Best Glamping near Cranberry Isles, ME

My wife and I stayed at Somes Sound for 4 nights on our Maine honeymoon trip in July. We absolutely loved our stay. We set up at camp site 9. Incredible view of the sound/water. Our site was large enough for a 12 person tent with plenty of room for pop up canopy and other gear. We had electricity and water right at the site. The staff is very friendly and informative. The campground has a heated pool which was nice after hikes and being out all day. The grounds also have a small quarry with a paddle boat you can use for free! It's a older boat but was nice to have for a quick boat ride. The bathrooms were some of our favorite we have used, the toilets are separated into their own rooms for maximum privacy. Hot showers are $1 for 5 minuets and were separated into their own rooms as well. Very clean. The campground also offers yurt camping and water sites, which are extremely close to the water and beautiful. We went down to the water at night and sat on the dock, it was an amazing experience with the stars and sky so clear. Kayak rentals are located right at the campground which was so convenient, the views were insane! The campground is located outside of Bar Harbor and is on the quiet side which we enjoyed just as much as Bar Harbor and Acadia. Highly recommend this campground for a getaway or family trip!

Mid-Coast Maine is a place where you can spend a day on any body of water, club mountains, scale rocks, camp, and more. From Acadia to downeast, Maine is sure to keep you busy. Seawall campground is a great stop camp for a summer of activities. A little expensive but worth the price. If you want to save a buck save your trip for the off-season. Quieter camping, less traffic, and still I am ton to do!

the campground was normal with nothing special, however, the park continues across the street and onto Maine rocky shoreline with access along the water which makes the entire thing more than worth it! the town is also quaint and everything Maine with ice cream on a pier and lobster boats galore! I’d go again!

A good stop for a quick night. its about 30-40 mins from the main park but had nice size spaces and clean facilities. A little buggy but met expectations as a national park.

Stayed here on a trip around Maine last summer, 2014. This site was quiet and had plenty of room between camps. Bathrooms and showers were clean. The Rangers were very nice.
Stayed with a group of four and we had a great time!
Highly recommended!

We stayed at the tent walk in sites (D25) The sites are close together but otherwise, well maintained. There are two wheelbarrows usually loated near the bathroom to help move gear as many of the sites are walk in.

Back behind D25 area there is a path that leads to the RV sites (which are even closer together). On that path is a mound o free firewood to take an armfull each day. But I would bring firewood as a backup as it sometimes is empty.

No showers at the campground, but there is a store just up the road towards Southwest Harbor. They have hot showers *bring quarters) and most camping items you may have forgotten or broken.

The seawall area also gets very good sunrise and sunset views out on the rocks. There are a bunch of day use sites out there with fire rings, so you can cook on the wall at sunset.

There's also a lot of good hiking you can get to on that side of the island without going all the way back to the main park.

You can buy your park pass at the ranger station when you check in so you don't need to go to the main gate or visitor center to get one.

We stayed in one of the walk in sites (D97) and it wasn’t a bad walk at all. We could see the car from our site. The restrooms and the site were clean. The campground was quiet but the sites are small and close together. I really didn’t want to hear the book that my neighbor was reading to her children, but I had no choice.

Acadia is a beautiful park with hiking, biking, kayaking, and swimming. Seawall is located on the quiet side of the island, a little drive from the main(e) attractions, but the calmness of the campground and the surrounding area is worth it. I even said to my husband shortly after we arrived how Id heard Acadia is so busy in the summer, but this isn’t bad. Then we drove to the Hull’s Cove visitor center and found all the people.

There is no cell signal in most of the park so I recommend bringing a guide book with you or downloading information ahead of time. I also recommend making use of the Island Explorer buses. Many of the areas along the Park Loop Road have limited parking. There were no spots at Sand Beach at 9am. Overall, I would stay at this Campground again on my next trip to Acadia.

This campground is a slice of heaven. Owners are terrific, and although the campground seemed full, everyone was quiet and respectful. Lots of fun stuff for the kids including live music. Try to snag the oceanfront sites - they are incredible. Location is great too for exploring mid coast Maine.

This was the perfect location to explore the mid Maine coast. The camp sites are large and well spaced apart. Bathrooms were clean. We loved the view from the top of Mt. Battie. Definitely check out the trails along the ocean. Mt. Battie Take Out is a great stop after a long day of exploring.

This was my second time going to Seawall campground, I had such a great experience last year I wanted to go back! I love the back-country feel of the hike-in campsites (loop D). For stargazers, the short walk across the street to the beach will give you some unbelievable views of the milky way when the night is at peak darkness. 

A short drive to the main part of the park & far enough away so that it's not crowded during busy weekends. Just remember to bring a ton of bug repellent, or opt to go during the months where bugs are less mild.

Seawall Campground is the quieter of the two main island campgrounds in Acadia National Park and as a campground experience, for us, the middle experience of the three in quality.

