Acadia and Northeast

[jayco304]

I have 8 and 6 year old girls and 35ft TT with full size truck. Looking for information about can we fit in any of the Acadia Seawall or Blackwoods campgrounds and other ideas for must see and good places to stay at Acadia if we won't fit in National Park campgrounds. Also other ideas in the Northeast. We will be coming out of NC and plan on a two week trip. How much time do we need for Acadia alone?

Trip would be summer 2018 or if we can get proffered campgrounds/campsites maybe summer of 2019

Thanks

[JesLookin]

GeoBoy wrote:

JesLookin wrote:

GeoBoy wrote:

JesLookin wrote:
Check out Schoodic Woods campground in Acadia. New campground a couple years ago. We stayed there in a full hookup site. Good WIFI also.

The sites are water and electric, you have to dump at their dump station, the wi-fi is good. It is best to book ahead because they fill up quite quickly. The drive over to Bar Harbor is at least 1 hour and the people only ferry, no vehicles, is expensive and about a half hour ride.

Depends what section you are in. We had full hookups. Including sewer.

Just visited the Schoodic Woods website and the only full hook ups are for camp host only. If indeed you got a full hookup site, this is not the norm and was pure luck.

I guess you're right. I looked back to our old reservation and I looks like we had water and electricity. That was about the 10th campground we were at on that trip, I could have sworn we had sewer. Guess not - sorry for the confusion.

[jplante4]

Not far off I-95 in Foxboro Mass is Normandy Farms. Great campground with lots of stuff for kids to do. You can catch a commuter rail train into Boston or take a day trip to Cape Cod about an hour away (DO NOT try that on a Friday tho).

[drenjoey]

Can't agree more.....Tvov is right when he says kids may be a little too young. Find a campground with kid activities............or divide your trip in two and like someone else mentioned, go to Old Orchard Beach first, which is 3 1/2 hours south of Acadia . Seven miles of beach, amusement parks, arcades, waterparks etc etc. My favorite campground is Hid'n Pines close to it all.

[Tvov]

We've been to Acadia twice over the past 10 years, and love it. Stayed in Blackwoods campground - no hookups, but campsites are great and location is wonderful.

Acadia is all about bicycling, hiking, and scenic views. We love it, and plan on going back. When we went, our kids were teenagers, all very much into the hiking and biking, and they loved it.

I sort of hesitate to recommend Acadia to under 10 year olds... depends on your kids how much they'd love it. I would lean towards staying in a full hookup campground with some kids activities, and then go into Acadia for a few short explorations.

Thunderhole is cool, especially if it is wavy when you are there. Cadillac Mountain is really neat - we've been up there at sunrise which is really neat, but again young kids may not be as impressed. If you go for sunrise, bring warm coats! Even in summer it can be windy and chilly (if not cold) up there!

You may find you want to return to Acadia when the kids are older and really explore the hiking and bicycling trails.

[drenjoey]

Being from Maine, I get the chance to go often to Acadia.

Schoodic Woods: Situated in Winter Harbor (about an hour from Acadia NP). They do have a free shuttle that will bring you to Acadia and Bar Harbor. Sites have water /Electricity but there are NO SEWER. The nicest campground of them all.

Bar Harbor Campground: No Reservation. (first come, first serve).....maybe not your best option. I think they don't take credit cards.

Smuggler's Den: Situated in Southwest Harbor. Good sites, full hook-ups and free shuttle to Acadia

Mt Desert Narrows: Nicely situated,but I think they are over priced. On top of your campsite fee, you have a resort fee !!!!!!!

Timberland campground: Located in Trenton....Free shuttle, full hookups. campground is not bad at all.

[2gypsies1]

Schoodic Woods - It does have electric hookups:

https://wheelingit.us/2017/10/29/np-campground-review-schoodic-woods-acadia-national-park-me/

[GeoBoy]

JesLookin wrote:

GeoBoy wrote:

JesLookin wrote:
Check out Schoodic Woods campground in Acadia. New campground a couple years ago. We stayed there in a full hookup site. Good WIFI also.

The sites are water and electric, you have to dump at their dump station, the wi-fi is good. It is best to book ahead because they fill up quite quickly. The drive over to Bar Harbor is at least 1 hour and the people only ferry, no vehicles, is expensive and about a half hour ride.

