Best Glamping near Boston, MA

Glamping Reviews near Boston, MA

346 Reviews of 35 Boston Campgrounds

• 

  Emily T.

  Ranger

  Sep. 27, 2021

  Cape Ann Camp Site

  Perfect beginner camp spot

  Cape ann has everything you need for an easy, hassle free camp experience. It’s right off the main road, checking in is quick and employees are helpful. There is a corner store, bathrooms, picnic tables, fire pit, cell service, and close beach access. Everything you need for a beginner camping experience.

• 

  Jean C.

  Legend

  Jun. 7, 2020

  Winter Island Park

  Rustic, urban campground on the water, near Boston

  This campground offers basic campsites, with electric available on RV sites. Many of the RV sites are located in the main parking lot; others are in a field just to the right of the entrance. Tent sites tend to be grassy, but not all offer parking on site, so choose carefully. They do not permit tents on RV sites and vice versa. None of the sites offer much privacy. You can explore the beach, launch a boat (paddle or motor), catch a sunrise, or explore the remnants of Fort Pickering. There's a trail around the park with markers, but they're not well maintained. Stay here if you want to be near the water or explore the region. FYI - the dump station is not on site; ask at the office about arrangements for this.

  I'm often asked about the best place to camp when visiting Boston and options are limited close to the city. This is one of two campgrounds located <25 miles from Boston with good commute options into the city. If you choose to drive, beware that traffic is a nightmare and parking expensive, but if you have a group that may price out to be less expensive than the commuter rail. The commuter rail is 2 miles from the campground and during peak season a shuttle runs between the campground and Salem.There's a high speed catamaran that runs to and from Boston (though stopped due to CoviD-19 in 2020), but it's expensive. The MBTA offers a special weekend commuter rail pass with their online app. 

  Salem offers plenty of sightseeing options, including the National Park Service Salem Maritime NHS, the House of 7 Gables, Peabody Essex Museum, and the Salem Witch Museum. Farther afield, the seacoast towns are worth exploring and you can catch a whale watch out of Gloucester.

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• S

  Stephanie M.

  Guide

  Jun. 2, 2019

  Sutton Falls Camping Area

  Georgous, private camping along pristine Aldrich Mill Pond

  We were delighted when we learned we had the little peninsula of site P1 all to ourselves. Stunning views across the large pond, and serving as a wonderful halfway rest/respite on the journey from NYC to Belfast, ME. We felt like we were on top of the world, discovering this perfect quiet nook and basking in nature’s splendor.

  I can only speak for the camping on this peninsula/land, but the rest of the sites looked cozy, family-friendly, and fun. Cabins and RV sites across the lake, along with beaches for swimming. Bathrooms located on P1 peninsula. Canoe rentals on-site. Lovely picnic dining area alongside covered bridge and waterfall. Completely picturesque and, mostly, totally peaceful!

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• C

  Caitlin B.

  Guide

  Aug. 27, 2018

  Hanscom AFB FamCamp

  Close to minute man np

  Close to minute man historical sites- revolutionary war historical trails and Ranger Station. Not too far from Boston.

• M

  Mir D.

  Guide

  Aug. 22, 2021

  Cape Ann Camp Site

  Great campsite!

  Beautiful campsite, nice sized sites surrounded by trees so it felt pretty private. Bathrooms and showers well maintained, 25 cents for 5 minute shower. No cell service but wifi available at the office. Only thing we didn't like washere a lot of people walking dogs and let them "go" wherever.

• 

  J G.

  Ranger

  May. 1, 2021

  Charge Pond Campground — Myles Standish State Forest

  South Shore Delight

  Myles Standish has a little bit of everything: hikes, swimming and easy access from Boston area. Depending on the time of year other campers can be loud. Great swimming spot for the family.

• 

  Nancy W.

  Legend

  Jul. 31, 2017

  Normandy Farms Campground

  Huge park with lots of amenities and activities

  We planned a brief stop in the Boston area with the intent of seeing the John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum and Normandy Farms appealed to us for various reasons. One reason was the fact that they have dog walkers that will come to your site and take care of your precious pooch while you are away. Not knowing how long we would be away from the campground that service was a great option. As it turned out, we did not need to use this service but for some it would be a great perk if you were going to be gone all day. And with Boston traffic, we can see how that could happen. By the way, the library is well-worth it.

  When you enter Normandy Farms it is more like checking into a hotel than campground complete with a concierge and express check-in. The park is gated and a code is needed to enter and leave giving you a sense of security but I’m not sure it is necessary. Driving in you quickly realize how huge this park is with some 400 RV sites, tent sites, yurts, lean-to’s, safari tents, and cabins. 

