140 campgrounds · Check availability for any dates.
Norwich, Connecticut and surrounding towns offer multiple mixed-use campgrounds with options for tents, RVs, and cabin rentals. Mystic KOA in North Stonington, located about 15 miles south of Norwich, provides tent sites, RV hookups, cabins and glamping accommodations with pool access and outdoor activities. Nearby Hopeville Pond State Park Campground in Griswold features waterfront sites with electric hookups and cabin options. The region includes several family-oriented campgrounds like Strawberry Park in Preston and Odetah Camping Resort in Bozrah, both offering full-service amenities including water and electric hookups, swimming areas, and seasonal activities from spring through fall.
Access to campgrounds varies significantly between privately-operated facilities and state park campgrounds. Most privately-owned campgrounds like Mystic KOA and Strawberry Park operate year-round or from April through October, while state parks such as Hopeville Pond and Rocky Neck typically have shorter seasons from late May to early September. Many campgrounds require reservations, particularly during summer weekends and holidays when facilities often reach capacity. Water and electric hookups are standard at most private campgrounds, though state parks may offer more limited services. Cell coverage is generally good throughout the region, especially at campgrounds near Interstate 95 and larger towns. "Mystic KOA is just 15-minutes from Mystic and about an hour's drive to Newport, Rhode Island. It's just a few minutes from I-95 and so close to Mystic Aquarium, downtown Mystic, Mystic Seaport, and all the local spots," noted one camper.
Waterfront camping represents a distinctive feature of the Norwich area, with several campgrounds offering pond or river access. Salt Rock Campground in Baltic provides sites along the Shetucket River, while Waters Edge Family Campground in Lebanon features pond access for swimming and fishing. Campers consistently mention water activities as highlights of their stays. State park campgrounds tend to offer more natural settings with hiking trails and wildlife viewing opportunities, though they typically have fewer amenities than private facilities. Several visitors note the region's convenient location for exploring coastal Connecticut and Rhode Island attractions. The proximity to historic sites, beaches, and tourist destinations like Mystic makes these campgrounds popular bases for travelers exploring New England. Campers should expect more crowded conditions during summer weekends, particularly at waterfront sites which typically book months in advance.
"Tucked away in the woods I never knew this was there! Beautiful pond and a good mix of seasonal and overnight sites as well as cabins. Plenty of areas to walk our dogs and have them swim."
"Has a nice beach on a pond, a very cool splash pad next to the pool which all looked very clean. There is a snack shack next to the pond with a play scape and horseshoes."
"It was a bit too cold outside but the pools and hot tubs looked nice. Splash pad was clean and used by kids. Lots of roads to bike on and walk dogs. Live band on Saturday night was nice."
"It is close by to some nice shopping areas as well. Bingo is always a family favorite and they even had that as well!"
from $60 - $120 / night
Check Availability"During our stay we enjoyed our campsite as it was close to the pool. The grounds were beautiful to walk on with water nearby and little places to explore."
"We stayed at Mystic KOA in North Stonington, Connecticut, to be tourists in Mystic. Spoiler alert… we had a great stay! "
"Well this is one of Connecticut's State Parks that offers camping, so we took advantage and made several new friends. We camped, swam, fished, hiked and picnic."
"General: There are three sections to this campground: five canoe sites; 16 sites including one cabin behind the ranger station and what I would assume is the main section with 61 sites."
from $17 - $50 / night
Check Availability"The beach is about a 1 mile walk or drive from the campground. The walk is lovely and I have seen deer, turkeys, many birds, skunks, raccoons, and other wildlife along the way."
"Located right off I95 ( which you can hear at times), the park is convenient to all the major interstates and state roads."
from $20 - $70 / night
Check Availability"My parents stayed in a bunkhouse and my husband and I stayed on the adjacent site. Bunkhouse is very basic but clean. Sites are well spaced with lots of types to choose from."
"There's a small beach at the pond, a boat ramp, and proximity to wildlife refuges and the ocean. It's a HUGE campground, with 700 sites and 20 cabins. Canoes are available to rent."
from $18 - $50 / night
Check Availability"We were close to activities and enjoyed an afternoon tubing down the river. The bathrooms weren't the cleanest, but we've seen worse. We enjoyed our time here."
"we had a group from work head out here. we reserved Coyote Run, and had the field to ourselves, it was a bit of a walk to the shower from there, but we had our own outhouse, bring a light for night time"
from $33 - $100 / night
Check Availability"Which was walking distance from the boat yard. Had a bite to eat at the Blue Duck, it was fine. Saw the show and walk back to the boat yard."
"Easy access to the boatyard at night; pulled in, picked a spot and all good. Enjoyed the pool.
