Best Campgrounds near Rochester, MA

Rochester, Massachusetts provides access to several established campgrounds within a short drive, with options ranging from tent-only sites to full-hookup RV facilities and cabin rentals. Thousand Trails Gateway to Cape Cod operates from April to October in Rochester itself, while nearby options include Boston/Cape Cod KOA in Middleboro and multiple campgrounds within Myles Standish State Forest in South Carver. Most facilities accommodate both tent and RV camping, with several offering cabin rentals for those seeking more comfort. The proximity to Cape Cod makes this area particularly popular during summer months.

Campground availability in southeastern Massachusetts typically runs from mid-spring through mid-fall, with most facilities closing for winter. Massasoit State Park operates from late May to early September, while Myles Standish State Forest campgrounds remain open mid-May through late September. A review noted that "the campground is split into different areas depending on your needs (electric, equestrian, tent-only)," highlighting the specialized camping zones available. Massachusetts state parks enforce strict regulations, including no-alcohol policies at some locations. Reservations are strongly recommended during peak summer season, especially for weekend stays, as campgrounds near Cape Cod fill quickly.

Campers report varying experiences with privacy and noise levels at area campgrounds. The more developed facilities like Boston/Cape Cod KOA offer numerous amenities including electric hookups, showers, and organized activities, while state forest campgrounds provide a more natural setting. Water access is a significant draw for many visitors, with several campgrounds situated near ponds or offering swimming areas. One camper mentioned that Myles Standish State Forest is "a beautiful spot surrounded by ponds" with "lots of trails for both" hiking and biking. Sites with water and electric hookups tend to be more expensive and should be booked well in advance. Massachusetts residents receive significant discounts at state parks compared to out-of-state visitors, which can substantially impact camping costs.

Best Camping Sites Near Rochester, Massachusetts (80)

    1. Charge Pond Campground — Myles Standish State Forest

    19 Reviews
    South Carver, MA
    9 miles
    Website
    +1 (508) 866-2526

    $17 - $35 / night

    "My home away from home, I have been going to Myles Standish state forest to camp swim and critter catch since I was a little girl. Some of my fondest memories were made here."

    "Good access to surrounding new England towns."

    2. Boston/Cape Cod KOA

    23 Reviews
    Middleboro, MA
    13 miles
    Website
    +1 (508) 947-6435

    "This is a busy campground due to its location . Easy access to Boston, Cape Cod, Martha’s Vineyard, Plymouth, Newport, and many more attractions."

    "We selected this campground because of its proximity to family who we would be visiting. It was very convenient to Providence, Cape Cod, and Duxbury."

    3. Massasoit State Park Campground

    18 Reviews
    Lakeville, MA
    12 miles
    Website
    +1 (508) 822-7405

    $17 - $27 / night

    "Other than the bees, it was peaceful, and nobody bothered you. i would recommend lots of bee spray and a screen house, but hopefully it was an isolation situation."

    "We were located in the no electric no water area and even though every site was taken, it was surprisingly more private than you'd expect."

    4. Shawme Crowell State Forest Campground

    21 Reviews
    Sandwich, MA
    16 miles
    Website
    +1 (508) 888-0351

    $17 - $55 / night

    "I like this campground because it is close to home.  There isn't much to do here within the campground.  It has two areas.  The one nearer the camp entrance is smaller than the second. "

    "We have stayed here during our exploration around cape cod. It's a but farther away from the main location, but we loved the quiet and tranquility of this campground."

    5. Bourne Scenic Park

    13 Reviews
    Buzzards Bay, MA
    12 miles
    Website
    +1 (508) 759-7873

    "Bike path along the canal, easy access. Lots of playgrounds for different ages

    Bounce pad (in-ground)

    Pool

    Stair access to canal bike path."

    "Bourne Scenic Park is conveniently located near many of Cape Cod’s attractions including beaches, golf courses, historic landmarks, restaurants and shopping. "

    6. Thousand Trails Gateway to Cape Cod

    5 Reviews
    Rochester, MA
    2 miles
    Website
    +1 (888) 707-1477

    "Heavily treed and shaded campground, extremely large to walk from front to back. Had good kids crafts. Loved the easy access to Cape Cod, Plymouth, and Boston."

