Camping Adventure 2018

Days 1-11. Maine. Hastings Campground. Martin Stream Campground. Schoodic Woods Campground.

This year, for some reason, the twins and I decided to do a Camping Adventure 2018. We had never camped for more than 2 nights in a row. We do love camping though. So, I picked three campgrounds in Maine, none of which I had ever been to or seen, and booked them way back in March and April so we could camp in August. We worked from Western Maine to Down East Maine so that we could finish our camping adventure close to Abrams Pond where we have rented a house for a week each of the last 8 summers.

So, my 8-year-old twins and I camped for 11 nights in Maine. My wife joined us for a weekend in the middle, at Martin Stream, and then we met her again at the end of the camping adventure in Bar Harbor before heading to Abrams Pond. 11 days of camping, and it rained at some point during each of the 11 days/nights. On day 12, checking out of Acadia National Park, it absolutely POURED! Of course, the heaviest rains came as I scrambled to break down our huge tent, by myself. I got completely soaked! Despite the humidity that hovered between 90%-100% virtually the entire camping trip, we had an absolute blast! We saw all kinds of weather and wildlife. We heard thunder, saw lightning, and felt rain blowing straight at us. We got hot. We got soaked. We cuddled in sleeping bags to stay warm. We watched sunsets and meteors. We played in streams, rivers, and ocean coves. We skipped rocks, swam, and saw countless types of marine life. The kids rode miles and miles on their bikes all around campground roads and loops. We made friends at every stop. We camped 11 nights for under $350.

Hastings Campground is in a gorgeous area along Route 113 in the White Mountain National Forest. The campground is nice, small, and quite rustic. No power or water at sites, but we loved it. The loop road is paved and quiet which was awesome for bike riding. Evans Brook and Wild River are beautiful and very close to the campsites.

Martin Stream Campground was an absolute gem of a find in Turner, Maine. The sites were large, and the setting was beautiful. They have water and electric at the campsites, with laundry, and showers onsite too. The kids enjoyed the pool, the playground, and riding bikes on the dirt roads. My wife, the twins, and I absolutely loved the canoe rental and paddling excursion we did on Martin Stream. Honestly, I don’t know that you could find a better, more attentive campground director than Zach Vanier. He was excellent to work with and seemed to be everywhere all at the same time.

As awesome as Martin Stream was, I don’t know that I could say enough about Schoodic Woods Campground. As a Dad traveling on my own with two 8-year-old kids, I don’t know of a place that would be more embracing of a kids-based camping trip. Even without a playground, this place was fantastic for families with kids. Kids can participate in Ranger-led programs every day. They must be accompanied by an adult which was fine with me because these five days were really about them in my mind. I cannot begin to express how wonderful the Park Rangers were. Rangers Anastasia Roy (from NH), Katie M. (can’t remember her last name), Deirdra Smith, Roger and Robin Grace, Dave and Connie Slater were all sensational to deal with. They were informative, tremendous with the kids, and truly made our camping experience 10 times better than if they hadn’t been there. I have reached out to the National Park Service to commend these folks because they were absolute difference makers in our week at Acadia National Park. The campground had small sites (in my opinion, but we might have been spoiled at Martin Stream). The bathrooms, the dishwashing stations, garbage stations, recycling areas, and water access were excellent. The amphitheater was a prize every night for the evening programs, especially the Jr. Ranger Programs. The Ranger Station in the campground was beautiful, well staffed, and full of maps, and all kinds of helpful information. Exploring the Schoodic District of Acadia National Park was tremendous. We would go back again without hesitation.

Our Camping Adventure 2018 was so good that the kids are already talking about doing even more next year. God blessed our trip with one day full of memories after another. I am the fortunate one for being able to see the kids, and my wife, explore, laugh, and enjoy the great outdoors along with one another, all while being outside for virtually the entire time.