Best Tent Camping near Norton Center, MA
Looking for tent camping near Norton Center? The Dyrt helps you find campsites near Norton Center with tent camping. You're sure to find the perfect campsite for your Massachusetts tent camping excursion.
Looking for tent camping near Norton Center? The Dyrt helps you find campsites near Norton Center with tent camping. You're sure to find the perfect campsite for your Massachusetts tent camping excursion.
The campground, also known as Lorraine Campground, has 91 campsites that are spread out sufficiently to provide a real "forest" camping experience. Each campsite is equipped with a picnic table, fire ring and a pedestal grill. A water spigot is located on each campsite and a dumping station is available. We are pleased to inform you that we now have eleven campsites with 20/30/50 AMP hookups! The comfort stations have showers and flush toilets. Comfort station 3 and 4 are accessible.
$17 - $54 / night
Boston Harbor Islands National and State Park welcomes campers to one of many campsites located on Peddocks Island.
Enjoy a night under the stars at Boston Harbor’s second largest island, featuring wooded campsites, miles of trails, and scenic beaches. Campers can reserve a tent site or one of many newly installed yurts featuring bunk beds and electricity.
Peddocks Island can be accessed by park ferry from Hingham or by private boat.
Experience the ultimate urban escape with an overnight camping stay on the Boston Harbor Islands!
Boston Harbor Islands National and State Park welcomes campers to one of many campsites located on Peddocks Island.
2023 camping reservations open on Wednesday, April 19!
Enjoy a night under the stars at Boston Harbor’s second largest island, featuring wooded campsites, miles of trails, and scenic beaches. Campers can reserve a tent site or one of many newly installed yurts featuring bunk beds and electricity.
Peddocks Island can be accessed by park ferry from Hingham or by private boat. Island Campgrounds
Peddocks Island tent campsites can accommodate up to 4 adults or 2 adults and their dependent children. Group sites are also available and can accommodate up to 30 people.
Yurt campgrounds are also available on Peddocks Island. Yurts accommodate up to 6 people and feature bunk beds and electricity.
All campsites feature composting toilets and picnic tables. Running water and flush toilets are available at the Visitor Center near the ferry dock. Grills and shade shelters are available within close walking distance of most sites.
Resident staff live on the Island during the visiting season and provide Island supervision, emergency communication, park and campground management
$8 - $70 / night
$35 - $50 / night
Camp Nihan is the perfect place for your next group camping experience. There's plenty of opportunities to learn about the local habitat. Explore a variety of nature and wildlife across 65 acres.
Welcome to Sandy Neck Beach Park. Thousands of years have allowed this barrier beach to develop into 4,700 acres of dunes, maritime forests, and marshes. It is a living museum, exhibiting dynamic landscapes rich with ecological activity and recreational opportunities. Each year thousands of visitors are attracted to Sandy Neck to soak up the sunshine, swim, and beach comb as they witness the power of the ocean. While extremely satisfying, these activities represent a fraction of the possibilities for any visitor seeking to enjoy a quality outdoor experience.
$20 / night
Swimming Small fry fishing 2 Recreation halls Fireplace & picnic table on each site State tested water Camp store Ice & wood available 8 Modern restrooms with free hot showers Coin operated laundry Pets on leashes are welcome Horseshoe courts Volleyball court Basketball court 2 Softball diamonds Lending library 200 sites with water & electricity Sewer sites available Playground 2 Dumping stations Adjacent to public golf course
$46 - $50 / night
Specialty camping on three (3) miles of undeveloped beach frontage is available at East Beach State Campground, located in Charlestown, Rhode Island. East Beach is one of the least developed of the Rhode Island state beaches, with limited parking and a half dozen changing rooms. This barrier beach and 10 site campground location offers four Clivus Multrum Composting Toilets for restrooms along with 3 miles of undeveloped beach frontage. Parking is very limited and fills up early on sunny summer days. A small portion of the beach is staffed with lifeguards on a seasonal basis. Utilities ARE NOT available at this campground. Special Camping/Vehicle Equipment requirements are required for camping at this location.
