Best RV Parks & Resorts near Cohasset, MA

General: Over 450 sites (tent 20 amp w/e; 30 amp w/e; 30 amp w/e/s; 50 amp w/e/s; 50 amp w/e; 30, 50 or premium seasonal) 

Site Quality: Generally good. Sites are gravel. We had originally reserved Site 98 but there was a large rock and tree roots making it challenging to position our van. We were able to move to Site 95 which was much better. Each site has a picnic table and rock firepit. Trees provide some amount of privacy between many sites. 

Bath/Shower house: Spotlessly clean. The cleaning schedule indicates it is cleaned three times daily. 

Activities/Amenities:

*Some are seasonal and were closed when we were there in October. These include three pools, a food truck, coffee, and ice cream.

* Others include a pristine laundry room (but you have to purchase a laundry card, so one load is a minimum of $10), shuffleboard, playground, tennis/pickleball, volleyball, basketball, horseshoe pit, soccer and baseball fields, firewood and propane fill, free cable and WiFi, dog park. I’ve probably forgotten a few but you get the idea… 

We chose this campground because of its proximity to the Woods Hole ferry terminal. It is not our typical preferred campground but for one night in the off-season, it was very pleasant. It is billed as a family-friendly campground, and I imagine it would be very different during high season. We gladly forgo seasonal amenities for a quieter stay. The staff was very present and welcoming. Note that it is located on a busy highway and if you are approaching from the south, the turn into the campground is hair-raising! There is some road noise at some sites but not for most of them.

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.

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.

My family of three recently stayed there for six nights (site 57). As many have already mentioned, the campground is quiet, especially after 10pm. Everything is well maintained and clean. Well situated within Brewster, with a great small grocery store a two minute walk from the campground entrance. Centrally located to the sites and ports along the Cape (about 45 min to Provincetown, 35 min to Woods Hole for MV ferry). Reasonably priced for the location and campground amenities. The owner’s adult daughter is your main poc, but all the staff are incredibly helpful and can recommend things to see while on the Cape.

The showers/bathrooms were always very clean. The showers offered plenty of hot water and water pressure (these aren’t your typ state park showers!). Laundromat available at both bathhouses. I might add super hot dryers, so $1 and 20 min will dry most things. $3 for a standard washing machine load.

Lots of sites to select from. Most seem relatively easy to get into, based on the rigs there. Sites are level and ground cover is either grass, gravel, or wood chips. Didn’t notice bare ground at the sites. Ample variety of hookups from water only to full service. Good cell service (AT&T); free Wi-Fi offered by campground but a little weak in the back area near 57.

Only gripes I had was the lack of vegetation screening between my site and others, but suggest calling the camp host to get recommendations for a site that offers better privacy. Also, and admittedly this may be the nature of sharing a campground with big rigs, people typically leave on their travel trailer/class A exterior floodlights/amber lights till late in the evening. With the limited vegetative screening, and the tiered campsites due to the campground’s topography, it was hard for us to enjoy a naturally dark campsite while trying to enjoy a campfire. As mentioned, alternative sites there may not have this issue so call the staff beforehand.

We’ll definitely be back to this great campground that has been in business for more than 50 years!

Harold Parker State Forest, MA: (Scale 1- bad, 5-Very good (70 yr olds in 17’ trailer). I rate based on desire for at least a moderate wilderness type experience w at least some camp site privacy. Overall Rating: 4.25 Price 2023: INCREASED RATE FOR OUT OF STATE: $60 per night for electric site Usage during visit: Low, though the electric sites are at about 70%.
Site Privacy: Pretty good in most sites. Our site, #115 opens up to #48 Site Spacing: Most are very good. Site surface: dirt and some gravel.
Reservations: Required Campground Noise: Quiet Road Noise: Set far back from the highway except for the water sites. The moderately used highway is across the pond. The pond view would be worth it as there was not that much traffic.
Through Traffic in campground: None Electric Hookup: Some sites Sewer Hookup: No. Dump Station: Yes. Potable Water Available: At electric sites and bathhouses.
Generators: Allowed Bathroom: Flush toilets. Clean. Showers: Yes. Shower Room is not heated , so very cold this time of year.
Pull Throughs: Some.
Cell Service (AT&T): 2 bars Setting: In a deciduous / conifer forest.
Weather: Highs 60s and lows 40s during our stay. Bugs: None due to the cold, I am sure.
Solar: To heavily forested for most sites.
Host: Around.
Rig size: The largest I saw was a 25’ trailer. I think larger rigs are allowed. Check website and carefully select your site.
Sites: #61 through 83 that are on the water side and are nice, not as private and Road/Highway across the water. I think they would be worth the moderate road noise for the water view. 102,105,108,113 are slightly better of the electric sites. Other sites that I took pictures of are sites I would be happy with. There are so many I can’t list them all. The best sites are among the no electric sites.

