Best Campgrounds near Ipswich, MA

Whether you're an RVer or tent camper, Ipswich, MA is a great place to post up for the weekend—or longer. There's so much to see and do, from exhilarating hikes or bike rides to exploring the local dining and shopping. Ready to plan your adventure? Check out our campgrounds near Ipswich and user-submitted reviews.

Best Camping Sites Near Ipswich, Massachusetts (98)

    1. Salisbury Beach State Reservation

    25 Reviews
    Salisbury, MA
    10 miles
    Website
    +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."

    2. Lorraine Park Campground — Harold Parker State Forest

    32 Reviews
    North Reading, MA
    14 miles
    Website
    +1 (978) 475-7972

    $17 - $35 / night

    "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"

    "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."

    3. Cape Ann Camp Site

    16 Reviews
    Gloucester, MA
    7 miles
    Website
    +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."

    4. Winter Island Park

    14 Reviews
    Salem, MA
    11 miles
    Website
    +1 (978) 745-9430

    $35 - $105 / 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

    13 Reviews
    Salisbury, MA
    11 miles
    Website
    +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

    14 Reviews
    South Hampton, NH
    15 miles
    Website
    +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. Wakeda Campground, LLC

    16 Reviews
    Exeter, NH
    20 miles
    Website
    +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."

    8. The Pines Camping Area

    4 Reviews
    Salisbury, MA
    11 miles
    Website
    +1 (978) 465-0013

    $35 - $46 / night

    "There’s not much around here to do, but for us we enjoyed the calmness."

    9. Hampton Beach State Park Campground

    7 Reviews
    Hampton, NH
    15 miles
    Website
    +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."

    10. Black Bear Campground

    5 Reviews
    Salisbury, MA
    13 miles
    Website
    +1 (978) 462-3183

    "Wish we knew in advance how the hookups were layed out because it is way far away from where our hose would reach and we had to go out and buy an extension due to it being located at the end of the site"

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Recent Reviews near Ipswich, MA

596 Reviews of 98 Ipswich Campgrounds


  • SkipperAllen C.The Dyrt PRO User
    Sep. 8, 2025

    Wompatuck State Park Campground

    Very nice stopover

    Good place to spend the night.It was quiet comfortable and plenty of room between campsites

  • JThe Dyrt PRO User
    Sep. 6, 2025

    Beach Rose RV Park

    Nice park

    Owners were helpful on arrival, level concrete pad full hookups. Sites close together but quiet.

  • Utshob A.The Dyrt PRO User
    Sep. 2, 2025

    Bear Brook State Park Campground

    Convenient and fun

    The park was easy to get to, only about half an hour from Manchester. It has kayak rentals and a very well stocked camp store, that was close to the camp sites. Our campsite was only about a hundred feet away from the camp store but still felt private.

    Our campsite also had a fire pit and a picnic table which were great.

    The size of the sites varies quite a bit though as well as their isolation, some were out in the open.

    For cell service: ATT seems to have pretty decent coverage but not Verizon.

  • d
    Aug. 19, 2025

    Cape Ann Camp Site

    25 cents for a shower

    The aerial photos of this place are very deceiving. This camp ground is the foreground of the main house which, is situated on the top of the hill. The sites are all dirt. There is no concrete pads. There is no WIFI. There is no sewer hook up however, near the street there is a "dump station."  The camp ground is run down and unmaintained. Our site had a fire ring which, was filled with ash. Our first night we woke up to a trailer filled with smoke because, someone near by had a fire in 92 degree heat. Most campers are full time residents. There is no sight of them during the day light hours but, at night they are up and about on bikes and mingling with each other. 

    25 cents per 5 minute hot shower is offered in the public restroom. Some shady people immediate started to hover near the public restroom once we drove up the hill to use the public restrooms. For $70/nite for a view it's not worth it. I was glad to leave- very creepy.

  • R
    Aug. 15, 2025

    Sun Outdoors Wells Beach

    Zero wifi or cell signal

    Stayed back in 2023 with travel trailer and experienced almost zero wifi signal as well as verizon cell signal. Returned this past week and found no improvement whatsoever. This on back half of property. Manager stated they are awar and working on it. (For 2 years?). Could not plan anything, check weather unless you walked or drive up front. Light globes at various sites next to campers lit all night and were annoying so covered with bag. Some sites are just bad..huge pine tree at 428 caused camper to park his angled. Fire wood being sold is all pine & burns up immediately.

  • Cassie G.
    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).
  • Rae Y.
    Aug. 11, 2025

    Saddleback Campground

    Uncomfortable feeling for my girls

    I made everyone stay in the trailer every night , we just didn’t feel comfortable with our girls being out after dark. There was def a lot of questionable rif raf that were definitely on something and it was obvious that there were a few girls there that were working.   Always men working on vehicles.  Family will not go back. Don’t want my daughter around that

  • Savanna B.
    Aug. 8, 2025

    Winding River Campground

    Place is nice, can get loud

    It's a nice campground with a pool and hottub. The store is a little overpriced. Most of the staff is okay but there are some that are a little rude. It can get loud at times but it's mostly chill


Guide to Ipswich

Camping near Ipswich, Massachusetts, offers a mix of beautiful landscapes and fun activities for everyone. Whether you're looking for a peaceful retreat or a family-friendly adventure, there are plenty of campgrounds to choose from.