    "fished, hiked, swam, crabbed and had awesome camp fires.We could of lived off of the land if so inclined.We had plenty of room and the sites as well as the entire campground was clean we also had access to"

    7. Pinewood Lodge Campground

    10 Reviews
    Carver, MA
    14 miles
    Website
    +1 (508) 746-3548

    $50 - $110 / night

    "Very quiet place, beautiful sites nice fireplaces bathrooms are close by and clean. Don’t care for the coin operating showers. Nice camp store and lots of activities for the kids."

    "Pond was pretty dirty and you’ll be in close proximity to a shooting range and municipal airport (be wary of noise levels)."

    8. Jellystone Park™ Cranberry Acres

    8 Reviews
    South Carver, MA
    10 miles
    Website
    +1 (508) 866-4040

    $70 / night

    9. Bay View Campground

    7 Reviews
    Buzzards Bay, MA
    12 miles
    Website
    +1 (508) 759-7610

    "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."

    "Nice spot, close to the canal for fishing and some local ponds."

    10. Cape Cod Campresort & Cabins

    12 Reviews
    North Falmouth, MA
    15 miles
    Website
    +1 (508) 548-1458

    "Nice campground, but need to get sites away from the backside of the pool, street noise is too loud"

    "That being said, we use this mostly as a location to do other things- Old Silver Beach is 10 minutes down the road as is the Shining Sea Bike path."

Show More
Showing results 1-10 of 80 campgrounds

2025 Detourist Giveaway

Presented byToyota Trucks

Review Campgrounds. Win Prizes.

Enter to Win


Recent Reviews near Rochester, MA

587 Reviews of 80 Rochester Campgrounds


  • TThe Dyrt PRO User
    Oct. 28, 2025

    Coastal Acres Campground

    Cozy and Quiet

    Provincetown is walking distance (1 mile down a path). We called at the last minute and were able to get in. Very clean, easy, and friendly hosts.

  • Phillip H.
    Oct. 1, 2025

    Boston/Cape Cod KOA

    Koa Cape Cod

    Stayed in several KOAs over last few weeks. I would say needs attention. Appearance is not up to standard. Restrooms and grounds are not as clean by comparison.

  • Kathleen S.
    Sep. 29, 2025

    Normandy Farms Campground

    Loud and crowded!

    Know what you are getting... This is a family resort that charges$20/per night, per person, OVER the two people rate. It is loud, crowded, with golf carts and kids running around. It is a resort campground with pools, frisbee court and etc... This is not a quiet, restful place to stay to visit Boston and the surrounding area or to visit family in town. Entry is gated and controlled. Want to bring your college daughter back after dinner- forget it,$20 for her and$20 her friend, for 1-2 hour visit after 7:00 PM at night! When we return, we will stay at Spacious Skies CG or the state park. The cost and inconvenience is not worth it!

  • S
    Sep. 27, 2025

    Fishermens Memorial State Park Campground

    Close to a beach, serenity hiding in city life

    Some areas to hike on a small scale. Nice view of the water. No ocean views. Many unlevel sites. Fairly close together.

  • Colin R.The Dyrt PRO User
    Sep. 25, 2025

    Dunes' Edge Campground - Provincetown Camping

    Very nice and quiet camp ground.

    A very nice and quiet camp ground. No generators, and air conditioners allowed, just the noise of nature. Also, no dish washing at camp sites. You must use one of the two wash stations.

    Very friendly staff and clean facilities, and they believe in recycling. Just watch the pot hole on the way in.

  • Mindie C.
    Sep. 23, 2025

    Cape Cod Campresort & Cabins

    Lovely campground

    Can’t go wrong with this campground. Well maintained, clean, kind staff and close to everything.

  • Eddie A.
    Sep. 22, 2025

    Scusset Beach State Reservation

    Great place to Bike and fish and of course enjoy nature

    Beautiful place overall Staff are very kind , professional and helpful

  • Mindie C.
    Sep. 21, 2025

    Coastal Acres Campground

    Tight but friendly

    Sites are a tight squeeze but the charm is unmistakable. The staff(Deb and Lucy) are fabulous! The welcome is unmatched. You are within walking distance of all downtown activities. There are bike and jeep trails. No fire rings and not much privacy. Would come again!

