Stonington, Maine

The Deer Isle peninsula is one of the most beautiful regions in a state that's known for its beauty. Clear down at the end of Rte-15, it doesn't get much more remote than gorgeous, seaside Stonington, a working fishing village whose residents have long had a reputation for superior seamanship (many pirates and smugglers reputedly made port here in the late nineteenth century). Over the past hundred years, the place has found hard-earned prosperity in the sardine canning and granite quarrying businesses; now it has turned to lobstering. Old Quarry Ocean Adventures (Tel:207/367-8977, Web: www.oldquarry.com ) runs excellent kayaking, boating, and camping trips as well as the highly recommended Puffin Boat Trip. For nightlife, the restored, more-than-one-hundred-year-old Opera House (Tel:207/367-2788, Web: www.operahousearts.org ) always has something cool to see, be it a jazzfest, Shakespeare performance, or contemporary film.

Mailboats headed for ISLE AU HAUT ("I'll ah hoe") depart from the Stonington landing several times daily (Tel:207/367-5193 or 207/367-6516; $16 single). On this lonely island, you can explore the trails of the less-visited part of Acadia National Park – highlighted by the rocky shoreline, bogs, and dense stands of spruce trees. If you are looking to spend more time here, there is one place to stay on the island: the Inn at Isle au Haut, an endearing B&B that whisks you up from the ferry dock and transports you the 2.5 miles east to the inn (Tel:207/335-5141, Web: www.innatisleauhaut.com ; Price: $251 and above).