Cabins and cottage rental options near Hulls Cove provide alternatives to traditional RV sites during the May through October camping season. Located on Maine's eastern seaboard, Hulls Cove sits at sea level with tidal fluctuations averaging 10-12 feet. Access roads to campgrounds in the region remain open throughout the season, with heaviest traffic occurring between mid-June and Labor Day.
What to do
Visit Schoodic Peninsula: Located approximately 45 minutes from most Narrows Too Camping Resort sites, this less crowded section of Acadia National Park offers similar granite landscapes without the tourist density. "You are just a few miles from the bridge that takes you to Mt. Desert Island where you have Acadia National Park and the towns of Bar Harbor, Northeast Harbor, Southwest Harbor, and a few other quaint little towns at your fingertips. But, drive the other way and you will get to explore Ellsworth, Blue Hill, Surry, Schoodic Peninsula and much more."
Explore local farms and wineries: Several organic farms and small wineries operate within 10-15 minutes of West Bay Acadia RV Campground, providing fresh produce and tasting opportunities. The campground maintains a community garden where guests can harvest vegetables and herbs for personal use. "We love the free community garden which has a wonderful selection of produce including strawberries, tomatillos, fresh herbs, beans, lettuces, etc. Feel free to pick whatever you will eat, just leave some for others."
Kayak tidal waters: Watercraft rentals available at multiple campgrounds for paddling during appropriate tide cycles. "The camp store rents two-person kayaks and canoes for a very reasonable price of ($10/hour and $5 for additional hours). However, you have about a four-hour window to paddle because of the tides. You will be left walking across muddy soft clam flats if you are not mindful of the 10-12 foot tides."
What campers like
Stargazing opportunities: The region's minimal light pollution creates exceptional night sky viewing. "Another great thing about this park is that it is a certified dark sky park. Campers are asked to turn outside lights off so there is no light noise to interfere with the beautiful sky full of stars, planets, and meteor showers."
Secluded camping options: Greenlaw's RV Park & Campground provides larger site spacing than typical for the region. "If you are looking for pools and activities this is not the place for you. This is a no frills campground and is absolutely wonderful. It is quiet and so peaceful. We stayed is site U1 which was fantastic. Last site on the deadend road and was very secluded."
Winter Harbor location: Small coastal towns near some rv campgrounds Hulls Cove, Maine offer quieter alternatives to Bar Harbor crowds. "If you're looking for a camp site close to Acadia without the crowd, look to MainStay in Winter Harbor. About an hours drive to the main Acadia but just 5 minutes to the Schoodic Peninsula."
What you should know
Laundry facilities vary: Not all campgrounds offer on-site laundry, and water quality may affect usage. "The rust level is high in this campground so I didn't feel comfortable washing laundry. The pool is ok but no beverages of any kind are allowed."
Seasonal price variations: Rates at Timberland Acres RV Park and other campgrounds fluctuate significantly between shoulder seasons and peak periods. "We originally booked at Narrows Too but they had to cancel the morning we were scheduled to arrive due to a water issue. Booked at Timberland as a last minute option and was pleasantly surprised! It is so quiet. The bathrooms/showers were very clean. Everyone is friendly and most campers are seasonal. It's about 15-20mins to the park. We also saved about $120 overall since most of the campgrounds in the park are more expensive."
Site terrain considerations: Many campgrounds feature gravel pads with varying degrees of levelness. "My site wasn't even raked before arrival and there were lots of leaves and debris on the site. We camped here in late May 2019 so maybe they were still working on cleaning up after the winter (wet spring)."
Tips for camping with families
Pool availability: Limited campgrounds offer swimming pools, important for families seeking recreational options. "The kids loved playing on the playground and going down to the water at low tide. There is a kayak launch as well, and pool, but both were closed since we came in at the end of season."
Age-appropriate campgrounds: Some locations cater specifically to adult campers with minimal children's amenities. "I would primarily recommend this campsite for retirees and couples without children. The park doesn't offer many kid-friendly amenities beyond the pool, so families with young children might find it lacking in entertainment options."
Restaurant proximity: Pumpkin Patch RV Resort and other campgrounds provide varying access to family-friendly dining. "You are about fifteen minutes to downtown Bangor which has some good restaurants(we like Timber Kitchen and Bar and Blaze), a casino, and a large outdoor concert venue which has big name musical acts throughout the summer."
Tips from RVers
Tidal awareness: Oceanfront sites experience dramatic tidal fluctuations affecting views and water access. "We upgraded to the oceanfront sites and though we enjoy camping on the water, the waterfront sites are very expensive and very close together. Also, while the tide is out it's just a gross area of mud, muck, and rocks. We couldn't even kayak because the tide is that dramatic."
Site selection strategy: Request specific sites based on facility proximity and road noise. "I would recommend requesting a site other than 66 or 67 because it backs right up to the water pump system for the RV park, which is quite loud when the pump turns on and off."
Wi-Fi reliability: Connection quality varies significantly between campgrounds, with some providing robust service for video streaming. "Our Verizon 4G phone and Hotspot worked great but we mostly used their free wifi which worked very well."
