Burnt Coat Harbor Lighthouse and Swans Island
Swans Island is a picturesque 6-mile ferry ride from Bass Harbor at the bottom of Mount Desert Island. There are numerous outdoor activities, like hiking, swimming, fishing, and biking, but the 35-foot-tall white Burnt Coat Harbor Lighthouse on the south shore is not to be missed. Both the light and the keeper's house, which has history exhibits, an art gallery, bathrooms, and a small gift shop, are open from late June to early September. An apartment upstairs can be rented on a weekly basis from June through October. Aside from vacation rentals, there's only one lodging, the five-room Harbor Watch Inn ( www.harborwatchinnswansisland.com). The Island Market & Supply ( www.tims-swans-island.com) is a great place to get picnic supplies or other general store needs.
