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roy T.
Scout
ScoutCountry Barn Motel & Campground
Very appealing cabins
I stayed in one of the cabins and actually enjoyed it more than i thought.
Best Campgrounds near Essex, MA
Essex, Massachusetts lies within convenient reach of several established campgrounds, most of which are located within 20 miles of town. Cape Ann Camp Site in nearby Gloucester provides wooded tent and RV sites with electric hookups, while Winter Island Park in Salem offers waterfront camping with easy access to urban amenities. The surrounding coastal region supports multiple camping styles, including traditional tent sites, RV parks with full hookups, and a few locations with cabin rentals and glamping options. Most campgrounds in this area operate seasonally, typically from May through October.
Many campgrounds near Essex require reservations, particularly during the peak summer season when coastal New England draws significant tourism. "Many campgrounds are clean but very rustic. Facilities are on the old side. Great beach access and friendly staff," noted one camper about Cape Ann Camp Site. The region experiences typical New England weather patterns with warm summers and crisp falls, making September and early October particularly pleasant for camping. Winter camping is generally unavailable as most facilities close after Columbus Day weekend. The terrain throughout the area is relatively flat to gently rolling, with many sites situated near coastal features. Most established campgrounds provide water and electric hookups, though amenities vary significantly.
Campers consistently mention coastal access as a primary advantage of camping in this region. Several visitors highlighted the proximity to beaches and waterfront views, with Winter Island Park receiving particular praise for its oceanfront location. According to reviews, "Camping on the oceanfront was a rare treat!" Sites at Cape Ann have been described as "nice and wooded" with good privacy between campsites at many locations. Family-friendly amenities like playgrounds are available at several campgrounds, though bathroom facilities at some locations have been noted as basic or dated. The region's campgrounds serve as excellent base camps for exploring coastal Massachusetts attractions, including Salem's historic sites, Gloucester's fishing heritage, and numerous beaches throughout Cape Ann.
Best Camping Sites Near Essex, Massachusetts (87)
1. Cape Ann Camp Site
16 ReviewsGloucester, MA4 milesWebsite+1 (978) 283-8683$36 - $44 / night
"Perfect location with access to Rockport - a beautiful place to visit, shop, eat & a great little trail with great views Beach down the street was big, beautiful and low tide was unexpected as you"
"Beautiful campsite, nice sized sites surrounded by trees so it felt pretty private. Bathrooms and showers well maintained, 25 cents for 5 minute shower."
2. Salisbury Beach State Reservation
27 ReviewsSalisbury, MA13 milesWebsite+1 (978) 462-4481$28 - $38 / night
"However, you can’t beat the location and it’s a great place to go with a group."
"The feel here is electric, and positive. Lots of RV’s that stay here all summer long. Feels like you are in a tight-knit community, very friendly folks, packed tightly together."
3. Lorraine Park Campground — Harold Parker State Forest
32 ReviewsNorth Reading, MA16 milesWebsite+1 (978) 475-7972$17 - $35 / night
"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."
"You could be tucked away from everyone or closer together depending on the site you choose but they are all pretty decent in size. All sites have water which is a plus."
4. Winter Island Park
14 ReviewsSalem, MA9 milesWebsite+1 (978) 745-9430$60 / night
"Many of the RV sites are located in the main parking lot; others are in a field just to the right of the entrance."
"We drove 3-1/2 days from Idaho to get to a COVID testing site which would take non MA residents and turn the results around under 48 hours. We needed quiet camping and not have it cost a fortune."
5. Beach Rose RV Park
14 ReviewsSalisbury, MA15 milesWebsite+1 (978) 463-0226"Beach Rose RV Park in Salisbury, Massachusetts is a small, friendly, family-owned campground near the beach."
"Kids had enough driving for the day so we had to stop. We called last min and were thankful they had a spot. Arrived at dark and they were friendly and accommodating."
