The Inn At Diamond Cove, ME
If I only have a few days to get away I don’t generally want to spend it traveling to some far off secluded location. It’s easy to feel like I have to sacrifice a beautiful and unique travel destination for the sake of time but our latest trip to the Inn at Diamond Cove was anything but a compromise! Many of the families or couples we met while staying at the Inn had flown in from farther destinations (because it’s more than worth the flight!) but luckily, as Justin and I live in CT we were only a 4 hour drive from this magical little Island in ME. I have never driven such a short distance and felt as though I were totally transported to a different world. From the second I set foot on the ferry in Portland ME that brought us to the charming car-free Great Diamond Island, I found the uniqueness of the entire experience to be breath taking.
The ferry ride took about 30 minutes and once we arrived a golf cart was waiting to shuttle us to the resort. This charming little island is home to Fort Mckinley which was built between 1891 and 1907 and once defended Portland Harbor during the Spanish-American War. The inn is built in the old army barracks and has been meticulously restored preserving much of the history and original character.
We stayed in one of their luxury island condominiums with a bedroom that included a king bed and had a beautiful kitchen with a living room off of it that would be perfect for extended stays with family. We found out many people actually order groceries from the local Whole Foods market and have them delivered via ferry to the hotel. If you don’t want to do your own cooking you can eat at the Diamond’s Edge Restaurant overlooking Casco bay or at the Lobby Bar and café. I highly recommend getting a table at sunset at Diamond’s edge because you truly can not find a more stunning view to enjoy a meal to.
The island is all very walkable and we had a great time exploring it’s many beaches and walking trails. My favorite beach was their sea glass beach because it’s covered with tiny pieces of sea glass. I kept wishing we had brought our 6 and 3 year old as they would have absolutely loved collecting all the colorful glass pieces. The island is very family friendly and perfect for a slow paced get away to disconnect from the world and reconnect with loved ones. The swimming pool on site is heated and another great place to hang out with little ones or to get some R&R yourself in the hot tub! They have a beautiful fire pit right outside of the pool area and it’s perfect sit around with a glass of wine in the evening.
I was surprised at how many amenities were available to us on the island. One of the more charming amenities was the retro basketball court and bowling lane complete with duck pin bowling. Again, my girls would have loved this! You do have to set up the wooden pins yourself each time which I felt added to the unique experience. They also have a beautiful gym and yoga/meditation room available for guests to use. Life on the island feels about as opposite to a media driven, fast paced life/work environment as you can get making The Inn at Diamond Cove the perfect place to truly steal away with the ones you love! Justin and I hope to go back with our girls next summer so you know if we are returning it truly made an impression on us!
xo,
Kelly
