We had only one stop planned in Maine, Acadia National Park. This was one of our most anticipated places on the list. Everyone was excited as we left Massachusetts on our way to Maine. While driving through New Hampshire we decided to stop for lunch along the Atlantic Ocean. We found a state park with a large parking lot, it was $15, at that moment not having to search for a street spot and access to a sandy beach trumped cost. The water was cold and reminded us of the northern Pacific. The kids splashed and had a great time in the water, we ate lunch, and were on our way again. By dinner time we pulled into Timberland Acres RV Park. It was the closest park we could get to Acadia after trying to get a spot in Acadia and not being able to. The 20 minute drive to the Hulls Visitor Center though was not bad. The RV park was nice and the kids found new friends.
The forecast called for rain by 3pm our first day. It was cold, windy and high of 65F. Turns out this was great for it kept the crowds away and we had a great time. We packed our jackets, lunch, water, and all other supplies for a day of exploring in the cold and wet weather. We used the Island Explorer shuttle service to navigate the park. This is a free shuttle service running busses to many areas in and around the island. At this time they are only running a few of the routes hopefully they will be back to normal soon. There is plenty of information on where they are going and hides at the main centers. Every driver we spoke to was friendly and went out of their way to help us find the quickest route to our destination.
We started our adventures at Jordan Pond. Walked the carriage roads for a bit to see some of the bridges along the route. We did not have a set plan for the day and so we followed the pond hike a bit. We found evidence of beaver and then a beaver home. C has had an obsession with beavers for years so this was extremely exciting to him. When we came to the South Bubble another hiker told us one path was longer and easier and the other was shorter and harder. Being alway up for a challenge we took the shorter route. It was a great climb. We had to scramble over and around rocks. A couple times the little kids needed help, although none of it was too bad. It reminded Jen of her childhood climbing the granite rocks in the Sierra’s. We enjoyed our lunch at the summit before making our way to the parking lot. There we caught a bus to Sand Beach.
Jordan Pond is crystal clear 
A carriage Bridge 
Beaver evidence 
Beaver home 
Resting on our way up 
The views before the summit were beautiful 
The views at the summit were nonexistent 
Amazing how quickly the scenery changes. It is all breathtaking!
Sand beach had great soft sand and very cold water. We did not spend much time there as it was too cold for swimming. We headed to Thunder Hole, a short walk away where there is a blow hole and observation deck. We climbed some rocks and watched the waves crash and tide come in. The best time to view Thunder Hole is 2 hours before high tide. We were an hour late and this did not see the great explosions but we enjoyed our time. The kids did not want to wave so we spent an hour hanging out and enjoying the waves.
Sand Beach 
It was getting late, the shuttles stop by 5 plus it was beginning to rain. We decided to head back and are glad we did. The shuttle filled up quick and had to turn people away. More shuttles were coming but the possibility of hiking all the way back with the kids was not worth taking chances. We enjoyed the shuttle ride and the views from the Loop Drive.
At camp the little kids made a bunch of friends and ran around camp till bedtime. It is always amazing how a bunch of kids can meet and play as if they had known each other their whole life. Often we meet friendly adults as well but the kids always find friends at camp. We love this about RV life!
Our 6S Full Life 