Best Tent Camping near Freeport, ME

Desert of Maine campground is an excellent choice just 4-5 miles from the heart of Freeport at interstate exit # 22. This campground is well-imagined. Sites are close together, and some are small. There are 2 hike-in sites which are set apart. Wifi is provided throughout the campground and most sites have power. They must have studied "best practices" when designing this lovely campground. 

I booked an extra night.

This is an outdoor experience campground- not a wilderness adventure -- but perfect for young families…especially for those new to camping or those for whom a very sanitary classic bathroom is needed.Children find and entertain each other in the common area.

Sites 19-27 face a shared square with excellent access to the modern and stylish bath house. Other sites have a somewhat further walk. Sites 17-27 are best for tents due to the configuration of the sites.. Tent sites # 2 & # 3 are short walk-in and very private, but lack easy access to the bath house. Almost all sites in this campground have shade and are under a beautiful canopy of old pine, maple and balsam.

Site 24 is lovely & slightly set apart and cars are parked close by but not on the tent site. Site 27 is located down a steep slope and is very private but has difficult access. I would categorize site 27 as a hike-in site, but not # 24.  All sites are generally level and have been graded. Sites have scant privacy in front, but back up to forest. Sites 4, 6,17, 19, 23 & 26 have slightly more space but space is not the defining issue in this campground. RV's that are large should not try this campground. The maintenance is superb; and the thoughtful design of the overall campground is aesthetically pleasing. 

This attractive campground is small-scale and personally managed. 

Ice is available for purchase…as is wood. 

Beware of speed trap on the 2 mile access road between the interstate & campground.

This campground was in the woods and was well maintained. The campsites definitely felt like they were on top of each other and are pretty small. We picked a medium one and could barely fit 2 tents and 2 cars with a safe distance from the fire. 2 sites were within 15ft of our fire pit. The bathrooms were very clean. The lake was nice too, sandy beaches. For a large portion of our stay it torrentially downpoured. The trees allowed us to canopy a tarp but our fire pit completely flooded and we had to bail it out when the rain finally stopped. If the sites weren't so close together and small I would definitely give this place 5 stars.

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.

This campground is a great option for relatively inexpensive campsite in an area that can have camping costs reach$65-100/night. The park is located on Casco Bay in the town of Freeport(home to L.L. Bean’s flagship store{which is open 24/7} and many other outlets). The views are great and you have a beach, boat launch and nice park at your disposal. The only downside– there are no hook-ups. I would book this campground all summer long if there were hookups. One nice thing about having no hook-ups is that you can either pull in or back into the site to maximize your view and not have to worry about how to run your hoses. Sites are on grass and some are right on the water with amazing views of the bay. Each site has a picnic table and fire pit. Many other sites don’t have a water view but offed shade and more privacy. The waterfront sites are always booked so you don’t get much privacy. Personally, I want the water view so you better book early. Reservations can be made online and by doing so you can view pictures of individual campsites. Dogs are allowed for a$1 fee but are not allowed on the beach which was a bummer since our lab was eyeing it the entire time. There are hiking trails in the park so our dog loved that. Kids love the huge playground and there is an amphitheater with weekly concerts. Since there are no water or sewer hookups, a dump station and bathrooms are available and water spigots scattered about the campground. We got plenty of over-the-air television channels out of Portland and our Verizon phone and hotspot worked great. There is a boat launch onsite which makes it super easy if you want to paddle in the bay but beware there is a 9-11’ tide so watch the charts and plan your trip so you don’t get stranded and have to port your watercraft across a sinking clam flat. 

Other reviews mention some not-so-nice encounters with staff but we did not have any.  People didn't seem overly friendly but that was fine with us as we weren't trying to make friends.

Some of the places we love to visit when in the area Bow Market, the Maine Beer Company (which has great pizza), and Harraseeket restaurant in South Freeport which has great fresh seafood and a water view. You are just a short drive from Portland so we spent a day down there visiting the Old Port, the art Museum and eating at Duck Fat(a favorite restaurant of ours). Another nearby camping option is Recompense at Wolfe’s Neck which also has great waterfront views and is on a really cool farm.