Discover Hancock: Nature, Islands and Culture

Hancock opens the door to a landscape where the Atlantic coast, forested lakes, islands and surprisingly diverse cultural attractions come together. Acadia National Park is located in Hancock County, Maine, and encompasses nearly 50,000 acres along the Atlantic coast. For planning your trip, it is therefore worthwhile to first decide what you want to focus on: Would you like to enjoy coastal views and historic lighthouses, explore nature trails, set out by boat for the islands or visit museums?

Coastal Landscapes and Special Routes

One notable route is the Schoodic National Scenic Byway. The coastal road runs across the Schoodic Peninsula in eastern Maine and provides access to working harbors and rocky stretches of coastline. Along the byway, lobster fishing and shellfish gathering remain local traditions. If you would like to combine a stay amid coastal scenery with regional character, you can consider which of these experiences should shape your vacation when choosing your vacation rental.

The Bass Harbor Head Light Station is another striking destination. Its construction was authorized in 1858 to guide ships entering Bass Harbor and Blue Hill Bay. A 0.25-mile access road leads to a small parking lot with 27 spaces and restrooms. From there, a short boardwalk leads to viewpoints along the shore. Schoodic Beach can also be reached from a parking lot via a 0.5-mile walking trail.

Lakes, Bogs and Hiking Experiences

The Donnell Pond Public Lands encompass more than 14,000 acres of remote, forested land. Paddlers can explore this area from boat launches at Tunk Lake, Spring River Lake, Long Pond and Donnell Pond. At Schoodic Beach on Donnell Pond, designated areas are available for swimming, picnicking and camping. This makes it possible to combine peaceful days by the water with active pursuits in different ways, without every trip having to follow the same rhythm.

Schoodic Bog covers 500 acres at the foot of the southern slope of Schoodic Mountain. The trails there connect with the trail system of Maine's state-managed Donnell Pond Unit. The route through Schoodic Bog follows blue-marked FBC trail signs to the Down East Sunrise Trail. Those wishing to reach the summit of Schoodic Mountain can get there from the Schoodic parking lot via a hike of about one mile. For a vacation rental in Hancock, this focus on nature can be an important selection criterion if you enjoy structuring your excursions around scenery and activity.

The Down East Sunrise Trail also offers a variety of possibilities. It is intended for snowmobilers, ATV riders, pedestrians, cyclists, cross-country skiers and horseback riders. Its western end is located at Washington Junction in Hancock. One section borders the Donnell Pond Public Lands Unit for more than two and a half miles. At Bloomfield Park, by contrast, there is a short, very flat and easily walkable trail with views of Blunt's Pond and mature pines.

Islands and Culture in Hancock County

The Ed Woodsum Preserve encompasses the entire 985-acre Marshall Island. Visitors can explore much of the island along 9.2 miles of trails. There is a landing on the northeastern side near Ringtown Island; several beaches on Marshall Island provide access for small boats. Marshall Island is located in Hancock County, south of Swans Island. This information is especially useful for trip planning if you would like to combine hikes with experiences on the water.

Several different themes are available for cultural discoveries. The Telephone Museum is located in Ellsworth and displays an extensive collection of switchboards, telephone exchange equipment, telephones, tools, wiring diagrams, photographs and other objects relating to the history of telecommunications. Visitors can gain a hands-on historical experience there by learning to work as telephone exchange operators. The original Abbe Museum in Acadia National Park is a seasonal facility that conveys the cultures, history and archaeology of Maine's Indigenous peoples through exhibitions, educational programs and research. Its permanent collection comprises more than 50,000 objects representing 10,000 years of Indigenous life in Maine.

Birdsacre combines nature and regional history. It has six miles of interconnected nature trails. Visitors can see native owls, hawks and vultures that cannot be released into the wild. Cordelia J. Stanwood's Victorian home is now a museum and houses her glass-plate photographs. Woodlawn adds opportunities for recreation and education on a preserved historic estate. It is also home to Maine's only publicly accessible, nationally recognized croquet court.

The Right Base for Your Trip

Travel arrangements can also be incorporated into your planning: Direct flights from Boston's Logan Airport land at Hancock County Airport, which is 10 miles from Acadia National Park. When searching for accommodation, you can therefore first decide whether to focus on the national park, coastal roads, lakes and hiking trails, or museums and historic sites. A vacation rental is particularly well suited to your plans if you would like to divide your daily activities flexibly among these different types of experiences. For additional destination pages, Bar Harbor, Castine, East Holden, Orland, Southwest Harbor, Dedham, Ellsworth, Bucksport, Gouldsboro, Mount Desert, Swans Island, Surry and Brooklin are available.

For the higher-level travel overview: Maine.