The campground itself is beautifully wooded with mature pine trees. However, the sites are packed so tight you can barely maneuver in and out. We only have a 17' travel trailer pulled by a Ford Explorer and had great difficulty backing it in. I did not see any pull-through sites. Our site had a picnic table, fire ring and water & electric hookups. When we arrived we were given a rules list (as customary) that strongly threatened to remove anyone who was too loud, including dogs. I was a little worried because our Border Collie sometimes barks when people walk their dogs past our campsite. Anyway... after we went to bed we were awakened by a cacophony of road noises, including trains, trucks, and tractor trailers. Planes sounded like they were flying right above our heads. Trucks sounded like they were dumping rocks only feet from our site. In between those noises, we could hear a group of people partying outside on the deck of a house very close to the campground. This went on well into the night. Even though my husband has poor hearing, he couldn't sleep through all that. And yes, the irony of the campground's stern noise warning wasn't lost on me. We were there 3 sleepless nights. I would suggest bringing quality earplugs if you go there. Oh- and they do not allow you to choose your site. You get what's assigned to you.

Less than 25 miles north of Boston and <5 miles from the interstate, Lorraine Park campground at Harold Parker State Forest provides ample on-site activities and also serves as a jumping off point for exploring the Massachusetts coast north of Boston or a stop en route to NH and Maine.

Every site seems to have its own water spigot, though it's not necessarily conveniently located if you want to hook up a trailer/RV. There are 11 sites with water/electric. Sites are large, often with good separation from neighbors, some have a hilly approach. The reservation website doesn't provide pictures, so I've tried to capture most here. Some of the sites are large enough that if you have a small camper or van you may be able to pull through. They've designated more than half the sites as tent only. There's a great playground area and also basketball and volleyball courts, but in this COVID-19 era, don't expect them to be open in 2020. I heard a little road traffic around the perimeter, but not much.

Bring a bike, pack some sneakers or hiking boots, toss in a swimsuit or a fishing pole, and explore! There are miles of trails and logging roads for hiking and biking. A small beach is within walking distance from the campground (wildflowers bloom in the area in late May). 

Nearby national park sites include Lowell, Minute Man, and  Boston where you'll learn about the industrial revolution or the American revolution respectively. Concord will introduce you to some early American authors; Salem Maritime, Saugus Iron Works, Essex National Heritage explore other aspects of the area. Head to Gloucester for a whale watch or wander the coastal towns.

For being in an urban area, you don't feel it once in the campground. You might hear a distant train, but not too much else. The location was perfect to see so much in the area (Minute Man National Historical Park, Boston, Salem, Plymouth, Cape Cod, Providence etc). It also is near all conveniences, with multiple choices for groceries, restaurants, shopping etc. We headed to a nearby Target one night just to get my fix since I hadn't been in one for ages and we were getting stir crazy in the RV one rainy night during our stay.

The customer service was great - they escort you to your camping spot so there is no confusion. We liked our site "F" which was in the back outer edge of the campground and was at an angle which gave us more privacy between our neighbors and a gorgeous view from our back window. We watched chipmunks, squirrels, hawks and other birds from our windows. It was a 30 amp, back in. We were told that we got the last site, and we were so surprised this was the one - it was so nice! We quickly realized that more people seemed to want the pull through sites, but as you can see in our picture, you skip out on the size and privacy of your site then. The only downside for our site was that it was rainy during our stay and we had some muddy spots to deal with when getting out of our car.

There was only one showerhouse which is at the office, so if you're in the back of the campground, it's a bit of a hike. It was super clean, updated, and they have speakers playing country music 24/7. They also had a nice looking laundry area (we didn't use), a rec room (didn't use), and a pool (didn't use).

The dump station was tight but fine to get into while we were hooked up to our tow car, even though it is on an incline to get out of the campground.

Weekends seemed to be pretty busy, but the campground was dead during the week and we were all by ourselves in our spot. They have cabins tucked in between sites that seemed pretty popular too.

They take a few different discount plans and have a weekly discounted rate as well.

One of our recommendations would be to go to a nearby Korean restaurant, Woo Jung in Ayers. It was soooo good. We found out they weren't open Mondays or Tuesdays because we tried to go back a second time before we left. You won't regret it!