Bristol is an ideal place for camping adventures of all kinds. There's so much to see and do, from exhilarating hikes or bike rides to exploring the local dining and shopping. Get the dirt on all the best camping near Bristol. Browse campgrounds by amenities, site types, and more.
Spread out over 626 acres with over three miles of shoreline, the campground has three distinct areas to choose from: East Bay: Inland sites. Electric & Water Hookup sites are here, as well as some of our most private tent sites. Sites 2-56 are shady, and sites 60-70 are in a more open area. This is the closest area to the Camp Store, showers and Snack Shack. Middle Bay: Tents only area. Forested and shady, Middle Bay gives the feeling of being deep in the woods, yet with many waterfront sites. West Bay: Tents and RVs welcome (no hook-ups). West Bay has tall trees along the water line, and open fields and pasture. This area is particularly suited to kids, as it hosts the playground and recreation field. This area was recently improved with our new shower building.
OCEANFRONT camping at Sagadahoc Bay Campground located at the southern tip of Georgetown Island has cabins (tiny houses), tent sites, and RV sites. With sites on the oceanfront or with views of the ocean or sites at the base of a 30 ft cliff with the cliff-face as your backdrop, we guarantee you will find something to love at Sagadahoc Bay Campground. We offer: kayaking, swimming, clamming (you say you've never been clamming? (If Pat can teach Al Roker of the Today Show how to dig clams, I am sure she can teach you!) Walking on the sand flats a low tide is a very unique experience, one that will excite all your senses. Want lobsters delivered to your sight every night? No Problem. No hassle, no waiting in line, just order by 4:00 p.m. and the lobsters will be delivered, cooked or live at 6:00 p.m. Oh, don't forget, DOGs are always welcome!!
$56 - $170 / night
$25 - $45 / night
Duck Puddle Campground sits on the edge of Pemaquid Lake just inland of the Southern Maine coast. Duck Puddle hosts tent campers as well as cabin rentals, a lake house rental, and barn weddings. They also rent out boats, dock slips, and golf carts.
Hermit Island Campground is a family-oriented seasonal campground located on a 255 acre peninsula in Small Point at the southern tip of Phippsburg. The campground is accessed by a right-of-way which goes across a sand causeway. Hermit Island is roughly 1.5 miles long and .5 miles wide at the widest point. Most of the campsites are on the southern end of the island. The northern end has several beaches, hiking trails, and a small marina and wharf. Campsites & Cabins Our 270 campsites are located near sandy beaches, on rocky cliffs, along the tidal harbor, and in the forested interior. Each campsite has a picnic table, a loose rock fire ring, and parking for one car. Campsites fall into 4 categories depending on how close to the ocean they are and whether they have a water view or direct beach access. Ocean Prime sites have an ocean view and/or beach access. Prime sites are close to the ocean or beach and may have a partial view. Choice sites are not as close to the ocean as Prime sites, but are closer than Value sites. Many Choice sites are on the harbor side of the campground and have water views and/or access to the harbor directly from the campsite. Value sites are located within the wooded interior of the island and are farthest from the harbor and ocean. We also rent 3 small cabins - The Hermit Island Cottage, the Log Cabin, and the Sou'wester.
No Rig too Big... ALL RV SITES ARE 30 & 50 AMP. Long term stays on 28 plus nights save 9%; ME state tax. Recreation is all within 2 miles of us; On-site- bocce court, firewood for sale, brewery & beer garden, tavern tap house, pet friendly; Golf (.2 mi), Boat launch (1 mi), fishing (.5 mi), river side hiking trails (1 mi), playground (.2 mi), laundry mat (2 mi), farmers market (Thursday's 9am-12pm .2 mi), Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens (1 mi), downtown shopping (2 mi), Grocery store (2 mi), boating/cruising (2 mi), horseback riding, hair salons (2 mi), Sea Glass Spa (.1 mi away), LP Gas. Call ahead with any questions
$40 - $60 / night
Explore the natural beauty of Rockport — Rockland — Camden — while enjoying glorious views of the rugged Maine Coast and the quiet beauty of Megunticook Campground by the Sea. Experience the spectacular views of Penobscot Bay, watch windjammers sail by and enjoy playful porpoises and other sea life, from our Porpoise Point Waterfront. Take a dip in our swimming pool or enjoy local community events such as Rockland’s famous Lobster Festival and North Atlantic Blues Festival. Our campground offers a full array of hookup options for all types of campers (tents, cabins or RV’s) up to 38 feet.
