Southeastern Massachusetts features primarily flat terrain with numerous kettle ponds and cranberry bogs surrounding Plympton. The area maintains moderate temperatures from May through October, with highs averaging 75-85°F in summer and 55-65°F in fall. Proximity to the Atlantic Ocean creates occasional foggy mornings that typically burn off by midday, especially at glamping locations near the coast.
What to do
Fishing opportunities: Pinewood Lodge Campground offers access to a 50-acre freshwater pond stocked with various fish species. "Nice camp store and lots of activities for the kids. Very quiet place, beautiful sites nice fireplaces bathrooms are close by and clean," notes Stephen R., though he mentioned not caring for the coin-operated showers.
Canal biking: Bourne Scenic Park provides direct access to the Cape Cod Canal bike path. "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," writes Jaclyn P., who was impressed with the cleanliness during Covid-19 restrictions.
State forest hiking: Myles Standish State Forest offers extensive trail networks through pine forests. "There are miles of bike trails and ponds for fishing, swimming, and boating. There's a larger beach and picnic area at College Pond," shares Jean C., who recommends downloading maps for offline use due to poor cell coverage throughout the forest.
What campers like
Privacy between sites: Charge Pond Campground receives praise for its spacious layout. "Very quiet, and we were the only people in the loop for a couple of days. Sites are nice and level and large. Vegetation between sites for privacy," reports Amie C., who stayed in loop B south.
Access to Cape Cod: Shawme Crowell State Forest Campground serves as a gateway to Cape attractions without Cape prices. "Nice spot right over the Cape Cod Canal. Spent many summers here as a kid and was fun to return with my family," shares Douglas L., though he noted hearing distant highway noise.
Water recreation: Campers appreciate the swimming options at many locations. At Ellis-Haven Family Campground, Chris P. commented, "Overall, a well maintained campground with clean bathrooms and clean clear pond to swim in. Tent sites were good sized and not right on top of other people."
What you should know
Reservation requirements: Most glamping sites close to Plympton, Massachusetts require advance booking, especially for premium accommodations. At Boston/Cape Cod KOA, Janet P. advises, "I have belonged to KOA's for quite a few years and I have learned that you really need to upgrade to the better campsites to enjoy your stay...I'll pay the few extra dollars to have a bigger site, it's so worth it."
Seasonal considerations: Most campgrounds operate from early May through mid-October. Scusset Beach offers an extended season through December, though with limitations. "Scusset Beach offers an extended camping season, although the extended season is restricted to self-contained units as the restrooms are turned off," explains Jean C.
Noise factors: Some campgrounds experience traffic noise. At Shawme Crowell, Tim C. shares, "Price is right and always very well maintained. It is also very close to Rt 6 so the traffic noise is almost constant especially Friday nights. Not recommended for light sleepers but very convenient."
Tips for camping with families
Activity planning: Normandy Farms Campground offers extensive programming for children. "They had tons of festive activities. They have an indoor and an outdoor pool. The restrooms are clean. I highly recommend staying here. It was a lot of fun," shares Liz W., who visited during Halloween celebrations.
Playground access: When selecting a campsite at Shawme Crowell, Paula T. advises, "It has two areas. The one nearer the camp entrance is smaller than the second. The second one has a playground while the first one does not. I would not recommend the first area if you have small children for this reason."
Beach days: Plan for beach excursions from your campsite. At Scusset Beach State Reservation, Rachel P. notes, "The beach is clean, with beautiful, white, rock-free sand. There's a small snack bar with basic food options, bathroom and locker room facilities, picnic tables and plenty of parking. Lifeguards begin their work around 10am."
Tips from RVers
Site selection strategy: When glamping near Plympton at Boston/Cape Cod KOA, Kirk S. recommends researching site options carefully: "This is a nice campground with multiple site type options. Staff and Management are available to help. This is a busy campground due to its location. Easy access to Boston, Cape Cod, Martha's Vineyard, Plymouth, Newport, and many more attractions."
Leveling challenges: At Bourne Scenic Park, Nancy W. observed, "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."
Utility considerations: Many campgrounds offer partial hookups only. At Pinewood Lodge, Michael K. reported, "Site was level, staff was awesome. They do have a dog park and plenty of things to do. Didn't like that you have to pay for hot water though."
