If you want to explore the beauty of Buzzards Bay, glamping is an excellent option. The Dyrt can help find the best glamping in and around Buzzards Bay, MA. These scenic and easy to access Massachusetts glamping locations are perfect for any adventurer.
$17 - $27 / night
Nickerson State Park is situated on the edge of Flax Pond and is home to over 400 campsites making it a great place for camping near Boston. Tent campers, RV-ers, and yurt lovers will all find the perfect spot here for their next Massachusetts adventure. Experienced Nickerson campers recommend getting a reservation early for peak summer months as these high-demand spots are snatched up quickly.
Situated near the National Seashore, Nickerson’s beachy environment welcomes campers who are looking for a unique experience. The park’s location in Cape Cod contributes to its popularity thanks to access to iconic lighthouses, sport fishing, some of the country’s tastiest seafood, and more! Make your way throughout the park and the cape by biking the scenic 22-mile Cape Cod Rail Trail. Enjoy views of white pines and spruce trees, cedar swamps, and countless kettle ponds along the way.
So bring your bike, kayak, and lots of bug spray – you’re about to have a good time.
$22 - $70 / night
$17 - $27 / night
The countryside setting of the Boston/Cape Cod KOA, 15 miles west of Plymouth, Massachusetts, makes a great base camp as you explore one of the oldest cities in the United States.
Our Boston/Cape Cod area campground boasts wooded campsites and plenty of on-site recreation opportunities; including a Jumping Pillow, theme weekends, and a pocket park filled with all the fun and games to bring your group out to play. Enjoy the picturesque setting in a Camping Cabin or a furnished Deluxe Cabin.
More than any other Cape Cod Camp Resort, with three pools and a Jacuzzi, two playgrounds and a beach, fishing and boating on our private access lake with sandy beach, a sports field, adult lounge, teen center, game room, wi-fi cafe, store, waterslide, sprayground, and adult outdoor fitness trail, it is no wonder that Cape Cod Campresort & Cabins has become Cape Cod’s only family campground to receive the highest possible ratings from both of the nation's leading sources for campground ratings: Woodall's and Trailer Life. Located in the heart of one of the true vacation hot spots of New England, Cape Cod Campresort and Cabins is “THE PLACE” to be on Cape Cod! So many of the region’s leading attractions and beaches (including the Martha’s Vineyard and Nantucket ferries) are just a short drive away from your base at Cape Cod Campresort. The park is situated on 55 acres, with its own private access freshwater lake and a beautiful sandy beach. Our campsites average 1600 square feet in size which can accommodate most coaches with sewer, 30/50amp electric and cable. Large wooded campsites with lake views are available, along with cabin and cottage rentals and one of the finest secluded tenting areas on the Cape. Most of our campsites are shaded by whispering pines. Our list of amenities is impressive, with a wood beam cathedral ceiling clubhouse, patio area, three in-ground pools and jacuzzi.
Pinewood Lodge Campground is located outside Plymouth, Massachusetts, on a 50-acre fresh water lake and has over 3,000 feet of lake frontage as well as a six-acre island. The campground offers traditional tent and RV campsites, as well as cottages, yurts and cabins.
$50 - $110 / night
Nestled deep in the woods between Boston & Cape Cod, Normandy Farms Campground is a luxury camping destination that has been a family tradition since 1971 and widely recognized as one of the premier resorts in the world. Relax and enjoy the unique seasons of New England in your RV, tent, or in one of our deluxe cabin or YURT rentals. We also have pop-up trailers and safari tents for those seeking an elevated camping experience.
Normandy Farms Campground Special Amenities include: a bike park, creative arts center, disc golf, a dog park, a fitness center, laundry facilities, playgrounds, a store, volleyball, basketball, soccer, bocce, tennis, 4 swimming pools, spa, wellness center, and more!
$50 - $200 / night
Tent and RV sites.
Ranger
This is glamping campground. It has a pool, game rooms, and everyone is packed in pretty close.