  There are plenty of sites to choose from the “premium” full hook-up (50 amp) to basic with just water and electric and many others in between. Both back-in and pull thrus are available as are sites with shade and full sun. Premium sites have paved patios while other sites are gravel. Roads are paved and plenty wide enough for big RV’s to navigate. They offer cable television that yielded nearly 100 channels. Wifi worked well at our site and other places throughout the park. All sites come with a fire pit and picnic table. 

  We chose a paved full hook-up pull thru with paved patio (Site E1). Our site was easy to navigate in and out of and was definitely big rig-friendly with ample space for our motorhome and tow car. All utilities were well-placed and functioned properly. The site was level. At the time we were there in October the campground was not very busy but we imagine that things get a little crazy when the park is full. 

  There is a really long list of amenities for this campground….four pools (include an indoor heated one), fitness room (with elliptical, treadmills, bikes, machine and free weights), creative arts center, camp store, 20,000 square-foot activities building (with adult only lounge, pool table, arcade, games, wide-screen televisions, sauna, Jacuzzi), restaurant, huge off-leash dog park (you can reserve individual day kennels), BMX bike park, horse shoe pits, baseball diamond, volleyball, fishing pond, shuffleboard, disk golf, and playground, and probably a few more things I missed. During the busy summer months there is a long list of activities ranging from yoga to kids games.

  Normandy Farms is approximately 35 miles from Boston. If you don’t want to drive to the city, you can park at the nearby train or subway station and ride into the city. You are just five miles from Gillette Stadium (home of the New England Patriots) and Patriot Place (a hub for shopping and dining). About a mile from the campground is Foxboro State Park where you will find 20+ miles of hiking trails. Also within a five mile radius are plenty of restaurants, shopping, hardware store, grocery store, and more. 

  Some of the really good features are the huge dog park which has a dog washing station, water fountains for dogs and humans, agility-type obstacles for them to play on, dog kennels, and a bin with balls and Frisbees. I also liked (and used daily) the fitness center which had functioning equipment and a large television to help pass the time while working out – and was never crowded. The large community building has and adult-only lounge which serves as a nice place for people to get together and watch television or hang out without kids. With everything this campground has to offer you can see why it is a destination park for some people as their kids would be busy all day. 

  The downside really is the price and how many sites there are. If you are looking for a quiet, peaceful getaway this is not it.

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• 

  Jean C.

  Legend

  Sep. 13, 2019

  Boston Harbor Islands State Park Campground

  Ranger Review: Banner & Oak Traveler Shirt at Boston Harbor Islands

  Campground review: Camping at Boston Harbor Islands requires some planning, but you get the benefit of a remote island with minimal company. Unless you book one of the 12 yurts on Peddocks island, the camping is rustic; you’ll need to bring everything, including water. Reservations open 6 months in advance and sites fill quickly, so plan ahead if you’re counting on a particulate day. I only visited the campsites on Peddocks Island, so I can’t speak to the ones on Lovell, Grape, and Bumpkin. 

  Getting there: Unless you have your own boat(check regulations on the website; you’ll need to anchor offshore overnight), you’ll want to catch a ride on the ferries to the Boston Harbor Islands. Figuring out the schedule is the trickiest part, not least because they don’t make the inter-island ferry schedule as readily accessible. Here’s the scoop: 

  1. Check the ferry schedule. Figure out which departure makes the most sense for you. You may choose to leave from Long Wharf, near the Aquarium T stop on the Blue line, or from Hingham, with overnight parking available. For Bumpkin and Grape Islands, you’ll want to leave from Hingham; Peddocks and Lovells are available from either departure point
  2. Buy your ticket online in advance. Some town libraries have passes offering 2-for-1 ferry rides, so if you’re a MA resident in the greater Boston area, it’s worth checking that out first. Otherwise, you’ll be looking at an extra$20 for the ferry, but that fee covers your round trip as well as the use of the interisland ferries so you can explore other islands. If you’re traveling as a family, look at the family pack for another discount. You can show the ticket on your phone when you board. 
  3. Pack as lightly as possible and plan to carry or wheel it to your site. If you have a folding wagon, you may appreciate having it to carry items on and off the ferry and to your site on the island. There may or may not be carts available on the island. Peddocks has running water available, but otherwise you’ll need to bring gallon of water/person. If you want to grill, bring your own charcoal; otherwise bring a stove or bring food that doesn’t need to be cooked. You may scavenge wood to build fires below the high tide line only. No alcohol and no pets. 

  The yurts on Peddocks are great, providing shelter from the elements, bunks with mattresses, electricity, a ceiling fan, table with benches, and a grill. There are 6 yurts up a small hill, with a composting toilet and water from a tap nearby. The 6 tent sites are also in this area. An additional 6 yurt sites are below the hill and in the woods, so it’s a slightly longer walk to the toilet. at the top of another hill there is an open, grassy area, also with a composting toilet, that provides group campsited.