6. Tuxbury Pond RV Campground
15 ReviewsSouth Hampton, NH19 milesWebsite+1 (888) 707-1477"entrance (seems to happen frequently, I guess)."
"We went just for one night with a tent because our 5 years old loooves camping, so we reserved this at the last minute, and when we get there, well, the tent sites are way too close to each other, thank"
7. Wompatuck State Park Campground
42 ReviewsHingham, MA30 milesWebsite+1 (617) 895-8245$17 - $23 / night
"Ours (R002) was large, beautiful, and mostly surrounded by forest."
"I chose a spot away from others and was glad I did. Behind me was nothing but quiet woods and a deer meandered through a couple times."
8. Wakeda Campground, LLC
16 ReviewsExeter, NH23 milesWebsite+1 (603) 772-5274$48 - $97 / night
"We had bathrooms located near our site. They were four separate bathrooms that had a sink and toilet and were clean. They did offer showers in another area but I did not use them."
"Our full hookup site was very close to other sites, so unfortunately we had to deal with some noise issues."
9. The Pines Camping Area
4 ReviewsSalisbury, MA14 milesWebsite+1 (978) 465-0013$35 - $46 / night
"There’s not much around here to do, but for us we enjoyed the calmness."
10. Hampton Beach State Park Campground
7 ReviewsHampton, NH18 milesWebsite+1 (603) 926-8990$70 / night
"One side of the campground is bordered by an inlet that fishing boats use to head out from the harbor. Another side is sand dunes, that are the south end of Hampton beach."
"Hampton Beach SP is a small beachside campground for self-contained RVs only; if you’re in a tent, you may want to look south to Salisbury SP just a few miles across the border into MA."
Recent Camping Photos near Essex, MA
227 Photos of 87 Essex Campgrounds
Della S.
Cape Ann Camp Site
Susanne V.
Salisbury Beach State Reservation
Michael V.
Camp Nihan Education Center
Todd G.
Lorraine Park Campground — Harold Parker State Forest
Jake H.
Black Bear Campground
The Dyrt
Tuxbury Pond RV Campground
Jean C.
Tidewater Campground
Pawsfuradventure T.
Wakeda Campground, LLC
Jean C.
Boston Harbor Islands State Park Campground
Jim G.
Sea Coast Camping and RV Resort
Lisa H.
Winding River Campground
Nancy W.
Seacoast Camping and RV Resort
Recent Reviews near Essex, MA
560 Reviews of 87 Essex Campgrounds
Alizé B.ScoutField and Stream RV Park
Highly recommend
Amazing place and community, unfortunately very expensive.
Sue B.
RangerSalisbury Beach State Reservation
Love camping here!
The first time we camped here was on Columbus Day weekend a number of years ago, and we got to see seals sun bathing on the beach. Are kids thought it was the greatest thing ever! The sites are a little close together and many of them are in direct sunlight , so that isn't the greatest , but if you have an awning, you should be good. We love that it is right on the water, and we can walk to the beach. We also appreciate that it is pet friendly, and our dogs love it too. Write down the street from camp, there is a street setup almost like a boardwalk, with arcades, live music, ice cream, food, and a carousel! There is also a bigger beach, and you are one twin away from New Hampshire. Lots to see and do here!
DevinScoutWinding River Campground
Close Sites, Loved the River!
My husband and I had a great time here! We went early in the season, so there were not many people there. We met the new owners/managers and they were very friendly. David was attentive and very helpful!
We stayed in the Oak Section at 317. The sites are pretty close together, which is why I gave a 4. We didn’t have neighbors, but I can imagine on a busy weekend, it might get crowded. The Utilities at this site were in an awkward spot, compared to where we wanted the camper.
- DevinScout
Spacious Skies Minute Man
The Road is Loud
My husband and I had a great time here! The owners and managers are amazing. Kind, friendly, attentive! We really appreciated them!
The reason for the 4/5 is due to the road noise, and the neighbors noise. The residents that boarder the campground are a bit loud. We camped at spot 72. If you are tent camping, I would recommend not camping at the 70’s spots. It’s just close to the road, and it can get noisy at times. It quiets down at night, but during peak travel times is a little loud. Head to the back of the camp ground. The bathroom looks further away than it is, but everything is very convenient!
Adam B.RangerBeach Rose RV Park
Nice people
Needed a spot to dump. They were one of only a very few places open in March. $20 to dump our tanks.
