If you are a longtime reader and podcast listener, you know that we believe Acadia National Park is RV heaven. It holds a very special place in our hearts, and no matter what, we end up back there again and again.
Many other RVers feel the same way, and there is no shortage of campground options available when planning your stay. But again, if you are part of the RVFTA community, you know that we return to the Bar Harbor/Oceanside KOA time after time.
The real question is, what’s the draw? What makes this the place that we want to park our rig, even after touring and inspecting many other campgrounds on Mount Desert Island?
It certainly isn’t the price. If you are looking for a budget option near Acadia National Park, the Bar Harbor/Oceanside KOA isn’t for you. In fact, it is one of the priciest options in the area, with the best sites costing over $90 per night. Is it worth it?
Yes. Yes. Yes. Yes. Yes. A thousand times yes.
Because some places are special and worth the splurge. For us, this is one of them.
But let’s cut to the chase. Your campsite is everything here, and the best ones book far in advance. So if you want to relax while your kids play in tide pools all day, watch spectacular sunsets around a campfire, or launch a kayak right from your campsite, you are going to have to book in advance. Like, way, way, way in advance. Just start stalking the reservations desk now.
To enjoy the best this campground has to offer, go for the oceanfront or oceanview sites. Repeat after us: oceanfront or oceanview. Look for the yellow or blue on the campground map. Accept no substitutions.
Once you are settled in at one of those oceanfront or oceanview sites, amazing things are going to happen. Your kids are going to play for hours in water, finding sea stars and snails and learning to skip rocks. You are going to learn how to put down your phone and actually stare in wonder at the beauty of God’s creation. And you will understand the deep and simple pleasure of donning pants and a sweatshirt around a campfire in the middle of the summer.
For once, we will put aside our talk of campground amenities and scheduled activities. That’s not the point when you are staying at the Bar Harbor/Oceanside KOA.
The point is that you can get a cup of chowder, a lobster roll, or a whole lobster dinner from a pop up shop on the campground, cooked by Dakota who just took the whole operation over from his grandfather.
And then you can go back to your oceanfront campsite, crack open a Cadillac Mountain Stout from the Bar Harbor brewing company, and whisper wow under your breath until the sun disappears below the horizon, and you begin to plan out your next adventure in one of our country’s most amazing national parks.
