The Bar Harbor Campground

No reservations and an awesome shuttle system- our favorite things about staying here. 

This campground is huge, and takes no reservations, so it works great for us who don’t like to plan ahead. And also, there’s an amazing free shuttle system, that allows dogs!, that picks you up right at the campground. There are multiple routes you can transfer to and they take you into town or throughout Acadia NP, which is so nice for us as we are in a motorhome with no tow car. Also, Acadia NP allows dogs on most trails! Mind blown. 

Campground is great- there is a type of site for everyone. FHU sites all along in a row for those big RVs who like that parking lot feeling, a tent area where you park and carry your things to your camp spot, heavily wooded sites that feel like a more traditional campground, and more open sites where there’s enough sun if you rely on solar. Some sites are just 30 amp power and water, and there are dry camp sites as well. RVs can camp in a dry camp site, but no generators allowed at all (another favorite thing for us!). 

Laundry room is huge and clean, washer and dryer are huge and work well and are only $1 each (quarters only).

 There’s a dump station. Water at the dump is non-potable but you can fill your tanks at one of the many drinking water spigots throughout the campground, or pull into an empty site, like we did. 

Showers were ok, $0.25 for 5 minutes.

Happy Journey I'm like this hiking

This is a nice campground located close to Bar Harbor and Acadia National Park. The campground does not take reservations so you can pick whatever open site you want and if you want to extend your stay, you can. When you arrive, you get a map, find an empty site, get set-up and then go back to the office to register. Once you’re in the park if you want a different site that has a better view or FHU’s, the best thing to do is drive or walk around the section you are interested in and if you see someone packing up put a personal item (chair, table cloth, etc.). Then head to the office and let them know what site you are moving to. Weird system but it seems to work as this is how things have always been done. All different types of sites are available from FHU, electric/water, or privative sites. Each site has a picnic table and fire ring. There are some sections that are nicely wooded which is great for the shade in the summer and to add a little privacy. Other sites are right on the ocean with great views but these sites are pretty close together and hard to get since the campground is first come, first served. Roads in the park are paved but some corners can be a little tight for big-rigs, best to unhitch your tow car up front in case you have to back up. The camp hosts do a great job of keeping the campground clean and were always out and about cleaning sites, fire pits, and the bathrooms.

This campground is in a good location right off Route 3 and a short drive to Bar Harbor. There is the Island Explorer (free) shuttle that have various routes and stops on Mount Desert Island and Acadia NP. The shuttle stops at the campground so you can hitch a ride downtown or to the park and not have to worry about parking.  The shuttle has a bike rack so you can bring your bike and pets are allowed.  The campground is very clean with no litter and well-maintained. The bathrooms were very clean showers are 25 cents/5 minutes. There is a really nice large swimming pool perched right along the water, nice little nature trails/dog walking areas, laundry, game room, shuffleboard, playground, water access, arcade, and more. 

Just outside the campground (within walking distance) is Utter Heaven an ice cream shop and Mainely Meat a BBQ joint. Across the street is a Pirates Cove– a mini golf course on steroids. During the summer season this place is really busy but calms down when kids go back to school.

Awesome wooded campground . Stayed 2 nights on short notice. Great hospitality . Really enjoyed our short stay.

One of the nicest, cleanest private campgrounds I've ever seen. Tent (van / truck) sites are flat, private, quiet, and some have ocean views!  Facilities are well-maintained and very clean.  Abundant trails wander through forest and Blueberry meadows with ocean views. And there's a back route to walk to ice cream and bbq!

My boyfriend and I stayed here and loved it so much. Right by Acadia, only $34 a night for a tent site. We got the best site, right on a small pond and secluded. You drive right in and pick your site. The best thing was that they don't take reservations so when we decided to extend our stay we could! I will ALWAYS go here if I'm going to Bar Harbor

Second time here. Great campground close to Bar Harbor. Lots of space.

It was a nice site. Very friendly staff. The showers were not the best. 25 cents for 5 minutes but it was hard to adjust the temp so you had to spend a long time hiding from the burning water until it got warm or cold. Other than that, it was really nice. We tent camped.

Very nice camp ground. Big place with plenty of sites. All different types of sites. Electric, No electric, Water, sewer hook up or really nice tent sites in the woods. All amenities and a pool.

Close to Acadia. Very close campsites. Has a nice pool. Has clean bathrooms. Laundry and store. We were happy to stay here it was quiet enough and friendly service.

Cheap price for a campsite close to Acadia National Park. You can use a tent, camper, or a pull behind/pop up. It has electric outlets, bathroom facilities, showers, and it even has a swimming pool.

Loved how close this campground is to Acadia National Park! Nice campground with nice facilities. It’s first come first serve and they only take check or cash. They do have an atm on site. Quarter op showers, laundry on site as well. The spots are decent size, not much for privacy.

We had a great experience staying at the Bar Harbor campground and exploring the Acadia National Park. I think this campground is the closest to Bar Harbor.

They don't allow reservations. There are few spots with views but those were all taken when we got there.

The campground is very quiet. It can get windy at nights (visited in June). Lots of stars to peek at during nights next to your campfire.

Nice sites. Some with views of ocean. Great walking areas for dogs and humans.

This is a great place to tent/camp if you’re looking for Acadia adventures. They also provide electrical outlets to charge equipment and phones as well as decently clean showers and bathrooms. Downside: usually very crowded.

Check out one of my vlogs featuring the campsite: https://youtu.be/Y_81vS7zE1c

We were tent camping. This place isn’t solid for tent camping. Too many sites, no privacy. But it was a big RV Park, close to Acadia, hot showers, playground with views of the bay. Not all bad.

