Bar Harbor on Maine's rugged coast is a base camp and destination for families visiting Acadia National Park, tourists planning to go on whale watching tours, sea kayakers and coastal yacht tours. While visiting the harbor area you can set up your camp at both private and national campgrounds that service a variety of camping styles, including RV accommodations and secluded tent campsites.
National Park
Acadia was the first National Park east of the Mississippi River. Within the park there are two main campgrounds: Blackwoods and Seawall, both within 10 minutes walking distance from the ocean. All 520 sites in these campgrounds are primitive, with no electrical hookups for RVs. However, there are campsites large enough to accommodate camper trailers and RVs as long as 35 feet. Each campground features running water, fire rings, picnic tables and a dump station. A half-mile from the campgrounds you can use seasonal shower facilities, only open during the summer season.
KOA Campgrounds
KOA is a nationwide campground chain that offers an array of comfort amenities to campers. Two KOA facilities are located in Bar Harbor: Woodlands and Oceanside. Both campgrounds have RV hookups, tent sites, rental cabins, convenience store, playground and swimming pool. Oceanside KOA also offers kayak and bicycle rentals, an outdoor movie theater and fishing area. You can purchase firewood and propane from the camp store and participate in planned camp activities depending on the time of year you are visiting.
RV Parks
Hadley's Point Campground and Bar Harbor Campground are located on Bar Harbor's east side. Bar Harbor Campground offers spacious campsites with your choice of rustic tent sites or pull-through RV sites with 30- or 50-amp electric service and water hookups. Hadley's Point also has both tent and RV sites with electric, water and sewer hookups. The campgrounds provide guests with indoor shower and restroom facilities, laundromats and swimming pool. Bar Harbor sells metered propane at its campsites, while Hadley's Point offers tank exchanges at its on-site convenience store.
Oceanfront Campsites
Mt. Desert Narrows Camping Resort offers oceanfront campsites by reservation only. These sites overlook Bar Harbor, with swimming and fishing just feet from your picnic table. First-come, first-served sites are available inland for campers without reservations. Oceanfront cabin tents, which are large, canvas structures with a porch, picnic table, cots, camp chairs and fire ring, are also available for rent. The campground rents canoes and kayaks for use in the harbor and provides guests with indoor showers and restrooms, entertainment and a full-service store.
Winter Camping
If you plan to visit Bar Harbor in the winter you will find the area a quieter and more serene atmosphere. Camping during these months is limited to Blackwoods campground in Acadia National Park. Winter camping here is restricted to primitive tent camping. A free permit is required for camping and available at the park's dispatch office at the park headquarters on Route 233 to the west of Bar Harbor. The road to the campground is closed during the winter so you must hike 1 mile to the campground.
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