Bar Harbor/Oceanside KOA

The KOA staff were very friendly and helpful, the facilities were very clean, and the store was well-stocked. The sites were a bit close, but the neighbors I had during my stay would be out and about during the day if I didn't happen to be out and about in Acadia NP or Bar Harbor myself... so that kind of made up for it. The first few nights of my stay was spent in the "Premium" section where we were on the other side of the road from the "Oceanfront" sites--it almost felt like Oceanfront sites when Big Rigs weren't blocking the view. The next 5 nights we were at an "Oceanfront" site, which was really great and worth the extra money to watch the seals, birds, and easy access for kayaking. HOWEVER--despite knowing privacy isn't really something you can find at most KOAs, it was SHOCKING to me the lack of social awareness some people have at sunset. Despite being next to the public oceanfront area (where lovely chairs and tables are provided) people would literally walk to the Oceanfront campsites and stand there snapping photos or just hanging around at sunset, even if my husband and I were sitting down at our picnic table eating our dinners and trying to enjoy the sunset together. (Picture provided [with blocked faces) of just one of the couples one evening standing right next to our firepit... maybe 10ft from where we were setting up dinner on our picnic table.) So... be prepared with how to handle that if it's something you think may bother you, too.

The Bar Harbor KOA delivered what it promised, but I am not sure we’d return.  The staff was very friendly and helpful.  They deliver nicely bagged firewood and have daily garbage pickup.  The bathrooms were clean and camp store well stocked.  The Island Explorer bus for Acadia stops at the campground.  There are rv, tent, and cabin options.  Our waterfront site was terrific - gorgeous view, and we could launch our kayaks directly from the site.  The fire pit was big and sturdy.  There were great sunrises and sunsets.   The location is an easy drive for downtown for Bar Harbor, North East Harbor and South West Harbor.

My challenge with the KOA is the sites were so close together.  Everyone was really packed in, with no buffer between sites.  The 339 - 342 sites were literally bumper to bumper.   It is a very busy campground.   If  you are looking for privacy, this is not the place to go.

My family and I stayed at this KOA this past week. It was agreat experience! That staff was awesome and over the top accommodating. We had a pull through site with full hook up right across from the on site Lobster Trap Cafe. The site was spacious and comfortable. The whole campground was neat and clean. Staff members pick up trash throughout the day at all of the sites. The Lobster Trap had a good menu, and great customer service. They are mainly open in the evenings but also appear to serve lunch and breakfast on the weekends. 

The camp store was well stocked also. There is also an island shuttle bus stop right at the entrance to the campground. There is a gas station and take out restaurant ( Island Take Out) right across from the entrance as well. There was a nice dog park as well. Cell service with AT&T was great. Cell service with T-Mobile was spotty. We did not try the campground wifi. The only down side to the trip was gnats and mosquitos, but that was all over the island and no fault of the KOA. This was one of the best KOA's we have visited and we will definitely stay there again when we visit Acadia.

I'm not rhe biggest KOA fan, but they are very convenient! Great little place to sleep. Of you've been to one, you've been to them all! Lots of spots for big and small rigs. Water and electric hook ups too

This is a very well-kept campground. Being in a prime location near a national park, it is both pricey and crowded. The sites are fairly cramped-- not awning-bumping-the-neighbor cramped but you are reminded not to dump your tanks while your neighbor is outside having breakfast. AT&T cell service was good. The Wifi in parts of the campground was very good but not where we were staying(I suspect the access point was having issues). Plenty of amenities and activities for the kids and a good camp store. Our site was very level with good hookups. Given the scenery and the proximity to Bar Harbor and Acadia National Forest, I would definitely recommend.

This KOA has many amenities for families and kids. Lots to do. Daily texts about breakfast, afternoon activities, evening meals. Very helpful office staff! Clean bathrooms and showers. Sites by the water are beautiful, but don’t have sewer hookups (typical for water sites). We are one row back from the water and have a beautiful view. There are chairs to sit by the water and a nice area to swim or put kayaks in. 8 miles to Acadia NP, and easy access to local grocery. Nice place, but don’t like the sites further from water. Just looks like a parking lot. No trees. Just baking in the sun. If you like your site, you can call “dibs” on it for the following year.

