The Pioneer Summer Colony
Squirrel Island is a tiny island about a mile south of Boothbay Harbor, and it holds a distinction that matters: it is the oldest summer colony in Maine. In 1871, a group of investors laid out lots, built fourteen cottages, and established a pattern that would spread up and down the Maine coast for the next half century. The summer colony idea, where families from the cities came to the coast for the season and built communities around shared simplicity, started here.
What is remarkable is how little has changed. The island still has roughly 100 rustic cottages, a village green, tennis courts, a chapel, and a small library. There are no motor vehicles of any kind. No cars, no motorcycles, no golf carts. Walking is the only way to get around, and a mile-long wooden boardwalk traces the island’s perimeter above the rocky shore. The lanes between cottages are narrow, shaded by spruce, and surfaced with cement sidewalks or packed earth. You reach the island by mailboat from Boothbay Harbor, a narrated run that loops through the inner harbor islands and stops at the Squirrel Island dock. The full round trip takes about an hour.
The island is a village corporation within the town of Southport, governed by the Squirrel Island Village Corporation, which enforces rules that preserve the island’s pedestrian, unplugged character. It is a summer community whose cottages empty out for the winter, and the mailboat season runs from May through mid-October.
The Boardwalk
The signature feature of Squirrel Island is the wooden boardwalk that circles the island’s perimeter. About a mile long, the boardwalk runs along the rocky shoreline, past cottage gardens, through spruce groves, and above tidal pools. It is the island’s main pathway, its social space, and its most distinctive feature.
Walking the boardwalk takes about 30 to 40 minutes at a leisurely pace. The views alternate between open ocean, the Boothbay Harbor coastline, and the sheltered coves on the island’s lee side. Benches are placed at intervals for sitting and watching the water.
What to Do
Squirrel Island is a place for doing very little, and doing it well. For most visitors, the doing happens from the deck of the mailboat: the working harbor, the lobster boats, the seals and osprey nests, and the island’s cottages and boardwalk sliding past from the water.
The island has a chapel that hosts Sunday services in summer and occasional evening lectures. The library is small and well-curated. The tennis courts are in good shape. There is a community building where evening events are sometimes held.
There are no shops, no restaurants, and no commercial establishments of any kind. The island is entirely residential and private. Its amenities are maintained for islanders and their guests, and the mailboat’s scheduled stop exists primarily to load and unload islanders and supplies. Treat the trip as a harbor cruise first. If walking the boardwalk is the point of your visit, confirm arrangements with Balmy Days Cruises before you book.
Getting There
Balmy Days Cruises operates the Squirrel Island mailboat, the NOVELTY, from Pier 8 in Boothbay Harbor. The full round trip takes about an hour, including a brief stop at the Squirrel Island dock to load and unload islanders and their supplies. (Departing from Squirrel Island itself? Add about 30 minutes to the posted Boothbay times.)
The mailboat season runs May through mid-October, with the fullest schedule in high summer. Fares are approximately $26 round trip for adults and $13 for children under 12. Sailings vary by day of the week, so check the current calendar at balmydayscruises.com or call (207) 633-2284.
Do not count on time ashore. The scheduled island stop is short, and extended shore time for visitors is not part of the standard run. If going ashore matters to you, arrange it with the operator when you book.
When to Go
Summer
Mailboat season runs May through mid-October, with the fullest schedule in July and August. Cottages are occupied, the boardwalk is maintained, and the island is at its most alive.
Off-Season
No regular mailboat service. Cottages are shuttered and the island winds down to caretaking.
Practical Notes
Bring everything you need. There is no store, no water fountain, no restroom available to visitors, and no food on the island. Pack water, snacks, sunscreen, and a rain jacket.
Wear comfortable walking shoes. The boardwalk and paths are well-maintained but some sections are uneven.
The island is a private community. Access beyond the dock is a courtesy, not a right. If you do go ashore, stay on the boardwalk and main paths and never enter cottage grounds or private property.
FAQ
Can anyone visit Squirrel Island?
The Balmy Days Cruises mailboat is open to the public and stops at the island, but the island itself is private and the scheduled stop is brief. If you want time ashore to walk the boardwalk, confirm arrangements with Balmy Days Cruises before booking.
Are there cars on Squirrel Island?
No. No motor vehicles of any kind are allowed on the island. No cars, no motorcycles, no golf carts. Walking is the only transportation.
How long do you spend on Squirrel Island?
The full mailboat round trip runs about an hour, and the island stop within it is brief. Extended time ashore is not part of the standard run, so ask the operator about options when booking.
Is Squirrel Island part of Boothbay Harbor?
No. Squirrel Island is a village corporation within the town of Southport. It is reached by mailboat from Boothbay Harbor.
Are there places to eat on Squirrel Island?
No. There are no commercial establishments on the island. Bring food and water.
