Monday, July 23, 2012

At Last, Acadia!

Trenton, Maine   High: 73  Low: 64

Two years ago, we came to Bar Harbor, our first destination after leaving Indiana, starting full timing in June, 2010. We headed straight for Maine, then worked our way across the northern states and headed out west. We spent almost a week at Smuggler's Den in the Bar Harbor area to explore Acadia National Park. The cost this year at Smuggler's Den is anywhere from 45.00 on up. Prices for a big rig in the Bar Harbor area average 50.00 a night and up. We liked the campground, but looked for something cheaper this time around. And actually, we went and looked at Smuggler's Den again today, and it's not as easy for a big rig to get into and around in there, even though we did it two years ago in a 38 foot Damon Challenger. Tight turns, narrow lots, lots of tree roots. The pool is really tiny.

So-o-o-...we're taking advantage of two Encore park specials in the Bar Harbor area that we saw in Trailblazer magazine that are available to Thousand Trails members. The first one is for 199.00 for one week plus a 3.00 a day resort fee, plus taxes to stay at Narrows Too, in Trenton, Maine, just across the river from Mt. Desert Island where Acadia National Park is located. The second week in the area we will be spending at Mt. Desert Narrows Campground which is just on the other side of the bridge ON Mt. Desert Island and the price for that week is 99.00. Woo-hoo! Now THAT is a great deal! We'll tell you more about our parks as we go through our days in them.

Typical site at Narrows Too
We are at Narrows Too campground in Trenton, ME this week. We have 50 amp, full hookup, and great cable. Wi-fi is extra. Since we came in on a special, we don't have a choice of site, they put you in the least expensive, least pretty view of the campground, as a rule. We started out being placed on a site facing the busy two lane highway, highway 3 East. We really didn't want to be right out there by the road, so Sparky sweet talked her way a little further into the campground. It helped that one of the park's workers, at the front desk, was a gal we met at a South Carolina campground one night and we chatted away about full timing and the fact that they were heading to Bar Harbor, ME for the summer. And here she was, working the front desk! So she kindly moved us away from the street. The gravel sites are level, there is ample room between them in some of the sections, in others it's a little more crowded, like where we are.

There's a lower level with sites that have some wonderful views of the ocean, and there's a small pool for swimming. There's very little shade in the park, so it's a good thing temperatures are coming down the two weeks we are in the area.
primo site--ocean view at Narrows Too-100.00 a nite!
We are in what I would call the "secondary section" of the campground, a little area where there are mostly seasonals. The view isn't so hot, it has a "rally round the campfire" feel to it, like a wagon train circle. All our noses of our rigs point towards each other. It's kind of isolated from the rest of the park by a ring of bushes and trees, obscuring any possible view of the ocean. We are surrounded by seasonals and hardly any live bodies are in this section except us, but that's ok. We're going to be out and about exploring Acadia, checking out the restaurants in Bar Harbor that we remember from last time, and going on some hikes. Eldy has to earn some points for all the cooking I did with the grandkids, initiating and supervising the blog they wrote, entertaining them with activities, and refereeing sibling squabbles for two weeks. He's off to a great start, having brought me to one of my favorite national parks, Acadia for my 62nd birthday, July 18th. And we'll see you there tomorrow!

14 comments:

  1. Happy Birthday. I hope it's the best one yet!

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  2. I visited Acadia back around 1960! I'm sure it's a different place now.

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  3. Happy belated birthday! We stayed at Narrows Too last September. It is a convenient place for exploring the area. Be sure to try the Trenton Lobster Pound which is right near the park. It has a reputation for being one of the best places to eat lobster in the area. We also enjoyed hiking in Acadia and stopping for popovers and tea at Jordan Pond. If you have a chance to head south, the state park in Camden was one of our favorite stays.

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  4. Happy Birthday-looking forward to some Pics of Acadia

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  5. The Narrows Too sites look very nice and long.
    Hope you enjoy your birthday present!

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  6. Wow, Maine is expensive! Been there years ago, before RV'ng. Want to spend more time there, but gotta save up!

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  7. While in Maine, look for a place called Great Pond. I have been in 49 states and this is one of the most beautiful places I have been. I was there after Hurricane Bob in 1991 and it was still very very beautiful. I do not remember the name of the place I stayed but it would not accommodate a big rig.

    Please be careful on the road.
    Rex

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  8. Hope you had a happy birthday on the 18th!

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  9. We've found some parks will give you a choice of available sights and some put you in the crummy areas. I guess it depends on what side of the bed they wake up on. I don't understand why you can't have your choice if they aren't busy.

    I'm sure you won't be home much anyway, so I guess you can handle the "cheap seats."

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  10. Happy Birthday. Mine is on the 19th but I have to admit I'm a year older than you are. We've never been to Maine (the snow started coming the year we were out in New England and we headed south quickly) so I am really looking forward to seeing your pictures and posts.

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  11. Happy Birthday - hope you celebrated in style.

    $100 bucks a night - that's pretty high even with a great view.

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  12. Thanks for the info on the campgrounds. We've been to Acadia a couple of times tent camping and it's wonderful to stay in the park.
    I was going to head us in that direction this year until we got waylaid. I wondered if Winnona "might" be able to fit in one of the campgrounds but getting there might be the real thing and reservations are necessary and impossible at the last minute I've been told. If you stop by the campgrounds inside the park, let me know what you think.

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  13. Dave seems determined to go to Maine next summer. ..so I'll love hearing all about everything. . .including the TT parks that are available. . .

    Enjoy every second. . .

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