Walked to Fort Trumbull.
Recommend Crockers."
from $50 - $75 / night
Check Availability"The peacocks roaming around are the cherry on top. Overall, just a wonderful campground."
"Lots of fun at the beach, kayaking on the lake or just hanging at your site. Petting zoo, craft cabin, arcade, bingo and lots more!"
"We’ve been to campgrounds with playgrounds worse than the waters edge dog park."
"This is our families favorite camping location. On the pond at Waters Edge. When asked where they want to camp my 5 and 7 year old will always respond with Waters Edge."
from $45 - $100 / night
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ScoutThis place is fantastic and I would definitely stay again. It is a working shipyard and marina. Excellent showers. Very nice pool and pool deck with umbrella right on the water. One mile from block island ferry.
TravelerCrocker’s is a nice relaxing scenic place to stay in the New London area.
Walking distance to restaurants and to Fort Trumbull.
So much fun watching the boats and boating activities.
Electric and water included.
There is a free dump station about a mile away (during regular business hours). *Can be found on The Dyrt.
Hosts were super friendly and had nice recommendations for places to see around town. Thank you !!!!
We will definitely be visiting again.
GuideFort Getty campground was in an incredible location to Jamestown and with many things to do in the park itself. The tent sites are open field style and some groups can get big so be ready for that. We had tent site 6 and it was tucked back in its own little area which was an awesome surprise. Overall we had a quick stay and everyone we encountered was friendly, bathrooms are older but a short walk from tent area. The access the Jamestown and the surrounding areas and views is what makes this place totally worth it!
TravelerDue to the heat wave, I opted not to spend the night, but we did roll through and check out the area. First thing we noticed is how close and open the sites were, with a few exceptions. I attached photos of the more secluded sites I plan to choose next time. Site 49 is what I had reserved and it was large and partially secluded. The bathroom buildings are boarded up across the campground and state park with port o potties in front. I was not eager to check those out… a bucket started feeling like the safer option lol It was quiet but on the more secluded sites, there was ample road noise and you could see the road from some sites. I didn’t get a chance to look for the walkway to the park and river, but I plan to next time. The state park and river nearby was beautiful and quiet and serene with smattering Fourth of July picnics. Overall, I plan to return here when the weather is more cooperative and my car camper is better equipped :)
TravelerWe arrived after 10pm so we couldn’t go into the general store to check in. But there was an envelope with our name and a description of where we had to go. Because it was so dark we couldn’t find it but the security guard was really helpful and showed us the way. We spent a really quiet night at this campground at a tent site with our rooftop tent and appreciated the clean showers and friendly staff. We would come back anytime.
ScoutI have 4 kids, 8 and under and they had an absolute blast. We will definitely be back.
TravelerWhen we arrived at our site we were instantly greeted with an angry resident. He started shooing us away as we were trying to park our camper at our site. He needed to back out and leave but we had only been there no more than 3 minutes before he popped up angrily. There are a lot of long term campers there. Very very unkept campers. Broken down, damaged, some look unlivable. Some may not like the dozens of cats everywhere, but I did. It’s fun to spot a new cat roaming around the campground. The pool is nice and clean. The playground is cute. The Arcade is not worth going to. A lot of the games were broken or empty. Bikes are NOT allowed. My 8 year old son was riding his bike and we were told he couldn’t do that at this campground. The pond/beach area is beautiful. You can try fishing in it. We didn’t catch anything. I definitely don’t suggest swimming in it. It’s not clean enough for that. Camp “store” is very minimal in what they have. Mostly little candy and some minor essentials. There is also a little restaurant attached to the camp store. I like that the sites were grass and not dirt. Or site did not have sewer. We had to go to the dump station to empty black water.
LegendWe stayed here a number of years ago when it was Milleville Ponds Campground and what an improvement! The park is really clean, well mowed, well-packed gravel roads and camping pads. No problem for big-rigs. There are some seasonals but their sites were tidy. About half the campsites are in the woods and half in the open. There are some deluxe sites with paved patios and nicer fire pits but they are really close together and no shade. We really liked our site (#400) which was gravel, long and level. (We would choose 401 if we came back.) The patio had nice grass which our dog loved. The utilities were well-placed and the electric legs were good at 124 volts. I called to see if there was cable tv because there was a connection on our post and was told that some sites had cable. But, when I hooked it up, we didn’t get any channels; however, we got about 60 over-the-air tv channels. Great wifi. Not much for amenities, just a pavilion and playground. There is a public dog park just outside the park that is really big and you can walk a ¼ mile to a hiking trail. There are three airstreams and a 3-bedroom house for rent. The bath house is centrally located. Unfortunately, they are not super close to the tent sites and there is no path through campsites so you either have to walk around or cut through someone’s site. It took us anywhere from 20 to 30 minutes to get downtown (depending on traffic). There are few restaurants nearby and a grocery less than ten minutes away. Overall, we liked how clean and well-kept the park was and enjoyed our site. We stayed eight nights with the average nightly cost at $81and would come back if in the area.