All camping units MUST BE self-contained AND equipped with 4-wheel drive. A self-contained unit is defined as “A camping unit which contains permanent holding tanks for potable water, grey water and black water. Bathroom equipment must be permanently affixed to the unit.”
Tow trailers or Fifth Wheels are not allowed.
All campers MUST obtain a Barrier Beach Permit prior to their stay.
Beach Vehicle Permits/Trail passes can be purchased from the Rhode Island Coastal Resources Management Council (CRMC)
A beach parking fee will also be required for any vehicle using the East Beach Sand Trail during the summer beach season unless registered for a campsite.
Closure of part or all of East Beach Campground may occur during the camping season due to the nesting of a tiny shorebird called the Piping Plover. The Piping Plover is listed as a threatened species under the Federal Endangered Species Act. If a closure should occur, reservations will be cancelled and refunded in full.
Registered campers after having checked in to East Beach Campground will be allowed to utilize the Septic Dump Station and Water Filling Station at Burlingame State Campground and/or Fishermen’s Memorial State Campground, one time at no charge. Additional dumping or use of the water filling station will be subject to the Septic Dump Station Pass Fee
Must show proof of active and valid reservation.
Tent camping is not allowed.
Pets are not allowed.
Registered campers after having checked in to East Beach Campground will be allowed to utilize the Septic Dump Station and Water Filling Station at Burlingame State Campground and/or Fishermen’s Memorial State Campground, one time at no charge. Additional dumping or use of the water filling station will be subject to the Septic Dump Station Pass Fee
Address: East Beach Road, Charlestown, RI 02813
$28 / night
General: There are three sections to this campground: five canoe sites; 16 sites including one cabin behind the ranger station and what I would assume is the main section with 61 sites. Some sites have water and electric hookups, but the majority of the sites have no utilities. Note: Pets are not allowed at this campground!
Site Quality: We arrived in the rain after the Ranger station had closed and circled the main section several times trying to find the site with the least amount of water. We did not know until the next morning when we went to pay that we ended up in an ADA-accessible site. It was not marked in any way and I’m guessing that the only reason it was designated as such was its proximity to the restrooms. All sites appeared level and even though they were supposed to have gravel pads, they were mostly a mix of dirt (or mud) and grass with a little gravel.
Bath/Shower House: In the main section, there is a very large and clean indoor bathhouse with free showers. Did not use the shower so cannot comment. Appreciated that there was immediate hot water at the sinks. The other two sections have vault toilets.
Activities/Amenities: In season there is swimming, but the beach is very small. Fishing, canoeing, and kayaking are also popular. There are also some trails for walking/hiking, a basketball hoop, a dump station, and recycling.
This was an overnight stay for us but the rate for out-of-state campers, while higher than for residents, was reasonable at $30. We would return to this campground.
I use up my two weeks allotted here at Harold Parker every year. A great place to enjoy family in the outdoors .clean sites. clean bathrooms and friendly staff. I live in a neighboring town to Andover. It’s so easy to get to.
I stayed one night here to experience Salem during Halloween at a tent site. Positives are access to Salem, Uber and Lyft are available though scarcer as the night gets later (10:30 pm), it is also on the trolley line if you need transportation during their business hours, great view for sunrise. Negatives are there is no privacy at the sites, everything is very open, fires must be off the ground, and the bathrooms are old and may not be stocked.
Good size sites. Trees. Decent WiFi. Clean and quiet. Not much for amenities - no camp store, pool, activities.
