123 campgrounds · Check availability for any dates.
Campgrounds near Southington, Connecticut range from established park facilities to private camping areas, with several options within a 20-mile radius. Lake Compounce Campground in nearby Bristol offers tent sites, RV hookups, cabins, and glamping accommodations including yurts. Other notable options include Black Rock State Park Campground in Watertown and Gentiles Campground in Plymouth, which provide varying levels of amenities and natural settings. Most campgrounds in the region accommodate both tent and RV camping, with several also featuring cabin rentals for those seeking additional comfort.
The camping season in this part of Connecticut typically runs from May through October, with limited year-round options. "Very well maintained and friendly staff will stay again when in the area. Does not have sewer hookups, but does have a dump station," noted one camper about Lake Compounce Campground. Many campgrounds offer electric and water hookups, while shower and restroom facilities vary in quality and availability. Southington Rest Area provides a free camping option with limited amenities, available specifically from May through November, with an RV dump station accessible from late April through early November. Weather considerations include occasional severe storms, as evidenced by the 2018 tornado that impacted Sleeping Giant State Park, which required significant restoration efforts.
Campers report varying experiences with privacy and site spacing throughout the region. At Bear Creek Campground, visitors mention that while RV sites are positioned close together, the tent areas offer more seclusion and shade. Swimming opportunities exist at several locations, though one camper noted it "would have been nice if they had a place to swim in the camping area besides for at the main park." Bathroom facilities receive mixed reviews across campgrounds, with newer facilities at Branch Brook Campground earning praise for cleanliness. Many campgrounds feature recreational amenities such as playgrounds, basketball courts, and swimming pools. The proximity to local hiking trails, including those at nearby state parks and forests, enhances the camping experience in the Southington area.
"Affiliated with Lake Compounce Amusement Park adjacent to campground."
"It is adjacent to an amusement park so there were lots of families here. None of the sites have sewer, but there is a dump station on the way out."
"Quiet CG near Waterbury CT. Close to major stores for resupply. CG has lots of friendly seasonal campers and lots of other sites."
"There’s two brand new bathrooms on site one of which is conveniently located right by the pool. Owners are doing new renovations to make this place look good!"
from $55 - $150 / night
Check Availability"Beautiful state park, very clean .. fishing, lake swimming, hiking trails. Bathrooms, free showers .. stores within a 5 minute drive. Most of the camp ground site are not secluded .."
"The family next to me offered me dinner one night after I spent the whole day working on my RV. Spanish rice chicken the works the plate could barely hold it all."
from $17 - $50 / night
Check Availability"Beautiful Connecticut beach sits just steps away from your campsite. Well kept showers and bathrooms are abundant and the camp store has the majority of what you need."
"I had a hankering for East Coast seafood, so I picked Hammonesett Beach State Park for Connecticut. Our 2nd state of 5.
Hammonesett Beach has a huge campground."
from $20 - $70 / night
Check Availability"We love this State Park because it's close to our home for a quick getaway. This time we tried one of the sites on the water, and I probably wouldn't choose the same site again. "
"Semi private with great view and nice walks to the water. Noise was not a problem overnight as to having problems with noises neighbors at other CT state parks."
from $17 - $50 / night
Check Availability"We were passing through Connecticut and needed a place to crash. Loved this campsite! Very chilled and secluded in your own site. I liked that it felt like a litrle community but still quotr private."
"Right on the farmington river and off the main road with access to many many other favorable fishing spots. Definitely need to come back. Great rates on all sites."
from $17 - $50 / night
Check Availability"Sites are pretty close together and the campground is close to a fairly busy road. The pool and laundry areas were clean and seemed newer."
"While this might be fine for some dogs, I have 2 young border collies that will jump that fence like it is not even there."
"We stayed near the water. Clean private bathrooms were a plus. Clean pool but only 3 feet deep."
from $72 - $122 / night
Check Availability"We only visited for the day and left around dawn, but the campsite was absolutely beautiful—especially with its location right by the river."
from $5 / night
Check Availability"We arrived at the parking lot of Onion Mountain Park at around 2 pm and proceeded to get our bags packed for the hike."
"It’s up the yellow or blue trail depending on which one you take. However, it’s not a long walk to the parking area from the campsite."
ScoutThis campground is wonderful. The playground, the goats, the activities, the craft shed, there is so much to do for kids here. Everyone is so friendly and the campground is very clean. Bathrooms and showers are clean, the snack shack food is really tasty. The peacocks roaming around are the cherry on top. Overall, just a wonderful campground.