This is a very quiet campground that tends to attract quieter and more respectful campers, and a larger percentage of tent campers than the other two locations. Sites are close together and densely wooded. Privacy is a bit of a lottery here. While campsites are deep and set off the road, some of them open up to each other at the rear points of each site, providing the illusion of privacy toward the road but much less privacy in reality. Others are very private and would feel as if you had no neighbors at all.

For privacy concerns, avoid the interior campsites however possible: They are completely open not only to one another, but the restroom trails actually go through the middle of many of these campsites, meaning you can expect foot traffic within a few yards of your site at all hours of the day. The exterior loops are the way to go here.

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INTERNET: Of the three campgrounds at Acadia National Park, internet here was the most challenging. We were able to find a spot in our campsite that allowed Starlink to work with 23% obstructions. That is far too high a percentage of obstructions for use without intermittent down time rendering it unusable for video chats, streaming, and other related work, though it's good enough for quick tasks if you don't mind frequent drops in service. T-Mobile and Verizon did not provide any service here.

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MAJOR PROS: Welcome 2 the Quiet Side! That's the sign that a nearby roadside business flashes at you as you enter the Seawall camping area, and it is accurate. Seawall Campground is very quiet compared with its sister site Blackwoods on the other side of the island. So quiet, in fact, that you can hear the ocean breeze and the crash of waves from the exterior campsites during quiet hours. A very pleasant way to sleep.

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Like Blackwoods, the restrooms at Seawall are dated and about half of them were out of order during our stay. The lack of internet is frustrating for full-timers who might need it for work or use it more heavily for recreation while traveling, but there are several roadside pull-offs with spectacular ocean views, as well as the Seawall Picnic area just outside the campground, where Starlink will work flawlessly. But cell service is basically a no-go here, at least for T-Mobile and Verizon.

Many other reviewers have reported seeing Moose near or in the campground here. No such luck for us, but we did see dozens of deer (big and small) in this location; by far the most wildlife of any of the three Acadia campgrounds.

There are several nice and easy hikes nearby, but all the hikes in this area are very heavily trafficked from dawn on, seemingly every day.

Seawall is a 30-40 minute drive to the main attractions at Acadia, putting it behind Blackwoods but ahead of Schoodic Woods for convenience.

The nearby town of Southwest Harbor is smaller and less busy than Bar Harbor on the other side of the island, but provides access to all necessary provisions. Ellsworth, where you'll find the nearest Wal Mart, Home Depot, and several restaurants, is about 35 minutes away.

Like Schoodic Woods and Blackwoods, Seawall does not host any campground showers, but there are privately owned and highly-rated pay showers about 1 mile outside the campground that run about $3 for 5 minutes of hot water in private stalls. This is also a place to grab ice and vending snacks.

Overall, Seawall is a good-but-not-great campground with dated facilities and variable privacy depending on your site selection. Minus points for lack of internet access and older amenities, plus points for living up to its name as the "quiet" side of the main Acadia Island. This would not be my first choice for camping in Acadia National Park (that'd go to Schoodic), but is an excellent middle ground for those who still want peace-and-quiet and don't mind a bit of a drive to the main attractions, without having to make that drive an all day, gas guzzling affair.

Lamoine State Park represents the way most Maine state parks should operate. Way ahead of both Camden Hills and Cobscook with regard to cleanliness and upkeep. Showers were surprisingly good and often cleaned.

There are two non-reservable sites right on the Bay--- do try for one of those when you check in…just in case.

The public dock is an interesting spot to watch in the evening as boats are unloaded.

One more thing-- bring your charcoal for the grills along the Bayfront. 

RV's seem to be up higher on the hill while tents prevail lower down.

46 & 48 seem like good sites. Many sites are not level. Some also are grass covered rather than gravel so you might inquire if it is important to avoid a grassy site.

Great campground. Bigger than we expected. Our site looked right over the water. Direct access to Maine's rocky shore. Everything you need to be comfortable including hot showers and bathrooms cleaned three times a day. A basic rec room, playground, beautiful gardens, clean sites. Rvs are so close together and some seasonal snobs, but also tent sites some drive up and some walk to more private/dispersed. Small store friendly staff. Some sites have a wooden deck for picnic area overlooking water. Laundry, wifi, made it an easy week. We had rain and wind a couple nights, tarp went over tent as not permitted in trees. Just fine. We will definitely be coming back.

Calling Searsport Ocean Shores a campground is a disservice. This is a community. Astrig and Steve take their time to personally know each guest and make everybody’s experience amazing. The grounds are beautifully kept, and gives the campground a magical, whimsical feel. The local artists take the time to explain their craft to the guests and especially the children. My children made some great friends and gained some beautiful memories here. On our way out we had some trouble with our electric entry steps. Steve and another member of the community came and helped us out until we were able to rectify the problem. We will definitely be back annually. Don’t skip out on this place, it is a must stay while in Maine!

