Glorious Getaways: 5 Private Islands for Every Budget (Seriously)

by Lisa Johnson Mandell

As summer all too slowly approaches, our thoughts start turning toward the fun we’ll have when the temperatures rise.

Once that happens, many of us will feel the urgent need to get away from it all. And the concept of your own private island—where you can live in perfect privacy with only your hand-picked family members and friends—is really appealing.

But aren’t private islands the bespoke bastion of billionaires? We’re here to tell you: Not necessarily!

We’ve found five private islands that are for sale right now, ranging in price from $3 million in Florida to under $500,000 in Minnesota.

Take a look at the five surprising island finds below.

2920 Emerald Dr, Jonesboro, GA

Price: $1,950,000
Water sports haven: This retreat is located on Lake Spivey, the only private lake of its size in this part of Georgia that allows water sports. You and yours can enjoy wake surfing, water skiing, and fishing from the privacy of a 3-acre, heavily wooded island.

You can stay in the unique three-bedroom, 3.5-bath, 3,900-square-foot, A-frame home. It might need a little work, but it offers unlimited potential. It has uncommon island luxury features, including a great room with a stacked-stone fireplace, a wet bar, a kitchen with an island (the kitchen kind, that is), and a primary suite with a jetted spa tub.

The island comes with a two-story, two-slip dock, but that’s just for recreational purposes, as the island is connected to the mainland by a drivable bridge. Plus, you can park at least eight cars on the property. All you need to do is make the quick, half-hour drive from Atlanta, and you’re all set.

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1 Hiawatha, Bolton Landing, NY

Price: $2,900,000
Woodsy wonderland: Hiawatha Island includes 779 feet of shoreline. The forested private island that’s nearly 1 acre is not far from the town of Bolton, in upstate New York.

Located in Lake George, it’s a true getaway for the entire extended family or a large group of friends. It could even be an excellent artists’ camp. It features a cozy, eight-bedroom, four-bath duplex and an A-frame art studio.

In addition to the island itself, the property includes a second, 0.12-acre property on nearby Homer Point, with parking for five cars as well as a dock on 53 feet of shore. This allows you to pick up guests in the boats you keep in the two-slip boathouse on the island. Once you’ve arrived, the opportunities for hunting, fishing, and hiking are just about endless.

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46502 Glen-Mary Farm Rd, Park Hall, MD

Price: $1,995,000
Chesapeake Bay beauty: Only a 90-minute drive from Washington, DC, could be your very own private summer resort on Tippity Wichity Island. This 3-acre island in a sheltered cove off Chesapeake Bay even has a heated, in-ground pool.

Play games on the beach, hike in the forest, kayak, canoe, or fish from the boat you’ll keep on the dock with a lift. Or cruise on over to the historic home of St. Mary’s College, where there are plenty of dining, shopping, and entertainment options.

Then come back to enjoy a three-bedroom, two-bath home, which features a screened, gazebo-style porch. The multiple decks, rolling lawns, and a decorative pond with a fountain make living here especially appealing.

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6001 Bird Island Dr, Lady Lake, FL

Price: $2,999,000
Fun Florida find: If you’re the outdoorsy type who wants a change from the theme parks offered in Orlando, only an hour away, you may find just the retreat you’re looking for on Bird Island. It’s set on Lake Griffin, known for world-class bass fishing and duck hunting in Emeralda Marsh.

You’ll be assured of ultimate privacy, as you can arrive by seaplane or a quick, one-mile boat ride. Once there, you’ll have a full 51 acres to enjoy.

Stay in the elevated, three-bedroom, one-bath, 1,120-square-foot house, which receives electric service from the mainland. The existing home is move-in ready and quite attractively decorated. But if you’d like to invite more family and friends, you can build an additional home—the island is already zoned for that.

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2050 Shipman Is, Ely, MN

Price: $498,500
Minnesota miracle: Last and certainly priced the least, you’ll be amazed by the private island you can get on Shagawa Lake, in Northern Minnesota Lake Country, for under $500,000. Shipman Island is 1.75 acres of towering pines and rock outcroppings, in a lake known for some of the best walleye fishing in the area.

The quaint living compound was built in 2012 and is in pristine condition. It consists of a two-bedroom, knotty pine cabin, with a deck connecting separate kitchen and bath cabins.

Lakeside, there’s a large deck ideal for dining, stairs leading down to a swimming area, a fire pit and conversation area, plus a dock for your boat. The property has a history dating to the 1800s, when it was the summer home of some of Ely’s most prominent residents.