TravelerLet me save you from making a grave mistake. The campground was quiet. That's the best thing I can say about Gibson Hill after spending a week there. Totally unkempt and in disarray. The roads are a rocky, dusty rutted mess. The campsites while some newly graveled, not well I might add, are not level. The electric at my site kept tripping off. I finally discovered, with no help from the non-existent management, that the service disconnect breaker was bad. Luckily I had an extra 30A cord and was able to plug into the unoccupied adjacent site. How this abomination has any 5 star reviews is above my pay grade. During the week we were here we never saw a camp representative. We were not welcomed by anyone affiliated with the campground and I never saw anyone on duty in the office. The is NO weekly entertainment. There is NO weekly bonfire. THERE IS NO POOL. Our site had no picnic table and no fire ring and had areas dotted with clumps of gray fur. Obviously noone had inspected our site for cleanliness prior to our arrival. Our first visitor was a 4' rat snake. There was debris strewn all over the grounds. There was one trash container. Unlined and uncovered. No dog poop bags or signs regarding poop pickup. There was a lot of demolition but no new construction ongoing. The“pool” is a 4’ deep square under construction and far from being completed. The“resort” signage was a joke. It took me 3 tries to find my way out of the campground. The entrance sign is installed parallel to the road rather than perpendicular to it for visibility. The number of decrepit or abandoned trailers on site was unbelievable. We were never told if the campground was under new management and/or under going refurbishment. In any event it was missing the mark. Unfortunately we paid for a week in advance so we were stuck here. NEVER AGAIN. I’m leaving this truthful review so no other potential campers are duped into staying here. Definitely an absentee owner who doesn't have a clue. Really too bad because the location and grounds have enormous potential. I will let Happy Grounds and RV LIFE know of my great disappointment and suspect reviews. By the way, to the reviewer who said they enjoyed the pool. THERE IS NO POOL. There is NO on-site management.
Camping near Norwich, Connecticut offers a mix of coastal and woodland experiences with seasonal variations that affect site availability. During summer weekends, temperatures average 75-85°F with occasional thunderstorms, while spring and fall camping brings cooler 45-65°F conditions. Water-based activities dominate the camping scene with several campgrounds providing pond or river access for boating and fishing.
Tubing on rivers: Hidden Acres Campground sits along a river where visitors can enjoy tubing. "We tubed down river, fished the pond, swam in the pool, did the hay ride, even attended the dance at night. Definitely be sure to grab a snack at the food hit they have," notes Erik M.
Paddling opportunities: Waters Edge Family Campground features a small lake perfect for kayaking. "There's a nice lake to float on, a clean pool to swim in, activities every weekend. I camp here seasonally and love it," says Laura M., highlighting the multiple water recreation options.
Fort exploring: Crocker's Boatyard in New London offers unique urban camping with nearby historical sites. "Walked to Fort Trumbull. Recommend Crockers," writes Steve Z. Another visitor adds, "Sunday we went and visited Fort Trumbull which is also walking distance away. Very nice place to visit and learn. Also took a tour of the Coast Guard Ship at Fort Trumbull."
Hiking trails: Hopeville Pond State Park Campground provides woodland hiking experiences. "This park also has plenty of trails for hiking and geocaching. The pond has some really big fish, but it's heavily covered with lily pads and there are a lot of submerged trees," according to Cynthia K.
Multiple swimming options: Odetah Camping Resort provides diverse water experiences. "The lake is great!! The pool area is a little small, but the attraction is the lake. The splash area at the pool is great for little kids," reports Happy Camper L., who adds, "From a massage at the Spa to a fun band by the lake, to Bingo night, mini-golf and awesome ice cream Sundaes."
Clean, modern facilities: Strawberry Park in Preston offers well-maintained amenities. "Clean, comfortable campground aimed more towards glamping. Lots of rv sites and very nice cabins. Cleanest bathrooms I've ever seen at a campground," shares Kay B.
Waterfront tent sites: Hopeville Pond State Park Campground features secluded tent-only sites. "The gem is the canoe sites at the north of the campground. These are tent only. You park and walk about 100 yards to the site. There are only four sites in this secluded section of the campground. Sites CN02, CN03 and CN04 have direct waterfront on the pond," explains Jason S.
