Fantasy Island
Written By Rachel Simpson
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Destination: Fairyland
Building fairy houses has been a tradition on Monhegan Island for the past 80 years, but it wasn't until 1997, with the Kristen's Fairy House video and subsequent Fairy House books by Tracy Kane, that the practice caught on more widely. For a chance to set your kids loose in fairy forests, we like these three locations.
Monhegan Island, Maine
Twelve miles offshore and accessible only by ferry from Boothbay Harbor, New Harbor, or Port Clyde, this car-free isle is less than a square mile in area but has ample family accommodations. Shining Sails, a nicely renovated bed-and-breakfast, is steps from the water; on a grander scale, the 31 rooms at nearby Monhegan House have ocean or lighthouse views.
Mackworth Island, Maine
Home to Falmouth's officially designated Fairy House Village, this island is connected to the city by a causeway, and thus is drivable. There's plenty of lodging in Falmouth and nearby Portland; locals recommend the family-run Down-East Village Motel. Read about one family's hike at outdoors.mainetoday.com.
Portsmouth, New Hampshire
For the third straight year, the historic South End neighborhood will transform several public and private gardens into fairy villages September 22 and 23. Families can tour the habitats and then build their own houses with natural materials on nearby Peirce Island. Both the Sheraton and the Hilton Garden Inn are within walking distance of the tour and offer special family accommodations.
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