Best RV Parks & Resorts near Southwest Harbor, ME

I will say that my preferred camp site is one that is heavily wooded, where I can hardly see my neighbors and where I have some view of something impressively beautiful. I have a small camper and two young kids so on long camp trips I appreciate a place with RV hook-ups. This place may not offer a heavily wooded area where I can't see my neighbors but it makes up for it for everything else it offers. It's right on the ocean, it has gardens and secret nooks where you can sit and make a fire. It has a beautiful art studio. It has a play room and play ground that kept my children entertained for hours so I could read. The other campers were so pleasant that I had no issues with being close to them. I had the lobster dinner they offered and it was excellent. I will come back again.

We enjoyed a four day stay. If you don’t need a full hook up, you can stay closer to the lake, which we will do next time. The campground is clean, has good amenities, and the people who own it are very nice and helpful. Our site was also very level.

This is a large campground, right on Mount Desert Island, about 8 miles from Acadia NP. Most of the sites are pretty close together, but we got a site on the water with lots of room. Water and 30-amp electric, some are full hook up, and a dump station. The site was easy to get into, and reasonably level. Lots of shade, and a steady breeze off the water. Bathrooms and showers are clean and large, though slightly aged. There is a pool, playground and laundry. Close to good seafood too!

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.

This is one of the best campgrounds we have visited in many years. This small campground opened in 2021 and has amazing waterfront views and nice full hook-up sites. Rob and Peggy are wonderful campground owners who are super engaging and friendly. They take lots of pride in the campground and have planned group events like lobster and oyster dinners, campfires and music, and are always available or answer your questions or provide information on the local area. Definitely check out their website which has an extensive amount of information about the campground and local activities. West Bay has a great online reservation system that lets you see what sites are available and pictures of each site so you can pick what works best for you. Sites range in price from$125-165/night depending on the season (with possible additional charges for electricity usage). 

There are 26 sites in this terraced campground all of which have full hook-up with a water view. Sites in the Woodlands Section(and#18) have nice tall trees for shade; whereas, the others are in full sun. Most sites have two sewer hook-ups which is convenient because hook ups vary depending on RV type. Roads and campsites are gravel and all sites are level. There is no cable but the Wi-Fi is so awesome that you are given free reign to stream, zoom, or surf without restrictions (in fact they pride themselves on their great Wi-Fi). 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. There is no bathhouse so all units must be self-contained. The campground is right on the water and there is a nice path leading to an overlook and down to the water which is tidal. There is a beautiful cleared spot at the waters edge with a swing so you can enjoy the view and watch the tides (and seals come and go). Make sure you wake up early and head down to the point because the sunrises are spectacular. They were super smart and put in an outdoor shower so you can rinse the salt water off. Rental kayaks and paddle boards are available or you can bring your own and leave it down at the waters edge. Just make sure you paddle around high tide or else you will be slogging your watercraft through a soft mucky clam flat. 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. Recently added is a short nature trail and off leash dog park. 

The campground is approximately 45 minutes from downtown Bar Harbor and the main section of Acadia National Park. Just ten minutes away is the Schoodic Woods section of Acadia– a less busy and equally beautiful area of the National Park. Plus, there are many nearby nature preserves and public lands that have great hiking. There is a wonderful organic farm down the road and a couple of local wineries are nearby. The nearby town of Gouldsboro has a delicious little ice cream stand and the Pickled Wrinkle restaurant serves great food. Live lobster can be bought off the dock at the nearby town of Corea.

Jonesport Campground is a little campground on the coast of Maine with excellent ocean views. The views are quintessential Maine with lobster boats bobbing in the water and the tides moving in and out. If you like hanging out in the unpopulated rural areas of Downeast Maine, then this is the place for you. Off Route 1, drive south for ten miles and you come to the end of the peninsula where the campground is located. The campground is small with some 20 or so campsites in a loop with some sites right on the water and others behind them. About a third seasonal campers who mentioned they have been coming there for many years. Electricity is 30 amp and there is no sewer or potable water (so make sure you fill up before you come. Roads are gravel and have a few potholes. The campground is low and flat so there is a bit of standing water after it rains. Sites are gravel/grass/dirt with a picnic table and fire pit. There is a vault toilet and a port a potty. There is also a honey wagon service that comes around weekly if you need it. A dumpster is onsite for trash. Our Verizon phone and hotspot worked well. Not sure about over-the-air television because we used our portable Dish satellite because we had a clear view to the sky. 