Depends what section you are in. We had full hookups. Including sewer.

Just visited the Schoodic Woods website and the only full hook ups are for camp host only. If indeed you got a full hookup site, this is not the norm and was pure luck.

[JesLookin]

GeoBoy wrote:

JesLookin wrote:
Check out Schoodic Woods campground in Acadia. New campground a couple years ago. We stayed there in a full hookup site. Good WIFI also.

The sites are water and electric, you have to dump at their dump station, the wi-fi is good. It is best to book ahead because they fill up quite quickly. The drive over to Bar Harbor is at least 1 hour and the people only ferry, no vehicles, is expensive and about a half hour ride.

Depends what section you are in. We had full hookups. Including sewer.

[2gypsies1]

This RVer has recently written a few articles on the area and on camping. Check them out:

https://wheelingit.us/?s=acadia

[TomC1216]

Another vote for Schoodic Woods campground in Acadia. Only a few years old, not as crowded. However, no shower facilities in the restrooms. Mostly pull-thru sites, spaced far apart from each other to give some privacy. About a 10 mile drive out of the campsite to get diesel fuel.

[DrewE]

I haven't seen too many other suggestions for the Northeast yet. Here are a few of mine, that I think might have some appeal for younger children, a list that is by no means exhaustive:

The White Mountains of New Hampshire—the Mt Washington Cog railway, Franconia Notch (several neat things, such as the Flume), the Kancamangus Highway (and a number of the little stops along the way, e.g. Sabbaday Falls), and Clark's Trading Post. There are many, many hikes in the area ranging from short and easy to quite grueling.

Boston—there's a good many neat things to see in the city, but avoid driving in the city. Driving under the city isn't too bad, rush hour excepted of course, but propane is not permitted in the tunnels and even if you don't have the RV you still have to emerge somewhere and park. A number of the outer subway stations have parking lots or garages available, and that or commuter rail is how I would get into the city. Anyhow, the Children's Museum is good, the Museum of Science excellent (including a very impressive Van de Gaff generator show), and there are some great historic sites such as Old Ironsides, among other attractions. The New England Aquarium is also superb.

I like Canobie Lake Park, a traditional family-run amusement park in Salem, NH.

In Vermont, the Shelburne Museum is huge and eclectic and quite fun. The Fairbanks Museum (in St. Johnsbury) is a moderately-sized mostly natural history museum that seemingly hasn't changed a whole lot in maybe a century. It has a neat vibe to it and a few rather unusual exhibits; many kids like the insect mosaic pictures (assembled from preserved bugs). Mt. Ascutney is a fun (and rather popular) mountain to go up, partly as there's a road to get most of the way to the top. They have observation tower and several outcroppings with good views within a reasonable walking distance. The state park also has a campground (at the base); like all Vermont state parks it has no hookups available.

Although probably a bit out of the way, Watkins Glen (the gorge itself), between Syracuse and Corning, NY, is quite lovely and popular with families. It's not too far of a drive from there to Knoebels in Elysburg, PA, which is another absolutely fabulous traditional amusement park—probably my absolute favorite. They have a campground on-site. (The campground isn't exceptional in itself, but being a couple minutes' walk from your RV to the roller coaster is incredibly convenient and helpful.) Knoebels is free entry, with either pay-per-ride tickets or an all day pay-one-price wristband option, so it's quite possible to have a great time without spending one's life savings.

[GeoBoy]

JesLookin wrote:
Check out Schoodic Woods campground in Acadia. New campground a couple years ago. We stayed there in a full hookup site. Good WIFI also.

The sites are water and electric, you have to dump at their dump station, the wi-fi is good. It is best to book ahead because they fill up quite quickly. The drive over to Bar Harbor is at least 1 hour and the people only ferry, no vehicles, is expensive and about a half hour ride.

[JesLookin]

Check out Schoodic Woods campground in Acadia. New campground a couple years ago. We stayed there in a full hookup site. Good WIFI also.

[Crowe]

3 days should be enough for Acadia itself. You can spend a few days in Bar Harbor if you do some of the activities like a whale watch or sailing. The majority of the campgrounds in the area have lots of kids activities. And don't forget the lobstah!