LegendWe have stayed at this campground many times because we love the towns of Mystic and Stonington. The campground has changed hands many times and it seems things are always different. I’ll start off with the bad. At check-in, we were greeted by one of the rudest people we have encountered in fifteen years of full-time RVing. There is a page of rules but they don’t seem to be enforced– like dogs off leash and no fences at your campsite. There are seasonal campers that are proud to fly political flags but I suppose there are no rules against that. The park is a mix of seasonals (who seem to just come on weekends to party) and transients. There are lots of amenities (which we did not use) but still had to pay the$10/day resort fee which really drives up the cost. This is a Passport America park so we were able to get 50% off on our stay. The laundry was really dirty (including a wet, slippery floor) and very busy since there weren’t that many machines and some were broken.
As for the good. We had a long, level back-in site with lots of room on both sides of us. The grass was lush and nicely mowed (which our dog loved) and we had a nice shade tree. The utilities worked well but were placed at the back of the site and the water was a shared spigot on opposite side. Our water hose was long enough so I didn’t have to add another one to reach the spigot. There are no sewer sites but there are two dump stations available.
There is a hiking trail nearby (Hoffman Evergreen Presreve) that we like to visit and is great for dogs. The campground is very convenient to downtown Mystic, the aquarium, and Mystic Seaport Village. Our GPS routed us through the tiny town of Old Mystic which was really tricky to navigate. If you are in a big-rig, we suggest using the Cow Hill Road exit off I-95 and then HWY184 to the campground.
ScoutI was a solo female tent-camper and I stayed at the Austin Hawes campground for 2 nights. I had an excellent experience. The office is open daily from 9-5 and 2 young women were staffing it during my stay. They welcomed me with a smile, answered all my questions and sold me two bundles of firewood for$7 each. I camped in site#22 which overlooked the Farmington River. You could hear the river running by all night long. It was very peaceful. I did not know that this portion of the river offers excellent fly fishing, so it looked like something out of an Orvis Catalog as men(they were all men) in waders with serious fly fishing gear often passed by or were standing in the shallow river doing their thing. It is important to know that BLACK BEARS ran through the campsite at night.(The young women in the office had warned me to be careful with my food, and that bears were often sighted). I am an experienced camper and left no trace of food anywhere near my tent, fire or picnic table. The bears did not bother me. I heard they spooked one family who blew some airhorns, then packed up and left in the middle of the night. There are 2 bathhouses, but one was locked because it is currently under construction. I had no trouble using the 1 that was open for campers. There are 2 female(private) showers, 2 male(private) showers, 2 bathroom sinks and 3 toilets in each house. I had no trouble using them and the facilities were clean. All-in-all, it's a beautiful, but very rustic(no electricity) campsite. I look forward to returning in the future.
RangerWe love Austin Hawes (Also referred to as American Legion). We have been coming here for years, and it is a great spot. Not too far, not too busy, tent sites, trailer sites, and cabins too. It is in a great location with plenty of hiking trails nearby, and lots of options for swimming, fishing, boating, etc.
RangerWe did a family campout here and had several sites together. We camped in our pop up in the field. 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.
ScoutCamped early in the season mid week, and it was nice and quiet. The "new" park rangers are take their jobs delightfully serious.
Our site had plenty of sun for solar but in seagull loop there is loads of shade
ScoutCampground was great. Site was in great shape, everything in order. Portapotties were large. The road made the trip horrible for peace and quiet lovers. I knew it was close to the road, but right on top of it AND a heavily traveled route.
TravelerCute Rv park. Very family friendly, the women who at the office are also incredibly nice and helpful! Seems like a lot of people either live full time or come on weekends but we were able to book a spot for a week.
GuideBeautiful large site. Can walk the trail down to the river. Beware of bears. Bathhouse was shut down for renovation but there was porta potties. Can hear road noise but wasn't bad. This and site 3 is one of the best sites.
Camping spots near Southington, Connecticut offer a range of experiences from lakeside getaways to forest retreats. Most local campgrounds sit at elevations between 400-700 feet above sea level, creating moderate temperature variations between daytime and nighttime. The region's camping season typically runs May through October with summer humidity levels averaging 65-70% during peak camping months.
Fishing at riverside campsites: Austin Hawes Memorial Campground provides excellent fishing access along the Farmington River. "Right on the farmington river and off the main road with access to many many other favorable fishing spots," notes Tom C. The campground is particularly popular with anglers who appreciate the catch and release trophy trout river.
Mountain hiking trails: Onion Mountain Park offers primitive camping with nearby hiking options. One visitor explained, "We ended up finding a very primitive spot off the blue trail (on top of the mountain), where we settled down for the night." This free camping area requires no permits and provides a more rustic experience.
Swimming opportunities: Several campgrounds feature swimming areas during summer months. At Lake Compounce Campground, one camper mentioned, "Great time! Would have been nice if they had a place to swim (in the camping area) besides for at the main park." The neighboring amusement park provides additional swimming options.