I personally like state parks, lots of room and trees. I didn't feel that at Normandy farms but you might love it
Guide
Booked site in early July for Sept stay. Paid for a premium glamping site 2200 Sq ft with paver patio. Didn't pay site lock fee as I didn't care which site I got as long as was the same type of site and I think the sites are expensive enough. Arrived and was given a site in "motorhome row". Very small and no paver patio. Prayed the whole time neighbor didn't use his grill as he was that close. Left two days early we were very disappointed. Alot of seasonal sites and some were pretty dumpy looking
ScoutThey have glamping sites, which include full hookup, fire pit with chairs, octagon shaped picnic table and stone patio for your rv front door. Pets welcomed, a ton of extra activities like row boat rental, kayak rental, mini golf for $3 all day, must bring a bicycle helmet if your riding bikes(state law), a small store, firewood for purchase, gated community, so you feel safe, 3 pools, laundry etc. We were impressed, only thing is main pool seems alittle run down and arcade area could look better than it does. Wish the had outdoor mo ie nights and crafts for kids
Legend
This campground is on the banks of the Cape Cod Canal and owned and operated by the Bourne Recreational Authority. The park has a “state park” kind of feel but with amenities you would find at a private park. There is a wide diversity of activities including fishing, hiking, scheduled activities, a recreation hall with video games and jukebox, and store (outfitted with groceries, ice cream, beverages, and other miscellaneous items). The park is quite large with 465 sites, some of which have views of the canal.
Bourne Scenic Park is conveniently located near many of Cape Cod’s attractions including beaches, golf courses, historic landmarks, restaurants and shopping. The park is approximately one hour from Boston, Providence and a 30 minute ride to the ferry terminal taking you to Martha’s Vineyard or Nantucket. Closer to the park is downtown Bourne and Buzzards Bay which are just five minutes away and have groceries, fuel, restaurants, shopping, etc. The glass museum in the nearby town of Sandwich is very interesting with live glass blowing demonstrations. You can tour the Cape Cod Chip factory which makes delicious kettle chips.
There are 465 RV sites to choose from that are water/electric (30/50 amp)/cable or no hook-up/tent sites. There are also lodges (with water, electric, cable) and rustic cabins. Of those 465 sites, 50% of them can be reserved for the entire season (April 1st – October 30th) which is nice if you want to stay long-term. No sites have sewer; however, grey water dump stations are randomly placed throughout the campground and can be accessed with a garden hose. Some roads were paved while others were gravel/sand. Sites and patios were grass, sand, or gravel. There are six pull-thrus and the rest are back-ins. The one thing we did notice was that the site layout in some areas is not traditional meaning they are not all in the same direction and configuration. Some sites run parallel while the next one runs perpendicular. Restrooms and showers are spread throughout the park and were clean. There is a dump station located close to the park exit.
Leveling was not an issue for us in our site (C-25) but the majority of sites would be a problem for a motorhome to get level without the aid of blocks. In fact, some sites were ridiculously unlevel and took a scary amount of blocks. We choose a pull-thru because of our length. Utilities were well-placed and all worked well. The cable hook-up yielded 99 channels. Campsites have a picnic table and fire pit. There was no wifi but our Verizon phone picked up a strong signal.
This park has lots of amenities - there are two pools, hiking/biking trails, playground, basketball courts, camp store/restaurant, pavilion, and picnic area. The park has live music on Saturday nights and various other activities like sack races and scavenger hunts. We liked that this park had a paved hiking/biking path and was big enough for a good walk. It was in a great location for exploring the Cape and the towns of Sandwich, Hyannis, Buzzards Bay and more.
The people in the office were super nice and helpful finding us a site. They gave us a map with all available sites for our size and let us drive around to decide. Our site was nice with a large patio and while we were there just before the park closed for the season it was very quiet.
We were there in the off season and enjoyed that very few people were in the park but we got the feel this place could be really busy in the summer. The park is a little pricey at $48/night but you are on the Cape so they can command that.
Dog owners will appreciate the paved trail that runs the length of the canal and easily accessible from the campground. There were a couple of hiking trails thru the woods that we found which served well for a dog walk. There is no off-leash dog park but the park is plenty big enough for a long dog walk.
GuideThis campground was recently bought by Sun RV so there already some changes happening- the arcade room is closed and being remodeled and they now allow you to use your own boat (non motor) on the pond which is a definite improvement. Mini golf and the pools are nothing special. We have camped here every summer for 4 years in a “glamp” site which is large with fire pit. The staff has always been friendly and we even projected a movie 4th of July outdoors with no issue. That being said, we use this mostly as a location to do other things- Old Silver Beach is 10 minutes down the road as is the Shining Sea Bike path. Downtown Falmouth is 10 minutes away as well where you have great restaurants, shops and the ferry to the islands.
