Have camped there a few years. Turn off the cell phone and the laptop. It's a family site, at least one of my daughters can make it every year and we have a good time. Relax and connect or reconnect , discover what in the end is important. Thumbs up, planning on going this year, honestly I hope to go every year to hang out with family as long as I can physically. Something about it I find it difficult to describe. The first year I went it was after one of my daughters lost her love due to a freak accident, it was his favorite place. It became a special place were a person could disconnect from stress and just hang out with the people that really matter. Thank you read more

We we're very excited to go camping but due to Hurricane Lee and the coast of Maine being in State of Emergency due to high winds and flooding, we tried to reschedule. They would not give a credit or refund. I understand no refunds due to inclement weather but this is a hurricane we're talking about, not just some rain. So not only do they require full payment via check only, they refuse to be flexible due to a hurricane. Infact they are staying open and allowing guests to still come even though it is extremely dangerous to do so. They way they conduct business is wrongful and the staff was very rude and inconsiderate. This may be a "cute" campground but I advise to choose another campground with more friendly staff and one that allows payment via credit card. read more

amazing access to the ocean and several nooked beaches. i've seen moon jellyfish, a porcupine, a skunk and a deer here! If you are picky and choosy about finding the perfect site, book a season ahead. this place has so much to offer that can't be found anywhere else. read more

Hermit Island Campgrounds isn't for a quick getaway from the city (nyc). That ish is mad far! ...but it's worth it, if you come prepared. All the great camp sites tend to be for week long reservations only, and there's pretty much nothing else out there but the campgrounds. Pros: - varied camp sites with privacy and a few ocean front locations - recommended beaches: sand dollar beach is smaller with finer sand and a bit more private than sand dune beach which is bigger and accessible off a path through the campsites; it has the better view, but not as nice shore - you can rent kayaks, canoes, and boats from the Kelp Shed (or a 3rd party that you can coordinate through the Kelp Shed) - clean(ish) bathrooms and showers - for the more civilized, there's a snack bar at Kelp Shed - friendly, young reception staff - no cell reception Cons: - mosquitos - mosquitos - more mosquitos - expensive, but well-stocked store - no cell reception - effing mosquitos As I mentioned, there are no veryyy close gas stations or grocery stores, so pick up supplies in Bath. Tip: Take the advice of the folks' at the Kelp Shed front desk with a grain of salt. They've categorized the sites as "value," "choice", "prime", and "ocean prime". --However, the range of sites even within each category can be dramatic. Drive/walk around and checkout sites yourself. read more

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Gorgeous campground. Definitely pay more for an Ocean Prime spot if you can. Most of the sites are quite private and they all allow various types of camping equipment - some allow pop-up campers, some are only for tents. It's nice and quiet - the rules prevent loud music blaring or huge groups of drunken friends. Great little hikes and Popham Beach is very nearby and worth a trip. The camp store has basic camp food, batteries, ice, camp supplies, and fire wood. However, the wood we purchased there was expensive, but it had not been cured and wouldn't burn! We had another bundle from the roadside stand up the road and it worked perfectly. They have a few activities for kids, a nice main hall in case of inclement weather, very helpful staff and overall good bathrooms. read more

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Hermit Island is not for glampers, however, if you are OK with rustic camping with a very old school feel, this place is amazing. The physical beauty of this place is unmatched: pristine cove beaches with calm waters, beautiful hiking trails. The sites are simple, there are no hook ups. They are strict about no music etc but we are OK with that. You will fall asleep to the sound of the ocean, there are many sites right on the water. You have to book Jan 1 for the following summer. We had a six night stay with our 4 and 8 year old and we didn't want to leave, it was amazing! read more

Great place of you want to get away and just relax. The campground sites are bare bones. There are no hookups of any kind, you have to walk or drive to shower facilities and flush toilets. It's a great place with short walks to beaches to enjoy the ocean. I have heard people complaining about seaweed.... well that's what happens at the ocean.... seaweed. I think the people that complain about the sewers and the amenities should book themselves at a resort hotel.... but I'm sure they would complain about that as well. If you want a unique family camping experience that will get you wanting to go back year after year, this is well worth the trip. read more

The campground is an over priced sh*t hole. Draconian parking regulations, disgusting restroom and showers. Sadly many folks think this place is amazing and rave about it. The location is incredible, the management is clearly clueless, or unfortunately they simply don't care because the loyal zombies line up like the walking dead to make reservations. Personally, I could find a better place to camp in Mumbai - bottom line, disgusting sh*t hole. read more