Since you are right on the ocean, it can get quite windy so be sure not to leave your awning out if you go away. Screen rooms are a good idea because the black flies and mosquitos in Maine can be quite pesky in the spring and summer. There is no website or online reservation service so you have to call the town office (207-263-8315 or 207-263-6576) to talk to the campground manager. 

Jonesport has a hardware store, small grocery store, two places to get pizza and a few other shops scattered here or there. You are best to bring everything you need (you can stock up in the grocery in Columbia Falls before you head south off route one). The nearby town of Milbridge is bigger with a grocery, laundry, shops, hardware store, fuel, and restaurants. Bar Harbor and Acadia National Park are about an hour and a half away.  Schoodic Woods section of Acadia NP is approximately an hour away.  The best thing about this campground are the views. If you have a kayak, definitely bring it because this is a great place to paddle. This is definitely not an RV resort and not for everyone, but if you like a rustic campground in a beautiful place, check out Jonesport Campground.

Pro Shade Safe Staff lovely Easy off highway Easy entrance to RV park Park is old but hosts doing their best to keep mowed etc. well we only had sand and pine needles.

Con: pay for wifi Space so so close Spaces sand and not level Utilities on odd side so we had to buy extensions to reach. We had no private outdoor space . The full timers have great spots. Maneuvering is tricky due to lots trees and lots close rv’s.

Nice level site, easy to back into. Covered table and a fire pit you can cook on. Lots of apples. They have wood, ice, and beverages for sale in office. There’s a boat dock and a short trail along the coast with benches to watch the sunset. Electric and water hook ups in trailer sites. Laundry in camp with 1 washer and dryer, but we had no trouble getting our laundry done.

Overall, this is a great little private RV park with awesome views (from some sites) and great access to the ocean. The park is conveniently located just a few miles from downtown Belfast (a sweet little Maine town) which offers plenty to do and see. Plus, you are just five miles from the cute town of Searsport which houses the wonderful Penobscot Marine Museum and two miles from Moose Point State Park with hiking trails, picnic areas, and more gorgeous views.

The park offers a variety of sites (44 total) depending on if you want oceanfront, ocean view, or a pull-thru. All sites have electric (50 or 30 amp), water, cable and wifi. The five pull-thru sites also include sewer. A mobile sewer pump-out service is available for guests staying one week or longer and there is a dump station. Roads and sites are gravel with grass patios and level. All sites have a fire ring and picnic table. Our Verizon 4G phone and Hotspot worked great but we mostly used the free wifi which worked very well.

Park amenities include private ocean access, horseshoes, playground, laundry, showers/bathrooms, free coffee in the morning, free weekend papers delivered to your site, free donuts on Sunday mornings, and a restaurant on-site. The park organizes a lot of group activities including pot lucks, lobster shore dinners, and free wine and beer during Friday Happy Hours. The laundry has two wash machines/dryers and was clean and tidy.

The Moorings is in a great location. It is just a few miles from downtown Belfast where you will find restaurants, a brewery, boutiques, a movie theater, art galleries, historic museums/sites, and plenty of water-related activities. Grocery stores and fuel stations are within a few miles of the RV Park. Just a mere 20 miles away is the popular coastal town of Camden.   

What we liked about this park is the town of Belfast and how close the RV park is to downtown. Also, the parks small size and friendly people make this an enjoyable place to stay. We like the fact that they had social activities (like free happy hour and donuts) that bring people together. The ocean access in this park is great! A short set of stairs takes you down to the water which is great for exploring, launching kayaks, and letting the dog run/swim when the tide is out. 

