Best Tent Camping near Boothbay Harbor, ME

Camping on in the Duck Harbor Campground is nearly the stuff of legends. This remote island off the coast of Maine only has 5 campsites in this part of Acadia National Park, and reservations are required. The Park’s website describes this in classic Park Service understatement, “Duck Harbor Campground is very popular. Please plan your trip in advance.” What they mean is if you don’t go online within 10 minutes of opening day, April 1st, at 10 am EST, you will miss your chance to stay here for the whole year. You won’t be the first to get denied and certainly not the last. You might however, get lucky if you’re in the area for long enough and there is a sudden cancellation. 

I believe I’m right in saying that the hype is worth it here, more than just because it’s difficult to get here and difficult to get a reservation. This is a beautiful place to camp and an amazing island to explore by bike, by kayak, and on foot.

Each of the 5 sites offers a classic lean-to structure with a campfire ring and a picnic table. But it’s not the site which makes this place so special. Sticking out into the Gulf of Maine, this is one of the most remote islands with established camping and recreational trails on the coast. It feels like another world entirely than Mount Dessert Island, where the rest of Acadia National Park is located. By comparison, MDI feels like Central Park.

There is fresh water a short walk away from the campground, and a bear proof food storage locker at each lean-to. Mosquitoes can be bad during the summer, so I would recommend bringing a bug net or small backpacking tent which you could set up in the lean-to for more protection and privacy. 

Getting to the island is possible through the daily mailboat which goes directly to Duck Harbor from Stonington, but the best way to get there is to paddle up in a sea kayak as we did!

Desert of Maine campground is an excellent choice just 4-5 miles from the heart of Freeport at interstate exit # 22. This campground is well-imagined. Sites are close together, and some are small. There are 2 hike-in sites which are set apart. Wifi is provided throughout the campground and most sites have power. They must have studied "best practices" when designing this lovely campground. 

I booked an extra night.

This is an outdoor experience campground- not a wilderness adventure -- but perfect for young families…especially for those new to camping or those for whom a very sanitary classic bathroom is needed.Children find and entertain each other in the common area.

Sites 19-27 face a shared square with excellent access to the modern and stylish bath house. Other sites have a somewhat further walk. Sites 17-27 are best for tents due to the configuration of the sites.. Tent sites # 2 & # 3 are short walk-in and very private, but lack easy access to the bath house. Almost all sites in this campground have shade and are under a beautiful canopy of old pine, maple and balsam.

Site 24 is lovely & slightly set apart and cars are parked close by but not on the tent site. Site 27 is located down a steep slope and is very private but has difficult access. I would categorize site 27 as a hike-in site, but not # 24.  All sites are generally level and have been graded. Sites have scant privacy in front, but back up to forest. Sites 4, 6,17, 19, 23 & 26 have slightly more space but space is not the defining issue in this campground. RV's that are large should not try this campground. The maintenance is superb; and the thoughtful design of the overall campground is aesthetically pleasing. 

This attractive campground is small-scale and personally managed. 

Ice is available for purchase…as is wood. 

Beware of speed trap on the 2 mile access road between the interstate & campground.

This campground was in the woods and was well maintained. The campsites definitely felt like they were on top of each other and are pretty small. We picked a medium one and could barely fit 2 tents and 2 cars with a safe distance from the fire. 2 sites were within 15ft of our fire pit. The bathrooms were very clean. The lake was nice too, sandy beaches. For a large portion of our stay it torrentially downpoured. The trees allowed us to canopy a tarp but our fire pit completely flooded and we had to bail it out when the rain finally stopped. If the sites weren't so close together and small I would definitely give this place 5 stars.

I recently stayed at the Tiny Cabins of Maine with my family for two nights, opting for their tent camping site. From the moment we arrived, the host's warm welcome made us feel right at home. Despite some distant road noise at night, the overall ambiance was serene and beautiful. The tent camping amenities, including the pop-up toilet and sturdy wooden platform, were thoughtfully provided. The fire pit and picnic table were perfect for evening gatherings, and the hammock added an extra touch of relaxation. We enjoyed the pub's games and even tried our hand at axe throwing. Kayaking in the pond was a highlight, thanks to the convenient dock. While the trails required attention to follow, the directional signs helped. Overall, I highly recommend Tiny Cabins of Maine for a memorable small family retreat, and we're already looking forward to returning in the future.

Boothbay Harbor is a cute coastal Maine town and Shore Hills Campground is a great location for visiting the downtown and other Maine towns like Wiscasset and Easy Boothbay. Shore Hills has a wide variety of sites that can accommodate everything from the biggest size RV to tents. The great thing about this campground is that there is a such a large selection of sites that you pretty much can get what you want. 

Some of their 30-amp waterfront sites come with great views. They also have some sites tucked in the woods that are super wide with huge patios and lots of privacy between you and your neighbor and great for families or large gatherings. The 50-amp full hook-up sites towards the front of the park are closer together with not as much privacy and near the road so you get some of that noise. The last we time we stayed there we were in a long pull-thru in the front which was$59/night. Our site had a wooden deck with a picnic table on it. The deck was nice but I had to be careful where I parked so my steps cleared the porch. Each site has its own garbage can which I super convenient. Hook-ups at our site worked fine and were well-placed and easy to connect to. The wifi was a joke and we got frustrated and gave up. Not sure if it is any better in other areas of the park but it seems to be a common complaint that they tend not to fix. On the other hand, the cable had lots of channels and a great HD picture. The roads to our site were easy to navigate with our 45’ RV and tow car but the check-in area near the office is very small and tight and at times, it was very backed up and RV’s were out on the main road. During certain times of the year, the park offers a shuttle service to and from downtown which is nice because parking can be expensive(from$7-$20). There are free parking spots downtown but they are few and far between and limited to 2-4 hours. 

