Spacious Family Retreat; Spectacular Views; 4 Min to Acadia; Walk to Town

Photo gallery for Spacious Family Retreat; Spectacular Views; 4 Min to Acadia; Walk to Town

A spacious room with large windows, a fireplace, and seating areas.
A modern interior with a staircase, wooden flooring, and a large window with a view.
A traditional Japanese-style building with a red wooden structure, a gravel driveway, and surrounding greenery.
A deck with a fire feature and a view of a forested landscape.
A dining area with a large table and chairs, large windows with a view of greenery and a body of water, and a wooden ceiling.

Reviews

10 out of 10
Exceptional

Highlights

  • The great outdoors
    Guests love the outdoor space here.
  • Arcade/game room
    A rare find - fun for all ages with on-site arcade/game room.
  • Centrally-located
    You're never far from where you need to be with this convenient location.
Sleeps 125 bedrooms7 beds

Popular amenities

  • Onsite parking available
  • Kitchen
  • Washer
  • Barbecue grill
  • Balcony
  • Free WiFi

Explore the area

View in a map
Southwest Harbor, ME
  • Place, Wendell Gilley Museum
    ‪16 min walk‬
  • Place, Acadia National Park
    ‪2 min drive‬
  • Place, Acadia National Park's Visitors Center
    ‪22 min drive‬
  • Airport, Bar Harbor, ME (BHB-Hancock County - Bar Harbor)
    ‪21 min drive‬

Rooms & beds

5 bedrooms (sleeps 12)

Lower Level King

1 King Bed

Lower Level Twin Room

2 Twin Beds

Master Suite

1 Queen Bed

Master Suite 2

1 Queen Bed

Twin Room

2 Twin Beds

4 bathrooms, 1 half bathroom

Guest Bathroom

Toilet

Lower Level Bathroom

Toilet · Shower only

Main Level Master

Bathtub or shower · Toilet

Upper Level Master

Toilet · Shower only

Upper Level Spa Bathroom

Toilet · Shower only

Spaces

Deck or patio
Porch or lanai
Kitchen
Balcony
Dining area

About this property

Spacious Family Retreat; Spectacular Views; 4 Min to Acadia; Walk to Town

Designed for extended-family and multi-generational Acadia vacations, our spacious Southwest Harbor home offers harbor and mountain views, room for up to 12 guests, multiple gathering spaces, and easy access to both Acadia National Park and the village of Southwest Harbor.

With a 10/10 Exceptional rating and more than 100 guest reviews, this home has welcomed many families who value the same things our family does: space to gather, room to spread out, beautiful views, and easy access to Acadia.

This beautiful, comfortable, family-owned home is just a 4-minute drive from Acadia National Park and a 5–10 minute walk to the town of Southwest Harbor. Guests can enjoy magnificent harbor and mountain views, indoor and outdoor dining areas, three decks, a screened porch, a gas fire pit, game tables, a workout room, and plenty of space for families to gather and relax.

Why guests love this home:

- Ideal for extended families and multi-generational trips
- 4-minute drive to Acadia National Park
- 5–10 minute walk to Southwest Harbor
- Harbor and mountain views
- 6 bedrooms, 4.5 bathrooms, and multiple gathering spaces
- Three decks, screened porch, gas fire pit, game tables, and workout room
- Great setup for family dinners, puzzles, cards, stargazing, and relaxing together


The home is especially well suited for grandparents traveling with adult children and grandchildren, siblings vacationing with their families, or two families traveling together. The layout offers the rare combination of shared gathering space and private retreat space, so everyone can spend time together without feeling crowded.

For our own family, this house has always been about coming together. We gather here for lobster dinners on the screened porch, grilling on the deck, blueberry crisp after dinner, puzzles and card games around the table, and stargazing from the upper deck by the gas fire pit. We hope guests experience the same feeling: a comfortable, memorable place to reconnect after days spent hiking, exploring, boating, or simply enjoying Mount Desert Island.

The location is one of the home’s biggest strengths. Southwest Harbor is often called the “Quietside” of Mount Desert Island, offering a more relaxed village feel while still giving guests easy access to Acadia National Park, Bar Harbor, Northeast Harbor, hiking trails, boating, restaurants, shops, and the natural beauty of the island. It is a wonderful base for families who want access to Acadia without staying in the busiest parts of the island.

The home has six bedrooms and comfortably sleeps up to 10 guests, with the option to accommodate up to 12 using the sofa bed in the main-level TV room. The maximum occupancy is strictly 12 guests, including infants and children.

Bedroom layout:
- Main level: queen bedroom
- Main level: bedroom with two twin beds
- Upper level: queen bedroom
- Lower level: king bedroom
- Lower level: bedroom with two twin beds
- Main-level TV room: sofa bed for additional sleeping flexibility

There are four full bathrooms and one half bath. The home has three levels, with entry on the main level. In addition to the bedrooms, the house includes a double-height living room, indoor and outdoor dining areas, counter seating, a TV room, game tables, a workout room, an upper-level lounge area with beautiful views, and three decks overlooking the harbor and mountains.

Whether your group wants to cook together, play games, read quietly, exercise, enjoy the view, or simply relax after a day in Acadia, the house gives people room to enjoy the vacation in different ways.

Please note that the home does not have air conditioning. Like many Maine homes, it is cooled with fans and evening breezes. There are ceiling fans in the main areas, ceiling fans in the upper-level and main-level queen bedrooms, and Vornado room fans in the other bedrooms. The home can feel warm during some summer afternoons, usually only during a few hot spells each year, but it is almost always cool at night.