- MMatthew L.Scout
Forest Glen
Forest Glenn campground
Forest Glenn campground is a very nice campground on Wheelwright pond in Lee New Hampshire! Not well kept up but makes you feel like you’re still camping and not glamping ( glamorous camping ) besides some of the very nice campers here with 2 stories on them! Anyway cutting to the chase, just to let any new comers know that are looking for camping in the Lee area if you so choose to camp at forest Glenn depending who you are or how you approach this place dictates if you will have to feel like your stepping on eggshells your entire stay… the owner is a angry Drunk who is sometimes very nice to others or very nasty, and I personally mostly see him being nasty. A couple years back I wanted to look at the campground to see if this would be a place I wanted to stay at so I walked into the office and asked them if we could look around and the lady was in the process of writing us a pass to drive through. This man comes in and said whats going on so I politely told him that we were interested in his campground and we wanted to look around. He completely flipped out said he doesn't understand, said his campground is his back yard, we can't allow this how would you like if I just walked around your back yard etc etc.... yelling at us the whole time and spitting while screaming and then told us to get out of his sight…. This place mind you is overrun by golf carts and I have heard of incidents where people get hit by them because who cares about the posted 5mph speed limitations if your in a golf carts right? Right! And CLEARLY this place is a Double standard place so you will not be treated equal… and as far as I know this place has secret people who camp supposedly working at camp like the manager and security and the plumber or electrician who look like their helping but while helping they gather information about you to spread it around to others or to cause problems with you and the owner!! Oh how thoughtful… one Morning I was in the office and the owner pulled me into the rec room to have a talk with me about my string lights suggesting I shut them off at night and I’m not allowed to use them anymore. I said “sir why would I do that there are 50 other sites with spot lights and string lights Who are these lights bothering that I need to take them down for? “ he said use them inside the trailer I don’t want to see them on again! “ now tell me how that makes any sense… so I shut them off and it became like a minefield on my site at night with no lights while the campers down a different street get to have theirs on. There is no privacy at this place, things keep going missing, and the sites are packed like sardines with no room for Jesus. There are also people staying here over winter and it’s a seasonal campground tell me how that makes any sense. Anyway definitely an experience to be at where drama hits too close to home and the golf cart parking spots are rolling a little to close to my feet. “ oh sorry my foot slipped “ #welp time to search for another place. Seems to be a trend with almost every campground. Angry owners who automatically cause problems or can’t run their own business place without drug addicts for help ( to say the least me and my wife WILL NOT BE COMING BACK )
- LLeeScout
Tuxbury Pond RV Campground
This camping trip truly exceeded my expectations
The campground was clean, peaceful, and surrounded by wide open views. During the day, the natural landscape felt refreshing and expansive, and at night, the sky was filled with stars, creating a calm and almost magical atmosphere. The layout of the campsite was well planned, making it easy and comfortable for both beginners and experienced campers to enjoy their stay. One fun thing I did after the trip was use Idea To Image to recreate some of the moments that stood out to me—sunrise over the tents, the warmth of the campfire, and the quiet starry night. It helped me turn those memories into beautiful visuals that really captured the peaceful vibe of the experience. Looking back at them now feels like being transported right back to the campsite. Highly recommend this place if you’re looking to slow down and reconnect with nature.
One fun thing I did after the trip was use Idea To Image to recreate some of the moments that stood out to me—sunrise over the tents, the warmth of the campfire, and the quiet starry night. It helped me turn those memories into beautiful visuals that really captured the peaceful vibe of the experience. Looking back at them now feels like being transported right back to the campsite. Highly recommend this place if you’re looking to slow down and reconnect with nature.
- Alexander H.
GuideHanscom AFB FamCamp
Nice Campground near Boston
This is a nice campground near historic Lexington and Boston.
Guide to Essex
Camping options around Essex, Massachusetts include small coastal campgrounds and larger state parks within a 20-mile radius. Water and electric hookups are standard at most sites, while seasonal camping remains prevalent with most facilities closing by mid-October. The summer peak season requires advance planning, with local campgrounds filling quickly from June through August. Shoulder seasons offer more availability with mild temperatures ideal for outdoor activities.
