Getting to North Haven, Maine
North Haven is an island located off the mainland city of Rockland, Maine where you can catch the ferry three times a day to the North Haven with the Maine State Ferry Service. Ferries leave Rockland for North Haven at 9:30am, 2:15pm or 5:15pm. They return to Rockland from the island at 8am, 12:30pm, and 3:45pm.
Or, you can call our friends at Penobscot Island Air about regular small flights to the island - a beautiful way to get there quickly!
Rockland is about a four-hour drive from Boston, an hour and a half drive northeast from the Portland Jetport, an hour and a half drive south from the Bangor Airport, and just five minutes from the Knox County Regional Airport in Rockland, which has regular fights from Boston on Colgan Air (US Air).
Jet Blue has new, discounted service to Portland, Maine this summer from many locations, so flying to Portland and renting a car or taking the bus is likely to be the most cost-effective option for visitors coming from New York, Washington, D.C., and points south.
If you fly into Portland, Boston or Bangor there are several ways to get to Rockland:
There are numerous national car rental locations in Portland and Bangor and renting a car might be the easiest option. There is also regular bus service from Portland and from the Boston Airport to Rockland on Concord Trailways and the bus stops right at the Maine State Ferry Terminal where you can catch the ferry to North Haven. You can also take a train from the south to Portland and then take the bus.
- Concord Trailways Bus Lines
- Amtrak train service to Portland
- Car Rentals in Portland
- Phone numbers of car rental, airports, and local Rockland Taxi Services
Taking the ferry:
First, make sure you are boarding the ferry for North Haven! The ferries run to North Haven, Vinalhaven and Matinicus. Check with the ferry staff to be sure you are getting on the right ferry and if you are taking your car, that you are in the right line to get to the North Haven Ferry (not the Vinalhaven ferry!).
Bringing your car:
First, we warn you that during some busy times of year, especially summer weekends or around holidays, it can be difficult to get a car on the ferry. There is always space for passengers and usually for bikes. However, after Labor Day, it is both easy and advisable to bring a car to the island.
If you want to leave your car in Rockland, we recommend you park at the State Ferry parking lot or Knight's Marine lot. To park in these lots costs a few dollars a day. The ferry holds seventeen cars. On some busy summer days you might get lucky and be able to get your car on the ferry but on others you might have to wait through one or two boats to get your car on.
You can also try to get a reservation for the ferry by calling the Maine State Ferry Service (but there are only four reservations per trip. You can make a reservation one-month in advance. Call or email us for advice in dealing with the ferry and your car. We’ll be happy to help!
Once you get to the island, Nebo Lodge is located in town, less than five minutes walk from the ferry. We have bikes for rent to help you get around.
If you do end up waiting for a few hours to get your car on the ferry, or just waiting for the next boat to go, there is plenty of great stuff to do in Rockland within walking distance of the Ferry Terminal. Just take a walk up Main Street and there are numerous restaurants, the famous Farnsworth Art Museum, and numerous stores. If you don’t need to leave your car in line, you can also take a five minute drive to the Rockland Breakwater Lighthouse and take the mile-long walk out to the lighthouse, which is a lot of fun (in good weather).
Driving Directions to Rockland:
From Boston, MA (189 miles) : Take I-95 into Maine. Follow I-95 north to I-295 (Exit 44), South Portland. Take I-295 North to Exit 28, which is U.S. Route 1 North (Coastal Route) at Brunswick. Follow U.S. Route 1 to Rockland – this is a very scenic route that will take you through the towns of Bath, Wiscasset, and Thomaston. You will spend about an hour and ten minutes on Route 1 to Rockland. Stay on Route 1 which will take you down Main Street Rockland. Toward the end of Main Street you will see the State Ferry Service on your right with a large parking lot, terminal, etc. Turn right into the terminal and there is parking on either side of the terminal. Click here for Mapquest directions.
From Portland, (82 miles) : Take I-295 North to Exit 28, which is U.S. Route 1 North (Coastal Route) at Brunswick. Follow U.S. Route 1 to Rockland. Follow U.S. Route 1 to Rockland – this is a very scenic route that will take you through the towns of Bath, Wiscasset, and Thomaston. You will spend about an hour and ten minutes on Route 1 to Rockland. Stay on Route 1 which will take you down Main Street Rockland. Toward the end of Main Street you will see the State Ferry Service on your right with a large parking lot, terminal, etc. Turn right into the terminal and there is parking on either side of the terminal. Click here for Mapquest directions.
From Bangor (63 miles) :Click here for Mapquest directions.
Alternate route, from points south or from Augusta, Maine (Coastal U.S. Route 1 bypass): During the peak of summer, many visitors use this route to bypass the heavy summer traffic on U.S. Route 1: Take I-95 to Exit 109 (Augusta), then go through the city of Augusta following signs for Route 17 East into the City of Rockland. Route 17 will turn right onto North Main at a blinking light (follow State Ferry signs) and that will intersect with Route 1 in Rockland (just after Dunkin Donuts). At the stop sign, bear right toward a three-way intersection and then bear left onto Union Street (Rt. 1 South). Immediately get into the left lane and take your third left off Union onto Talbot Street, following signs for the State Ferry Service and you will travel one block and see the ferry service across Main Street.
Once you get to the island it is easy to get around by foot, by bike or by car. Click here for a map of the island.