The biggest downside for us was the price and lack of sewer and 50 amp at some sites. Our site was $66/night for a FHU (50 amp) pull-thru on the hill in the front of the park without much in the way of a water view. Premier oceanfront sites (with no sewer and 30 amps) are $72/night during high season. That being said, there are not too many options for campgrounds in the Belfast area and we really did like staying here. 

From a dog owners perspective this park gets mixed reviews. The rules ask that dogs be on a 4’ or less lease, you may only have two pets (unless you get prior approval), they must do their business in one small area and are not allowed on most grassy areas throughout the park. We make a consorted effort not too let our dog pee or poop in others yards but we don’t always have control over where that happens. We did like the fact that you could take them down to the ocean to play in the water and on the beach when the tide was out. Within two miles of the RV park is Moose Point State Park with a few miles of hiking trails, picnic area and water access (a daily use fee is charged). Downtown Belfast does have a fenced off-leash 1.4 – acre dog park with water for dogs and benches for owners.

Nice state campground with tons of hiking trails right from the campground. We stayed in a non-hookup site for $38/night- very expensive but we wanted to stay in the area and enjoy the hiking trails. Most sites don’t have enough sun for solar, and those that do, are FHU sites. Go figure. We were in site #65, recommended to us by the ranger as having the most sun for our panels. 65 was nice because it was set apart from other sites, and kind of enclosed so it was nice for the dogs. But it’s in direct view of the dump station so if that bothers you don’t pick this site! 

The drive up Mt Battie Rd was worth it for the views at the top. RVs are ok to drive on this road, and there’s RV parking at the top. 

Showers are free, hot, and good pressure, but they are the creepiest campground showers, rusty and dark. Dump station and potable water are available. 

There’s a little free library book exchange at the ranger station at the entrance. Verizon service was usable but very weak, ATT was better, and fine with the weboost. The campground offers wifi at $3 per day per connection, but we didn’t use it.

Perfect RV park for creative thinking and downeast exploring. The location on the bay made us feel protected and refreshed by nature. The proximity to Maine Route 1 opened up the rest of Downeast Maine. This is the perfect spot for rejuvenating after a day of exploring! We cannot say enough about the dedicated welcoming staff. Our every need for a high quality stay was more than satisfied. Ultra clean and well kept surroundings. Loved it!!

Hadley's Point is a private campground just outside Acadia National Park. This campground prides itself on being family-friendly and welcoming to pets.

Children are allowed to bike throughout the campground until dusk. While we stayed, there was a campground-wide Fourth of July bike parade. The kids loved it. 

Pets are welcome but cannot be abandoned in the motorhome when you leave. Plan to take your pet with you everywhere.

Hadley's Point offers laundry facilities, showers, a heated pool, cornhole, and shuffleboard. While the pool is heated, it is not hot -- or even very warm. But this is Maine we are talking about, and I'm sure that the water was warmer than it would otherwise have been. 

The campground is primarily designed to accommodate RVs and motorhomes. The large fields and open lots for RVs provide ample parking and the campground offered electricity as well as other hookups. 

Cute cabins offer cozy sleeping (but no running water) for visitors without tents or RVs. 

We brought our tent and felt a little like second-class citizens at this RV-focused campground. The tent sites were tiny. Our large van, tent, and screened-in pavilion covered the entire site, leaving very little walking space. Our site also lacked trees for shade and hammocks. 

Worse yet, the campground has an infestation of Black-Legged Deer Ticks -- the ticks responsible for Lyme disease. We found two on our son during our stay. I hope they treat for these ticks soon because it poses a huge risk to their campers. 

There is a lot of potential for this campground but they need to spray the grounds for ticks and create more comfortable sites. They could be awesome if they shifted their focus from trying to fit as many people as possible to creating a comfortable camping experience for all. 

