Location: Castine, Acadia, Maine, USA (1 Hr from Bangor or Bar Harbor Airports; 3 Hrs from Portland)
Accommodations: House, 2 Bedrooms, 1.25 Baths (Sleeps 4-6)
Castine is a village where everything is within walking distance. Estabrooke Cottage, in the heart of the village of Castine, is the ideal getaway, offering the slow pace of small-town life along with abundant activities for active visitors.
You can walk to everything Castine has to offer. This beautiful coastal village is a real walking town, where folks wander down to the Back Shore to watch the sunset or amble over to the lighthouse -- one of the oldest on the coast -- to see it light up at dusk. The views down Penobscot Bay from the rocky promontory on which it sits are spectacular; even the fog is exciting, with the bell buoy signaling the harbor entrance and the foghorn moaning its warning.
Castine Variety is the social center of town, and is open for an early breakfast. Bah's Bakehouse sends out heavenly aromas every morning, where coffee, muffins, pastries and cookies take center stage. In the evening there is formal dining at The Manor; Stella's Jazz Nocturnal provides musical nightlife and great food; The Reef delivers pizzas hot out of the oven; more casual fare is available at Dennett's Wharf and a fast lunch is available for eating on the Town Dock at The Breeze.
Walk around the town and look for the signs that are all over; they tell the story of Castine's history. There are five Revolutionary War forts in Castine, and dozens of signs describing what took place there -- some of them gruesome! Witherle Library and Emerson Hall host musical and artistic activities and gatherings throughout the year. The Wilson Museum has an extraordinary collection of Revolutionary War items, and the Castine Historical Society, on the Town Common, displays documents and maps of many sites and events. Outdoor events abound: Timberwyck Farm has a Farm Camp for youngsters; collect shells and stones on the back shore beach; tour the TV State of Maine, Maine Maritime Academy's training ship; wander through Witherle Woods and walk the old Indian Trail; find Murder Alley and seek out its dark secrets; go fishing across the harbor and end the day on Dennett's Wharf listening to live music while you wait for your steamers.
Summer is high season and Castine gets pretty lively -- for us, anyway. LL Bean holds its annual Kayaking Symposium here; the Retired Skippers' Race is held in Castine; sailors, yachtsmen and their boats fill our harbor. Walk down to the Town Dock to watch the windjammers glide into the harbor, take a kayak tour of the islands that dot the bay, get a boat to explore on your own; play golf or tennis at Castine Golf Club; relax with a picnic supper on the Common and let the Castine Town Band regale you with music. Travel to the next peninsula to Brooklin, where the Wooden Boat School offers classes (short and long) to teach the skills of boat-building. Go over to nearby Blue Hill for a variety of shops, galleries and shopping, or visit the Nearing Farm, where "Back to the Land" was practically invented and now offers tours, classes and internships. Drive to Acadia National Park and enjoy the spectacular views from Cadillac Mountain, popovers at teatime at the Jordan Pond House and the invigorating hike to Sieur de Mont Springs.
Too much excitement? Relax on the deck at Estabrooke Cottage, catch up on summer reading, grill fresh fish or nice thick steaks. . . perfect your relaxing skills; it's a vacation!
Our calendar is updated with every inquiry and reservation, so please check there first. Feel free to call with any questions you may have or special needs for your visit. We are happy to share our local knowledge!
Vacation Rental Features
- Amenities
- Washer
- Dryer
- Linens Provided
- Garage: Storage for your bicycles, kayaks, or a car.
- Parking for RV/Boat/Trailer: In the driveway.
- Wood Fireplace: In the Living Room
- Wood Stove: In the Camp Room; will heat the whole house if necessary. We use it just to 'take the edge off' in the evenings.
- Beds
- Queen Bed: In Master Bedroom, with quarter bath.
- Twin/Single Bed (2) : Pair of twin beds in guest bedroom.
- Convertible Bed: Double-bed size futon in Camp Room.
- Entertainment
- Cable/Satellite TV
- DVD
- VCR
- Video Library: Oldies but goodies; bring your own favorites; rentals available in the village.
- CD Player
- Music Library: Eclectic collection.
