Acadia National Park suggestions

[DTordoff]

Bar Harbor is one of our top 3 places to visit. There is a trick though. Go there in the early part of June. we go on the week of the tenth and make it for 2 weeks. First week you have the place nearly to yourself, particularly Acadia. Great food in Bar Harbor with lots of choices. Second week the traffic begins to come in and at the end of the 2nd week we skedaddle out of town. Any later and you can spend most of your time waiting tin traffic or fighting the crowds.

[camaraderie]

We stayed on the Schoodic Penninsula section of Acadia in Winter Harbor at Main Stay RV park. https://www.mainstaycottages-rvpark.com/

Loved the views and the solitude and the little town...and still plenty close enough to the main section of the Park. You can even take a short ferry ride across to Bar Harbor. The Schoodic scenic road is wonderful too...and NO people compared to the main section. But see it all!

[radman]

I have stayed twice at Timberland Acres Campground in Trenton Maine. It is about 15 miles form Acadia. It is very nice and cheaper than most of the campgrounds closer. Also you can easily drive to Camden and various other places on the main land.

[PSUFan1]

Originally Posted by mmangiarelli

We enjoyed Smugglers Den in Southwest Harbour

X2

Be careful of the sap from the pine trees. I had a heck of a time getting the sap off my truck and camper.

Utilize the free bus service to downtown as parking is difficult and limited to 2-3 hrs at a time.

[pkaplan]

This NP is a true treasure and you want to go visit - allow plenty of time to do it justice. Some thoughts:
1. After 23 years traveling to Acadia via boat and staying in NE Harbor, Somes Sound, and SW Harbor we are now doing the trip by RV. Many of the campgrounds on the island of Mt. Desert have length limitations, so check carefully. Also, if you want full hook ups your options will also be limited. We stayed a month last year at Narrows Too and are going back this coming year. However, we do not have kids so your choice may vary. It is a full hook up park, on the free Island Explorer bus route (dogs are permitted on the bus), has a swimming pool (water may be cold depending on time of year - don't believe the heater pool story). We tow a car and drive to the park to be independent of the bus.

2. Bar Harbor is quite touristy but worth a couple of hours walking around. You can avoid Bar Harbor when going to the park by taking other roads around the island.

3. If you are over 62 (??K), get a Senior Park Pass - now $80 for a lifetime pass. A big savings as you can take your family into this and other National Parks.

4. There are 50 miles of gravel carriage trails built by John D Rockefeller Jr along with about 15 stone bridges. You can walk, bike, ride / drive horses on the trails. You will never forget them. There are also many hiking trails throughout the park going up to the top of the mountains (1,000 - 1,500 ft peaks).

5. You can rent boats / kyaks, etc. on a couple of the fresh water lakes.

6. The towns of NE Harbor, SW Harbor, and Bass Harbor on the island are worth a visit.

7. I suggest you drive up or down via Camden (on RT 1) and stop there for a few hours of walking around. One of the prettiest harbors in Maine.

8. Downtown Portland is also a fun place for lunch if your timing permits.

9. We stop at the Boston Minuteman Campground on the way up (just off of I 495 about 45 minutes from downtown Boston - DO NOT DRIVE YOUR RV INTO DOWNTOWN BOSTON) - a very nice campground.

10. We stop at Normandy Farms Campground on the way back (just off of 495 not too far from I-95. Also about 45 minutes from downtown Boston.
This is a great place but check your schedule against the Patriots home game schedule as the campground is a few minutes from the stadium and traffic is impossible when there is a game - just plan to stay in the campground.

11. I agree with a previous post about the part of Acadia NP on the Schoodic PN. We did a day trip there from Narrows TOO but, as previously stated there is a fairly new campground on site. Note that this part of Acadia NP is a fraction of the size of the Mt. Desert part. It is also lacking the carriage trails and mountains.

I hope this helps, feel free to PM me if I can be of further help.

[modelrr]

You might want to check out Forest Ridge Campground in Ellsworth. It's centrally located for MDI, Schoodic Peninsula and north and south to Bucksport, Wiscasset, and Boothbay. Full hookups and reasonably priced. It's out of the craziness of MDI and Bar Harbor which begins mid June thru Labor Day. It's quiet camping. Check out their website. We've stayed there a number of years and love it!

[Dc8mdtmech]

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[mlenart294BH]

Lincolnville Maine, just outside of Camden,mid way to Acadia. Simple campground full hook-ups, quiet place except on fourth of July. No frills good base lot of places to go. Belfast is a nice Maine village.

[KnC]

We stayed on the water at Oceanside KOA. One of our favorite spots to date!

[BonnieS]

Originally Posted by modelrr

You might want to check out Forest Ridge Campground in Ellsworth. It's centrally located for MDI, Schoodic Peninsula and north and south to Bucksport, Wiscasset, and Boothbay. Full hookups and reasonably priced. It's out of the craziness of MDI and Bar Harbor which begins mid June thru Labor Day. It's quiet camping. Check out their website. We've stayed there a number of years and love it!

I was just looking at Forest Ridge last night. We like quiet camping with things to do fairly close. We plan on going later in September (work schedule dictating that). No kids, just us and 2 dogs. We were also looking perhaps closer in since it’s the off season. Not sure how crowded it is lare September. Thanks for your input! I like the idea of big sites, full hookup and quiet!

[spock123]

We stayed at Bar Harbor campground and had a cooked lobster dinner brought to the camper. I thought lobsters were a little cheaper in Maine, I was wrong. We still had a great time. I want to go back

[Duneit]

Bar Harbor, pronounced Bah Habah
Lobster, pronounced Lobstah

Get rid of that "R" and replace with "ah" and you fit right in.

David

[blue ridge runner]

My wife and I are planning a trip to Acadia area in the middle of May. Is it still really cold then?

[KyDan]

Define really cold? Some would say yes and others no.
Check the averages here-
https://www.usclimatedata.com/climat...tates/usme0474
On "average" June is 10 deg warmer than May.

We visited in Sept a couple years ago and a local who was born and raised there said that year the best weather all summer was going on while we were there. If you've got to go in May then go. Late May will be significantly warmer than May 1st. If it's an average Spring!

Again- you have to go when you have to go but consider this just so you are
aware-- Black Fly Season-- http://www.acadiavacations.com/bugs.html

Good luck!
Happy Trails!!

[blue ridge runner]

KyDan, thanks for the info. Unfortunately this is the time we have to go there. I like colder weather, wife, not so much. Looking forward to getting up there and trying out some Lobstah! Lol!

[Duneit]

“Usually” May is a decent month. Chilly at night. The air is very refreshing. I think May and June are the best especially if your going hiking. The campgrounds on the island have a free shuttle you can take all around so you don’t have to drive.

[Duneit]

http://www.geddys.com/index.html

My choice for lobstah and ice cold beah

[plasma800]

September is an excellent time to go there. The tourists are mostly gone, the weather is great, lots to do.

[modelrr]

We like going before tourist season really gets going. Traffic is not an issue at that time. Chilly at night, but enjoyable temps during the day. Be aware that the tourist "stuff" :boat trips, a number of tours, etc. aren't operating yet. That starts ramping up in June. Campgrounds in many cases are just opening the beginning of May. The free island bus shuttles on Mt. Desert island don't begin until later in June.
Yes, black flies are nasty beginning generally Mother's Day until Father's Day. Use your bug spray! It helps a lot.
It's a great time to enjoy the area at a quiet time of the year!