A couple friends and myself will be heading to Acadia the weekend of June 23rd to camp and hike some. Really getting there Thursday evening and leaving Sunday afternoon.

We're looking to car camp. My buddy will have a RTT and I'll be running an ARB Awning with room.

Where would be good campsites for us? Places to shower? Must sees? Must eats (we plan at least one night not eating camp food)?

There are resources online but Arfcom never lets me down on advice. Thanks!

I can't offer much for where to camp but you might want to look into making reservations soon, just in case. Acadia is a busy place in June.

I would spend an afternoon over at schoodic point for certain. Great way to get away from the crowds and it's a gorgeous spot.

Naturally you'll want to see the entire loop road. I would pull into every scenic vista and walk/ look around. Sand beach is really nice. I think the precipice trail may be closed due to peregrines nesting but that's an awesome hike if you're fit and not bothered by heights. Enjoy the views!

Bass harbor light is really nice on the other side of Somes Sound. Be sure to walk down the stairs to the rock beach below the lighthouse.

You could catch a whale watch if you're inclined, but again I'd check in case reservations are recommended.

Bar Harbor itself will probably be mobbed with tourists. If you like that sort of thing you'll love the village. Otherwise, just avoid the center of town. I know you don't want to spend any more time in traffic than necessary.

Having gone to Acadia quite a few times I think my personal favorite is kayaking Jordan pond. Or hiking either of the two mountains on the side of Jordan pond, Pemetic mountain and Penobscot mountain. I would say Pemetic is the easier of the two. They both have great views and if you get out there early you probably won't see too many other folks until you start coming back down. They both are on kind of a loop trail so you wont go back the way you came up (unless you wanted to)

Bar harbor is a total tourist trap and unless you are into that sort of thing I would not even bother going down there. I know of nothing that is a must eat on all of mount desert island. Fiance' and I went to Mckays public house for dinner almost exactly a year ago up in Bar harbor and that was probably the worst meal we both have ever had and we paid a pretty penny for it too. So.. I would probably not go to that place

My wife and I tent camp virtually every year in Acadia and I'd like to offer a few bits of info you can follow up on.  

There are two camping areas run by Acadia: Blackwoods and Seawall.  Blackwoods requires reservations.  Seawall acts as an overflow but it's nice but much further down the road.   For a car camping site you can use any of the non-electric sites.  I always recommend anything between A-14 and A-28 because it's on the outer loop along the ocean and there's a "secret path" you can walk through which will take you right out to the ocean where there's a bench and you're about 50' above the crashing waves and gorgeous Maine coastline.   You can buy wood at the grounds or you might want to buy some on the way in, especially hardwood.

You don't need a car there.  There is now plenty of transportation via bus everywhere on the island.  You can also begin hikes right from Blackwoods up to Cadillac Mountain if you wish.  It's a nice, long hike that shows off a lot of the pretty views available there especially at the top.  You can also take it into Bar Harbor where you can't swing a dead fish without hitting some excellent eatery.  Plenty of selections to choose from and the prices aren't too bad, either.  There's a Hanover Grocery store in town should you want to do your own cooking.  Also plenty of breakfast joints there.

Showers are NOT on the campground grounds but just off the park.  You'll drive right past them as you begin your turn into the park.  Take quarters.  Very very clean, open, well lit place, believe me.  

If you want one really challenging hike, do the "Beehive".  There are plenty of spots of literally hand over hand vertical climbing if you have the stomach for it.  There are plenty others, too, like the Bubble Mountain hike which is more scenic for older goats like us.

Finally, I'll put  a word into this answer about Jordan Pond.  If you have the time, eat a lunch there, on the green on a picnic table.  Order the traditional lemonaid that you sweeten yourself along with just outrageous popovers.  It's a bit on the pricey side but if you want to experience something from the late 1800s, that's the place and the view is excellent. too.   There's a totally flat hike around Jordan Pond in front of you that's quite long.  

If you have any other specific questions feel free to email me directly and I'll be happy to answer if I can. There are plenty of brochures and books out there about what Acadia has to offer.  

One last thing;    you MUST.....and I mean MUST watch this video on YouTube:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T9teAdBu89k    It's called "Acadia Always".  Please watch it and you'll begin to feel the magic of one of the most visited national parks in the country.  

Rome (CT resident for now, Maine in the near future)

Bass Harbor Campground has worked for us a few times.

LostX, just curious if you ever made it to Maine camping and, if so, how you liked it.  There is nothing in Texas that can compare to the rugged shores Northern, "downeast" Maine.  It must have impressed you.  Love to hear back.  Hope, also, you were spared the flooding.

Rome

Just as a quick followup, we recently got back from 6 days camping at Seawall in Southwest Harbor.  It's the "overflow" for Blackwoods but, frankly, it was one of the best experiences we've had camping up there with the Atlantic helping us to sleep every night as it crashed into the natural cobblestone seawall  all night long.  The sound was fantastic as the storms roiled way out off shore.  

Rome