We used to come here every year, but lately the rules police have gotten out of hand, When we were making some noise after 10pm one night, they came by and let us know....which I am ok with. however the next night when another campsite was loud they came and gave us attitude. when I explained it wasn't us, and I refused to throw the other camp site under the bus they continued to give us grief the next day!!! Getting a reservation is as pleasant as a root canal, and if you want a specific site. forget it! we have wanted to stay on an upper ocean prime site for years! For the last 4 years I have sent in my reservation on JANUARY 1st,UPS overnight, I am always told they are sold out on those sites....WHA!?? Pros: the beaches are clean. If you have young children they usually love it. The "bathtub" , the showers are hot and have electricity. The camp store is well stocked with anything you might forget. The wild deer are fun to watch, and will ALMOST let you pet them. Cons: the reservation process is ridiculous and archaic. the showers are not very clean. the camp store is overpriced. Mosquitos are Huge and abundant, the TONS of geese will steal any food you happen to leave out. there is no laundrymat and the closest town is about 45 min away. NO cell phone service at all ...anywhere on the island. No lifeguards. read more

Came here early in the season and we practically had the place to ourselves. As I understand, it's nearly impossible to get any of the sites near the ocean during the summer season, but in early May anyway it was a piece of cake. The prices are a little steep - the ocean view campsites were $30+ a night, but it's certainly worth it for the view. I'm sure this property is worth millions, and the only way to keep it as a campground accessible to all is to keep it profitable. I'm not sure what the prices of the inland campsites are, as those are probably the only ones available in the summer. Most campsites are a short walk to a latrine (pit toilet), but there are bathrooms with showers and flush toilets in centralized locations. The only other negative would be that there seemed to be a large amount of poison ivy growing along the edges of our campsite. I alerted the camp staff so hopefully somebody got in there with a bottle of round-up and a weed-whacker. Also, they have restrictions on how many people can occupy one site - it's basically limited to a single car, two adults and any kids with them. Groups of adults may be forced to split up, depending on how strictly they enforce that policy. read more

A fun little island in Bath, Maine. The island is fairly isolated. It is pretty big and has great hiking trails as well as a beach. The campsites are super clean and are different sizes. They have running water, flush toilets and showers (a big plus for me personally). You can rent kayaks and canoes there as well for additional costs. If you decide to come to Hermit Island, I would strongly recommend that you pack enough food to last for the whole trip. I believe the nearest super market is at least 1 hour away. They do have a little snack bar and a convenience store with wood, ice and other essentials. Definitely a fun place for family trips as well. read more

I've only been two times. Both of which were considered out of season. $40 per night. It's generally still busy and most sites are picked over. On top of that the sites are on top of each other making it very awkward. We ran into a skunk problem...A whole family of them. They tortured us all night. That ruined my experience this time, isn't that why you pay $40 a night - to not deal with those problems. Overall it was just ok. Will be checking out sebago next time! read more

"Most scenic campground in northern hemisphere" - certainly lived up to it's billing It was the off season so not quite in full swing yet, but we enjoyed every bit of time we spent there read more

We booked this trip last minute since we had originally planned to go to Maryland but the weather called for thunderstorms, so we decided to come to Maine! What an awesome experience. We absolutely loved everything about it! The people at the campground were all so helpful and cordial. The campground was clean, well kept, safe and gorgeous. All the other reviews hit it right on too. Can't say one bad thing about it. We bought fresh Lobster at the store at the campground and cooked ourselves, it was delicious. We walked around the entire island and there is not a bad site, they are all great! We prefer the beach so we stay close to the beach and watch the sunset, amazing view. We are coming back next years and brining our kids. read more

Hermit Island Campground - Perfect sunset at Head Beach in Hermit Island - Campgrounds Near Me - Phippsburg, Maine

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The bathrooms were filthy and smelly. The camp ground was packed and one whole set of showers were closed. Are camp site was dirty. This is a great place but going down in quality. read more

Spectacular campground. Perfect place to unplug from real life. Quiet and picturesque campgrounds. Multiple beaches to choose from! read more