Before submitting a reservation request, please tell us a little about yourself and your group. Because this is our family home, we require some back-and-forth communication through VRBO before accepting reservations. Please watch for VRBO messages after your request. If we do not hear back, we may need to decline the reservation.

Additional notes:
- Maximum occupancy is 12 guests, including infants and children
- No pets allowed
- Security camera located at the driveway, facing the road
Our prices include all fees. No hidden fees.

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House Rules

Check in after 4:00 PM
Minimum age to rent: 25
Check out before 10:00 AM
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Children

Children allowed: ages 0-17
All infants count toward the maximum.
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Events

No events allowed
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Pets

No pets allowed
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Smoking

Smoking is not permitted
No campfires No more than 12 souls on premises including infants
We require some back and forth communication before your reservation request can be accepted. Please review all messages and respond accordingly.
Renter acknowledges existence of an outdoor security camera at the driveway.

Important information

You need to know

Property Registration Number B7191P878
Property # 4147453ha
Extra-person charges may apply and vary depending on property policy
Government-issued photo identification and a credit card, debit card, or cash deposit may be required at check-in for incidental charges
Special requests are subject to availability upon check-in and may incur additional charges; special requests cannot be guaranteed
Onsite parties or group events are strictly prohibited
Host has indicated there is a carbon monoxide detector on the property
Host has indicated there is a smoke detector on the property
Safety features at this property include a fire extinguisher and a deadbolt lock
This property has outdoor spaces, such as balconies, patios, terraces which may not be suitable for children; if you have concerns, we recommend contacting the property prior to your arrival to confirm they can accommodate you in a suitable room

About the neighborhood

Southwest Harbor

Located in Southwest Harbor, this vacation home is in a rural area and on a lake. Bar Harbor Whale Watch Co is a popular attraction and the area's natural beauty can be seen at Acadia National Park and Acadia National Park's Visitors Center. Traveling with kids? Consider Pirate's Cove Adventure Golf and College of the Atlantic Natural History Museum. Kayaking and motor boating offer great chances to get out on the surrounding water, or you can seek out an adventure with hiking and rock climbing nearby.
Map
Southwest Harbor, ME

What's nearby

  • Wendell Gilley Museum - 16 min walk - 1.4 km
  • Acadia National Park - 2 min drive - 2.9 km
  • Bar Harbor Whale Watch Co - 20 min drive - 28.3 km
  • Acadia National Park's Visitors Center - 22 min drive - 26.1 km
  • Cadillac Mountain - 31 min drive - 34.0 km

Getting around

  • Bar Harbor, ME (BHB-Hancock County - Bar Harbor) - 22 min drive

Restaurants

  • ‪Jordan Pond House - ‬32 min drive
  • ‪Abel's Lobster - ‬16 min drive
  • ‪Archie’s Lobster - ‬9 min drive
  • ‪Thurston's Lobster Pound - ‬13 min drive
  • ‪Nor’ Easter Pound & Market - ‬24 min drive

Frequently asked questions

Is Spacious Family Retreat; Spectacular Views; 4 Min to Acadia; Walk to Town pet-friendly?

No, pets are not allowed at this property.

How much does it cost to stay at Spacious Family Retreat; Spectacular Views; 4 Min to Acadia; Walk to Town?

As of Aug 20, 2026, prices found for a 1-night stay for 2 adults at Spacious Family Retreat; Spectacular Views; 4 Min to Acadia; Walk to Town on Oct 19, 2026 start from $1,254, including taxes and fees. This price is based on the lowest nightly price found in the last 24 hours for stays in the next 30 days. Prices are subject to change. Choose your dates for more accurate prices.

How much is parking?

Onsite parking is available at the property.

What time is check-in at Spacious Family Retreat; Spectacular Views; 4 Min to Acadia; Walk to Town?

Check-in begins at 4:00 PM.

What time is check-out at Spacious Family Retreat; Spectacular Views; 4 Min to Acadia; Walk to Town?

Check-out is at 10:00 AM.

Where is Spacious Family Retreat; Spectacular Views; 4 Min to Acadia; Walk to Town located?

This family-friendly Southwest Harbor vacation home is located on a lake, within 3 mi (5 km) of Wendell Gilley Museum and Acadia National Park. Long Pond and Flying Mountain Trailhead are also within 3 mi (5 km).

About the host

Hosted by Rachel Goldstein & Jonathan Hefter

Host profile image
We are three generations of family from the Washington, DC and New York areas, and Maine has been our shared summer gathering place for more than two decades. This home was completed in 2006 and is where our family comes together each year to hike in Acadia, eat lobster, enjoy the harbor views, and reconnect with one another.

Why they chose this property

Our family chose Southwest Harbor because it offered everything Larry and Susie loved most about Mount Desert Island: easy access to Acadia, beautiful harbor views, a quieter pace, and a true Maine village feel. After more than a decade of renting cottages on the island, they bought this property in 2001 and completed the home in 2006 as a gathering place for their children, grandchildren, and extended family.

What makes this property unique

This home is unique because it was designed by our family’s architect to support exactly the kind of trip many guests are planning: a large family gathering near Acadia with room for everyone to be together without feeling crowded. The house captures beautiful harbor views and offers multiple places to gather, from the screened porch and grill deck to the dining area and upper deck. For our family, it is the place where lobster dinners, blueberry crisp, stargazing, puzzles, card games, and big family meals have become summer traditions.

Languages:

English
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