Spektakulær Private Island

Honestly, from my very first contact with the family/ renters - to the actual vacation - to the aftermath (did we forget anything? did we break that thing !?) - My college reunion / wedding celebration of 11 adults and 9 children under the age of 7 could not have been better. The "business/ logistical" part of our vacation was handled with superb professionalism and friendliness. The island and house (all three structures) are beautiful and meticulously cared for, curated with a strong aesthetic and point of view - - (the first thing my gang said was "This is like a Wes Anderson movie!") - everything worked the way it supposed to, all the beds and sleeping arrangements were accurately described - we had more than enough room. The caretaker Jo, was a super cool guy, both helpful flexible and thorough. I can't say enough about how much McGee is a truly special place....

Let's put it this way I was already emailing about coming back the following year - while I was there!

Our stay on McGee was one of the best vacation weeks we have spent anywhere. Your family truly has one of the most special homes on the coast of Maine. It is like a time warp of what we knew and loved as children. This property is definitely not for everyone, particularly those who expect amenities consistent with a five star resort.

Television, air conditioning, spa services and fine dining are not to be found on McGee Island. Instead, watch the eagles and great blue herons vie for the same tasty morsel swimming in the ocean. Bask in the sea breeze and enjoy the salty spray on your face. Pick mussels at low tide and cook them with lobsters caught that day. Tide pools, kayaks, ping pong, trail hikes, reading on the front porch in a hickory rocker in the sun - all my idea of a five star vacation.

Joe, the caretaker, will help you shoot clay pigeons, take you to Port Clyde for an outing to Monhegan Island (fantastic!), pick up lobsters for dinner or leave you alone to discover the island on your own terms.

The facilities are authentic and period and amazing and harken back to a time when families were together days and weeks and months, enjoying Maine life. We spent evenings at the cookhouse around the wood stove, preparing feasts and drinking wine. After dinner we retired to the main house, lit a roaring fire, sipped rum and enjoyed being together until we could no longer stay awake.

Thank you for sharing your special home with our two grateful families. We look forward to returning next year for another magical week on McGee Island.

McGee Island is a very special place and was a wonderful setting for our family to celebrate our parents' 50th anniversary. The owners are absolutely fantastic to work with when planning your get away and provide information on every detail for your trip. Unlike some rentals, everything was as described and pictured and there was absolutely nothing that we were dissappointed by upon arrival.

The houses and property are stunning. The views that change through the day with the tides and lighting are amazing. We loved the Cook's house with a great kitchen for cooking for a crowd and dining room that accommodated our group of 16. Our group pushed the outdoor cooking with propane burners for lobster to an extreme, having lobster four ways during our stay! The caretaker was great at helping us with our orders for lobster throughout the week.

From one year old to 78, all had fun and found plenty to do. The "pool" made for a great place for our younger group to explore and paddle around at low tide when it is almost completely enclosed. And the older crowd enjoyed paddling and hiking around the island. All enjoyed gatherings on the porch, in the big living room at night, and in the Cook's house.

We can not recommend this property and the owners as renters enough. You will not be disappointed if you choose McGee for your special vacation.

We were a group of 19. This was a reunion of my sister's and my families: 12 adults and 7 little ones (ranging in age from almost 1 to 12) - and the first time the little ones (the 2nd cousins) had ever met one another ... also, the first time in 9 years that my sister's twin boys and my two girls had the opportunity to see one another since a wedding 9 years ago! A special occasion for all of us to say the least - what a perfect venue and situation in which to do so!

A few comments from our crew:

- "Exceeded far beyond my expectations! Absolutely the PERFECT family vacation/reunion!!!!!"

- "McGee more than exceeded our expectations and that even though the photos on the website were beautiful, they don't do the place justice as the views truly are magical. I might add that for those that worry about getting bored on an island, we never lacked for activities and seemed to run out of time (there were so many things that I would have liked to have spent more time doing)."

- "I would do it all over again in a heartbeat, it was great seeing all the kids playing and having a good time! It was such a pleasure meeting everyone and getting to know each person just a little bit better!!! What a great trip it was!”

- "We appreciate how well equipped the Cook House was including candlesticks which we used for our anniversary dinner ... we really weren't lacking for anything!"

We celebrated a mega-reunion, a 43rd anniversary and a proposal/acceptance while on island ... McGee was the PERFECT venue to experience and share this all!! Don't miss it - book it!

I should also mention that Joe, the Caretaker, is a great and very competent guy who will ensure your needs and wants are taken care of!

Enjoy McGee ... I'm just trying to figure out how and when to orchestrate a return!!