Wonderfully clean and quiet state park, with honor system parking. There is a sandy and pebbled…read more beach on one side facing Englisman Bay and Simpson pond on the other. Flat walking trails and picnic areas. It was not at all crowded when we visited just after Labor Day 2026. A lovely way to spend a few hours or the entire day alone or with friends and family.

This is a great spot. Parking , bathrooms and a long empty beach. Lapping waves. Very cold water…read more Lots of sea birds This is a pay to park beach, honor system.

When visiting Acadia National Park in Park Loop Road., one place you must stop is Sand Beach. It's…read morebeautiful, peaceful, with cliffs, mountains, what more can you ask for. This is the largest, sandy beach on Acadia. I did not see a lifeguard when I came so be aware when swimming. Sometimes they are not present. You do have to go down stairs to get here. There is parking or you can come in the Island Shuttle that stops here. Then at night, on Sundays and Wednesdays, weather permitting, the Park Rangers put on an excellent Stargazing program to do. I came and really enjoyed it. But dress warm, bring chairs or a blanket to sit on. Whether you are visiting day or night, this beach does not disappoint !

Beautiful beach in Acadia National Park. We took the LLBEAN shuttle and it took us right to it, it…read morewas the loop road route. This was convenient as parking looked tough. We weren't prepared to go swimming but we still walked the beach and took some pictures. A lot of people were there to swim and it was pretty crowded. The air was chilly so I was surprised how many people were swimming but maybe the water was warm. I didn't notice lifeguards but there was a park ranger circulating. Plus bathrooms and changing rooms up top. At night they had a stargazing program here which we came back for which was ranger led and honestly one of my favorite memories of the trip.

This beach was one that I won't ever forget!…read more Black sand between your toes was pretty awesome, and the salt water rising let you know that time was passing just as sure as grains of sand fall in an antique egg timer. This was a fantastic stopover on our trip to St. John from Moncton. I have no idea how to get to it though, so you'll have to figure that out for yourself. I was the driver and not the navigator to this hidden gem of a destination. This beach is at the end of a curvy, and hilly gravel road without much for signage. It is on private land, I believe owned by a hydro company, and if there is maintenance, there isn't much of it. There is no garbage container, washrooms or outhouse. Just a small gravel parking lot and a hand written sign on a rock tell you the name of it. As well there is a plaque explaining how the area is protected as a valuable ecosystem. The beach depth varies as the tides go in and out, 12 hours a day so keep that in mind when you park it on the sand for the day. Since the tide was coming in while we were there, panic ensued as my friend's phone and dress were underwater before we realized they were missing. Whoops, there's the phone under a foot of water lol. The swimming here was great! Remember to change into your suit before going or you might be giving other swimmers a show. Nice salty water keeping you riding high in the waves with inherent buoyancy and no nasty rocks under the depths to harsh your beach buzz. The black sand is more of a charcoal colour, and with white rocks sticking out, makes for stunning views and memorable photos. Highly recommended when craving a salt-water swim!

Black Beach was a great place to explore and is dog friendly. The view is great and the sand is so…read moresoft. Long road down and back but a must see if you have the time! The sand is really black!

Such a beautiful view, all of the cabins are so clean, nice and comfy. The owners are so nice! I…read morehighly recommend staying here during the summertime.

A quiet place to get away from it all. We stayed for a long weekend in Cabin 3. So cozy,…read morecomfortable, clean and affordable. And they have everything you need! Full kitchen with all the pots, pans and utensils you need. (Just bring your ingredients) The beds are made and cozy. There's even fire wood ready for your use! Cabin 3 sits right on the lake. The screened in porch looks over it..offering the most relaxing place to start and end your day. We can't wait to visit again!

