Island Haven

Hotel, cottages and shoreline make for a memorable spot—Chelsea Conroy, Concord Monitor, August 23, 2007 (posted with permission of the Monitor)

(Photo: Lori Duff) “Tradition is king on Star Island, and a day trip there offers a peek into a time when sprawling wooden hotels were common vacation spots, the staff put on weekly variety shows (think Dirty Dancing – the original) and guests played Bocce ball on the grass. Day visitors can lunch with conference attendees who fill the hotel, take a tour of the 46-acre island with a pelican or retreat to the solitude of the rocks on the back of the island, looking out to the open ocean.”

Serene Star Island

Tradition continues for families who make Shoals visit—Karen Dandurant, Portsmouth Herald, August 20, 2007 (posted with permission of the Herald)

(Photo: Karen Dandurant) “Some are drawn back to the island for its serene setting and old-time feel encouraged by the presence of historic buildings and the absence of modern-day appliances. One of Star Island’s most prominent features is the chapel, a simple stone meetinghouse built in 1800 on the highest point of land. Others are attracted to the companionship of friends and family who return each year, and the time-honored lobster dinners and weekly softball games featuring a cemetery in left field and a newly constructed green monster.”