I booked Deluxe Cabin 1 at the Boston KOA based on my past experiences in VA and NC. BOSTON was the WORST KOA I've stayed at. The cabin SMELLED of mildew and cigarettes(pic of ashes in the tub), and there was NO HOT WATER, which is against MA law. It was FILTHY, the pots needed to be replaced, and you have to request blankets. I informed the after hours staff about the water, blankets, and smell. The next morning, I went to the office at 9 am and talked to LORI. She was COMBATIVE and confrontational which is weird because she just started her day. As a person of color, I had to walk away because I was frightened. When I returned, BOB Brammer(He wanted to write his name down, so I got it right(his words)) lacked empathy and had a facial expression of annoyance. He was also CONFRONTATIONAL as I explained there was no hot water and the cabin smelled. I informed the national KOA feedback team(Kaitlyn& Tiana) and they said it's handled internally, whatever that means. If you read the reviews about bad customer service, believe it. You can see CUSTOMER SERVICE IS BADDDD! The KOA will probably respond to this review, but NOTHING WILL HAPPEN. I'll be reaching out to TOBY O'ROURKE and OSCAR TANG so they are aware the BOSTON KOA is tarnishing the KOA brand.
General: HUGE state park with over 700 sites. It does not fully open for the season until May 1 and when we were there in mid-April, only two sections, Fish Camp and Mills Camp were open. The Ranger station is staffed 24 hours a day, with a ranger on site until 11 pm. You need to show your pass to get inside the gate leading to the campsites. There are no hookups in any site (as far as I could tell). Sites are designated for tents, small trailers, large trailers, and RVs. As with other RI state parks, non-residents pay double the price of residents which kind of ticks me off (I don't mind a nominal upcharge but double is excessive IMO).
Site Quality: The site numbers throughout the park are painted on rocks but the sites themselves are not very clearly defined. There is no designated camping pad. Our site (114) had a water view but was not level. It was large enough for us to park horizontally and make it work for one night. Some sites had excessive roots and also were not level. Some picnic tables have been replaced with new ones, but others badly need it.
Bath/Shower house: The one in Fish Camp was adequate and clean. There is hot water, but you need to run it for a while before you get any. There was no garbage receptacle, and the toilet paper is so thin, that you can see through it. Showers are $.75 to get it started for the first three minutes. After that, the amount per minute increases to $1, $1.25, $1.50, and so forth. Machines take up to 22 quarters. There is a change machine at the Ranger Station. I did not use the shower so I cannot comment on how well they work.
Activities/Amenities: There is a camp store that offers wood, ice, coffee, basic groceries, propane, and canoe rentals. It was open with limited hours during our stay. Fishing, boating, swimming - all in season. Even though the park was only about 10% occupied, there was a strong Ranger presence. He circled our small loop three times just before check-out time and wanted to make sure we were leaving not a minute past the designated time.
This was just an overnight stay for us in a convenient location but there is no way I would stay at the height of the season!
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.
In Sept the campground was quiet and sparsely populated. Sites were big and fairly well spaced.
There’s 12 miles of hiking trails to explore. You can hear the highway from many of the sites and trails, but for the most part it’s just part of the background noise with the insects and other nature noises.
The park was easily accessible from the highway and easy to get through with a trailer.
$18/night if you live here, but $36 if from out of state. Large tent campground with lots of spaces, so everyone is in pretty close together. My main concern is there are showers in the bathrooms you can pay for, but ones outside that are free, but cold water and no curtain, so you literally have no privacy.
Need to make reservations before 2pm!! This campground is nice and calm with a lot of space and bathrooms. There are water hookups at tent sites. Didn’t have any issues, just it is a little expensive for someone from out of state. We paid $54 because we are from Ohio
This is one of the best places we saw. We were here during a quiet period in August. The pitches are spacious and shaded.
The sanitary building is clean with good showers.
There is a lovely pond in which you can swim. It is somewhat small when crowded but nevertheless very lovely.
The water in the pond is not streaming so be prepared for mosquitoes when camping close to the water.
There is a well maintained playground for kids and there are activities planned for kids and adults.
We would definitely return.
Updates
Note that some of the photos submitted to this site were taken in areas that were NOT IN the Park. Also the Park is NOT under new ownership.
Had an amazing stay, cabin was perfect and comfortable. Water was nice and fish were biting. Can’t wait to come back.