Hermit Island Campground - Campgrounds Near Me - Phippsburg, Maine

Pros: if you succeed at playing their antiquated reservations game, and you do get a decent waterfront site (which we did not)... Maybe you're related to somebody, or you know a guy who knows a guy... Well, I imagine that could be quite nice. Good luck with that. Cons: Poorly maintained grounds with lots of standing water = bugs that attacked us constantly, every second that we were not either inside our tent or next to the ocean (10 minute walk from our tent). They bit while we sprayed ourselves with DEET, and continued to come back for more. They bit me on the soles of my feet and between my toes, they bit into my scalp through my thick hair. Cooking, going anywhere, or even just walking to the bathrooms was torture. We left three days early because of the bugs. Our site was not far from the ocean - just next to a lot of standing water and piles of rotting leaves and brush. Despite the rules about radios and noise, we heard a lot of both. Even the best sites are right up on top of each other. So if you'd like some privacy, plan to visit before choosing a site - you know, travel to Maine in the off-season in order to choose a site - but then be prepared when they tell you that you didn't get the site you wanted. Apparently their loyal visitors will come back to the most expensive sites every year. This means that if you have a terrible time in a toxic site in one of their low-rent areas, management couldn't care less. read more

My parents took me every year here when I was a child, my fiancee and I come here every year on our own now, and I'll likely take my children here in the future. It's a great place to get away from technology/life for a few days and just kind of slow down. Enjoy a campfire, read a book on the beach, and go to sleep and wake up with the sun. I felt propelled to add a review to counteract some of the points made by "Van P." I can assume by your description that your site was #3 Cross Island. This is a great site (I've been there once before). It's located up on a cliff, and aside from the few other sites near you, it's a very large spot and incredibly private,as there is no foot or car traffic aside from your neighbors, which is what makes it prime (and the cliff view of the ocean is quite nice.) It it, at most, a five minute walk to Sunset Lagoon, a seven minute walk to West Dune and a 20 minute walk through the trails to Sailboat and Bounty cove. A very enjoyable walk I might add. You came unprepared and had to buy firewood from the store and drive off island to go to Burger King, of all places. That is your own fault for coming unprepared, don't blame the staff for that (and as others have noted, you'll get cheaper and better burning wood buying from the many locals set up along the road leading to the island.) As for the sewage leak, there aren't even any pipes or bathrooms at Sailboat Beach and only an outhouse close to Bounty Cove. You might have been just smelling the tide, Maine coast gets like that sometimes, or some poor kid really had to go. It's a family camp ground, not a hotel. This was likely an isolated incident and not something to yell at the staff for. Anyway, come prepared and have a positive outlook and you'll find there is plenty to do on the island, other campers and staff are generally friendly, and feel free to just lose track of time sitting on the beach reading, or exploring some trails and cliffs that aren't as traveled as some of the more well known. It's not a huge place, but it's not hard to find privacy if you try. read more

Have been going here since I was born (26 years), and my father since he was four. It is our favorite place in the entire world... Really nothing else can compare! Just moved to CA and don't know how I am going to manage without frequent visits to the Island! read more

My family and I have spent time at H.I. 9 or 10 times over the past 25 years. It has created many unforgettable wonderful memories for me, my children, grand children, other family members and friends over the years. To our dismay the last few times there, we have been more and more disappointed with a growing laundry list of unacceptable issues. The number one issue is the lack of service (with the bathrooms, shower rooms, out houses, and garbage. Not sure if they have the help to keep up). :( read more

We went the last day of off season, and had a really nice site and time here. The staff was nice, and I did not have any problems. I will say I find it odd that only two adults over the age of 21 may be at a site, while you may have up the three or four children with the adults. I am guessing someone threw a "rager", and ruined it for everyone. Also no boom boxes, and electronic noise making, I am guessing you can bring an acoustic guitar, which we forgot. You have to drive quite a bit to get here, but the seclusion and being right by the ocean was worth it. No running water, besides a pump for filling vessels. Outhouses, can also be a bit stinky, but that is the name of the game. If you are thinking about grilling, they have only primitive fire pits, with no grill. Ours was round in shape, if you want to bring one for it. Glad I brought hotdogs and a skewer stick, tongs, silicon potholder, corn in its husk, and potatoes wrapped in foil. This was the first time I camped on the beach, and it is easy to get a lot of sand in your tent. MY five star rating is really based on location, it was all and more than I expected. read more

Beautiful spot just terrible service. The camp ground is beautiful although the sites are small. The staff are sadly uninformed of how things work and the owner severely lacks in costumer service skills. Not worth dealing with read more

Love it! It's one of our traditional summer family campground stops. Some incredible camp sites and views. Very friendly staff with a sweet convenience store and snack house. Lots to do from hiking and exploring in and around the cliffs and secluded coves to swimming, kayaking and boating . I felt comfortable letting the kids roam freely to and from our campsite to the store and bath facility. Consistantly well maintained campground. You can tell that they care. Note: it's early impossible to get a prime site during peak season (although most sites are better than the average campground in my opinion). Our strategy was to make a list of our dream sites and reserve those spots by winter of the following year for the following summer. read more