Camden Hills wouldn't be our first choice, but we were returning to Maine to retrieve our trailer after some truck trouble, and wanted something close to where we left the trailer. Sites were pretty picked out by the time I made plans. so I chose a "Medium" site and hoped for the best.

It was tricky getting our 20' trailer into site 13. I'm not the best trailer driver (long truck, short trailer) but I do get lucky from time to time. I backed the trailer in between the trees as a neighbor laughed, trying to avoid the culvert for the stream which would have been a disaster. The truck/trailer wouldn't fit, so once the trailer was parked and leveled, I "parallel parked" the truck to get it off the road.

I had a Falcon Guide to the Maine trails, and that, along with the park map, allowed us to do a nice loop of Mts. Battie and Megunticook. In order to not block the site, we packed up and asked to park in the "overflow" lot near the park shops.

Some of the turns in the roads were a little rough for bigger trailers, but we did okay. The dump station is further in the campground, so don't try to leave and miss it. Wifi seemed pretty strong but we kept turning it off. I didn't ask about how much it costs. 

Camden was a nice town; parking was problematic. The campground is about 2 miles from town, so not close enough to walk. It seemed like there were a lot of portapotties around, but that could be due to the Mt. Battie auto road traffic. We didn't try the bathrooms or showers.

Try to do your homework regarding sites, and anyone with a trailer should try to get a large one.

 As with all real estate, location, location ! The camp is well situated amongst many Maine towns all of which are worth a visit to. Camden is around 1 1/2 miles and is a nice place to spend a few hours walking around and enjoy New England. Booth Bay harbor is also a very nice town to visit along with Belfast.

The hiking trails at Camden are all excellent trails and going up to the summit of Mt. Beattie is worth the hike or if you ant there is the summit road with parking available.

From the summit are some spectacular views that shouldn’t be missed.

The sites aren’t all that level but they’re close. The bathrooms are somewhat dated but they were clean. The staff is very friendly and very helpful.

Camden Hills State Park was our third camping stop along Maine's coast and all three were wonderful. Our schedule allowed us to stay here only one night (disappointing!), but we loved this campground. Our site (74) felt private and was so beautiful among all the trees. While we didn't get to take advantage of the hiking trails, we drove up to Mt. Battie (part of this park) and the views were phenomenal! Had another friendly, helpful ranger check us in and, again, super clean bathrooms and showers. We explored the area a bit; loved Camden and headed down to Rockland to the Farnsworth Museum -- all within an easy drive. Also drove out to Owl's Head Point, but the fog overtook it. I bet it's super cool on a clearer day. Loved this place!

Famous Seawall Campground is divided into four loops. I can only review loops A & B where I have stayed…although I did look quickly at loop C which has a parking lot configuration and doesn’t have the character of loops A & B which are in the woods. Stay at Seawall if you can possibly do so. It’s unique. 

Loop A has a few sites that have been closed this season and hopefully they will open next year. Site A-1 is hands down the closest to the ocean by just a bit…a very easy walk and a good level site medium size. I would vouch for sites A-4 ADA; A-18; A-20; A-28; A-33; A-36; A-37; A-38 which seem nicer and flatter than others. Sites 24 & 25 are configured for adjoining families or friends without being group sites. A-10 & A-12 are very small sites.  Firepits are generous in size.

In loop B the best sites are generally on the outer, not the inside of the ring. Firepits are also large in this loop.There is one bathroom without showers, but it has been rebuilt or remodeled. There is no soap or hand dryer but the main thing is that the bathroom is very clean and modern as well as easily accessible from al points in the loop. Some of the sites inside the roadbed are adjacent to standing water which surely is a mosquito hazard. It gets swampy on the inside of the ring during rains…B-2, B-4, B-6 might flood. Best sites in loop B are: B-1 highest in elevation;  B-8 excellent privacy; B-13; B-26 & B-27. Spacious sites B-8; B-26; B-27 have the most privacy. B-15 & B-16 are meant to work well for adjoining parties. Site 22 is well set into the woods. Sites B-5, B-4, B-6; B-24 are small - of these B-24 is the best. Site B-2 is not private at all.

Southwest Harbor and Bass Harbor are the closest villages. Don’t forget to scout out the view from the upper town dock on Clark Point Road on the way to Beal’s restaurant. Look for a narrow lane to the dock--- great harbor view there…of the working harbor.

The most reliable area wifi is in Southwest Harbor village behind the town’s library (near the village public restrooms which are badly maintained.) On any given afternoon one can find the vehicles of Seawall campers parked behind the library using the wifi…this continues into the night, at least in summer.

Seawall has no wifi reception at all and no shower facilities. Nor any soap dispensers in the bathrooms. 

What it does have is location, location, location--- steps from the ocean. It’s a stone beach as with so many in Maine, not a sand beach; but, there are plenty of picnic tables and endless tide pools to explore.