- Kitchen
- Full Kitchen: All new kitchen, fully outfitted for at-home cooking & baking. . .some favorite local recipes included.
- Cooking Utensils Provided: Cooking, baking, ice-cream-making supplies. . . as well as all the amenities for a lobster dinner!
- Refrigerator: We will happily stock your favorite staples for your arrival. It's nice to know coffee's there on your first morning.
- Dishwasher: Full-size
- Microwave: Over stove
- Outdoor Features
- Charcoal BBQ Grill: Charcoal in the garage, with starter.
- Deck/Patio: Deck overlooks the back yard; apple trees provide shade; full eating setup on deck, additional chairs and tables.
- View/Location
- Ocean View: Standing at the end of the driveway, you look down Pleasant Street and can see Castine Harbor and the "TV State of Maine", training vessel for Maine Maritime Academy. midshipmen.
- Communications
- Telephone: Local calls are free. Other calls require calling card with 800-number access.
- Suitability
- No Pets Allowed
- Kid Friendly: Back yard is sunny; quiet side street and little traffic anywhere in town. Maine Maritime Academy has regular swim hours in the pool on campus (across the street).
- Smoking Not Allowed
- Activities (on site and nearby)
- Golf
- Tennis
- Shopping
- Sightseeing
- Restaurants
- Kayaking
- Sailing
- Boating
- Shelling
- Swimming
- Biking
- Mountain Biking
- Wildlife Viewing
- Hiking
- Fishing
- Antiquing
- Museums
- Other Activities
- Bicycling, mountain biking and walking are great in the Witherle Woods Preserve and the Hatch Preserve. Roads within Castine have little traffic.
Rate Details (In US Dollars)
Multi-week or monthly rental available at a discount.
Payments made by Check.
Email us for special savings when cancellations occur; backup vacation!
For your own peace of mind consider Trip Insurance.
Summer Rates: $800 per week + 7% Maine lodging tax
Call for Off-season (Sept-May) short stays, convenient for MMA parents.
Note: Until confirmed, rates are subject to change without notice.
Owner's Profile
Owner Description
Estabrooke Cottage is named for my Great Aunt, who built it, and it has been in the family ever since. Castine offers everything I love about Maine: gorgeous scenery, a lively waterfront, neighborly activities, Town Meeting governance, warm greetings on the street and a leisurely pace of life.
As a native of Castine, I treasure what Castine has: a strong sense of place with a history, a place where community and neighbors are important.
Why the Owner Chose Castine
The east side of Penobscot Bay is where Down East Maine really begins. This is where there are still working fishing villages, saltwater farms, pristine waters and gorgeous vistas over the bays and the Atlantic Ocean. This is territory too far away and too sparsely populated for coffee baristas to propagate; this is where you come to get away, not live the same life with different scenery. This is where you come to find your true self.
The Unique Benefits of this House
Some morning when you are here, you will awaken to an early-morning fogbank. It blankets the town, softens the canopy of American Elms that line our streets, muffles the sounds of an awakening village. Go down to the dock. Pick up a coffee and pastry at Bah's Bakehouse. Sit on a bench or a piling and watch the fog burn off. It is a mystical, quieting, slow process, but absolutely worth the wait.
Property Photos
- Estabrooke Cottage - Maine Travel
- Living Room with Fireplace - Maine Travel
- The floats at the dock are busy in Summer! - Maine Travel
- Eat-in kitchen w/ dishes, cookware and deck view
- Master bedroom w/ small bath; Queen bed
Guest Comments (5)
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Vacation Rentals by Owner Listing #185851
There have been 1736 visitors to this page since the counter was last reset in 2009.
This listing was first published here in 2008.
Date last modified - October 07, 2009
Positive Rating
It was perfect with a small child and extended family. Much better than a hotel because of the common areas and the ability to prepare meals (between the gluten issue and going out with a toddler). You never know what you're going to get when you step into someone else's home, but it was welcoming, neat and simply decorated and had great books and movies, though we weren't able to take advantage, it was fun to imagine having enough free time to indulge. We were able to make ourselves right at home. It worked out perfectly for us.
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