Folks, I don't really know what to say other than 'you just gotta come here!'…read moreI love this place! I came through on a hum last year, stayed for 2 nights and 3 days. Told Shirley (the owner) I would be back "next year" to help out, and here I am, Aug. 8th, 2019, sad to leave after spending 4 weeks in the grand teepee, helping out around the camp. Off route 1, into the woods, to grandmama's RV we go! But it is so much more... tent sites, group sites, great trails, and great vibe from the surrounding community. But what you really want to know is; this is a great base for exploring coastal Maine & Downeast. Now understand 2 things... Downeast is on the coast, but when the term 'downeast' is used, it is very much a reference to the culture of the folk who grew up and live here and have also known it through the generations of their family. Once you get here, you're in the thick of what "coastal Maine" really is without the crowds of Bar Harbor, Acadia National Park, etc.. from Cottonwood you will find within 20 mins. Never crowded beaches with all the beauty of those other places... and you can also make a day trip of getting to Easport or Calaise and just breath in New Brunswick! Oh yeah, bring your passport... One of the other things I love about camping here, are the various small sites that are suitable for bicyclers and bikers who travel with minimal gear and need to stop for short stays. Even though its right off the road, once in, you're cast into the woods! Oh yeah, and I can't think of another camp with such a great bath house along this route... Cottonwood Camping is truly a great experience and my pick as a base for exploring Downeast, Coastal Maine, the far north on the east side of the U.S. Shirley Cotton makes it happen! She is the BOMB!!

I can honestly say this place was easy to find and very photogenic. Easy to recommend.read more

The food is the best and the ice cream is amazing plus the staff is nice and friendlyread more

We visited West Quoddy in September 2026 and it was just as breathtaking as it was when it was cold…read moreand snow covered in January. For this visit we were able to walk along some of the trails and ventured down the steps to the water and looked for rocks. Beautiful park with lots of hiking and picnicking available. Honor system payment. Ample parking.

Came here for the 2026 eclipse…read more Parking is free but there is a per head entry fee. Cash only. Honor system. Dogs must be on a 4' leash The coast guard trail goes to a scenic overlook - I recommend starting at the lighthouse and going counter clockwise. The first half this direction is a little hillier, and there are lots of spur trails out to scenic overlooks. Once you get to the overlooking ok, there is a nice bench to sit on, and steps up to an observation platform. Then you continue on a flat, wheelchair accessible trail to the parking lot.

We went to Maine and spent a week in Northeast Harbor. We tried Sand Beach, inside Acadia National…read morePark, and it was beautiful, but the July parking situation was pretty miserable. We also tried Echo Lake, which was great. (We didn't try Lake Wood, the third swimming beach in Acadia National Park.) But the boy wanted to swim in the ocean, so we tried out Seal Harbor Beach, a place my wife remembered from when she lived in Southwest Harbor in the 1990s. Parking at Seal Harbor Beach was _easy_. There's a parking lot on the north side of Peabody Drive (which is the portion of Maine Highway 3 between Seal Harbor and Northeast Harbor), and Seal Harbor Beach just across the road. There's a crosswalk that seems pretty safe. The beach is mostly sand, with some pebbles. Stanley Brook runs through the middle of the beach; it was just a trickle in July 2025. (There's an interpretative sign overlooking the brook, next to the parking lot.) The boy had at least as much fun playing with the brook's running water as with the ocean. The beach has a wooden platform moored in the water. It was somewhat away from the shore when we arrived, but by the time we were getting ready to leave it was low tide (very low, near New Moon), and the platform was just a few steps from the shore. We had a National Park pass, but because Seal Harbor Beach is outside of Acadia National Park, we didn't need it. The view is picturesque; the harbor was full of sailboats, mostly moored, but some sailing around. This isn't a five-star "best ever" beach, but given the easy access, lighter crowds, and nice view, it's a four-star "Yay, I'm a fan".

Beautiful quaint little harbor and beach. Lots of birds. A nice place to relax in the morning or…read moresunbathe in the afternoon.

super close to acadia national park, friend owns a campground nearby so we camped there to then go…read morehiking in a acadia it was awesome

Such a cool beach with awesome views of the water!…read more If I'm near this place again, I'd definitely come back here!