A little bit unusual in that you can't make a reservation. We were able to drop in and get a nice RV site. Spent two comfortable nights. Rode our bicycles to Bar Harbor, a little over 12 miles round trip.

Staff amazing. Small store with all kinds of camping goodies including ice blocks and cubes, wood, and fire starters. Spotless bathrooms! Awesome showers $.25 for 5 minutes. Definitely coming back!

This camp has breathtaking ocean views from your campsite, when you’re camping in a site with a view. Unfortunately the camp is first come, first served, they don’t take reservations. Overall, the camp is very spacious with great views, I will be camping in this campground now and in the future.

Is a first come first serve campground. Show up find an empty spot. Pay for it and it’s yours. I first had a tent space facing the ocean36$. Very close to the Pool for one night. Next morning I found an electric and water spot $40 close by and moved. Had great bathroom with clean showers near by that cost 25$ for 5 minutes. After 4 days and my tanks were full. I found a full hook with sewer $46 and moved for the next week. It was a very nice two weeks. Thy also have clean laundry for cheap. It was a very nice campground close to Arcadia NP and the town of Bar Harbor, ME. Plenty of activities around, I enjoyed the whale watching and sunset on Cadillac Mountain.

Great campground. No reservations taken so get there early to get his sites.

This large campground over looks Frenchmens bay. Large pool. Inexpensive laundry. Blueberry fields free to pick July to August. Pay showers. No reservations though. Come in early morning and wait for others to leave to grab the best sites. Or grab what ever is available and look the next morning for who leaves the better sites. Shuttle bus for free to any where, almost, on the island. The manager is a bit neurotic and that's the reason it is at 4 stars not 5. We will keep going for the campground price and place until the manager ruins it for us or they close it.

Don’t like making reservations?  We hate them, too. This is the only campground on Mt. Desert Island near Acadia National Park that is first come, first served. But, come early! Great campsites, lots of options for both tents and RV’s, clean bathrooms, 50 cent showers, dishwashing sinks, and a playground for the kiddos.

No biking/hiking trails from the campground to the park, but it makes for an easy place to retreat to if you are visiting Acadia National Park and/or Bar Harbor. It’s beyond BUSY during the summer, but the fall is much less crowded and truly gorgeous! The Island Explorer bus makes a stop at this campground, so you can leave your car behind and enjoy the park on bike/foot.

Everything you need for camping can be found in Ellsworth or Bar Harbor, located a few miles in either direction from this campground.

Good site, great location and clean bathhouses.

We loved this campground! Views of ocean by the pool/playground and wild blueberries around the park. The only downside was no reservations and cash only. However the employees were so very nice and there are tons of spots so no issues with finding a spot. I would love to stay here again!

tent sites with no hookups to 220 Rv hookups....clean rest room/shower area recently remodeled. pay 6 nights & 7th free, NO reservations, closest private campground to Acadia NP

for all campers! There are open, grassy electric sites, primitive sites on the water, and lots of sites in the woods too.

there are dog walking areas, swimming pool, laundry, showers, game room, office services, water access, what more could you need?

it is a very large campground so it’s nice that there are a variety of sites. and best of all, the bus stops here!

We love the state parks and unorganized, off the beaten path camping. This is definitely not that! However, for easy access to Bar Harbor and Acadia National Park, the Bar Harbor Campground is a pretty good place to park.

The sites are small and semi-private, flat, well maintained, and you have a choice of water, electric, and even sewer or dry. Each site has a fire ring and picnic table. There are 3 buildings with flush toilets and showers (coin operated) and plenty of hot water. There is a pool, a laundromat, a game room, and a main office. Nearby are restaurants and mini-golf.

Key note: sites are first come first serve and you must pay with cash or check. No credit cards are accepted.

So if you want to be close to the action, don't want to make a reservation, have some cash, and are not looking for a "wilderness" camping experience, the Bar Harbor Campground is a good option.

The campground is first come, first served and has a seventh night free deal. Cash or check only. With a lower cost per night, free wifi, full hookups and a chance for a water view, we decided to take the risk and show up. We had several options to choose from, but that wouldn't have been true during our stay. We saw some pretty big rigs with very awkward setups in smaller, unlevel sites because there weren't any other options when they showed up.

We liked our site. C4 is a pull through with full hookups (30 amp). It was level, clean and a short walk to the water view, shower house, and laundry facility. We also liked how close we were to Bar Harbor, Acadia, and other attractions. Mainely Meats and Udder Heaven ice cream was a quick walk from inside the campground (there was a walking access to them). Across the street from them was Pirates Cove mini golf. We visited each and would definitely recommend as a treat to anyone staying here. The only downside was that they were decreasing their hours and were only open until 8, and if you were out hiking etc it made it an all out sprint to be there before closing. Pirates Cove is open until 9p right now.

We didn't need our WeBoost, the cell signal was fine, and the camp's wifi was great. Laundry was super clean and nice with approx 10 washers and 4 dryers ($1 each). Showers are $.25 for 5 min and were very clean.

We are suckers for pinball and had been eyeing the machine in the little shack arcade when you first pull into the campground. Save your money because most of the games had out of order signs and the pinball machine should have too.

We would definitely stay again and hopefully would be lucky enough to get a water view next time!

My visit was very brief. It was unplanned and got there just before dark. I was surprised that anywhere was still even open. Friendly service but I didn't have a chance to see much. I was in a rush to get my tent set up while I could still see. I managed and got a fire going in the provided ring. Sat for a while watching the fire with the ocean as the background. It poured all night so we took off pretty early. There is so much to see in the area that you won't want to spend much time hanging around in one spot. The prices are high compared to many other maine locations but very fair for the area! I would stay again for sure!