Logistics

Travel

Your mission: make your way to the Maine State Ferry Terminal in Rockland, Maine, where you can pick up a boat to get to North Haven Island.  It's a bit of a hike, but we promise it's worth it! 

Please read and review all of the information below before you make your travel plans, especially if you plan on bringing your car to the island, and notify us of your travel dates and times in the RSVP form. 

Remember to contact Mary White to set up accommodations ASAP (see information at the bottom of the page).

Air Travel

The closest airport to Rockland is in Portland, Maine at Portland International Jetport (PWM) (Make sure you are flying into Portland, Maine - not Portland, Oregon). From there, it is about a 1 hour and 45 minute drive to Rockland, Maine, where you can pick up the ferry to the island. We recommend you fly in to Portland if possible. 

You can also fly into the Knox County Regional Airport in Owl's Head, which is a hamlet of Rockland, but flights can be delayed due to weather. 

Another option is to fly into Boston Logan International Airport (BOS), which is about a 3 and a half hour drive to Rockland.

New York/New Jersey Airports LaGuardia, JFK, and Newark are all a 6 1/2 to 7 hour drive to Rockland. 

Car Travel 

All of the airports listed above offer car rental services if necessary. There are several taxi services that offer rides between Portland and Rockland, including Portland Airport Express Cab. More information about all types of ground transportation from PWM can be found here. Rockland has two taxi services for local travel, Joe's Taxi and Schooner Bay Taxi, but they probably will not transport to and from PWM.  There is also an Enterprise rental in Rockland/Thomaston at 10 Dexter Street (the only rental place near the ferry terminal). 

Public Transportation

Concord Coach Lines offers a bus service that stops at Boston Logan Airport and at the Maine State Ferry Terminal in Rockland (the Midcoast schedule can be found here - do not take the Inland schedule). You can also pick up this bus service at PWM and take it to the ferry terminal in Rockland instead of a taxi. You can use this service to return to the airport from the terminal as well - it's just a 5 minute cab ride between PWM and the Concord station in Portland.

Boat Travel

Once you've reached Rockland, the most convenient way to get to the island is to take the ferry from the Rockland Ferry Terminal to North Haven. Please build extra time into your schedule to allow for the ferry trip.  You do not need to make a reservation if you are walking onto the ferry. 

The ferry trip costs $17.50 for adults, $11.25 for minors (6-17), and $0 for children (0-5) during the peak season (6/1 to 9/30) (their website is here). The trip takes 1 hour and 10 minutes and departs on the same schedule every day: 

Car reservations for the ferry are somewhat complicated. See instructions below:

The ferry is able to transport no more than 11 cars per trip, so be aware that space is limited if you choose to bring your car to the island. If you choose to make a reservation, you need to call the ferry reservation number exactly 30 days before the date and time you wish to take the ferry (they will not take your reservation 31 days in advance, and at 29 days you probably will not get a reservation).  Make sure to reserve both your arrival and departure dates and times this way. The instructions to make a car reservation can be found here. If you have trouble and/or want help with the reservation process, please call Mary White, the mother of the bride (contact information at the bottom of the page). Remember to arrive at the Rockland Ferry Terminal at least 15 minutes before your departure time, where you will line up in the North Haven reserve line if you have a reservation, and the North Haven non-reserve line if you don't. If you don't get a reservation for Rockland to North Haven, line up in the non-reserve line and wait for the next available ferry (you do not have to be in your car the whole time, just come back by 15 minutes before departure). The return trip from North Haven to Rockland has a slightly different procedure for non-reservations. The day before you want to depart the island, call the North Haven Ferry Terminal at 11am and hold on the line until they give you a number, which will be your number in line for the next ferry. Also note that transporting your vehicle comes with extra costs: $38.50 for the vehicle and $12 if you choose to make a reservation. 

If you wish to leave your car in Rockland, you can park at the ferry terminal (see this link for rates). If that parking lot is full, we have parking available at 57 Samoset Road in Rockland, but you will need to take a cab from your car back to the ferry terminal. 

If you do not wish to take the ferry, the Equinox Island Transport is available for higher rates and operates out of the Journey's End Marina (120 Tillson Road, Rockland) on an ad hoc basis, or you can reserve in advance. We may also be able to arrange for a pickup on our boat, Free Will, from the same marina for no cost  - but please contact us ahead of time to arrange this. 

If in an emergency you get stuck in Rockland and can't make it to the island, we have extra overnight housing available to accommodate you.

Once You're on the Island

You've reached North Haven Island! Congratulations! 

If you have taken the ferry, you will arrive at the Ferry Terminal in town. The island is 11 miles long and 3 miles wide, so depending on your accommodations you'll be at most a 20 minute drive from town. We have hired the North Haven school bus on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday of this weekend, so if you don't have a car, we can arrange for the school bus to transport you between the terminal and your accommodations if you indicate this on your RSVP form. If you're staying at Nebo Lodge, it's only a short walk from the terminal, so you don't need other transportation. 

If you arrive by June 30th, we will be having an informal welcome reception and dinner at Calderwood Hall in town starting at 6pm (within walking distance of the ferry). The ceremony on July 1st will take place at 592 Crabtree Point Road, North Haven, Maine - owned by Mary White. The reception will be held at Turner Farm at 6pm. 

We can't wait for you to join us!

Accommodations

All of the accommodations have been reserved ahead of time. The potential options on the island include: rooms at Nebo Lodge, individual rental properties, the guest house at Turner Farm, and stays with family. We have also reserved hotel rooms in Rockland at the Lindsey Guest House (again, we can help arrange boat transport to and from the island on the day of the ceremony). 

The best way for us to match you with accommodations is for you to call or email Mary White (see contact information at the bottom of this page). Please do so by May 15th, 2023. 

In Case of Emergency

North Haven is a small island, but it does have a medical clinic that is open 8am to 1pm Monday through Friday. There is a North Haven Fire Department and volunteer EMS, as well as an emergency plane that takes off next to the school if a medical evacuation is necessary. If you have any concerns, please let us know.

If you have any more questions...

We would love to answer all of your questions personally, but may not always be able to do so, particularly as we approach the wedding date. Before you contact us directly, please try contacting our first line of defense, Mary White, at marywhitemd@gmail.com or (917) 597-2766. She is well-versed in the logistics surrounding getting to the island because she lives there year-round.