My husband and I stayed with our 9 year old daughter for a week in August and hated to leave. The apartment is on the quiet side of the island, a big plus, but still with the beautiful ocean view and not far from restaurants and shops in Southwest Harbor, tourist attractions, and hiking trails within the park. The apartment was clean, very comfortable, and well appointed. It included all the basic cooking and grilling utensils, including things like foil and baggies that truly enabled us to make tasty meals. The views of the pond and sea, with the sound of the surf made the deck our favorite place to start the day with a cup of coffee and end it with a glass of wine. Despite the nearness of the road, the site was peaceful and quiet, particularly in the mornings and evenings. We explored much of the island from this home base, including the more popular locations on Acadia's park loop road and a trip to the much more touristy Bar Harbor, but the majority of our activities were oriented on the quiet side, almost all less than 30 minutes drive. Echo lake is not far for swimming; there were some great little trails within 10 minutes of the apartment; an absolutely beautiful sailboat trip with Sail Acadia out of Southwest Harbor (that convinced my daughter she wanted to change her room decor at home to a sailing theme); a kayak tour off Hadley Point from Maine State Sea kayak where we sighted bald eagles, and a very informative and fun trip to the Oceanarium and lobster hatchery! But before or after all the day trips to see the sights, it was wonderful to come back and explore the tide pools just across the road with no travel required. Our hosts were very welcoming and informative, and responsive to all requests. We look forward to going back!