Very clean campground with a big pool and pond to fish at. There always easy to make accommodations and it’s always a good time with the family there
This spot does have everything you need. It is very remote and a lot of distance between campsites. Lots of trees. The bathroom amenities work but not the cleanest. There isn’t much to the RV sites but an electric plug. Like I said what you need, but not want you might want.
We were treated very poorly by staff and management. We here humiliated in front of our family members and the public. We were made broken promises and called liars by staff and management and then intimidated to leave the premises. It was a very bad experience that ruined our family vacation.
PROS
- 45 min from Boston
- You have everything you need there: firewood, bathrooms (with shower, soap and toilet paper), a camp pit...
- You get a map in the entrance - very helpful for hiking.
- You can take a trail from the campsite.
- Good sights while hiking, with good spots to have lunch or pause for water.
CONS
- Only one really: You don't have the feeling of being really in the woods. There is NOT a decent amount of land between each campsite. So if you have neighbors all around, you'll feel like in a village!
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Pinewood has all of the basics covered. Great place to spend 1-3 nights under the stars. Hot showers were awesome (.25 cents per 3 minutes) and the stone fire pits were a hit. Pond was pretty dirty and you’ll be in close proximity to a shooting range and municipal airport (be wary of noise levels).
Stayed for a week mid-July; during the week had almost an entire loop to ourselves which was wonderful - it felt like having the entire park to ourselves. Things picked up on Friday/Saturday but overall we lucked out with no neighbors who were disrespectful of the quiet hours (10p - 7a). Bathrooms, dumpsters, and portapotties are plentiful, but not always well maintained. Staff are seen frequently throughout the park and are very willing to be helpful when asked - our site had a few Yellowjacket nests and they took care of them for us almost immediately when asked. It’s worth investigating the various sites ahead of time - there are a number of sections much more likely to be busy than others, and lots of low-lying sites that show signs of easily being washed out in anything more than a moderate rain. With multiple great east coast beaches minutes away (as well as conveniences like fuel/stores) we will definitely be back.
Relaxing by the river w ur family is the best way to go
We had our very first camping experience with our new camper at this campground and it was everything we could have imagined and more. It’s a beautiful campground, the gentleman and his family who own it are sooooo nice and they helped us a lot when it came to learning how to properly use our camper. All the fellow campers that we met were extremely nice. It’s a quiet campground, located right on a river. My children spent hours in it playing and fishing. Looking forward to returning.
I would probably nitpick stay at this park again. The site we had paid for was not given to us. The shower in the bathroom did not provide hot/warm water until the end of my shower, and then the water would not turn off. Also, the lady camping beside us was tent camping, and she literally smoked weed the whole time she was there. We have children, and while she was there, you couldn’t do anything outside without smelling it. Overall, not the best campground.
Nothing like coming home to NARRAGANSETT..... BEAUTIFUL, clean campground.... Quiet & peaceful..... Bathrooms are very nice..... Not far from ROGER WHEELER BEACH & SCARBOROUGH BEACH.....Right down the street from great RI food.....
Such a beautiful destination for tourists, travelers, & beach goers....Talk about being right on the water with access to excellent swimming. Such a lovely vantage point with your tent location from the top of FORT GETTY. Who knew??? Mackerel Cove is awesome....beach, beach, beach.... Bathrooms are ok. Such a hidden gem on the wonderful island of Jamestown!!!! Bring your tent....
Large campground with 3 pools, many amenities and scheduled activities
Great privately owned family campground. The pool, splash pad, live music and activities for the kids were great!
AT&T service had only one bar. Couldn’t stream but worked for calls and texts. Campground WiFi was strong but as expected struggled to keep up on this busy 4th of July.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is the most popular tent campsite near Norton Center, MA?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular tent campground near Norton Center, MA is Lorraine Park Campground — Harold Parker State Forest with a 4.5-star rating from 31 reviews.
What is the best site to find tent camping near Norton Center, MA?
TheDyrt.com has all 11 tent camping locations near Norton Center, MA, with real photos and reviews from campers.