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North Haven, Maine is an offshore island located 12 miles off the coast of Rockland, Maine. It is one of the most beautiful places on earth, a unique small town community. It is one of the fifteen remaining year-round islands left in Maine - at the turn of the 20th century there were 300 islands with vibrant communities.
Today, there are 350 residents who live on North Haven year-round and a summer population of about 1500. North Haven is a small town with no major shopping centers or street lights. The local economy is largely dependent on lobster fishing, summer visitors, and the activities of maintaining a small community. There are two restaurants on the island, two small grocery stores, several gift shops, a doctor, a community center, and the smallest K-12 school in the state, with about 70 enrolled students.
Ten Great Things to Do on the Island
- Eat Lobster! Penobscot Bay boasts the best lobster fishing grounds in the country. Enjoy a fresh lobster at local seaside Restaurant Brown’s Coal Wharf, a lobster roll at one of several local restaurants for lunch, or arrange an early evening lobster bake at the beach.
- Walk quiet island beaches, visit our incredible town park with great hiking trails by the sea, or climb up Ames Knob for the best views of the island and the Fox Island thoroughfare. Then swim in the refreshing ocean water for a to cool down.
- Take a long or short bike ride on North Haven’s 30 miles of roads. Biking offers a perfect way to see the island, get some exercise, and visit some of the best island spots. If you get bored of our roads, we can also help you get to Vinalhaven for a day-trip by bike where you can explore our neighboring island community which has lots of character and great swimming quarries. Nebo also has bikes for rent. Inquire early!
- Bring your kayak and explore Penobscot Bay or rent a kayak and take a trip with an experienced local Maine Guide to see the island by water, visiting incredible surrounding beaches, uninhabited islands, coves and quiet creeks.
- Take a day trip with Captain Elaine on her boat and she can take you and your family to an uninhabited island for a picnic, to Matinicus Rock to see the puffins, or to nearby island communities like Vinalhaven, Isle Au Haut or Matinicus. Bring a picnic lunch, hike around the island you are visiting, and then take a refreshing dip in the cool Maine water before you head home.
- Golf at our 9-hole, well-noted, ocean-side North Haven Golf Course.
- Enjoy real small town life and stop by coffee hour at the community center, attend a community event (view a summer calendar), visit our local historical society museum, stop by the library or church (both on the same lane as Nebo).
- Spend a morning in town visiting our local gift shops and galleries. Enjoy the Saturday Morning Farmer’s Market just a stone’s throw from Nebo. Then eat out at one of several local restaurants for lunch and dinner where they sell fresh seafood, gourmet treats, or take out.
- Enjoy an island nighttime event like a movie, engaging talk, musical performance, poetry reading, or theatrical production at Waterman’s Community Center.
- Take some time to relax! Sleep in, feast on our incredible breakfast, spend the day reading in the sun or by the fireplace, wind down in the afternoon with a cup of tea or a glass of wine on the porch, and enjoy the bright summer stars at night.
The island is located in the middle of Penobscot Bay, with just a small thoroughfare separating North Haven from Vinalhaven. There is great biking on the island, 30 miles of roads, several great public beaches and a park which is great for long walks, incredible kayaking, a nine-hole golf course, and of course cold ocean water surrounding us that can reinvigorate even the most jaded city dwellers.
Nebo is located in the center of North Haven's tiny downtown, just up the street from the town library and post office and nearly across the street from the historical island church. Nebo is just a 3 minute walk from the ferry, yacht club, several stores and restaurants, and the recently constructed Waterman’s Community Center.
Waterman's - with a theatre, meeting rooms, summer camps for kids, classes, and a coffee shop -- has become a bee hive of island activity. Nightly activities range from highly acclaimed locally produced plays and concerts to movie nights to guest lectures/conversations from a wide range of speakers. Some of last year’s featured programs included writer and NPR reporter Tom Gjelten, rug and handbag designer Angela Adams (who grew up on the island), naturalist talks, and poetry readings by New Yorker-turned-local writer Susan Minot. The musical performances range from Paul Winter to bluegrass music, chamber music to rock 'n roll.
For those who are looking for something more low-key, there is always plenty of local gossip available at J.O. Brown's boat yard or at bingo night to remind visitors what small town life feels like.
There are two restaurants - serving seafood and island produce - and two markets on the island. One of the markets sells pizza and fast food at lunch and dinner. On Saturday mornings, there is a farmer’s market just up the street from Nebo at the ball field. If you get there early you can get great local produce, home baked pies or fresh island-grown oysters. Lobsters are plentiful and can be purchased directly from the fishermen or at Brown’s Boatyard.
The North Haven Historical Society is open Tuesdays and by appointment with a "general store" and furnished kitchen and living room, as well as special exhibits of island boats and tools.
The weather ranges from stunningly beautiful warm days with perfect deep blue skies and light breezes to more challenging weather with cool temperatures and thick fog -- a great chance to catch up on your summer reading. Dark, clear nights offer a chance to see more stars than you thought existed.
People on North Haven don’t lock their doors at night or take the keys out of their cars. Everyone says hello and drivers wave at each other when their cars pass.
Especially For Kids
North Haven is a paradise for kids of all ages. It is one of the safest places on earth. Kids are safe to ride their bikes through town alone, enjoy local playgrounds, explore rocky beaches and tide pools, or enjoy a variety of organized activities.
There are summer sailing classes at a local yacht club for kids ages 8 – 16, with private lessons for students enrolled for less than two weeks. There are many regular classes, camps, and activities for kids in summer at Waterman’s Community Center from Acting Camp to Creative Camp to Ping-Pong Tournaments to Teen Nights.
Nebo is happy to help make your vacation with kids as easy as possible. We can help find a babysitter at night (with some advance notice), we have extra space in many rooms where we can set up a bed for a child, and we can help organize activities for your kids during the day. Call early and we’ll help you plan a great island visit.