Acadia All American Road
Great & Little Cranberry Island, ME

For magnificent views of Acadia and Mount Desert from a distance, travel to the serene Cranberry Islands just off the southern end of Maine's Mount Desert Island. Named for the red berry common in this area, the Cranberry Islands are small with peaceful country lanes, lively fishing harbors, rock-strewn shores, spruce trees, and wild roses.

The town of Cranberry Isles spreads over five islands, but only two of them are inhabited year-round -- Great Cranberry and Little Cranberry. Great Cranberry has 44 residents and Little Cranberry has 77 concentrated in the village of Islesford. In the summers, however, the population swells to about 500 or 600 at the season's height. A combination mailboat and ferry runs between Great Cranberry and Little Cranberry six times a day in the summer.

Each island has its own general store, post office, church, library, historical society, and school. Islesford Historical Museum on Little Cranberry Island focuses on the early colonial period; it exhibits implements, furnishings, documents, and photography.