Imagine the freedom of exploring Maine’s rugged coast and wildlife-rich interior in your own recreation vehicle, or RV. Pack and unpack only once, carry your favorite treats, and camp within steps of the ocean or a quiet mountain lake without sacrificing your creature comforts.
The Basics of Maine RV Rentals
Self-contained motorhomes come in three basic categories. Class B is the smallest, and is usually some sort of van conversion with a heightened ceiling and longer frame. These are the easiest to drive and get the best gas mileage. Next up is the Class C, longer and with more passenger space and the familiar cab-over design. The largest is the bus-like Class A which can reach 40 feet in length and may have trouble accessing some roadways. Interstate 95 and Historic Route 1 that follow Maine’s coastline are usually not an issue. Some RV rental firms also offer travel trailers, which you must either tow with your own vehicle or have delivered to your campsite.
In Kittery, at the very southern end of the state, Maine Campers specializes in Volkswagen Westfalia Campers. These are van conversions with retractable tops that can get into the smallest campgrounds. The only drawback for some is that there is no toilet. These RVs rent by the week, from May until October. No winter rentals. Pick-ups are also available in Portland.
Another option in the interior is Rod’s Cycle & RV located in Madison and specializing in RV trailers. See the directory for a list of more RV rentals in Maine.
Camping in Maine’s State and National Parks
Camping in state and national parks can be a true back-to-nature experience. If this is the focus of your visit to Maine, you might consider getting a smaller RV. As an example, at the Blackwoods Campground in Acadia National Park, the maximum size for an RV is 35 feet long and 12 feet high, and there are no electric or water hook-ups. This eliminates most of the Class A rigs. There are showers and restrooms provided. The payback is that your closest neighbors are other like-minded campers who are visiting wildlife.
Baxter State Park, in the interior, allows motorhomes up to 22-feet long and 9-feet high on its roadways. The exception is a vehicle towing a travel trailer, which may be up to a combined length of 44 feet. Campgrounds that have tent sites, such as Roaring Brook and Trout Brook Farm, allow RV camping during the summer season, roughly from the end of May until October, weather permitting.
Bradbury Mountain State Park, near Portland, has limited campsites for Class A rigs up to 35 feet. Rangeley Lake State Park, in the interior, not only has a lakeside campground with a beach but also two campsites that can handle Class A’s up to 40 feet. Sebago Lake State Park has one of the largest campgrounds and provides water and electric hook-ups. Perched on the edge of Sebago Lake, even the largest Class A rigs may reserve a spot within steps of the beach.
Private Campgrounds
An alternative to the park system is the growing number of private campgrounds in Maine. Some are part of nationwide chains, such as KOA or member’s clubs like the Good Sam Club. Anyone may access the websites and stay at these parks; members just get a discount.
Some examples of KOA campgrounds in Acadia are Bar Harbor Woodlands, offering a swimming pool, and Bar Harbor Oceanside, featuring sites with ocean views. Both offer full hook-ups and wireless Internet access, can accommodate the largest Class A rigs, and welcome pets. Other KOAs are found near Portland and in Skowhegan, in the interior.
The Good Sam Club is a collection of private and public campgrounds that choose to be listed with their system. Some listings, like Aroostook State Park at Presque Isle and Sunset Point RV in Lubec, near the Roosevelt Campobello International Park, provide campground and contact information. Others, like the Mt. Desert Narrows Camping Resort in Bar Harbor, also allow online reservations through the site.
