Family Resources
At College of the Atlantic, your student’s success and wellness are our priorities
We understand that college can be a complex and challenging time, and we want to make sure you and your student are supported along the way. If you have more questions that aren’t answered here, reach out to [email protected] or call 800‑528‑0025.
- Family weekend details
- Every October, families are invited to campus during Indigenous Peoples’ Day weekend.
- Map and directions
- Where to stay
- Many hotels and inns are located within a mile of campus, some just a three-minute walk away!
- Acadia Inn offers COA visitors 10-15% discounts in April and May, other than Memorial Day weekend. Guests must call to book.
- Atlantic Oceanside offers discounts for COA visitors year-round. Guests must call to book.
- Where to eat
- We encourage you to join us for at least one meal in COA’s dining hall during your visit; but Bar Harbor also has a wide array of local restaurants and cafes!
- What to do
- COA farms: Tour our organic vegetable and livestock farms and see sustainable agriculture in action.
- The intertidal: Our island has miles of rocky shoreline where we practice ecology, art, and science.
- Downtown Bar Harbor: Step off campus to shop, sight see, and experience the charm of one of Maine’s most vibrant small towns.
- The COA Dorr Museum: Explore decades worth of natural history exhibits designed entirely by students.
- Experience the area by hiking, biking, or exploring in Acadia National Park, check out the Abbe Museum, or catch a movie at alumni-owned Reel Pizza Cinerama or a live event at the Criterion Theater.
- Schedule a campus tour
Stories from the Field
Nepal’s request for flood payout tests UN’s new climate-aid system
College of the Atlantic Professor Doreen Stabinsky tells The Economic Times that international climate aid must respond quickly when vulnerable nations face catastrophic losses. Read MorePrinceton Review places COA among nation’s best for student experience
The Review’s 2027 Best 392 Colleges ranks College of the Atlantic near the top for sustainability, LGBTQ+ friendliness, outdoor engagement, campus food, and quality of life. Read MoreBoard of Trustees welcomes two new members
Art historian and gallery owner Jill Lord, PhD and senior defense and technology executive Richard Ross join the College of the Atlantic Board of Trustees. Read MoreStudent Resources
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