Travel Information
Overview
The College of the Atlantic (COA) is on Mount Desert Island in the town of Bar Harbor. We recommend that you fly into Bangor International Airport (BGR) or Bar Harbor Airport (BHB). Sometimes, the Bar Harbor airport is fogged in for days at a time, so Bangor is the safer choice.
Please plan to arrive by Sunday evening. Conference activities start first thing on Monday morning (breakfast is served starting at 7.30 and plenaries begin at 8.30). If you have questions about when the best arrival time is, please contact Michael Wittmann at mwittmann @ maine.edu.
For your return trip, keep in mind that the drive time from Bar Harbor to Bangor is about 75 minutes.
FFPER Shuttles will operate on the Sunday before the conference and the Saturday after the conference. We will contact conference participants about travel plans as the conference draws nearer.
Ground transportation
Bangor International Airport (BGR) to the College of the Atlantic (COA):
We will schedule shuttle van rides to Bar Harbor, using 12-person passenger vans. Shuttle rides costs are covered in your registration fee.
Bar Harbor Airport to the College of the Atlantic:
Note that Bar Harbor Airport is located in Trenton, about 15 miles from Bar Harbor, and you will still need ground transportation to arrive on campus. A map can be found here. Please contact us about riding on one of the BGR to COA shuttles. If there is availability, shuttles from Bangor may be able to pick you up. Otherwise, please arrange your own ground transportation by taxi or shuttle service.
Taxi and car rental
Information provided by Bangor International Airport can be found here. Local taxi drivers have said that a taxi ride to College of the Atlantic is $75. If you must take a taxi rather than our shuttle service, we recommend you share taxi costs by traveling in groups. If you rent a car, the drive is roughly 1 1/4 hours.
Renting a car from Boston and Portland is common - we share the list of attendees so that you can organize your travel plans.
Other transportation
For bus information, click here.
Flying in to Boston MA, Manchester NH, or Portland ME can be cheaper, depending on your choice of airline, but be aware that it requires several hours of driving to get to Bar Harbor. Group rides have been popular in the past. Portland is 2 1/2 hours, Manchester 4 hours, and Boston 4 1/2 hours away.
Flights to Rockland or Augusta are also possible, though these are small regional airports and flights are rare.
Packing for your trip
Dress at the conference is casual. People wear shorts and sandals and summer dresses, but photo evidence suggests that long pants are normal, because it can be cool on some days.
There are many opportunities for hiking, long walks, and other activities. Some people go swimming, though the water is usually only in the 50s or low 60s.
Evenings can be quite cold, depending on the year, and some parts of campus are close to the ocean, allowing for a strong wind. Also, the sunset cruise at the end of the conference is on open water, and it is sure to be windy. Please pack at least a jacket and long pants! Some folks have been happy with hat and gloves, as well.
The dorm blankets are not very thick. We recommend either bringing warm clothes to sleep in or packing an extra blanket, if you have space. The local organizing team will bring some extra blankets as well.
More answers are given in the FAQ.