Heading into our learning vacation, I was concerned about how my family would respond to a fixed daily schedule. Given the busyness of our school and work lives, we tend to see vacations as a break from commitments, a time to let days unfold as they will. The idea of having all our activities and meals planned from dawn to dusk made me wonder if I should be bringing along a police whistle--or better yet, a cattle prod.

As it turned out, having our days planned had drawbacks and benefits. As delicious as the cafeteria meals were, for example, having to eat them, hungry or not, at 7 a.m., 12:30 p.m., and 5:30 p.m. could sometimes feel like a forced feeding. Similarly, the group field trips in vans, while a nice break for the family driver, some days made us pine for the independence and flexibility of having our own car.

But I'll say this about being scheduled: you sure get things done. Finished with breakfast at 7:30 a.m. and with no dishes to clean up, Nick and I could head down to the water to fish or skip stones before our morning field trip. With a free afternoon and no dinner to worry about, Sarah and Alex could head into town for some shopping. The free time we had (several hours each day) was truly free.

One indication that COA's approach strikes a workable balance is the number of families that keep coming back. I talked to several that were returning for their sixth or seventh year, and whose kids--now teenagers--had become close friends. For these folks, the college offers new programs and activities to keep the experience fresh (sea kayaking was added in 2003, for example), but the Bar Harbor area has so much to offer that staying busy is hardly a problem.

Would we sign up again? We may have to. Soon after we returned, Alex announced she now has a new career choice: a marine biologist who works with whales and dolphins.

Please keep in mind that phone numbers, addresses, and prices are subject to change. Updated July 2005.