College of the Atlantic is located in Bar Harbor on beautiful Mount Desert Island, Maine. The college's 35 waterfront acres overlook the ocean and are adjacent to Acadia National Park. The village of Bar Harbor is within walking distance of the campus and offers a wide variety of shops, restaurants and night spots, as well as art shows, evening concerts, and numerous other summer activities.

Read what past campers have to say...

PARTICIPANTS COSTS

Family Nature Camp fees include field trips, boat trips, housing and meals. Optional kayak tours are not included in the fee.

• "Off-Season" (June 27-July 3, July 4- 10) - 10% Discount
  $810 for adults (16 years and older)
  $405 for children (15 years and under)
  
  
• "High-Season" (July 18-24, July 25-31)
  $900 for adults (16 years and older)
  $450 for children (15 years and under)

The recommended minimum age for children is five years. Contact Jean Sylvia (800-597-9500) if you wish to bring younger children.

FAMILY NATURE CAMP AT A GLANCE

• College of the Atlantic will host four one-week sessions of Family Nature Camp in 2010:
    June 27-July 3 / July 4- 10 / July 18-24 / July 25-31
• New! "Off-Season"  (June 27- 10) will be discounted 10%
              "High-Season (July 18-30) - 2009 rates still apply           
  
• Suitable for children age 5 and older
• Free time for your family to choose self-guided hikes, walks, tours and activities
• Experienced staff help you plan activities for your family
• Per person price includes room, meals, field trips and 3 boat trips
• Optional kayak tours are available for an additional fee through Ardea Eco-Expeditions
• Free bus service from campus to Acadia National Park and other area locations
• Transportation provided for most field trips
• Sunday afternoon arrival - between 2:00 and 4:30 p.m.
• Field trips begin Monday and end Friday
• Saturday morning checkout - no later than 9:00 a.m.
• All activities are intended for the whole family. Childcare services are not provided.
  

a typical week at family nature camp

Each week at Family Nature Camp will have it's own unique feel, but for those wanting a "sneak peek," here is an idea of what you can expect:

Sunday: 

• Check in between 2:00 and 5:00 p.m.
• meet other families at orientation
• dinner and ice cream social
• film presentation by Buzz Scott, one of the engineers who helped design an ROV featured in the Blue Planet and other Nova and National Geographic specials.

Monday and/or Tuesday:

• take a trip into Acadia - history and orientation
•  Bass Harbor Nature Cruise
• visit local Beaver sites in Acadia National Park
• assemble a real Minke Whale skeleton
  
• visit COA's  Natural History and Whale Museums

Wednesday:

• free day to hike or take your Whale Watch trip
• presentation by Tony Sohns - the "Bug Man" in the evening

Thursday and/or Friday:

• Field Ecology hike in Acadia
• Tide pooling in Acadia
• one of these two days will be a "free day" ending with an evening trip on the  Starfish Enterprise with Diver Ed, where you will visit the bottom of the sea without ever getting wet!

Saturday:

• vacate the dorms by 9 a.m.

Also available are optional sea kayak tours with Ardea Expeditions around which we would book all your other field trips.  Meals are served in our award winning dining hall starting with Sunday night dinner and ending with Friday night dinner.  If you and your family plan a day-long outing, the dining hall will make sure you have a delicious bag lunch to take with you.

Off-hours can be spent socializing with other families or visiting Bar Harbor or other areas of Mount Desert Island and Acadia National Park.  You can either drive or use the Island Explorer, which is a free bus service that picks up and drops off passengers at the COA campus every 15 minutes daily.

optional kayak tour

Many participants enjoy exploring the shores of Mount Desert Island from a kayak. Please contact Ardea Eco-Expeditions, a local company to book your optional sea kayak adventure. You will deal directly with the owner and operator, Darrin Kelly, who will book and take payment for your tour. Darrin will then contact us at least 90 days prior to the start of your camp with a list of the families who have booked a trip. The Summer Programs office will then assign your field trips around your kayak reservation. Phone: (207)460-9731, e-mail: info@ardea-ecoexpeditions.com.

BICYCLING ACADIA NATIONAL PARK

Bikes can be rented nearby for half day or all day at several area bike shops (not included in program fees).  More information is available at the Bar Harbor Chamber of Commerce.

ACCOMMODATIONS

Parents and children share one or two rooms depending on the size of the family and are housed in dormitory suites, possibly with other families. Families bring their own bed linens and towels. Twin beds, pillows, and blankets are provided. All bathrooms are shared. Participants are required to participate in campus housing and meal program services.

MEALS

Weekly meal service provides 16 meals beginning with dinner Sunday evening and ending with Friday night's dinner. Although you are not required to vacate the dorms until 9 a.m. on Saturday morning, the dining hall is not open on Saturday. However, there are several places to eat breakfast in the town of Bar Harbor — one mile away.

RESERVATION AND FEES

Reservation forms are processed on a first-come, first-served basis. A $20 application fee should accompany your reservation form. A non-refundable $500 deposit is due one month following the confirmation of your reservation. To avoid cancellation, please notify the Summer Programs office if your deposit will be late. Once your deposit is received a confirmation letter will be sent indicating the final payment due date -90 days prior to the start of your camp session.

Send reservation forms and payments to: COA Summer Programs, Attn: Jean Sylvia, 105 Eden Street, Bar Harbor, ME 04609. If you choose to register online, please send in your $20 processing fee at the same time that you submit your application. If you need more information or have questions, e-mail Jean Sylvia in the Summer Programs office, jsylvia@coa.edu or call 800-597-9500.

REFUND POLICY

Refunds will be considered in the event of documented health or family emergencies.