We have been camping at Hermit Island for the last 3years. They have all sorts of different sites. The beaches are awesome! The kids have a great time and there is lots to do. We usually go for a week and one day during the week do a girl's day into the town of Bath. It is difficult to book for a week and they have placed some restrictions on the number of people at the campground. We love Hermit Island. read more

Checked out yesterday after 3 nights. This was our second year camping here. LOVE IT!! Hermit Island is amazing. I almost don't want to review it because I don't want it to get too over popular. Its a quiet, strict, private camp ground wirh lots of rules: no guests, no extra cars, no music, no late night unsupervised kids. After two seasons this will be our get away. You can dig your own clams and mussels. Bring your own food or eat at the Kelp Shed. Rent canoes and kayaks, and just relax. Book early to get the spot you want! Bathrooms and showers are clean and no real wait time read more

Have had the pleasure of camping here for close to fifty years. Not too much has changed...though we still refer to the "indoor" showers as new!!! For those of you that remember there used to be just walled in shows with no roof...nice on a sunny day. I am happy to say my family now loves the island as much as I have always loved it. The views are wonderful and the island has stayed untouched! Well worth the trip for those who have never been. read more

I am not usually a complainer. My GF and I booked a 4 day stay at an OCEAN PRIME SITE, back in January. Our site was NOT ocean prime. It was at the top of the camp sites, Osprey Point. Our view was of a family below us and between the trees you could see the ocean. We took a walk down to joes head and that when I knew we didnt have what they considered ocean prime. We were a good 45 min walk to any beaches. That isn't ocean prime. Over by Bounty Cove/ Sailboat beach, there is a SEWAGE LEAK. This is right at the edge of the beach, where the sand begins. Where children play etc. It's a few feet in circumference. We were sold wood that was wet and wouldn't burn. Unlike the regulars we don't have a grill to take with us. We had to leave the site and get burger king 40 min away. We called the manager, told him the problems and reported the sewage leak. He said and I quote, "I guess someone really had to go". Pretty much brushing off a sewage leak as any form of concern. Never again. Also, if you..the manager or any owners from Hermit Island read this.. I reported the leak to the dept of environmental health. read more

Best camping experience EVER. I went in September, so I was able to get a campsite on the beach. When I say it was on the beach, I mean ON the beach: the site was all white sand, separated from the water by only a row of shrubs. I should also note that while the island has one big public beach (which is near the main entrance and can get crowded), the beaches that are home to campsites are small and secluded. Some of the campsites are even on beautiful bluffs overlooking the water (though these would not be good with small children). Renting kayaks is a must. They will deliver them to the side of the island that has a marina, but you can paddle them around to wherever you are staying and drag them ashore for the night so that every morning you can step out of your tent and hop in your boat. And let me talk about the kayaking (as someone who is proficient but not an expert): it is awesome! You can get a bit of the ocean experience (going far from shore, riding big swells, paddling alongside lobster boats, exploring tiny islands and secluded coves) without dangers like riptides. Other awesome things: The store will cook lobster for you The hiking trails around the island offer very nice scenery, including beaches, tidal pools and seaside bluffs The snack bar has killer breakfast sandwiches and ice cream And OMG the tidal pools. So much wildlife!! Sea stars, crabs, and all sorts of other things Walmart is about 30 minutes away They are really strict about keeping parties and troublemakers out. (When I was there I heard them reject a reservation from a family that had been loud after curfew the previous year) Campsites are enormous, so there is no need to be a minimalist. We purchased a 12x14 tent and decked it out with an air mattress, a card table, and folding chairs. And there was still plenty of outside space left over! Downsides: No wi-fi anywhere, and cell phone coverage is spotty both on the island and on the mainland The campsites on the marina side of the island were a little more muddy and mosquito-y No dogs allowed :-( The good campsites are a bit expensive, but TOTALLY worth it. I had never paid more than $10 for a campsite before, but I would gladly fork over $50+ to stay at Hermit Island again. In fact, I probably will if I can find someone to watch my dog for a week! The only way I could imagine not having fun there is if it rained the whole time (and even then you could at least enjoy the breakfast sandwiches and fresh lobster). If I could give Hermit Island 100 stars, I would. read more