What to do:

  • Kayaking and Canoeing: Many campgrounds, like Pawtuckaway State Park Campground, provide easy access to lakes for kayaking. One reviewer mentioned, "Lots of great spots on the water, easy to put a kayak in from."
  • Hiking: Explore the trails at Wompatuck State Park Campground. A visitor noted, "You can take a trail from the campsite," making it convenient for hikers.
  • Beach Days: If you love the ocean, check out Salisbury Beach State Reservation. One camper said, "The ocean is absolutely gorgeous, clean, beautiful," perfect for a beach weekend.

What campers like:

  • Spacious Sites: Campers appreciate the large, private sites at Greenfield State Park Campground. A long-time visitor shared, "If you like large sites in a wooded setting with many private ones, this is the place."
  • Clean Facilities: Many campgrounds, such as Normandy Farms Campground, are praised for their cleanliness. One review highlighted, "The bathrooms/showers are spotless with piped in music and hairdryers."
  • Family-Friendly Activities: Campgrounds like Boston/Cape Cod KOA offer various activities for kids. A camper mentioned, "This is a nice campground with multiple site type options," making it great for families.

What you should know:

  • Pet Policies: Some campgrounds have strict pet policies. For instance, at Pawtuckaway State Park Campground, pets are only allowed on hiking trails and not in the campground or beach area during summer.
  • Crowded Weekends: Expect busier weekends at popular spots like Wompatuck State Park Campground. One visitor noted, "The weekend was packed!" so plan accordingly.
  • Limited Amenities: Some campgrounds, such as Bear Brook State Park Campground, may not have electric hookups. A camper mentioned, "No hookups in the campground," so be prepared for a more rustic experience.

Tips for camping with families:

  • Choose Family-Friendly Campgrounds: Look for places like Normandy Farms Campground, which has tons of activities for kids. A parent said, "Absolutely love this campground. It has so many things for the kids to do."
  • Pack for the Beach: If you're heading to Salisbury Beach State Reservation, bring beach toys and sunscreen. One camper noted, "Great place to go camping; everything you need is right there."
  • Plan for Mosquitoes: Some campgrounds, like Greenfield State Park Campground, have mosquitoes. A visitor warned, "Watch for ticks," so bring repellent.

Tips from RVers:

  • Check Site Sizes: RVers should check site sizes at campgrounds like Boston/Cape Cod KOA. One reviewer mentioned, "Our site however was pretty awful," indicating some sites may be tight.
  • Bring Leveling Blocks: At places like Normandy Farms Campground, some sites may not be level. A camper advised, "Bring plenty of leveling blocks!"
  • Explore Nearby Attractions: Campgrounds near Ipswich, like Sandy Pines Campground, are close to local attractions. One visitor said, "Great location for Goose Rocks Beach and exploring Kennebunkport."

Camping near Ipswich, Massachusetts, has something for everyone, from families to solo adventurers. Just remember to plan ahead and enjoy the great outdoors!

Frequently Asked Questions

Is there bike camping available in Ipswich?

Bike camping is possible in the Ipswich area, though dedicated bike-in sites are limited. Wompatuck State Park Campground is approximately 25 miles south of Ipswich and provides sites accessible to cyclists, though it's important to note that sites are situated along a main road with limited privacy. For cyclists looking for convenience to transportation options, Riverside Terminal Overnight Parking offers a unique solution for bike-and-ride adventures, with MBTA train connections to Boston and reasonable overnight parking fees ($6 weekdays, $3 weekends). Both locations can serve as starting points or destinations for cycling routes around the North Shore area.

What amenities are available at Ipswich camping grounds?

Campgrounds in the Ipswich area offer varying levels of amenities to suit different camping preferences. Lorraine Park Campground — Harold Parker State Forest, located within 30 minutes of Ipswich, features wooded sites in a convenient location with basic amenities but notably does not permit alcohol consumption even at your campsite (common in Massachusetts state parks). For those seeking more facilities, Hanscom AFB FamCamp offers military families and retirees access to RV sites with hookups, walk-in tent sites, and even a yurt option in a wooded setting. Most campgrounds in the region provide water access, toilet facilities, and fire rings, with private campgrounds typically offering additional amenities like showers, electrical hookups, and sometimes pools or recreation areas.

What are the best campgrounds near Ipswich, MA?

Several excellent campgrounds are within easy reach of Ipswich, MA. Salisbury Beach State Reservation offers beachfront camping with water and electricity hookups just 20 minutes north of Ipswich. While sites aren't particularly private, the prime coastal location and easy beach access make it popular for group outings. For a family-friendly option, Beach Rose RV Park in Salisbury provides a clean, well-maintained facility with a swimming pool and accommodating staff. For those willing to drive about 30 minutes, Cape Ann Camp Site near Gloucester offers a more traditional camping experience with wooded sites and full amenities, serving as an excellent base for exploring Cape Ann and the North Shore.