Pros:

- Heated pool

- Bathrooms cleaned regularly

- Laundry

- Good price

- Good location

- Playground

- Kid and pet friendly

- Island Explorer Bus stops at the campground

Cons:

- Cramped sites

- Ticks

- Crowded

Love the location of this park. You are just a few miles from the bridge that takes you to Mt. Desert Island where you have Acadia National Park (NP) 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. 

This area has so much to offer - the highlight being Acadia NP. Here, hundreds of trails and gorgeous views abound. Trails range from easy to strenuous with some taking you on a nice walk around a lake or pond where others guide you along steep ledges and up with ladders and rungs. Be aware that hiking during or after a rain can be quite treacherous because of slippery footing. The island is known for their granite and rock faces that are common on the trails which can be very slippery. I advise walking or biking a carriage road (which is crushed gravel) when the ground is wet to avoid slipping. The carriage roads are amazing for biking and walking and link 46 miles of the park.  If you like to kayak, there are plenty of free public boat ramps – Long Pond, Eagle Lake, and Jordan Pond being some of the prettiest.  Many of these water bodies are off limits to swimming as they are the public water supply but personal watercraft are allowed. Fishing with a state license is permitted in many of the lakes and ponds. Many were stocked years ago but I never had any luck catching in the few lakes I fished. 

The shoulder season here is the best time to come. Preferably in the spring before mid-June or the fall when the leaves are changing color. Not all businesses and restaurants will be open before mid-June but you will have far less crowds than in the busy summer months. During the summer season, there is a free shuttle taking you (and bikes and dogs) to various locations throughout the island and within the park. If you are planning on hiking some of the popular trails (like Precipice, Dorr Mountain, Cadillac Mountain, and the Beehive) definitely take the shuttle. The parking lots are really small and you will not find a spot.  Be sure to go to Cadillac Mountain for a sunrise and bring warm clothes as the wind really whips up there. Fall is a beautiful time to visit but be aware that many cruise ships frequent Bar Harbor. Some days will find over 6,000 cruise ship passengers and staff flooded into the downtown. Hiking amongst the fall colors is beautiful but we made sure to go early to avoid the crowds. 

The smaller island towns of Northwest Harbor and Southwest Harbor were more our style than the touristy Bar Harbor. Check out the farmers market in Northwest Harbor and the Common Ground Soup Kitchen in Southwest Harbor for hot delicious popovers. C-Ray Lobster offers a good lobster dinner in a casual atmosphere that is much less expensive than lobster pounds downtown Bar Harbor (and it is BYOB). Downeast Lobster Pound is our favorite place to buy lobster. We would buy them live and steam them at our campsite or you can have them cook them (for a nominal fee) and eat there or take them to go.   

The campground has some 200 sites for RVs and cabins and cottages for rent but they DO NOT allow tents. Prices range from the $30’s to over $100 depending on where you want to camp. The waterfront sites (“300’s” section) have great views but are very pricey. Some of the “800” and “600” section sites are cheaper than the 300’s and still have partial water views. The cheapest sites (the 100’s and 200’s) are near Route 3 which is a very busy road. Park staff is very accommodating and will let you move sites if you decide you prefer something different. (Be aware the park charges an additional $4/night resort fee on sites that are booked less than 30 days.) All sites have full-hookup and cable. The wifi was hit or miss. All sites and patios are gravel with some grass between them. 

There is a swimming pool, horseshoes, volleyball, laundry, and bathrooms. The bathrooms and showers were cleaned daily and in good condition when we were there. (The bathroom nearest the entrance is the newest and gets the least amount of use and was always clean.) There is a kayak/canoe rental in the park which was nice but there is no designated parking there so we had to take the car back to our site. 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. There was a free ice cream social when we were there which had four different varieties and toppings and very filling. There is no off-leash dog park but we were told by work campers that we could let our dog off-leash in one of the leach fields to throw a ball for her. Super cool.

The park was clean and staff friendly and very helpful. There are some brochure racks in a community building and laundry and the office has a variety of maps for the island and will let you look through some hiking guide books as well as restaurant menus. We would definitely come back here again. The only downside is that it is a little pricier than other parks but the location is ideal.