$32 - $58 / night
Legend
The sites here are nicely wooded and have a decent amount of separation between most of them BUT the campground is located too close to the road and, with the exception of sites 84-87 and cabins 8-10, you will hear road noise in your site. Options are 10 rustic cabins, tent sites, partial and FHU sites.
The bathhouse was very clean and there are both outdoor and indoor showers; both looked nice although we did not use them.
I thought $50 for a tent site was a little steep but it was all the potential extra fees that irked me:
*$30 site lock to ensure you get the site you want when you reserve. I took a chance and was able to get the site I reserved without paying this fee
*$4 weather guarantee (allows you to cancel due to inclement weather). I didn’t bother with this one
*7.95 if you need to hook up to WiFi. We were able to use our own portable WiFi
*$10 to use the dump station (we found another place that charged $5)
Aside from the fees and proximity to the road, this is a nice campground with a host of amenities: pool (which I was surprised was still open on October 1), horseshoes, laundry, dishwashing sink, a playground, and trash pick-up at your site. There is also a path to the shore with picnic tables, and chairs. Repairs to the sea wall are in progress so caution was recommended.
Guide
Tops’l Farm offer the best of glamping. Located in Waldoboro, they create a wonderfully balanced experience between the outdoors and glamp. While their model continues to evolve, camping is not available on all days/weekends. They create special weekend camping events and retreats. We participated in a weekend camping event that included a farm to table meal on Saturday evening in their barn. They had recommendations for places to visit during the rest of the weekend, which we did not do.
Their model is a stay that costs a price, plus a lot of a la carte “extras” that you can order. We ordered Friday dinner and wine; and breakfast for one morning. Depending on the weekend, ‘extra’ offers could also include yoga, foraging, s’mores kits, etc.
Tops’l Farm has both cabins and glamping tents. The bath house is very nice for a camp bath house, with soap and shampoo. The cabins are full of creature comforts, including nice sheets and blankets, lanterns, and an overall beautifully appointed space that is still rustic. Each cabin has a fire pit.
The farm dinners offer delicious food with ingredients from local farms. The food is delicious, simple and very satisfying all at the same time. The barn that they hold the dinners in is simple yet elegant. There is a camp store where you can buy beer, wine, snacks and other basic items.
They truly curate a lovely glamping experience. It isn’t cheap, but if you want a glamping weekend, it’s one of the best.
Guide
Camden Hills State park is centrally located, just at the edge of downtown Camden. It provides a great home base for hiking, biking, kayaking and exploring the Camden/Rockland area.
The park has around 100 sites that are categorized by size, and allows rvs and tents. There are no tent specific sites, and a tent camper could choose a large rv site. Each site has a picnic table and fireplace. Most spots are wooded, but there are 8 non wooded, open grassy sites at the front of the park, which have little shade. About half of the sites have water and electric. There is a bathhouse, multiple water stations and a dump station. The park sits on both sides of Rt. 1, and the bottom side is more of a day use area with a pavilion and walking trails and sits on the water. The bottom part does not, however, have true water access for swimming or kayaking. The closest place for this the Camden City Park, which is 2.5 miles away, and is a great place to launch a kayak. Rockport Marine Park at Rockport Harbor is another - it has easy kayak launch access and a very very small beach, which is mostly used for kids to splash around in the water. The top portion of the park, where all the campsites are, has direct access to Mount Megunticook, and Mount Battie, and offers easy to advanced hikes. It’s great to be able to do numerous hikes without having to leave the park.
We liked our site, 61, because it was open, grassy and level, had water and electric and was reservable. The park rangers were very friendly. There is a charge for Wi-Fi, and cell service is good enough.
There are many quality restaurants in the Camden, Rockland, Rockport area, as well as good bakeries and coffee shops. The Camden Farmers market is right downtown. You are less than 10 minutes from central Camden, and 20 minutes to Rockland.