  While you’re out on the islands, take time to explore one of the others…look for sea glass on Spectacle Island and climb the hill for a view of the Boston skyline, explore the old forts and visitors centers, earn a Junior Ranger badge from the National Park Service, fly a kite, or go for a swim or kayak. In mid-August we collected handfuls of blackberries as we explored Peddocks. 

  Ranger Product Review: Banner& Oak Traveler Shirt 

  As a Ranger with the Dyrt, I sometimes get to test items; in this case I ordered the Banner& Oak Traveler long-sleeve t-shirt  in indigo. It’s long sleeved and super soft, but the first time I went to put it on, I realized the Banner& Oak tag along the hemline was sewn through both the front and back, so I couldn’t put t on until I removed the tag. I didn’t have scissors with me, so it was tough to get it off and ultimately I ended up with a hole in both the front and back. I’ve worn this on strolls through the woods when the weather was nice, but cool and on the foggy morning ferry ride to the island. The sleeves are not constricting and when I pushed them up to my elbows, they stayed in place while I hiked. I will say that it is a unisex t-shirt and the sleeves and body of the shirt tend to run long. I like that, but if you're petite, it may be annoying.

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• 

  Cassie G.

  Traveler

  Aug. 12, 2025

  Winding River Campground

  Fun laid back place. This campground has a lot of potential. Some info on their website and Facebook isn’t accurate.

  I would like to share my experience this past weekend at Winding River in Exeter NH. My family of 3 Stayed at tent site 523 in the Oak area. We also had family at 553 and 554 and Cabin 2.

  About site 523: I clearly had one of the largest and most private tent sites. It was set back with a long driveway tucked between 522 and 524. It’s a very steep drop into the river making most sites a little nerve wracking with a little one. Online it said water available nearby. Most sites had a hookup but there wasn’t a one on my site. It looked like there may have been one to share on the road, but I didn’t end up needing to figure that out.

  Tent sites 522 and 524: Along with most of the tent sites these sites were very close to each other, much smaller and closer to the road. I wished my family members had gotten 552 and 553 as they blended together nicely if you are tenting in side by side spaces. The ground was very rocky making staking tents down difficult. They were right next to the bathroom which was convenient but loud. Ventilation in the bathroom was not good so the doors were propped open much of the time and loud hand dryers.

  Shower:

  • This is the smaller of the two bathrooms in the campground. There are 2 showers there. Each with a single insufficient curtain and no hooks on the wall or bench to place things down. Water was hot enough, pressure was ok if you set it to the high power massage-like setting.
  • The showers in other bathroom (near the town center area) had a door and two curtains. Some had hooks (some of which were broken). I almost tripped going in and out of these bathroom stalls because they are raised up but there is no marking on the ground to indicate that.

  Cabin 2: Ac worked well. There was a good sized bed downstairs, smaller beds in two lofts. I was surprised the couch didn’t pull out. Fridge and all dishes were nice and clean. All the cabins seem to have different back porch setups. This porch was smaller than C1. There was a propane grill that smelled rancid with sooo much caked on The burners. The location of the ceiling fan under the other lights in the ceiling gave them a flashing effect that really bothered me.

  Pros:

  • Lower price compared to other campgrounds (but I don’t feel like I got everything advertised on the website)
  • Two playgrounds, both were nice.
  • Water slide was fun
  • We arrived Thursday at the gate and were told how to get to our site, to set up and then come over to the office which was nice.

  Cons:

  • The river is very low and yucky so none of the boating or fishing advertised was possible. likely causing the massive amount of mosquitos.
  • The whole arcade building was was “out of order”
  • The laundry room had two washers (one was broken) and two dryers 2.50 each per load. Not sufficient for a campground this size (especially when people leave their clothes in the machine for 30 mins after they’re done!)
  • Camp store was poorly stocked (multiple empty coolers).
  • Ice $3 per SMALL bag.
  • Wood $10 per bundle and rules say you can’t bring from off-site. I saw people with huge metal bins of wood but was never offered that option when I payed for multiple bundles.
  • Camp store closes at 3 on Sunday and doesn’t open until 11 am during the week (which is also checkout). This made it a little confusing when I wanted to return the golf cart. They have a small area with icecream that is scooped and maybe a kitchen. I never saw it open but I think the sign said open morning to 12 and then again in the evening.
  • The pool was green and cloudy on day 3. I called the office and was told they had just shocked it and that was a result of the copper. I am not informed enough on pool safety so I opted out of swimming on the hottest day of our stay. My son was bummed.
  • Planned activities were only scheduled for Friday and Saturday, when online mentions “daily”. During adult kareoke there were plenty of kids and really poor wifi (wasting so much time between songs).

  And just to add:

  • Staff I encountered was friendly enough, but It would be nice if they wore shirts to identify themselves.
  • Golf cart was great, but cost more than the site per night.
  • Pedal go-carts were available for rent (I didn’t ask a price).

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