The park has a short trail across to an island which our dog loved to run around on and jump in the water. The tides are crazy in Maine so be careful if you use the boat launch that you don’t get stuck on a mud flat when the 9-11’ tide disappears. Nearby is the Ovens Mouth Preserve which has great hiking and nice water views and is just one of many nature preserves in the area which all are very nice, well-marked, well-maintained, and dog-friendly. 

You have to stop at Bet’s Fish Fry for the best fried fish and chips you have ever had. Bring a beer or two and enjoy eating your food on the picnic tables in the nearby park. Another good place to visit is the Boothbay Craft Brewery Company which has good beer and pizza. They also have a small RV park but the sites are pretty close together. Pinkhams Gourmet Market has a nice selection of prepared items, meats, seafood, and gourmet items but for fresh lobster we head down to the waterfront to Atlantic Edge Lobster.

The sites here are nicely wooded and have a decent amount of separation between most of them BUT the campground is located too close to the road and, with the exception of sites 84-87 and cabins 8-10, you will hear road noise in your site. Options are 10 rustic cabins, tent sites, partial and FHU sites. 

The bathhouse was very clean and there are both outdoor and indoor showers; both looked nice although we did not use them. 

I thought $50 for a tent site was a little steep but it was all the potential extra fees that irked me:

*$30 site lock to ensure you get the site you want when you reserve. I took a chance and was able to get the site I reserved without paying this fee

*$4 weather guarantee (allows you to cancel due to inclement weather). I didn’t bother with this one

*7.95 if you need to hook up to WiFi. We were able to use our own portable WiFi

*$10 to use the dump station (we found another place that charged $5) 

Aside from the fees and proximity to the road, this is a nice campground with a host of amenities: pool (which I was surprised was still open on October 1), horseshoes, laundry, dishwashing sink, a playground, and trash pick-up at your site. There is also a path to the shore with picnic tables, and chairs. Repairs to the sea wall are in progress so caution was recommended.

I have come to Camden many times and have always loved it being in the area. The town is charming and there is so much to do in the immediate area and the surrounding towns of Rockland, Rockport, Owls Head, Lincolnville, and Belfast . . . just to name a few. One of the best parts of coming to Camden is Camden Hills State Park.

Overall, this is a really great park. Camden Hills State Park is located three miles from downtown Camden but the 5,700 acres provide you with that serene feeling that comes with being in the peaceful woods. We arrived just a few days after the park opened for the season so the campground was especially quiet. Our large back-in site was set in an open sunny area but most of the sites are nicely tucked into the woods with plenty of space between them. One of the real pluses of this park were the miles and miles of hiking trails just outside our doorstep. Driving the tour road to the summit of Mt. Battie (elevation 800') is a must and the views are spectacular (especially for watching the sunrise). If you would like to burn a few calories try hiking the trail to the top for a truly rewarding experience.

Sites and patios are gravel and level with a picnic table and fire pit. Approximately, half the sites have water and 30/50 amp electric and the others are no hookups. The campgrounds website has a very helpful map showing which sites are reservable and what they offer. There is a dump station and water spigots are scattered throughout the campground. Free showers are located in the bathhouse/restrooms and were clean.

For television watchers, there is no cable and satellite can be difficult due to trees. There are nine sites (55 - 63) located in an open field that may be able to pick up satellite. Our antenna found one major network and a few PBS stations. The Verizon signal on our phone and wifi on our hotspot were strong. The park does have free wifi at most campsites and the signal was very strong. (Sites #68-81 do not have wifi).

Reservations can be made on-line but only about half of the sites are reservable leaving the other half for walk-ups. I would advise making reservations if you want to stay over a weekend or during the summer season as this park really fills up. You can stay up to 14 days which would definitely require a reservation in the summer. Although the park accommodates larger RV's, there are a limited number of sites for those over 35 feet and the gravel roads are easy to navigate in a big rig. There are really no amenities at this park other than the tour road to Mt. Battie, a swing set from the 1970's, a picnic shelter, and the trails.

Camden should be on everyone's list of places to see if you are traveling the Maine coast. Within 10 miles are great museums like the Farnsworth Art Museum, the Maine Lighthouse Museum, the Sail, Power, and Steam Museum, and others. There are attractive lighthouses and great restaurants. In neighboring Rockport is Shepherds Pie - one of our favorite restaurants and the Market Basket a great shop for pastries, sandwiches, wine, and coffee. Downtown Camden has a great wine and cheese shop called Lily, Lupine, and Fern and excellent clam chowder at Cappy's Chowder House. If you are looking for a great place to paddle or cool off in the crisp Maine water, check out Lake Megunticook just five miles away from the state park.

What we really liked was the convenient location to downtown Camden and other cute towns, there are hiking trails just outside your doorstep, and you are within five miles of a grocery, restaurants, attractions, etc. The sites are large and have nice privacy. And the price was right at $27/night.