Lodging Considerations for Ellsworth/MDI courses
For most courses held in the Acadia/MDI/Ellsworth area, staying somewhere between Ellsworth and the north end of Mount Desert Island is a good plan. Frequently used put-ins are Bar Harbor (MDI), Seal Harbor (MDI), and Sullivan Falls in Hancock; less frequently used locations are further Downeast (Steuben), and west of Ellsworth in Brooksville. Ellsworth and Trenton have lots of motels and rentals, and are centrally located between all of these put-ins (15-40 minute drive-times).
There are many, many short-term rentals in the area. Here are just a couple that I am familiar with:
Apartment 1 at Morton’s Moo (Just off Main Street, in Ellsworth’s traditional downtown)
Apartment 2 at Morton’s Moo (Larger 2 BR apartment)
There are tons of motels, inns and cottages in the area. I haven’t stayed in any of them! Your best approach is probably searching on Google maps, and reading reviews. That said, here are a couple that I have some familiarity with:
Bay Meadow Cottages (lovely ocean-view mid-century cottages in Salisbury Cove, morning espresso bar, fire pits, amazing barn. Owned by a good friend.)
Hampton Inn, Ellsworth (just what you’d expect)
Acadia Gateway Motel (inexpensive roadside motel)
There are lots of campgrounds in the region, but mostly on MDI or Downeast:
Timberland Acres RV Park (Closest tenting option to Ellsworth. As the name indicates, this is primarily an RV park. Also rents rustic cabins.)
Hadley’s Point Campground (More tenting at this campground, located on the northern tip of MDI)
Mount Desert Campground (My favorite campground in the area. Pricey, but beautiful. A little farther from the off-island locations.