Clean, modern facilities: Branch Brook Campground receives praise for its well-maintained amenities. "The pool and laundry areas were clean and seemed newer," notes one camper. The campground also offers reliable Wi-Fi, which is uncommon in the region.
Spacious campsites: Kettletown State Park Campground offers varied site options. "We stayed in a cabin on the lower loop. Went hiking all day. Kinda close together sites, but the trails make up for it," shares Sam H. The park's hiking trails provide additional space to explore.
Recreational activities: Cozy Hills Campground offers numerous organized activities. "Lots and lots of activities for kids! Arts & Crafts, Arcade, Bingo, Casino Night etc. Pool is very nice for families - with no deep end, really safe for younger kids," writes Ann S. The campground balances recreation with natural settings.
Wildlife encounters: Some campsites report wildlife sightings. At Lake Compounce Campground, one camper reported, "As I am set up for bed I see one other large green tent that looks deserted. People left their left over food scraps in the grass by my camp so not only has my dog been eating it, I also hear coyotes. Won't be surprised if I see a bear in the morning."
Seasonal limitations: Most campgrounds in the area operate seasonally. Austin Hawes Memorial Campground operates from May through September, with some sites positioned close to roads. "A few nice sites, most are ok, some small. Ours backed up to the river and was large but hiking trail along river had a lot of traffic," reports one visitor.
Insect preparation: Black Rock State Park Campground visitors should prepare for insects. "We were their for 4 nights and 5 days. Very rewarding visit. Rangers and other campers were very friendly. The sites are very spacious and clean," notes Tanya B., though other reviews mention mosquitoes during summer months.
Pool-focused campgrounds: Cozy Hills Campground offers family-friendly swimming options. "The pool is nice, no deep end. It's very hilly. A golf cart is recommended if your site is far from the pool," advises Rino S. This helps families with young children who want accessible water recreation.
Activity planning: Kettletown State Park offers space for children to play. "The reason why I said that place is perfect kids? It has a huge land of campsite that the kids can run around until their energy out for the night! Plus you would see awesome stars during the nighttime," shares Jennifer H., though she warns to "watch out for raccoons and skunk, they love to find food."
Family-friendly campground layouts: Gentiles Campground has varying site arrangements. "Staff was very polite, bathrooms were very clean. There's two brand new bathrooms on site one of which is conveniently located right by the pool," notes Nicholas G., highlighting the convenience for families with children.
Hookup limitations: Lake Compounce Campground offers limited hookups. "Very well maintained and friendly staff will stay again when in the area. Does not have sewer hookups, but does have a dump station," reports Ray B. RVers should plan accordingly for shorter stays or use of the dump station.
Site selection considerations: Experienced RVers recommend specific sites. "Easy entry, long pull thrus. You will face your neighbor door to door but enough room between you don't feel invaded. Restrooms are clean and spacious. Showers are great. Whoever planned this campground is/was a camper," advises Diane R. about Lake Compounce Campground.
Wi-Fi reliability: Branch Brook Campground provides better-than-average connectivity. "Better wi-fi than most campgrounds. My wife and I both were able to work with mostly no issues, though there were some situations where it would go out," reports one camper, making it suitable for working RVers.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where are the best campgrounds in Southington?
While Southington itself has limited camping options, the surrounding Connecticut area offers excellent alternatives. Bear Creek Campground at Lake Compounce is closest to Southington, offering convenient access and family-friendly amenities. For those willing to drive a bit further, Wolf's Den Family Campground provides a great camping experience with easy access to local attractions like Gillette Castle and Goodspeed Opera House. Both options offer quality facilities and serve as good home bases for exploring the Southington area.
What amenities are available at Southington camping areas?
Camping areas near Southington typically offer a range of essential amenities. Wilderness Lake Park provides both RV and secluded tent sites, making it a versatile option for different camping styles. Kettletown State Park Campground offers basic facilities including restrooms and access to hiking trails, though amenities are more limited. Most campgrounds in the region provide water access, toilets, and designated camping areas, while private campgrounds tend to offer more extensive facilities like camp stores, playgrounds, and organized activities.
When is the best time of year to go camping in Southington?
The prime camping season in the Southington area runs from late spring through early fall (May to October). Summer offers warm temperatures ideal for enjoying outdoor activities, with Hammonasset State Park Campground being especially popular during this period for its beach access. Fall brings spectacular foliage, making Hopeville Pond State Park Campground particularly attractive with opportunities for camping, hiking, fishing and swimming amidst autumn colors. Spring camping can be enjoyable but prepare for cooler nights and potential rain. Most campgrounds in the area are seasonal and close during winter months.
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