One thing I always take when I go camping is either cheap washable flip flops or water shoes to wear when I use the campground shower, although I prefer flip flops over water shoes because it’s easier to clean my feet with flip flops on.

Although campground personnel do their best to keep the bathroom facilities clean (at least in most places) by the time you get into a shower dozens of other people may have already used it that day. There’s no way of knowing what is lurking on that floor so feet covering of some sort is a necessity.

It’s possible to pick up a fungal infection like athlete’s foot in a shower. Also, there could be stinging or biting bugs on the floor that might be stepped on. Sometimes the shower floor is rough and hard on the feet, and there’s often sand on the floor.

If you forget shoes for the shower either sacrifice a pair of sandals you have with you and get them wet or take a trip to a nearby store to pick up inexpensive ones. I think it’s that important to avoid going into a communal campground shower with bare feet.

Of course, if you’re lucky enough to have a shower inside your camper or RV you can ignore everything I just said.

This is a recipe I make ahead and serve the first night of camping for an easy meal although the entire process can be done at your campsite as long as you have an electric hookup.

FRENCH DIP SANDWICHES
Ingredients:
One 3-5 pound beef rump roast
2 cups water
½ cup dark soy sauce
1 teaspoon dried rosemary (or 1 tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary leaves)
1 teaspoon dried thyme (or 1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves)
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 bay leaf (fresh or dried)
4 whole peppercorns
8 hard rolls or Kaiser rolls

Serve the beef on rolls (split and toasted over the campfire if desired) using a slotted spoon to remove the meat. Spoon extra juice into a small cup and serve alongside the sandwiches for dipping.
Serves 6-8.

Acadia National Park, located on the coast of Maine, is gorgeous anytime of the year with its views of the water and the mountains, but it’s spectacular in Fall when the leaves change colors.

Acadia National Park

The majority of the park is located on Mount Desert Island which is accessible by vehicle. A smaller portion of the park is on the mainland of Maine in an area called Schoodic Peninsula.

Acadia has several campgrounds in the park:

Blackwoods Campground on Mount Desert Island - It has 306 sites and is open year round. Mos sites are for tents but some accommodate RV’s up to 35 feet in length. There are no hookups or utilities but there are restrooms with running water and fee showers nearby. The campsites have fire rings and picnic tables. From May 1 to October 31 reservations are suggested and the camping fee is $20 a night. In April and November all sites are open weather permitting with a nightly fee of $10. From December 1 to March 31 a limited number of campsites are available for primitive camping. During the winter months there is no camping fee but the camping is primitive only. The access roads are closed to vehicles. All camping equipment must be hiked in. There is a hand pump for water available as well as a portable toilet.

Seawall Campground on Mount Desert Island - It’s open from late May to the end of September (except in 2007 when it closed on September 7). All sites are available on a first come first served basis. Fees are $14 for walk in tent sites; $20 for drive up tent, camper, and motorhome sites. There are 214 campsites in the campground. There are no hookups. Fee showers are nearby.

Duck Harbor Campground on Isle au Haut. It’s a remote island inaccessible to vehicles. Access from the mainland is by boat. There are 5 primitive campsites available from May 15 to October 15 by advance reservation. Facilities include: lean to shelter, fire ring, picnic table, composting toilet, and hand water pump.

If you like camping with hookups and other amenities or have a camper that’s longer than the maximum of 35 feet allowed in the Acadia park campgrounds, there are several private campgrounds near the park including a KOA with campsites that have private beach access, WiFI access throughout the entire campground, an interactive dog park, and an outdoor cinema. The KOA campground is open from early May to mid-October each year.

What is there to do in the park? You can:
- drive the 20 mile park loop road for awesome views of the Atlantic Ocean, the mountains, and forests
- participate in a ranger led walk or talk
- check out the Nature Center
- take a bike ride or horse drawn carriage tour on the park’s 45 mile carriage road system
- hike the 125 miles of forest and mountain trails in the park (Please note: as of the time of this writing the East Face Trail in Acadia remains closed due to damage from an earthquake on October 2, 2006)
- visit Bass Harbor Head Lighthouse
- take a ranger narrated boat cruise
- have tea and popovers at the Jordon Pond House
- relax at your campsite!

If that’s not enough to tempt you, there are tons of nearby attractions and activities including: whale watching, kayaking, boat cruises, mountain climbing, fishing, white water rafting, horses riding as well as museums and galleries to explore plus plenty of shopping, nighttime entertainment, and restaurants.

Click here to go to a live webcam at Acadia National Park (updated every 15 minutes).