Next week we will begin our 1-month journey back to the east coast.  I have been thinking a lot about New England and our favorite places.  At the same time we have been asked a lot of questions about Maine by fellow RV’ers so I thought what better way to share this information then to create some blogs about our favorite spots.

Late October in Blackwoods Campground

Sunset at Lamoine State Park Campground

The first blog will be about Acadia National Park since that is one of the ones that we get the most questions about.  I think it is helpful to know a little bit about John and I since what we like may not appeal to everyone.  We almost NEVER got out to eat.  Unless you consider a Subway sandwich “going out to eat”.  We would just prefer to make our own healthy food and save the money it costs to dine out.  So, if you are looking for the best places to eat out, we can’t tell you that.  We like to camp, we camp mostly in our RV but have spent a great deal of time tent camping and still like to do that occasionally.  We like to hiking, biking and photography and we like to take our dog with us whenever we can.

The first question, is it worth the ride up to Acadia?  Definitely!  You can choose to get there one of two ways.  You can stay on 95 and go up to Bangor and then shoot to the coast or you can travel the entire coast on route 1.  Each has its advantages.  Avoiding traffic is the biggest perk of staying on 95.  This is important if you are traveling on route 1 in Midcoast Maine on a Thursday or Friday afternoon in the summer.  Traffic in the little town we live in can back up for 5+ miles, and it moves very slowly.  I would suggest trying to travel coastal route 1 if you get the chance.  The small coastal towns along the way are very picturesque.

Where to stay?  If you are traveling by RV there are multiple RV resorts along the coast.  We have stayed at Narrows Too multiple times and really like it there.  The campground is in Trenton just after Ellsworth and is about 30 minutes from Acadia National Park entrance and Bar Harbor and 15 minutes from shopping in Ellsworth.  The national park bus system stops at this and other multiple campgrounds along the route.  We like it at Narrows Too because it is a nice quiet campground with great views to Acadia.  It probably would not be the best choice for families as there are few planned activities here.  Blackwoods Campground in the national park can accommodate RVs.  You can check out their website to see size restrictions. Be prepared for a very narrow tight turn with your RV if  you go by way of downtown Bar Harbor.  We’ve seen even the biggest rigs make it, but the location can be extremely busy in addition to being a tight turn. We have tent camped and camped with our travel trailer here.  There are no hook ups, but there is a dump station and a place to fill with water.  The campground has flush toilets but you need to drive down the road for a coin operated shower.  I love staying in Blackwoods because you are right in the middle of the park and can literally walk to the rocky coast.  There are ranger programs here in the evenings and the bus goes through here too.  On foggy nights you can fall asleep to the fog horns and “buoy bells”.  One other option is the state park located in Lamoine about 40 minutes from Acadia National Park.  This is one of our favorite Maine parks to camp in.  This is best for tenting and smaller campers, but they do have a few sites that could hold a larger RV.  There are no hookups but they just added a dump station and place to fill with water.  The campground has flush toilets and free showers.  There is a boat launch within the park and it is a great place to go for a paddle if you have a kayak with you.  It is a working boat launch and you can literally buy lobster from the lobstermen right in the park.  Make sure to bring along a large pot to boil them in.  The sunsets here are about the best we have seen in Maine.