Traveler
Small beautiful campground right on the water. Away from the busy stuff but close enough to visit it if you want.
Scout
Tried to ask about winter camping and the lady was wicked rude
Scout
I flew out from Minnesota this December to ski in Maine. Had some good riding at Sunday River!
I really enjoyed my stay at Runaround Woods in Bobcat for three nights! The lodging was warm and comfortable with great views. I was able to watch the moon rise each night as I was falling asleep.
The campground was set in the woods with lots of wildlife and amazing views of the night sky. Fun walking trail around the property. I played multiple rounds of disk golf and stopped at the proshop for a runaround woods branded disk. The wood fired sauna was really nice after a day of snowboarding. The host Ryan was very accommodating and helped me get the most of my stay. Ryan help heat up the sauna and also had great recommendations for local dining and shopping.
Highly recommend this stay for anyone looking to get out and explore Maine! Fun and comfortable lodging with a great host!
RangerI really like that the campground has easy access to the hiking trails. Clean bathroom facilities and the free showers were nice and hot. Unfortunately, you can hear quite a bit of road noise.
Scout
Advertising a private beach that belongs to a private neighborhood. Sent us into a private neighborhood to a beach that's not their property.
ScoutSuch a cute little spot for a nice get away, wood fired hot tub, and sauna. Would recommend this place to anyone!
Traveler
Stayed 5 nights with family on the next sight, great place for kids with lots of variety, animals and low traffic back roads for bike riding. Reserve early if you want hookups.
Guide
The reception at this campground is very friendly. Pitches are fairly spacious, but still a bit close together. Garbage is picked up in the morning, which is very nice.
The sanitary facilities are quite outdated and, in addition, could definitely be a bit cleaner.
The pool is clean, but everything around it also looks very outdated and worn.
We had a pleasant time here and would definitely recommend this place for a few days.
Scout
I value the reviews left here, so I felt I needed to leave an honest review in hopes it will help someone else. We stayed here for almost 2 weeks. During that time there was a sewage smell near the bathhouse. The sites are not level and most are not shaded or very wide. We also had brown water and were extremely thankful for our multiple water filters. We paid for a 30 amp service, but had low voltage the entirety of our stay. The solution that was proposed, was that we remove our Watchdog EMS and Surge protector. We decided to keep our Watchdog on. They had several campsites on the same breaker, something we have never seen at any campground in our 3 years of travel. On our last day, we didn't even have enough voltage to keep fans running inside our RV. Please be aware that low voltage seems to be an ongoing problem as an RV behind us had an electrical cord burn up while we were there.
Scout
There are no sewer hookups(which is fine) but you are only allowed ONE use at dump station upon leaving the campground. I arrived with a 1/3 tanks and wanted to dump on way into park because I was staying 3 days/nights and they said ok but you can’t dump on the way out(seriously?). I asked if I could pay for a second dump and it was$30. I’ll never go back.
ScoutWe were greeted with the most amazing, kind and service oriented staff! Just wonderful to see these days. Our site was a pull through and it was wooded and flattish. Some rocks on boulders, but we fit in fine. We were right next to a tenting site. Kind of close, but we managed to put the back of the RV toward their site. It is dog friendly!!! Lots of things to do on grounds and around this area. We had a great time. Plus, they have nice hot showers for free. No quarters here! lol In short, we loved our time here.
ScoutA beautiful location!
ScoutSuch a great place for families. West Bay has a playground, a great shower house, water access, and kayak rentals.
Scout
We stayed in a large tent site. Very quiet and clean. We also fished off the dock.
ScoutSuper comfortable and cozy sleeping cabins in forest setting. Loved all the extras: wood-fire sauna, solar shower, cold plunge, picnic/eating space, outdoor seating spaces, games, fire pit, etc. We played the woodland disc golf course multiple times! Great way to experience the forest and end the day in cozy bed!! Ryan is an amazing host.
