Acadia family camping in August?

[weatherman]

Hey all- going to try to camp with the family in (or near, if "in" is not possible) Acadia NP the first full week in August for 3-4 days. Looks like Blackwoods Campground is full already, and waiting in line for Seawall with 2 young kids (6 and 8) doesn't sound attractive. Any options nearby that you'd recommend, or other strategies? Thanks. Want to avoid the big RVs if possible. (we have a tent)
Weatherman

 

[trailbiscuit]

This may not help because it might be closed.
Try Somes Sound Campground on the quiet side of the island. Groovy little place with good tent spots, showers. It has been in various states of open-ness over the last couple years, so this may be the most worthless post ever.

 

[Danielle]

Camping

We've stayed at Somes Sound View Campground before and enjoyed it as an alternative to staying right in the park. There are some RV sites, but lots of tenting sites too. They do have some sites right on the sound, but we've always liked the wooded ones better.
It has seemed relatively quiet there when we've gone, but typically we do try to visit Acadia off-season! It might be worth giving them a call to see if they're full for August...
Hope you find a spot! And have fun. Acadia is one of our favorite places!

 

[Danielle]

I guess Trailbiscuit and I were posting at the same time! Sorry for the duplicate info

 

[king tut]

I think Somes Sound campground might have been sold to development, but i am not sure. They were open as of 2 years ago, not sure now. Smuggler's Den, i believe it is called, is a nice campground in the Echo Lake area.

 

[CaptCaper]

We went up last summer on the spur of the moment and one campground we called wanted $60.00 for the nite. So we went to the state on inside and we lucked out as one site was open. It was during the week.
But he said it's booked full all summer so I'd check out campgrounds of all kinds around there.
It's not a long ride onto the island so to stay in Ellsworth and ride down for the day is do able.

 

[Raymond]

I think there are a couple campgrounds along that main drive around the island toward Bar Harbor, too. I think there may have been one on the left, not far beyond the aquarium, that had a stop for the L.L.Bean propane bus right there. We stayed at the motel that came next, but I can't remember the name of it at all.

I may have it written down at home, so I'll check when I get there.

 

[weatherman]

Thanks all! Great minds think alike, Danielle and Trailbiscuit! A couple of the websites for these places look pretty good. We'll give them a try.
Weatherman

 

[Raymond]

Well, I guess I didn't record the name of the motel we stayed at which was next to a campground, but I was reminded that it was right across the street from the Pirate's Cove miniature golf, so that's a landmark to look for.

From there you can catch a bus downtown or to some of the park locations. I don't recall all (or any) of the places the bus stops.

 

[kwc]

Check this site out ...

http://www.acadiamagic.com/acadia-lodging/camping.html

we've stayed at White Birches and it was fine, but that was a number of years ago! most of the campgrounds that are close to Bar Harbor cater pretty much to the RV crowd.

 

[Artex]

Three times now I've driven up and gotten a campsite at one of the privately owned campsties during peak-summer weekends. Both places (one of them twice) I stayed at really crammed the sites together though. Can't remember the names. But seek and perhaps you could find.

 

[Rivet]

I camped at Quietside campground last year which was nice. They have sites with wooden tent platforms/decks, picnic table, and fire pit. The shower rooms were fine.

 

[Artex]

I camped at Quietside campground last year which was nice. They have sites with wooden tent platforms/decks, picnic table, and fire pit. The shower rooms were fine.

Yam and I stayed there last October. Great campsite, and the sites are actually spread out!

 

[prino]

Well, I guess I didn't record the name of the motel we stayed at which was next to a campground, but I was reminded that it was right across the street from the Pirate's Cove miniature golf, so that's a landmark to look for.

From there you can catch a bus downtown or to some of the park locations. I don't recall all (or any) of the places the bus stops.

The campsite across the road from the Pirate's Cove mini golf is called Bar Harbor Campground. I stayed there with the family a couple of times in the 90's. Although it does have some RV sites, the tenting sites are well away from them.
It also has an outdoor swimming pool for campers.

 

[seguin118]

We've stayed at Bass Harbor,which has tent sites across the road from the main campground.It's down on the far corner of the island and fairly quiet.Smuggler's Den is closer and if you can get a site around the field the spacing isn't too bad.Both places are on the shuttle route.

 

[sjk]

Hey all- going to try to camp with the family in (or near, if "in" is not possible) Acadia NP the first full week in August for 3-4 days. Looks like Blackwoods Campground is full already, and waiting in line for Seawall with 2 young kids (6 and 8) doesn't sound attractive. Any options nearby that you'd recommend, or other strategies? Thanks. Want to avoid the big RVs if possible. (we have a tent)
Weatherman

For what it's worth, we tried to make a reservation online and were denied, but when we called they had space....So if you only checked online only, try giving a call.

 

[Bob]

Langione State Park

Langione State Park (could be spelled wrong- Lamoine?) on Frenchman's Bay. $13, FREE showers, they take reservations via state system. North side of highway just before crossing Causeway to Island. Excellent place, much nicer than NF CG's also some sites right on water...stayed there a month ago.

 

[weatherman]

Thanks again, all! There seems to be enough interest in this topic that I'll try to remember to post our experiences when we go. I'll try Lamotrigine (sp?) State Park first, I think, as it's close to some friends we know too.
Weatherman