Beautiful setting, close to all attractions. Camping is very busy, but doesn’t cause any nuisance. Toilets and showers, however, are small and dirty and don’t get enough (and decent) cleaning.

This spot Is beautiful. No privacy in between spots but in my opinion the short walk to ocean views and sunsets more than makes up for it.

Spent 2 nights here and loved every minute of it. From the amazing sunsets, to the nice tent sites, Bar Harbor KOA impressed us. Quick check-in, free delivery for firewood, hot water for showering.

This is a great little campground, that goes the extra mile in everything they do. From an effortless check in to free delivery of everything from coffee to firewood to cooked lobsters. Looking forward to heading back next year

This campground has beautiful tent sites along the waters edge. The sunsets and sunrises are stunning and the stars at night (some sites have more open sky but at every site you can walk to the tide line OR can walk to the open field) are breathtaking. Nice clean showers. Friendly and helpful staff. The only reason I did not give 5 stars was because of how far away the campground is from Acadia and Bar Harbor attractions. While only 16 minutes away from Acadia itself, it takes about 45 min to get to the Cadillac summit from there as reference. However, before that deters you, the campground was super quiet and peaceful during the fall when I visited. Other campgrounds I have stayed at closer to Acadia have had very noisy campers. That peace and quiet is worth the extra time in my opinion.

We really enjoyed our stay here. It’s definitely worth it to try to get a spot on the waters edge. Gorgeous sunsets every night over the water. It’s not a short drive to Acadia hikes but worth it!

We staid here while visiting Acadia National Park. It’s outside the park, but not too far. While it was very crowded when we were there, we had a spot directly on the water which made it feel more private. The sunsets were absolutely gorgeous. Great bathrooms/showers, and the WiFi worked pretty well.

This is the first campground you can reach once you arrive in Mount Desert island. It 11 miles to Bar Harbor town proper and only 8.7 miles to the Hulls Cove Acadia National Park visitors center and the entrance to the Cadillac Mountain Summit Road.

The campground has a lobster cafe on premises with lobster rolls and lunch and breakfast items as well as lobster dinner and beer and wine. Our site was 225 just a stones throw from the beach and waterfront patio. Facing a western exposure over the water for a fabulous sunset view. There are several waterfront spots of you are luck enough to get one. I loved walking along the small beachfront looking for shells and beach glass (hard to find).

We visited in early October 2020 and the fall foliage was just beginning. A week later might have yielded even more fall colors. The weather was in the 60’s in daytime and 50’s at night. Mornings were crisp and sleep was pleasant if you have a good sleeping bag or wool blanket. There was heavy rain when we arrived. 2 days later there was light rain. Bring lots of layers and rain gear just in case.

People in Maine and visitors were very respectful wearing masks and social distancing even while hiking. Everyone was quiet and family oriented.

Koa store allows purchase of propane and camp wood bundles. Some sites have gray water disposal.

Convenient location on the Ocean close to Arcadia park, friendly people. Our site 361 was perfect we were beside an apple tree and watched the sunset over the water, we will be back again for sure

We stayed there tent camping for several days and loved it. The shuttle service was super convenient and we used it constantly. There was a fisherman who came in with his days catch and made fantastic food. I simply don’t have anything bad to say.

Great location

This is a beautiful campground. Well maintained and right on the water. We loved taking our dogs by the water at low tide. We stayed in site 121. There wasn't any trees, just an open area. This was pull thru, full hook up site. This campground did have the Island Shuttle stop. This is help to get around Bar Harbor or to Acadia when you do not have a car or do not want to take one; however we did not use this amenity. If we were to go back, we would pick the water side sites for the views but they do not have sewer hookups. It was a little bit of a drive to Acadia National Park and the town of Bar Harbor but it was worth the drive. Gorgeous area! Very pet friendly.

So the views from this campground are spectacular, and even if you don't score a waterfront spot, there are places you can walk and explore and get some great pictures. 

There are lots of amenities, lobster shack and on-premise food, games for the kids etc. It is run well and a lot of fun to be in. 

Most of the sites are pretty close together. Many of the sites including all the waterfront ones don't have sewer, which is kind of understandable. You'll have to use a service to get pumped out.