What to do
Hiking and biking trails: Harold Parker State Forest Campground offers extensive trail networks through wooded areas. "There are lots of trails and ponds," notes Kelly F. from Lorraine Park Campground. The forest environment provides shaded paths suitable for warm-weather exploration.
Beach activities: Multiple campgrounds provide beach access within short distances. "We really enjoyed camping and going to the beach. The camp ground is full of beautiful boulders and fire pits," reports Dan from Cape Ann Camp Site. Salisbury Beach State Reservation places campers steps from the water.
Historical exploration: Camping at Winter Island Park offers proximity to Salem's historical attractions. "The park has a full time bathroom attendant from 8 AM to 8 PM, so restrooms and showers were well kept. There are wildlife like skunks, racoons do put food in car," advises Candace H. from Winter Island Park.
What campers like
Wooded privacy: Sites with natural separation receive positive feedback. "The sites are nice and wooded. All size RVs and tents are welcome," writes Lajaun C. about Cape Ann Camp Site. Natural vegetation and mature trees provide privacy at many locations.
Bathroom facilities: Maintained restrooms rank highly in camper satisfaction. "Awesome park. It was a quiet night and bathrooms where clean. Has spacious showers. Park rangers drive around campground often," says Marisabel R. from Lorraine Park Campground.
Water access: Oceanfront or pond-adjacent sites earn consistently high ratings. "Big sites with water which is a plus. All have a fire pit/box, charcoal bbq and a picnic table. Most of them are drive in," writes Migdalia G. about camping options in the area. Water recreation remains a primary regional attraction.
What you should know
Reservation requirements: Many campgrounds require advance booking, especially during peak season. "Book in advance here because it fills up quickly and there are very few RV sites," notes Rae M. about Winter Island Park. Weekends from Memorial Day through Labor Day fill fastest.
Seasonal limitations: Most campgrounds operate from May through October. "It opens about a month before Memorial Day weekend for a quieter shoulder season," explains Jean C. about Hampton Beach State Park Campground.
Site sizing variations: RV sites can be limited at some locations. "Campsites are clean the people are friendly and very close to the beach," reports Marianne O. from Wakeda Campground. Some campgrounds feature primarily seasonal residents with limited transient availability.
Tips for camping with families
Playground access: Several campgrounds provide dedicated play areas. "The playground is perfect for kids, the creek is right behind you which gave us beautiful views right outside our RV window(s)," shares Stephanie from The Pines Camping Area.
Beach proximity: Oceanfront options offer family-friendly activities. "Clean facilities, super quick access to the beach, friendly staff, sites are pretty close together with little separation between each other. RV & tent sites available. Our family loves both the ocean & camping so it is a win-win!" says Sara D. about Salisbury Beach State Reservation.
Pool alternatives: Some campgrounds offer swimming options besides the ocean. "Campground was great. Nice sites plenty of space and with a full park for the weekend you didn't feel on top of each other," notes Ryan B. about campground amenities in the region.
Tips from RVers
Site placement: Hookup locations vary between campgrounds. "The electrical post and water hookup were placed way behind our site and we could not reach even with our 40' electrical cord. Park staff told us we could back onto the grass in order to reach the electric," shares Nancy W. from Salisbury Beach State Reservation.
Seasonal differences: Off-peak camping provides more privacy but fewer amenities. "We stayed at Wakeda Campground overnight during a trip from Maine back to Long Island, NY. It was located very close off of 95 and allows pets. We were overwhelmed by the beautiful massive forest," writes Pawsfuradventure T. about Wakeda Campground.
Electrical requirements: Many campgrounds feature both 30 and 50 amp service. "Great employees, clean reliable power. No issues great spread out sites," confirms Zachary W. about electrical reliability at regional campgrounds. Extension cords may be necessary at some locations.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is the most popular campground near Essex, MA?
Which is the most popular campground near Essex, MA?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular campground near Essex, MA is Cape Ann Camp Site with a 4.1-star rating from 16 reviews.
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