Cabin rental options near Duxbury, Massachusetts provide convenient access to both coastal attractions and inland forest recreation. The area sits at the edge of the Atlantic coastal plain with elevations ranging from sea level to approximately 140 feet. Most camping areas open seasonally from April through October, with limited winter availability at select locations.
What to do
Beach access and swimming options: At Pinewood Lodge Campground in Plymouth, campers can enjoy swimming in the on-site pond. "Nice and quiet, here for a 3 night stay," notes one visitor. The campground features "great views from our site of the pond" with "a path down to a little dock on the pond that you could sit and relax on."
Explore historical sites: Camp near Plymouth's historic attractions while staying at Ellis-Haven Family Campground. "We visited Plymouth and saw what it had to offer," mentions one camper. The campground provides "very nice beach on the pond, with lots of docks and rafts to swim out to. They also rent paddle boats."
Fishing opportunities: The Cape Cod Canal offers excellent fishing with convenient access from Bourne Scenic Park. "If you like fishing this is your place," states one reviewer. Another notes the "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."
Hiking and nature trails: Shawme Crowell State Forest Campground provides trail access through pine forests. A visitor notes, "I've hiked the trails and you have to be careful. They aren't always well maintained or marked." For families, the campground offers "a new playground area" that one reviewer describes as "awesome so far."
What campers like
Privacy between sites: Many cabins and campsites offer good separation from neighbors. At Shawme Crowell State Forest Campground, "the campground wasn't too big and the sites offered a lot of privacy, and some hiking trails within the campground." Another camper noted, "the tent sites tend to be on short spurs that may be hilly and uneven."
Water recreation: Ponds and water features enhance camping near Duxbury. At Ellis-Haven, campers appreciate the "clean clear pond to swim in" and "sitting on the beach watching the sun set over Boston." One visitor mentioned, "Ellis haven is not only beautiful there's always something to do."
Family-oriented activities: Organized events keep children entertained at many locations. At Boston/Cape Cod KOA, "the activities for kids is the draw for this campground for sure. My kids loved the train rides, movie night, flash light candy hunt, and arts and crafts." The campground has "all kinds of activities for kids. Bouncy 'pillow', pool, bounce pad, sluice, miniature golf, and a playground."
Clean facilities: Campers frequently mention well-maintained grounds and bathrooms. Bourne Scenic Park is "one 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."
What you should know
Reservation requirements: Most camping cabins near Duxbury require advance booking. At Normandy Farms Campground, peak season fills quickly. Visitors note it has "some 400 RV sites, tent sites, yurts, lean-to's, safari tents, and cabins" with "both back-in and pull thrus available as are sites with shade and full sun."
Shower facilities: Shower setups vary widely between campgrounds. At Pinewood Lodge, "showers require a quarter" with rates typically "25 cents per 3 minutes." Sandy Pond Campground also has "coin operating showers" that some campers don't prefer, though the "bathrooms are close by and clean."
Noise considerations: Traffic and activity noise can impact some campgrounds. At Shawme Crowell, "traffic noise is almost constant especially Friday nights. Not recommended for light sleepers but very convenient." Similarly, at Bourne Scenic Park, sites are "close to the bridge and the traffic was loud all night."
Fire regulations: Rules about fires differ between locations. At Fourth Cliff Recreation Area, fires are not permitted. Boston Harbor Islands also has specific restrictions where you may only "scavenge wood to build fires below the high tide line only."
Tips for camping with families
Playground access: When booking a cabin for families, check for play areas. At Sandy Pond Campground, "they just put in a jump pad for the kids which is nice and playground is older but kids still had fun." The campground also offers a "fun dance party and crafts for the kids."
Swimming options for children: Water features provide recreation for kids. Ellis-Haven has "a clean clear pond to swim in" while Pinewood Lodge features a "nice pond for fishing or swimming." One visitor to Pinewood noted it has "lots of activities and celebrations for every age group."
Special events: Many campgrounds schedule activities specifically for children. Boston/Cape Cod KOA provides "great amenities for kids and families" with regularly scheduled events. As one visitor noted, "they had a big store and plenty of supplies and souvenirs, from sweatshirts to stickers."
Site selection for family privacy: Choose sites away from main roads for quieter family experiences. At Boston/Cape Cod KOA, one camper advised, "I have learned that you really need to upgrade to the better campsites to enjoy your stay" as the basic sites can be "so tight that unfortunately I did not enjoy it as much as I wanted to."
Tips from RVers
Site leveling requirements: Many camping areas require equipment for leveling. At Bourne Scenic Park, "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."
Utility connections: Hookup options vary widely between campgrounds. Normandy Farms offers "premium full hook-up (50 amp) to basic with just water and electric and many others in between." At Bourne Scenic Park, "no sites have sewer; however, grey water dump stations are randomly placed throughout the campground and can be accessed with a garden hose."
Site dimensions: Space constraints can limit larger RVs at some locations. Boston/Cape Cod KOA campers recommend upgrading from basic sites as they can be "so tight that unfortunately I did not enjoy it as much as I wanted to." One visitor advised to "pay the few extra dollars to have a bigger site it's so worth it."
Traffic navigation: Internal roads vary in quality between campgrounds. At Normandy Farms, "roads are paved and plenty wide enough for big RV's to navigate" while at Bourne Scenic Park, "some roads were paved while others were gravel/sand."