GuideI wasn’t sure I would like this level of glamping, but I was pleasantly surprised. The staff was positive and helpful and that made a difference for me. I traditionally dry camp or go for semi hooked up on purpose, I just like the quieter camping. Maybe it’s covid, but it felt good to be “near” other people trying to find peace in a crazy world. So much positive about the resort, the snack bar has an awesome menu and cost is reasonable. Beer at the store wasn’t unreasonable priced. The clothing/swag was fairly priced. The facility is big enough to walk, bike, short run, the frisbee golf is the best set up I’ve ever used. I went recently(mid October) so the pools were shut down, but there was still lots of activities. The bath houses were very clean and there was music playing, another detail that sets this resort apart. The grounds, for a packed campground were actually well done with trees, and large stones around. You will hear other people at nearby sites, it didn’t bother me, in fact listening to all the various dogs barking at each other from their respective sites made me laugh. You can hear cars from 495, but once again, somehow it did not bother me. I’ve stayed at campgrounds up in NH that are dry camping, and I can hear cars on Rt 16 or on the Kanc. There is a catch, sites probably average $100/night or more, when all the amenities are up and running, it is well wort it. Shoot, I’ve stayed in hotels for $150/night with no amenities. This place has so much to do, or just sit by the campfire and drink beer and relax, or borrow a movie for free. Remember to return it or they will process the $20.00 hold. I’m definitely going back, kids had fun, I had fun. Pay ahead and get your gate codes, and you can drive right to your site, that was super convenient, see the positives keep showing up. Thanks for reading
Legend
Solid state park. The yurts kind of suck. Kind of dirty, but would keep you real dry if it got wet. Actually ended up camping outside of the yurt. Glad we had it but also glad we didnt have to sleep in it.
Traveler
Tents, yurts, powered or not powered. You can have remote-feeling sites, or ones that are close in…and all are “floored” with nice flat cover of dry pine needles from the towering white pines local to this area. A few miles from the north coast of Cape Cod (town of Sandwich), close to beaches and to a lovely long narrow “board walk” across a sea grass / marshland. You can have a campsite with a mountain bike trails leaving your space and ride through miles of trails. You can walk to fabulous shower and bath houses; you can also rent yurts!
GuideThis campground is so well run I felt like I was in Disneyland's Frontier Land. They offer anything you could want. Spotlessly clean and wonderful employees. the pool is also great. The yurts are beautiful.
Legend
This campsite loop at Myles Standish State Forest is closest to the headquarters and borders a small pond with beach. In addition to tent/RV sites, there are 3 yurts available with bunks. Sites that appear to be near the pond are pond view rather than pondside. Approaches to Yurt JC and J5, J 26, J27 are sloped. J14 is a little awkward. J33 is probably among the largest and nicest with a pond view. The sites aren't as large as those in the Charge Pond loops, but it's a smaller campground.
The loop has flush toilets and showers. Water is available, but no electric hookups. Fire rings and picnic tables provided. Cell phone coverage throughout the forest is poor to absent; download maps for offline use if you want to be sure to know where you are or find directions. There are miles of bike trails and ponds for fishing, swimming, and boating. There's a larger beach and picnic area at College Pond.
Traveler
This campground has 6 yurts and 6 tent sites. The yurts have bunk beds, a floor lamp, a table inside, a picnic table outside and a grill. Just getting to the island is a fun adventure. The island is beautiful and has an old fort to explore as well as a lot of Rocky shoreline and trails. You can build bon fires and see gorgeous sunsets. During the day you can take small ferries to a variety of other islands to go swimming or explore. This is a great adventure for kids. On peddocks island there is plenty of drinking water available and a ranger station. These sites book quickly, so you should try to book 7 months to the day in advance. That said, you can also look for last minute openings. I been 3 times and always have a great time. This campground is only open during the summer months.
LegendCampground 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:
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.
LegendThis state forest campground is located just over the Sagamore bridge, across the Cape Cod canal. It's a basic, no-frills campground, with more than half the sites designated as tent only; a few of the sites are designated for tent/pop-up. The tent sites tend to be on short spurs that may be hilly and uneven, so would be difficult to navigate with a trailer or larger vehicle. If you don't have camping gear, there are 6 yurts available for rent, though they were not available during the 2020 covid season. The bathrooms offer showers and are undergoing some renovations in 2020. No hookups, but there is a dump station.
If you have young kids, they'll love the new playground area. That's really about the only attraction within the campground, though there are some hiking and biking trails. The Cape Cod Canal Bikeway is nearby and provides easy biking and exploration. If you're looking for a beach experience and you'll be there a few days, consider buying a weekly parking pass. During the week, it may be worthwhile to cross back across the Sagamore bridge to visit Scusset Beach State Reservation, but weekend summer traffic will likely make that prohibitive.
