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 ( see the Getting Here and Around section of the Chapter Planner for more information). Opportunities abound for outdoor activities like hiking, swimming, biking, fishing, and beachcombing, but the 35-foot-tall white Burnt Coat Harbor Lighthouse on the south shore is not to be missed. Both the light (you can climb up!) and the keeper's house, which has history exhibits, art displays, gift shop, bathrooms, and free island and trail maps, are open from mid-June to mid-September. An apartment upstairs can be rented on a weekly basis from June through October. Aside from vacation rentals, Swans Island only has one lodging, Harbor Watch Inn ( www.harborwatchinnswansisland.com)—four rooms with kitchens or kitchenettes as well as an upstairs suite. The Island Market & Supply ( www.tims-swans-island.com) is a great place to get picnic supplies or other general needs.
