Attended Session 6 fiber for Mindful Stitching. I knew what to expect as my son was at Haystack…read morepreviously: layers for sleeping, layers for clothing. It is like "summer camp" in that meal times are 8, 12, and 6, and you sleep in cabins, most of which are with roommates. That said, I have a specific bed set up at home and worried about comfort as I also have a hard time sleeping away from home. My worry was for naught as the mattress though appearing quite standard was amazingly comfortable without any extra pad from me. I was warm even in very cool nights with the blanket I brought plus the wool blend one provided. Meals were a good variety for options when ingredients did not appeal for main dishes. Everything was delicious! Plenty of healthy food all week! Another reviewer said this was a singular view years ago that was negative about the U.S. and I did not find this during my session at all. I mean, you are in Maine, and unless you're a work study student you're paying a good sum of money to attend, so socioeconomic diversity is not rampant. Also the location is so remote and costly to get to, even work study people likely are not overly diverse in many ways. There were plenty of varieties of views here, though, when I attended. We had great dinner conversations! As for complaints about internet/phone access, it is well advertised that it is "country" WiFi and that cell access is extremely limited. I'm not sure why that is such a critique when you go knowing this very clearly. I had the access I needed for the most part. Sure, a text before bed couldn't happen from my cabin yet we adjusted times to keep in touch for my family is all. It was fantastic that I could be totally away from work like a vacation is supposed to be anyway! My workshop session has set me up with exactly what is was described as intended: a mindful stitching practice. We learned methods and were given myriad choices of paths to this and also for how the practice can inform actual fiber art for those who pursue that...in fact I went mostly to learn self-care using this art medium and left aspiring to grow in fiber art! Christine Mauersberger led an inspiring workshop that exceeded all expectation! I'm excited for my stitching work and have more avenues by which to approach it than I might have from a full college semester in a fiber arts program.

Heaven on earth. Five stars doesn't come near the amount of love I have for this place and the…read morepeople who run it. It smells like Christmas because of the spruces, and this is so fitting because it feels like Christmas. Only better, because it's summer and there is an ocean and crushed shell beaches and studios jam packed with supplies and amazing, home cooked, kick ass food for eaters of all types, and so many creative, funny, encouraging artists and craftspeople that you will never want to leave. The fearless leader, Stuart, is just about the nicest guy you'll ever meet. A wonderful and quirky sense of humor and a damn good poet, to boot. Candy is helpful, kind and efficient. And all the staff are hard working and friendly. I haven't felt so well tended to, creatively inspired and completely at ease since I was a little 'un. Forget Disney world. This is where dreams come true.

We had the most spectacular experience!!! My boyfriend and I had just visited Trenton, Maine in mid…read moreapril and were discouraged that most activities seemed to be still closed for the winter. We stumbled upon this company's advertisement sign just 4 minutes before pulling into our AirB&B at 2am, and it ended up being the absolute highlight of our trip. We booked a small plane with pilot Neal who was fantastic! He was very well trained, accommodating, highly thorough and informative with all things Maine and sea related, and we explored 12 lighthouses and beautiful remote islands from a breathtaking perspective above. We cannot wait to come back to learn and take in more of the beauty down east Maine has to offer!

We decided to treat ourselves to a private plane flight…read more It was a 30 minute flight all around acadia national park and to a bunch of areas and islands nearby that we hadn't seen yet. Our Pilot Erin was amazing and even let me fly the plane for a few minutes! It was breathtaking and definitely a once in a lifetime adventure.

The tour is excellent for beginners and experienced photographers a like. Howie is quite…read moreknowledgeable about both Nikons and Canons. The unsung hero is his wife who also is a capable photographer she steers the boat close to picturesque spots. They are more then accommodating will get as close to a subject as is safe and stay as long as you want to achieve the photos you want. Also take you to little cranberry island a small lobster village of about 80 permanent residents. They serve cheese, wine, fruits, crackers, and water on the way back to the dock. Is a great experience not to be missed if your in the Bar Harbour, Maine area.

We booked all 3 of the workshops offered by Acadia Photo Safari and each was was fabulous, fun, and…read moreinformative. All of us are novice photographers, and Howie taught us how to use our cameras off of automatic mode, how to compose our photographs, and how to have fun while doing it. His wife, Brenda, who captained the boat on the Sunset Cruise, was a big hit with everyone. Whatever else you do while in Mount Desert Island, you cannot go wrong booking any or all of these workshops - they will turn out to be one of the highlights of your entire tirp.

My daughter is a student from about 1500 miles away. I can't imagine a better place for her. MMA…read moreis really focused on the hands-on practical education as much as the classroom learning. The surrounding community supports the school and it is truly a special place.

Once again I am biased because I work there! Great facilities and faculty. Students represent the…read morefuture mariners for the United States. School has a very blue collar work hard feeling. Students are eager to learn and hunger for knowledge. Regimental students are the largest part of the student population. But there is a mix of concentrations. Come down to Castine and check out the school!

The most beautiful way to experience Acadia!! Our guide (Ben) was knowledgeable and patient and…read moremade us feel very safe even though we are not experienced climbers. 10/10

We had the best time at Atlantic Climbing School! Max was our guide and he was awesome. All members…read moreof our group had different climbing levels and Max was able to accommodate to all of our abilities. We were able to talk before going out to climb and decided on hiking at Otter Cliffs. It was absolutely gorgeous. I was scared going down the cliffs, but Max was able to give helpful instructions and positive affirmations! We had such a great time and would definitely go back!

I was here during the Shop Hop in Oct and loved it. The ladies working there were very nice and…read morehelpfull. I will be returning when I return to Maine.

It is very disorganized and the place has a horrible smell that just followed me home sorry.read more

Willow knows her way around the forest! In our foray on Mt Desert Island we found and identified a…read moreton of mushrooms and got to take home the ones that were edible. Willow showed us what to look for and in no time we started seeing fungi literally pop right at us. We learned a lot and would not hesitate to go on another mushroom hunt with her!

I have wanted to forage for mushrooms for a good while and was so happy to learn that Willow gives…read morethese tours on MDI. She knows her mycology and also the ins and outs of what one might find on MDI at different times of the year. Willow was very flexible about where we would forage, so we went out on my property. Within steps of crossing in front of the house we found our first edible mushrooms! With her coaching, our eyes started to focus on what to look for. She clearly explains why particular mushrooms are found in different settings (relating it to the nearby trees, usually). The whole experience was fascinating and I learned a lot. Magical! Willow is the best! Highly recommend.

Down East is run by expert birder and naturalist Michael Good. It was my good fortune to have him…read morerecommended to me on a recent trip to Mount Desert Island. His infectious enthusiasm helped create a memorable day with lots of great sightings. I'm an experienced birder but would not have known the best places to look for the migrating warblers and other songbirds I came to see. Michael took us right to the hot spots, all the while explaining all about the local ecology and geologic history. He wowed us with his incredible ability to hear and identify every bird song near or far, all the while instructing me and my novice-birder husband on what to watch or listen for. Friendly and personable, Michael would be a great guide for birders at any level of experience, or for anyone (including families with kids) wanting their trip to Acadia to be enriched by a deeper look into the natural history of the area.

Excellent experience! Michael Good expanded our knowledge ten-fold in a four-hour morning. He…read moreadapts the experience to all levels of birders. We will always remember our day on Mt Desert Island with Michael. We highly recommend.