Bucket List RV Camping in Maine

RV camping in Maine is amazing!! I mean, the whole state is called Vacationland, right?

There are so many amazing places to explore like Acadia National Park, Mount Katahdin, Kennebunkport, Boothbay Harbor, and Cobscook Bay State Park, but have you ever heard of Aroostook State Park?

We had never heard of it until we ended up without a place to stay on a major holiday weekend.

Let me tell you, I’m so glad we stumbled upon this amazing park.

So, here are our reasons why you need to add this one to your bucket list!

Bucket List RV Camping in Maine

Why Should You RV Camp in Maine… Especially in Aroostook State Park?

There are so many reasons I can give you for doing so. You just need to take a few minutes and read this entire post. Are you ready? So, get into them –

  1. Budget Friendly

Ok, we are big on saving a buck, even if we are going to be RV camping in Maine (aka Vacationland).

We are non-residents, so it was $25/night versus the Cobscook Bay State Park camping fees in the $30/night range…

But Jessica, that’s only saving $5/night… I know, but $5 here and $5 there really add up after a while. I mean, those $5 could go towards a coffee…

  1. It’s Beautiful

I know what you are thinking – Of course, it’s beautiful. It’s MAINE!

Seriously though, Aroostook State Park has been listed as one of the best Maine state parks for nature lovers (along with Baxter State Park and Sebago Lake State Park, just to name a few)!!

The campsites are spacious with plenty of trees to provide privacy and shade. Of course, in winter (yes, if you want to do some RV camping in Maine, in the winter, this is the place for you!) there will be less privacy, but still, the sites are nicely sized.

The campground only has 30 sites… this means fewer tents, fewer RVs, fewer people, and more nature.

  1. It Was the First

That’s right, this is Maine’s first state park! It officially opened in 1939 with just a 100-acre land donation from the citizens of Presque Isle. Now it’s up to 800 acres!!

There it is – Maine’s FIRST State Park

  1. Street Cred

Camping in Maine, it’s like a cool thing to do, but this park is full of locals!

So, you can find out about the area and what to do, plus you can pick on the lingo.

Aroostook State Park is in Aroostook County, but the locals simply call it The County.

They also pronounce it differently, so if you know how to pronounce it… it will impress the locals.

  1. 4 Season RV Camping in Maine

In case you missed it before, this park is open all year long!

In the summer you can go hiking up the twin peaks of Quaggy Jo Mountain (trail details here), kayaking, and swimming on Echo Lake.

Quaggy Jo is an alteration of the native word for the mountain, Qua Qua Jo which translates to twin-peaked according to the Maine Bureau of Parks and Lands.

In the winter you can go snowshoeing (trail details here) and ice skating.

They even have warming huts during the winter to give folks a chance to rest and warm up by the fire.

And if you just want to sit around your campsite and have a campfire, well you can do that any time you want!!

  1. It’s Almost Canada

This is The Rooftop of Maine according to John Steinbeck. It is less than 30 miles from the Canada Border crossing.

I mean, you can SEE Canada from the top of Quaggy Jo Mountain (or at least I think you can)!

That’s the closest I’ve been to Canada since the Niagara Falls 1989 visit, I had with my family.

So, you can grab a latte in Canada and be back to your campsite in less than 2 hours. That’s pretty cool…

And obviously, don’t forget the passports!

  1. Brush Up on Your RV Dry Camping Skills

So, here’s your chance to go dry camping in a place with immaculate showers.

Seriously, these things are new and they are singles – so you don’t have to worry about that ridiculously tiny public shower curtain that’s never wide enough.

Anyway, I digress. There’s a place to fill up your water jugs and there is even a kitchen where you can do your dishes.

  1. What If I Lost You on the Dry Camping?

Dry camping means – no hookups at your site.

If you can’t deal, there are plenty of other campgrounds in Maine with full hookups, but they will cost you! Like $45 to $60 a night… and they probably won’t be open all year long.

  1. It’s Peaceful

It was a huge holiday weekend and this place wasn’t even at capacity.

Our neighbors had classic rock tunes throughout the day, but you didn’t hear a peep from these folks past sunset.

There were kids’ movies every night at the campground host camping site, but again, it was quiet come 9 pm.

  1. Fun Nearby Local Attractions

Again, this is not a tourist hangout.

There aren’t lobster stands and ice cream shops all over the place.

Things here are a bit more unique.

Here are some of Aroostook’s attractions –

Double Eagle II Memorial Park, was the launch site for the first successful trans-Atlantic balloon flight in August 1978, crossing from the United States to Miserey, France.

The Maine Solar System Model is a 40-mile-long scale model of the solar system, built at a scale of 1 mile equaling the distance from Earth to the sun.

Nordic Heritage Center with 20 miles of single-track mountain biking trails (free) and a sauna (not so free)!

Crown of Maine Balloon Fest is held every summer. It is smaller than the Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta, but I’m betting it has a much cooler local vibe.

Historic Self-guided walking tours for history lovers. Tours can be accessed from the Presque Isle Historic Society’s website. Tours include historic homes, a railroad depot, and the oldest public building in the city. There are also narrated tours covering 30 historic sites.

Final Thoughts

This is one of the reasons we don’t always plan ahead. If we had, we would have missed this gem. So… what do you think about this post? Or have you been to Aroostook State Park?

Let us know your thoughts in the comment section. 

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