If you forgot food, Market Basket is a short distance away.
LegendThis park is huge! The 418 mostly wooded sites are divided into 7 sections and even more loops. You can find walk-in sites, tent sites, RV sites or yurts. The only thing missing is hook-ups. Water is readily available and there's a dump station, but you won't find electric. I liked some of the sites on the top and backs of the loops in the Section 6 area.
The attraction for me is the central location on the Cape Cod Rail Trail. Additionally, a number of beaches on Cape Cod Bay are only a couple of miles away, so you can easily bike over and avoid the parking struggle. There are bike trails in the park as well, but hillier than those outside the park. You can fill many hours hiking, geocaching, fishing, boating, and swimming. If you don't have a bike or a boat, they'are available to rent in or near the park. If you are seeking the dunes and expansive coastal beaches, you will need to leave the park and contend with traffic, but there's plenty to keep you busy without ever leaving the park.
Of note, the rates are quite reasonable for MA residents, but significantly higher for out of state campers. Even so, it's a bargain for the prime location!
Guide
When you are sitting by the campfire, sometimes, chilling with a beer or another adult beverage is nice. Not in Massachusetts State Parks. No alcohol allowed. Too bad. The place has nice level sites and close to the Cape.
LegendWe 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.
ScoutWhen my boyfriend and I decided to camp on the cape, he had mentioned Nickersons but said he hasn’t been there since he was little. I decided to check it out online and found you were able to make an online reservation. This seemed appealing and I felt was the easiest way to go about it. Unfortunately it wasn’t the easiest process as the website itself that they use (reserveamerica) was very hard to navigate and super confusing. After awhile of trying to figure it out, I finally was able to reserve a site and pay right online. We even got the Massachusetts resident discount with his home address. When we arrived, it was a very easy check in. They gave us directions to our site and even to the store to buy fire wood. The tent sites were a little close together but luckily our neighbors were quiet and easy going. The bathrooms were right behind out site which was really nice. We only stayed one night but it was very enjoyable at Nickersons and we will most definitely be back!
ScoutBeen camping every summer for years! So far this is the place my children enjoy the best! Pool area is our favorite!
ScoutOne of the cleanest campgrounds we have been too. Given everything going on with Covid-19 we were very impressed with how clean everything was around the campground including the camp store and bathrooms. Beautiful location right along the canal that you can bike down to the beach or just to watch some fisherman reel in some massive fish. Live this place and we are definitely coming back!
RangerBut, sites are way to close together. Felt like I was camping with the people on the next site.
ScoutThe campsites were a little small and close together. Where we were it was close to the bridge and the traffic was loud all night. Other than that it was nice because where we were was close to the canal. Just wished the price was a little better. I felt that the sites really didn’t justify the high price for what you pay.
GuideWe stayed here for a season and loved it! The staff from the front desk to the front gate are incredibly friendly and welcoming!
Pros-
Front office is open late (9pm)
Offers wood, ice, fire starters, hoses and adapter cap for gray water drain.
Country Store
Ice Cream
Amazing views of the canal.
Bike path along the canal, easy access.
Lots of playgrounds for different ages
Bounce pad (in-ground)
Pool
Stair access to canal bike path.
Dump station
Inexpensive to have visitors\
Located near so much! Walmart, Market Basket, Target all within 15min.
Cons-
No on site drainage for black water (grey takes an adapter). You will need a poop tote.
Lots of tight spaces
Anyone can pay to access canal, so they can access any campsite even without staying there.
Highway noise.
BRIDGE TRAFFIC- if you know you know.
ScoutClean and Fun
GuideIf you like fishing this is your place
GuideIt’s been about six years since going to this campground but I remember it was a beautiful place and site right on the canal. The path to walk or bike was well kept and overall it was a beautiful place to be! Look forward to finally going back at some point in the near future!
GuideThis is our second trip this year
ScoutAlong the canal, vista is beyond compare.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is the most popular glamping campsite near Buzzards Bay, MA?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular glamping campground near Buzzards Bay, MA is Shawme Crowell State Forest with a 3.9-star rating from 20 reviews.
What is the best site to find glamping camping near Buzzards Bay, MA?
TheDyrt.com has all 23 glamping camping locations near Buzzards Bay, MA, with real photos and reviews from campers.
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