Blue Loon was just what we imagined it would be and more! The cottage is outfitted with every board game and puzzle imaginable and the owner lives nearby and is attentive to your needs. The kitchen was outfitted with plenty of dishware and cookware, there is a gas grill off the furnished deck, and our queen sized bed was comfortable. The twin bedroom went unused, but was well lit and would have been fun for our twins when they were children. Not everyone drinks the water; knowing this, we bought gallon containers of spring water for 80 cents at Reny’s, though the owner will provide some for you to get started.
Hobbs Pond has pristine, clear water and you can see through to the bottom well off shore. It is extremely quiet except for the two loon families (which are well guarded residents of Hobbs Pond). We rented kayaks for the week from Maine Sport (they delivered from Camden) and enjoyed paddling on the glassy waters, looking for wildlife and seeing more waterlilies open everyday. Swimming was delightful with a gradually dropping sandy bottom to at least chest high. No leeches, thank goodness. There are regular morning swimmers doing a lap along the shoreline.
This is a family place and dogs on leashes are welcome. Our dog is a beginning swimmer and it was perfect for him! He even jumped off the dock to retrieve things a few times everyday! He dried off in the sunshine on the deck before taking off with us on a nearby hike (there are many nearby trails, all levels).
The Hope General store is less than a mile away and the friendly owners stock all the essentials you may have forgotten as well as great sandwiches, pizza, desserts, and snacks. But, everything we are looking for on Maine’s Midcoast seems to be 15-20 minutes away from Hope! We could eat out every day in Camden, Rockport, Rockland, or Lincolnville and not go to the same place twice.
