From Acadia National Park my wife and I headed north toward New Brunswick for a couple of days adventure. We decided to cross into Canada from Lubec over the International Bridge to Campobello Island. One must go through Canadian Customs on one side of the bridge that connects the Mainland to the Canadian Island. There also happens to be a one hour time change too.

Because we were continuing onto other New Brunswick destinations we left Campobello Island via a ferry to Deer Island NB and then took another ferry to the mainland of Canada. The ferry is only running in the summer from what I read. Be sure to get better details in reference to this interesting way to travel, and save time by reversing your way back and saving time at US customs further up the coast.

Brief History

Campobello was a resort area for the rich from Boston and New York and other coastal eastern cities. It's cool waters kept the area comfortable during the hot days of summer. Franklin D. Roosevelt visited this island most summers starting in 1883 as a one year old child. Once he grew up and married he continued the tradition of returning to this place with his wife Eleanor and his children. Boating, golfing, horse back riding and hiking kept the family busy at all times. This was also a place for exciting summer parties and a site for solitude affording quiet times to read and reflect.

Campobello is a beautiful island that is rugged and, due to its being off the beaten path and isolated in relation to heavily populated areas, it is still a quiet place to visit. While millions of tourist and campers go to Acadia National Park about 100 miles south in Maine, it's just ten's of thousands that visit Campobello. The slow coastline roads make this 100 mile ride over three hours long.

An International Park

Roosevelt Campobello International Park takes up part of the southern coast of the Canadian island and encompasses 2800 acres of rugged coastline and wooded areas. The centerpiece is the FDR home that is a short distance from a simple visitors center that has guides who can answer any questions, stamp your passbook if you have the National Park Passport or sell some of the few items the center offers. As an international park the guides and park help are citizens of either the US or of Canada. Both Canada and the United States maintain and fund this park. It is technically not part of the US Park system. The visitors center is a very simple building with just a very limited library of information.

The Roosevelt Home

Leaving the center's north side one continues up the flowered paths to the FDR home. It is a large red colonial style home that overlooks the Bay of Fundy with the state of Maine in the short distance. The views are beautiful and you can understand why this spot was chosen for the home to be built and for the area in front of it to be cleared so that the views are available.

Entering this 34 room home I was struck by its simplicity. I could easily see this place as the home of a vibrant family who loved the outdoors and simple needs in the home.

There were no tour guides to walk us through the home, however there are guides throughout the many sections of the home who were very knowledgeable of the homes history, furnishings and the Roosevelt family. I actually liked talking to different guides rather than following one on a tour.

It was interesting seeing the different rooms including where we we told Eleanor Roosevelt gave birth to FDR Jr.

Most of the rooms were open to see, though many were roped off and could just be viewed from the hall ways. It doesn't take too long to get through this home, unless you are a historian who want to get every bit of information you can out of the guides.

The grounds immediately around the home are well taken care of and "neat as a pin". Some guides are outside the home as well as inside. Out side the immediate are are trails along the coastline and through the woods. We didn't have time for these walks but they were rated as easy and moderate. We did get to see some of the awesome views from the coast.

A Bit More to See and Do

No camping is allowed in the park but there are nearby camping facilities. No restaurants are on the site either. Rest rooms were clean and well stocked. A fine looking lighthouse is on the north end of the island that is worth seeing. You can't go in it but there is something about a light house and the rugged sea coast of the area that draws you to take photo upon photo. This is not a huge island but it is quite picturesque. Once again, the ferry rides to other Canadian destinations is the way to go further north. We enjoyed our trip up the Maine coast and into Canada. Visiting this International Park maintained by both countries was one of our highlights of a relaxing and informative couple of days.

Campobello is an out of the way, quiet park with history of one of our US presidents who led the nation in difficult times. Though it doesn't have anything near the grandeur and wonderful views and variety of Acadia National Park, it could be worth a visit if you have a good amount of time and take pleasure in learning history.

Other popsrocks' reviews

Home of Franklin D Roosevelt National Historic Site, New York
Eleanor Roosevelt's historic home near the Hudson, New York

Cousin Theodore Roosevelt Sites.

Sagamore Hill National Historic Site Teddy Roosevelt's "Summer Whitehouse."
Mornings on Horseback; A Biography about Theodore Roosevelt
Theodore Roosevelt Nature Center

Other "relatively" nearby sites to visit from Campobello.

Bar Harbor An interesting seaside town!!
Acadia National Park My favorite place in the world!
MAINE, Scenic coastal towns and so much more.
A Canadian side trip from Maine's Acadia National Park
Hopewell Rocks Ocean Tidal Exploration Site



Recommended: Yes

Best time to go: June-August
Recommended for: Anybody
Review Topic: Overview