deck in the front of the house is perfect for enjoying the view. It was very clean and well stocked with kitchen and other supplies. The interior is bright and sunny and the furniture is simple, new, and attractive. The website photos give you a good idea of the house and setting. The owners, who live in a house about 100 yards away and out of sight, were very friendly and helpful, and any questions week quickly answered. The only minor issue we had is that the house is on a one lane dirt road that’s just under a mile. We met only one car during the entire week we were there, and passing it was a bit of a squeeze. But it’s less than 10 minutes to the center of town which has a few restaurants and takeouts, a fish market, and a good sized supermarket.
This part of the Maine east of Ellsworth is often referred to as the “real Maine.” It’s quiet and largely unchanged and undeveloped, with small picturesque working fishing villages where lobstering is the main, and sometimes the only, commercial activity. The coastal views of trees, islands, harbors and lobster boats are incredible, and there are many nearby places for hiking and biking. Schoodic Point, a separate smaller and much quieter section of Acadia National Park in Winter Harbor, is about 45 minutes from the cottage. I’d highly recommend Neap Tide cottage as a base for exploring the many things this part of Maine has to offer.