Scout
I recently stayed at the Tiny Cabins of Maine with my family for two nights, opting for their tent camping site. From the moment we arrived, the host's warm welcome made us feel right at home. Despite some distant road noise at night, the overall ambiance was serene and beautiful. The tent camping amenities, including the pop-up toilet and sturdy wooden platform, were thoughtfully provided. The fire pit and picnic table were perfect for evening gatherings, and the hammock added an extra touch of relaxation. We enjoyed the pub's games and even tried our hand at axe throwing. Kayaking in the pond was a highlight, thanks to the convenient dock. While the trails required attention to follow, the directional signs helped. Overall, I highly recommend Tiny Cabins of Maine for a memorable small family retreat, and we're already looking forward to returning in the future.
Scout
Shore hills has good prices and great views. The sites are large. The people are nice. It is the only place we have stayed at more than once.
LegendJake from the Dyrt here! We're excited to have this campground on the Dyrt and ready for you to book, check them out and make sure to leave a review!
GuideCamden Hills state park is in a great spot, close to town and has a waterfront access. If you have a bigger rv you’ll want to stay in the field sites in the front of the park. The higher you go the better for tenting it is as it gets more forested.
ScoutSafe and beautiful camping spot
Scout
This was a family campground years ago and used to be safe but was inherited by young people. Now it hosts loud Grateful dead and other big parties and music festivals all summer and caters to a bad crowd. Not recommended if you want sleep or for children. If you go here check the website very carefully for a week that isn't going to be crowded with hundreds of questionable people drinking and partying to loud music all night .
LegendNice state campground with tons of hiking trails right from the campground. We stayed in a non-hookup site for $38/night- very expensive but we wanted to stay in the area and enjoy the hiking trails. Most sites don’t have enough sun for solar, and those that do, are FHU sites. Go figure. We were in site #65, recommended to us by the ranger as having the most sun for our panels. 65 was nice because it was set apart from other sites, and kind of enclosed so it was nice for the dogs. But it’s in direct view of the dump station so if that bothers you don’t pick this site!
The drive up Mt Battie Rd was worth it for the views at the top. RVs are ok to drive on this road, and there’s RV parking at the top.
Showers are free, hot, and good pressure, but they are the creepiest campground showers, rusty and dark. Dump station and potable water are available.
There’s a little free library book exchange at the ranger station at the entrance. Verizon service was usable but very weak, ATT was better, and fine with the weboost. The campground offers wifi at $3 per day per connection, but we didn’t use it.
Guide
We had a few sites scattered over the campground for the weekend and had an overall...interesting time. We live relatively close and have been here a few times, each time has been mid.
Getting into your site with a camper requires maneuvering no matter how you come into the campground. We had a few sites higher up in the campground and had a tent site right on the water near the "boat ramp".
I try not to judge a campground based on the people around you because you literally cannot control that. The beach had flooded the weekend that we were there, leaving the only beach area available the spot...in our site. A HUGE group of people set up camp IN OUR SITE. It left a really bad imprint on the weekend and I won't be returning.
The campground itself is average, wooded sites with a camp store, field area, small beach and basic amenities.
GuideThe check-in couple were awesome! Chatted for a while and made us feel welcomed. The campgrounds were very nice, and our tent site was the largest site on the grounds.
The loss of one star is the pricing. I guess the campgrounds were bought out by some corporate conglomerate last year, and the current pricing shows. We paid $75 for one night. There was water to the site, but no electricity.
Camping near Bristol, ME, offers a fantastic escape into nature with beautiful campgrounds and plenty of activities. Whether you're looking for a family-friendly spot or a peaceful retreat, there are options that cater to all kinds of campers.
Camping around Bristol, ME, has something for everyone, whether you're looking for adventure or relaxation.
Frequently Asked Questions
What camping is available near Bristol, ME?
According to TheDyrt.com, Bristol, ME offers a wide range of camping options, with 95 campgrounds and RV parks near Bristol, ME and 3 free dispersed camping spots.
Which is the most popular campground near Bristol, ME?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular campground near Bristol, ME is Wolfe's Neck Oceanfront Campground with a 4.6-star rating from 40 reviews.
Where can I find free dispersed camping near Bristol, ME?
According to TheDyrt.com, there are 3 free dispersed camping spots near Bristol, ME.
What parks are near Bristol, ME?
According to TheDyrt.com, there are 5 parks near Bristol, ME that allow camping, notably Bankhead National Forest and Chugach National Forest.
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