Very very great staff!! Upon arrival we checked in, in the office/store. Then a staff member lead us to our site. We have a 19 ft travel trailer and are not very experienced with backing it up. The staff member was incredible with his directions and helped me back it into a small lot that went down hill and around a corner. I could have hugged him. He was so great and patient with me. The lot was small but was right on the ocean. It was such a beautiful spot. This was the second time we have stayed here and I know we will be back!!

We are tent campers and it’s difficult to find a review on tent sites at many KOAs. We were at site 403 and had family in a camping cabin.
We loved our site. Lots of room for our very large tent! We even put up a hammock and had room to have family over for campfires and meals. Bathrooms were close by and were always clean. It was close enough to the ocean to have a lovely view but not so close that we were swarmed with mosquitoes. Camp staff was fantastic and the stores were great. Loved exploring tide pools too!

Very campground, right on water. Plenty of space on the nicer sites, could be a little more level. We were there in July, mosquitos were terrible! Ad to purchase a screen enclosure to be able to sit outside.

1. Typical private campground with very small sites and packed together.
2. Excellent location!
3. Very clean and up to date.
4. Store, cafe (with limited hours), hot showers, laundry, etc.
5. Expensive.

Typically, a KOA wouldn’t have been my first choice. They tend to be campy and incredibly dense-if I wanted to feel like I was “camping in the ‘burbs” I’d go and tent out at my parents’ backyard. I was pleasantly surprised, however, with Bar Harbor/Woodlands KOA!

Having only planned my Maine getaway only three weeks prior, I was without many choices. I caught a lucky break with this KOA. The grounds provided a comfortable, yet affordable option, while being within close proximity to Bar Harbor, Acadia, and all the amenities Mount Desert Island has to offer.

My site, 735, was wooded and while denser than most state or federal parks I venture to, provided the shade and privacy I enjoy when camping. The facilities were clean and updated- which was actually a nice change for me! Much of the programming was of course geared toward kids and family. One such event included a family-friendly “hayride” that embarked at dusk in search of the infamous “bigfoot”. I got the biggest kick out of the 6 foot cryptid running at me while cleaning dishes.

I also need to give a shout-out to the friendly and helpful staff, who assisted me in a pinch when my car battery died! Kindness is never forgotten!

If you and your loved ones find yourself out in this neck of the woods or planning your own Maine getaway, this is not a bad stop! As a tent camper who enjoys that “woodsy” wilderness feel, I recommend sites 624, 701, 702, 707, 710, 715, and 735. 710 is arguably the best site on the grounds, and 624 provided a combination of solitude and convenience with its “camp kitchen” fixture.

You also have your choice of cabins, classic and deluxe, campers, “glamper” tents and group sites.

This campground is great. It has friendly and accommodating staff, clean ground and beautiful views and access to the water (great for sunsets). In addition, this campground is close to everything Acadia National Park has to offer. I highly recommend this campground.

You should know that the view is not an ocean view. This campgrounds view is a bay view. The beach is a rocky small beach. Good for the kids to go exploring but you wouldn't want to swim in it. We stayed for 6 nights at this KOA as we used it as a basecamp to tour Bar Harbor and Acadia National park. Instead of bringing our camper we actually stayed in the cabins this time. They were air conditioned. You didn't need the air for how hot it was but it was humid and loud. Seemed like every few days this KOA had campers depart and another crew came in. Where we were was in the middle of it all. The employees were very nice and helpful to get information and maps. The store was great. Had lots of supplies in case you forgot and pretty good prices.

It was great! Friendly staff, campers, amenities, activities and water views. We've now been bitten by the camping bug!

This is a great location with great views on the protected site of the island. However, the spots are really small. I feel like we are right on top of each other. And not all the sites have sewer hookups.

my daughter begs to camp here. As with any KOA they have lots of activities throughout the day for families, and a pool, but she loves the ice pop contest. if you find a painted rock and bring it to the office you get a free ice pop. it’s the simple things in life, right? we tent camp, without power, so we are way out back. no car noise, Private, a bit of a walk to the showers and bathrooms but the privacy is worth it. the staff are always super nice and they sell ice and fIrewood which I always seem to need!

Stayed in one of their cabins out of season and really enjoyed it. Not far from the best Acadia hiking (like 20 minutes), has a nice view of the ocean, and the campground is well maintained and clean and everyone is very friendly. Would stay again. Tip: Don’t buy their firewood ($8), there’s tons of bundles being sold on the side of the road for half the price and double the wood!