3 RV Park Recommendation in Maine

Bangor, Bar Harbor, and Portland

By Brenda MahlerPublished 6 months ago • 5 min read

Photo by Savannah Rohleder on Unsplash

Randy and I stayed a week in Maine during our travels. Since his brother planned fly to Bar Harbor to join us for a few days, we chose a stay at a RV Park, Pumpkin Patch RV Resort, close to the airport. In the evening, we picked up Uncle Ron at the airport in Bar Harbor, a 14 minute drive. We stopped by Chase's restaurant to eat dinner and ended the evening in front of a campfire. If you ever make it to Herman main stop by Chase's Family Restaurant. We ate breakfast there and when Ron got off the plane hungry returned for dinner. Scroll down for review.

The next morning, we headed to Mt. Desert Narrow Camping Resort in Bar Harbor to spend a couple days exploring the island, lighthouses, fort and nature around the water. Scroll down for review.

We ended our stay in Portland, Maine, a larger city that offered a very different perspective. This provided time to walk on the sandy beaches, visit downtown, and enjoy the food and entertainment of the area. We stayed at Old Orchard Beach Campground because of its proximity to an airport at the end of Ron's vacation. The following sections provide information about each of these RV parks and their very different environments.

Pumpkin Patch RV Resort

The Pumpkin Patch park looked inviting when we arrived and fulfilled our expectations. How it got its name is a curiosity because our stay was close to Halloween but there was no pumpkin patch within view. However, the area was beautifully landscaped and decorated.

Throughout the park were activities for adults and kids. We played cornhole on the grass and an activity center was available near the front of the resort. With our babies in tow, we were excited to see a clean dog park for them to run and stretch their legs. It is always nice when a gated area is available for the pups to get off leash. There were also several areas to walk pets on leash.

The area immediately under the RV was gravel with plush grass surrounding it creating usable space and comfort. Every lot came with a picnic table and full hookup were available.

When using the laundry room, I felt comfortable because the area was clean and the machine where in good condition. The price for washers and driers was fair. This park earned a double thumbs up.

Mt Desert Narrows RV Park, Bar Harbor

Desert Narrows had a more rustic, natural look. There were trails to follow for long walks. We were cautious to stay on the paths because we had heard ticks can be a problem on the east coast. Beside the trails the grass grew longer, the leaves covered the ground mixed with natural debris. The colors and textures of the natural surroundings stimulated the senses. Though it did not have the manicured look of the first resort, we loved the camping vibe.

We requested a pull-thru site so found ourselves near the road and quite a distance from the water. In the future, I might ask more questions because we would have been happy to back into a spot if I had known those spots were more secluded.

The map shows blue water adjacent to the park. In reality, it resembled more of a swamp area and large sections of the park were muddy. However, to be fair our stay followed a week of massive rainfall and flooding across the state.

These two parks were drastically different but both offered positives that made them difficult to compare. I suppose that is the reason one was called a resort and the other a RV park. I would happily stay at either one in the future.

Old Orchard Beach Campground

This RV resort seemed to combine the amenities of the first two parks. It was a little bit of resort and a lot of campground. The front entrance welcomed guests with mowed lawn. Beside the registration office was a pool and hot tub.

Just past the office was a gathering room including arcade games. Beside it sat the laundry room. I was going to do a load but it was pricey, $12 for was and drying, and there wasn't a change machine. That's a lot of quarters!

Throughout this park were numerous activities: basketball, tennis, volleyball, shuffleboard, a children's play area, and the list goes on and on. Truly, there was something for everyone. In fact, there is a small collection of books for exchange. We were excited to trade out our read books for new stories of adventures.

Yes, there was also a fenced area for the dogs to run free, kind of a cross between the last two places we had stayed. It offered some grass mixed with large trees, some stumps and many leaves.

With a name like Old Orchard Beach, you would think the ocean would be within sight but not so. A 15 minute drive took us to a long, sandy beach with a boardwalk. Since our arrival was late in the season, most of this area was closed. The positive is that the beach wasn't crowded as I imagine it must be in the summer.