Inn at Bay Ledge in Bar Harbor

Feb 1

When Sarah and Dax Wandling made an offer on a small inn outside Bar Harbor, they had never set foot on the property. No walk-through. No standing on the cliff to take in the view. Just numbers, photos, instincts, and a shared sense that if they were ever going to change their lives, it was now.

At the time, Sarah was nearly two decades into a nursing career that had culminated in managing staffing for an eight-hospital system during COVID. Burnout was no longer theoretical. It was daily. Dax, who worked remotely in human resources, kept asking a simple question: What if we did something different?

The answer had been floating around their relationship for years. Someday, they would run a bed and breakfast. Dax loved to cook. Sarah loved to host. But as they researched innkeeping, one thing became clear. This was not a quiet retirement plan. It was hands-on, demanding work. If they were going to do it, waiting made no sense.

They focused their search on the Northeast, drawn by history, national parks, and places people genuinely wanted to visit. When their realtor sent over the business details for Inn at Bay Ledge, Dax didn’t hesitate. “This is the one,” he said. The offer went in. It was accepted.

When they finally arrived in Maine, the reality exceeded expectations. Set on an 80-foot cliff above the water, surrounded by forest, the inn felt both removed and connected. Close enough to Acadia and downtown Bar Harbor to enjoy them fully, and far enough away to leave the crowds behind.

They took over just weeks before the season ended and learned the business in real time. It was intense. It was exhausting. And it shaped everything that followed.

Today, Sarah and Dax greet guests themselves, cook breakfast, clean rooms, and pour wine each afternoon. They are intentional about slowing things down. About creating a place where people sleep deeply, celebrate milestones, and feel welcomed into something personal.

Buying sight unseen was a leap. What they found on the other side was better than they imagined.

Famous for:
Thoughtful, old-school hospitality in a quiet, cliffside setting near Acadia.

157 Sand Point Road, Bar Harbor, Maine | innatbayledge.com