Pool access: Waters Edge Family Campground combines woodland privacy with pool amenities. "Most amazing weekend with tons of woods (privacy is huge for us). Very friendly guests and staff! Swimming pool, great playground, among lots of trails and wooded area surrounding almost every site," shares Rob L.
Site privacy varies significantly: Privacy levels differ dramatically between campgrounds near Norwich. "We weren't sure what to expect- we picked this campsite last minute because of the location. It's was really nice: our water and electric site was surrounded by super tall trees and although the sites were close, it didn't seem crowded," writes Erin M. about Waters Edge Family Campground.
Late-night noise: Salt Rock Campground has reported noise issues. "If you DON'T enjoy privacy, or peace and quiet, or rules being enforced, such as quiet hours...then you will maybe like it here. My family and I happened to be here on a full vacancy weekend, and it was so loud, we might as well of been at a festival," warns Lilia W.
Reservation timing: Rocky Neck State Park Campground requires advance planning. "This is a great family campground. Lots to do and it is massive! You can bike for ever and go to the lake! Camp store literally has anything you would need. Usually pretty busy, you will have neighbors," advises Madeline H.
Off-season limitations: Campground facilities may be restricted outside summer. "On this stay, we snagged a late reservation over a busy summer weekend so the place was packed. We had a great time," writes Nancy W. about her experience at Mystic KOA, noting the trade-off between availability and crowds.
Look for organized activities: Odetah Camping Resort schedules family events. "We went two years in a row each on Halloween! They had great amenities and activities for the kids. Plus a costume contest and tricker treating. Very enjoyable time," shares Brian P.
Check for dedicated kids' areas: Mystic KOA offers multiple child-friendly features. "This KOA provides a lot to do for kids and families. The pool is small and usually crowded, but still very well kept. And then there's mini golf, hay rides, and lots of fun planned activities," recommends Cynthia K.
Consider beach access: Several campgrounds near Norwich feature swimming areas. "Beautiful campground right near the beach. Hiking trails along the coast line," writes Timothy R. about Rocky Neck State Park Campground. Another camper adds, "Beach can be crowded. But it is worth it. Nice food shack. Great family place."
Seek out biking opportunities: Strawberry Park provides safe biking areas. "The kids ride their bikes to the sports fields, the rec center for the pool and activities. Oh and my young children LOVE the air pillow, they have spent hours on there," shares Ryan C.
Hookup availability: Crocker's Boatyard offers basic RV services in an urban setting. "We thoroughly enjoyed our stay at Crockers Boatyard. Very friendly and helpful staff, great location, security gated after hours. Had water and 50 amp hookup," reports Frank I.
Leveling requirements: Salt Rock Campground has site condition issues. "The site was level, it's septic post on the site plugged with cement, its electric box a bit rusty, it's fire ring filled with leaves from last fall," notes Val H., highlighting the maintenance concerns.
Off-hour arrival procedures: Some campgrounds have specific check-in systems. "Very concise directions on how to get into the property after the office is closed. We backed right up to the waters edge practically," shares Peggy L. about Crocker's Boatyard.
Site selection strategy: Mystic KOA requires careful site selection. "If you want to be up near the action—pool, bar car, and other activities—get a site in the front section. We wanted to be as far away from that as possible," advises Nancy W., offering important site selection guidance.
Frequently Asked Questions
Are there any campgrounds with pools near Norwich, CT?
Mystic KOA offers a well-maintained pool just 15 minutes from Mystic and a short drive from Norwich. The campground has consistently maintained their pool facilities even during pandemic restrictions, with campsites conveniently located near the swimming area. Whispering Pines Campground also features a pool and splash pad, though these amenities may be seasonal, typically opening later in the camping season. For families seeking water recreation beyond pools, Strawberry Park offers extensive aquatic facilities not far from Norwich.
What are the best campgrounds in Norwich, CT for tent camping?
Within a short drive from Norwich, Hopeville Pond State Park Campground offers excellent tent camping with access to swimming, fishing, and hiking trails. The campground is known for its family-friendly atmosphere with chipmunks often visiting sites. For a more secluded tent camping experience, Wilderness Lake Park provides peaceful sites away from the RV areas. Their tent sites are known for being particularly private and well-maintained, making it a hidden gem for tent campers looking to enjoy Connecticut's natural beauty.
Where can I find RV parking in Norwich, CT?
For RV camping near Norwich, Wolf's Den Family Campground is an excellent option located just off Route 9 on the east side of the Connecticut River. This RV-friendly site provides convenient access to attractions like Gillette Castle and Goodspeed Opera House. Another solid choice is Salt Rock Campground in Baltic, which accommodates RVs and is known for being big-rig friendly with appropriate hookups. Both locations offer reservable sites, though booking ahead is recommended during peak camping season.
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