Best campground I've ever been to. We've been camping there for 25 years. The sites are in general pretty good it's the rest of the island that really makes the experience. Great beaches, nature trails out to the end of the island, deer that let you come almost close enough to pet them, and a camp store that will sell and cook lobsters and steamers for you to bring back to your campsite for a really special evening dinner. Fantastic place! read more

My wife and I have been to Hermit Island twice now, both times we have been there was during their off-season in the fall. We love the campground because of its simple, basic no-frills style. Our last visit was not as enjoyable as our first due to a significant detail we did not know prior to getting there. Their website states very clearly that NO PETS ALLOWED. Unbeknownst to us, they allow dogs the last weekend of their season. Without exaggeration, I would estimate that over 80% of the people camping that weekend had their dogs, some, had more than one dog. I love dogs (I have had dogs my whole life), but we were really looking forward to a nice peaceful, quiet weekend without barking dogs (my neighbors around us have dogs that bark constantly). Much to our chagrin, it was not a quiet weekend devoid of barking dogs. What made it worse was that on four separate occasions during our stay, we were accosted by aggressive, barking dogs while walking in the campground. On each of these occasions, the dogs were neither leashed nor under the control of their owners. WhenI asked at the campstore how long they had been allowing dogs over this weekend, the young girl behind the counter was unsure. My wife and I do not remember dogs when we were last there in 2013. We love the campground but will likely not be returning on that particular weekend (unfortunately, that is a long weekend). read more

Beautiful beaches but LOADS of screaming kids. No attention paid to quiet time in the mornings. We were awoken EVERY day of the 5 days we were there by kids.(and it wasn't the same families -NO ONE seemed to control their kids) The store is outrageously priced ($7.50 for a $2.50 bag of Oreos). I understand making a profit for the convenience but no need to gouge! The wood we bought at the store would not burn, it was green and wet. The roads were HORRIBLE!!! Full of potholes. You couldn't adjust the showers-they were scalding hot unless you went when everyone else was taking a shower. The pit toilets smelled so bad your eyes burned. It wasn't clean and it was run down. The site we had was mostly dirt and if it had rained we would have been in a big mud puddle. The mosquitos were bad but we were expecting that. Why they don't fog I don't know.A lot of the sites, even the ocean prime ones, aren't level and have holes and ditches. Some have so little space that unless your tent is minuscule you won't be able to fit it. The sites are very close to one another-there is no privacy. We did enjoy bike riding (around the pot holes) and hiking the trails.The beaches are great. The scenery is great. We saw deer,turkey and skunk. The coffee was good and reasonably priced. IF you have a good site and people around you who are respectful you would probably have a good time. read more

This is the most magical campground with an unbelievably friendly staff. Imagine a compilation of your most favorite summer camp movies. All facilities are well maintained, and the camp store has everything you might need, should you forget something. Bug spray is a must, but mosquitoes do not detract from the overall charm. A fitting venue for all ages, I wish we could have stayed longer. Looking forward to my return. read more

My and son and new daughter-in-law were married 6/2/12 at this beautiful setting. The wedding party all camped at various sites and the reception of 130 guests was held in the Kelp Shed. The staff were so accomodating there are no words to describe what took place at this incredible setting. Thank you to Hermit Island for all the memories. ps 8.5 inches of rain that night didn't even rain on our parade:) read more

I have been going to Hermit Island every year since I was 5 years old. It has been 23 years of fun and now I get to take my son for the first time! The campground is very private and peaceful. The Kelp Shed has many activities for young and old to keep busy. The hiking trails are great and you can see all kinds of animals. Be aware of the poison ivy on some trails and you will be all set. Hermit Island has clean large beaches, some are more crowded than others but if you prefer a more secluded beach you can hike to smaller private ones. The campground is close to Freeport where LLBean is and Booth Bay Harbor is an hour away for cruises and whale watches. Overall a great family vacation! read more

Have gone to H.I. many times, of course it's beautiful if you get a prime site. That being said, the management here can be downright rude to their paying customers. They USED to let you bring dogs, but apparently some wusses complained enough or threatened them and they dont' allow them now except maybe one weekend. They should forbid the wusses from coming, not Fido! The weather can be treacherous, and some sites flood - I've woken up to hearing poor families packing everything up in the middle of the night in a deluge and leaving - multiple families... felt bad for them, but it's the ocean. It's Maine. I've been there during hurricanes that were way off the coast but it still affects the island. Outhouses can be just awful... it's a grin and bear it situation - that being said, the guy who said it took him 45 mins. to get to the beach from Osprey Point must've been crawling on his hands and feet, and even then - half hour max. lol read more