It wasn’t a tropical escape that scored number one in the “Top 15 Islands in the Continental U.S.” list in Travel + Leisure’s 2025 World’s Best Awards. It was a lobster-claw-shaped piece of land off the craggy coast of Downeast Maine.

When Travel + Leisure unveiled the list of “Top 15 Islands in the Continental U.S.” in its 2025 World’s Best Awards, most readers probably expected a sunny staple: a subtropical hideaway in Florida, a golden-sand escape off the coast of the Carolinas. But this year, the number one spot didn’t go to a palm-fringed paradise. Instead, it went to a lobster-claw-shaped piece of land off the craggy coast of Downeast Maine, where pine trees outnumber people and sea mist clings to the morning air.

But why Mount Desert Island? Sure, MDI (as it’s referred to by locals) is home to Acadia National Park, one of the most visited (and Instagrammed) national parks in the U.S., and yes, its quintessential New England charm is undeniable. But dig a little deeper and you’ll find the reasons behind this number-one ranking lie in the island’s lesser-known details: a raw, elemental beauty, a thriving sense of community, and a timeless appeal that’s increasingly rare.

A NATIONAL PARK YOU COULD SPEND A LIFETIME EXPLORING

Let’s start with Acadia – but not just the drive-up, check-the-box version. For many visitors, “doing” the park means winding their way up Cadillac Mountain, snapping a sunrise photo from its 1,530-foot summit, and heading on their way. And while that view – the first in the nation to catch the sun’s rays certain times of year – is unforgettable, it barely scratches the surface of what this 47,000-acre swath of wilderness holds. Around every corner of the iconic 27-mile Park Loop Road lies a lifetime’s worth of discovery: 45 miles of hand-laid carriage roads shaded by spruce, tidepools teeming with starfish and anemones, hidden coves framed by pink granite cliffs, and hushed forest trails. So while much of the country flocks to well-worn peaks out west, Acadia offers a rare mix of alpine-like beauty and coastal mystery, all packed onto one mesmerizing island that never gets old. It lures you back season after season.

THE COASTAL COMMUNITIES ARE JUST AS SURREAL AS THE VIEWS

Bar Harbor gets the most attention – and for good reason. It’s the island’s social hub, where salty air meets charming architecture, dockside dining, and an unbeatable view of Frenchman Bay. But on what’s known as the “Quiet Side of Acadia” – the portion west of Somes Sound, a body of water (a fjord, actually) that runs deep into the island, almost splitting it into two – there’s a different kind of appeal. Comprising the areas of Mount Desert, Tremont, and Southwest Harbor, there are no major downtowns here, but rather a high concentration of what true Downeast Maine is about: tiny fishing villages where the daily return of lobster boats is like a celebratory parade, main streets devoid of chain stores, weathered cottages seemingly preserved in time from the salty air.

It’s the kind of pace of life that deserves a day-trip drive during a getaway – especially when you stay at one of two Bar Harbor Opals, the Harborside Hotel, Spa & Marina, with its yacht-laced waterfront and serene spa, and the West Street Hotel, which offers a rooftop pool overlooking Porcupine Islands and a distinctly modern twist on New England luxury.

IT HAS A “BOLD COAST” ATTITUDE THAT IS EASY TO ACCESS

Maine’s coast is all about jagged drama, pine-covered inlets, and the scent of sea spray and spruce in the same breath – and MDI embodies that identity like nowhere else. Here, you can paddle a sea kayak around the Porcupine Islands as harbor seals pop up to inspect your bow, or board a morning cruise with the Bar Harbor Whale Watch Co.  in search of puffins, porpoises, and breeching humpbacks. Hike the cliff-hugging Ocean Path for front-row views of Thunder Hole’s booming surf, test your nerve scaling the sheer pink granite face of Otter Cliffs, or scramble up the iron-rung ladders of the Beehive Trail for a bird’s-eye look at Sand Beach and Great Head. Essentially, the island delivers the kind of raw, real adventure that doesn’t need to be hyped. It’s authentic and real – and right at your doorstep.

THE DINING SCENE OFFERS MORE THAN JUST LOBSTER ROLLS (ALTHOUGH WE DO LOVE THEM)

Sure, you’ll find your classic roadside shacks. Think Route 3’s Trenton Bridge Lobster Pound, with its wood-fired seawater kettles steaming away; Thurston’s Lobster Pound in Bernard, where you can crack into a fresh catch while watching the sunset over Bass Harbor; and – perhaps most iconic – Stewman’s Lobster Pound in Bar Harbor, with two floors of outdoor picnic tables perched over Frenchman Bay, where fresh-off-the-boat fare pairs with a casual, unmistakably Maine atmosphere.

But MDI’s dining scene stretches well beyond butter-drizzled crustaceans. Fine dining chefs here source oysters from nearby coves, sea greens from the tidal flats, and scallops hauled in that same morning. In Bar Harbor, you can savor Italian coastal flavors and locally inspired seafood dishes at La Bella Vita inside Harborside Hotel, Spa & Marina, or indulge in elevated Irish pub fare with a view at Paddy’s Irish Pub & Restaurant, tucked into the waterfront level of the West Street Hotel. It’s this blend of salt-sprayed simplicity and refined cuisine that makes eating on MDI as memorable as its scenery – and yes, you should still save room for a slice of wild Maine blueberry pie.

THERE’S SENSE OF COMMUNITY, TRUE TO ITS ROOTS

Beyond its landscapes, Mount Desert Island thrives on a deep-rooted sense of community and preservation that’s as much a draw as the scenery itself. Here, lobstermen wave to one another en route to haul traps at dawn, shopkeepers greet regulars by name, and summer visitors are welcomed like old friends at the farmers’ market on Bar Harbor’s Village Green. That same spirit extends to the island’s “Forever Wild” mindset, the storybook homes lining its winding roads, and even the blissful fact that cell reception still drops in parts of Acadia. From volunteer-run conservation projects to the annual Bar Harbor Fourth of July parade (titled as the best small-town Fourth of July celebrations in the country by the Today Show), MDI is a place that values its own quiet identity.

Despite what its recent T+L honor might imply, MDI is not trying to be the next big thing. It’s just being what it always has been. And in a world of over-curated travel, that authenticity is rare – and deeply refreshing.