  • JThe Dyrt PRO User
    Sep. 18, 2025

    Massasoit State Park Campground

    Campsite was great, staff was rough

    I loved our campsite. But the staff was pretty rude. I was there for a family reunion. I told the staff my mom and dad would be dropping me off the next day, so they added their name to the site as it is a mile walk in. They didn’t give us another car tag, just said if there names were in the site we were good. Next night, we get dropped off in the rain, with a 50 lb bag of dog food and they wouldn’t let me parents take me to my site. Eventually we convinced them of we left my dad and sister at the front gate with them in the pouring rain, my mom could drive us in. They never even checked our reservation to see if the names were in there. Bring a car if you are camping here in a motorhome


Guide to Rochester

Camping near Rochester, Massachusetts offers access to both forested campgrounds and coastal options within a short drive. The region sits at a low elevation of approximately 50-70 feet above sea level with a humid continental climate that features warm summers and cold winters. Rochester's position between Cape Cod and the mainland creates versatile camping conditions from spring through fall with temperatures typically ranging from 60-85°F during prime camping months.

What to do

Biking trails access: At Myles Standish State Forest, campers can enjoy extensive cycling opportunities. "Great camping spot to road ride from. Nice park. Good access to surrounding new England towns," notes Mike M. The forest offers both paved and mountain bike trails, with one reviewer mentioning that there are "several miles of bile trails that were very enjoyable."

Fishing spots: Multiple ponds at Myles Standish provide excellent fishing opportunities. The natural spring-fed ponds offer clear water for fishing, with one visitor observing they "enjoyed watching the people catching good sized fish around us" while kayaking. At Bourne Scenic Park, the Cape Cod Canal provides prime fishing access, with one reviewer simply stating, "If you like fishing this is your place."

Water activities: Swimming and boating options exist at several campgrounds. The kettle ponds at Myles Standish feature "a nice sandy section and a bathhouse" at Charge Pond. At Cape Cod Campresort & Cabins, visitors can enjoy "row boat rental, kayak rental" and one reviewer noted "kids really love the lake!"

What campers like

Privacy levels: Site separation varies significantly across campgrounds near Rochester. At Pinewood Lodge Campground, campers appreciate that "sites are large and shady but don't have water or electric." Another camper at Myles Standish noted, "We stayed in loop b south, which is really not a loop but a dead end. 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."

Shower facilities: Bathroom quality varies significantly across campgrounds. Pinewood Lodge has "coin operated showers (.25 cents per 3 minutes)" that campers describe as "awesome." At Shawme Crowell State Forest, one visitor noted that "the bathrooms offer showers and are undergoing some renovations," though they caution that "no hookups, but there is a dump station."

Weekday advantages: Several campgrounds near Rochester become significantly quieter during weekdays. One visitor to Myles Standish observed, "The one thing you may notice is that if you stay on a Friday or Saturday night, the campground may be to capacity, like it was when we stayed. But the Sunday, and Monday nights, the 7 closest spots to us were empty, it was like having the woods to ourselves."

What you should know

Seasonal operations: Most Rochester area campgrounds operate on limited schedules. Thousand Trails Gateway to Cape Cod in Rochester itself operates "April 14 to October 15," while most other campgrounds follow similar schedules with peak season running May through September.

Alcohol policies: State parks enforce strict no-alcohol rules that private campgrounds don't have. One Myles Standish camper reported, "When you are sitting by the campfire, sometimes, chilling with a beer or another adult beverage is nice. Not in Massachusetts State Parks. No alcohol allowed."

Noise considerations: Several campgrounds experience significant noise from nearby roads. At Shawme Crowell State Forest Campground, reviewers mention "car noise" and note the campground is "located in Cape Cod so getting to Provincetown, only takes about an hour. Location is great however, I found the traffic from nearby roads, highways and maybe even an airport to be surprisingly loud."

Tips for camping with families

Playground access: Several campgrounds feature playground facilities for different age groups. At Massasoit State Park, a visitor noted "they did a great job on everything. Nice sites, great playground for the kids." Another reported that a "playground just installed!" offers new recreation options.

Activity programming: Kid-focused organized events vary by campground. At Boston/Cape Cod KOA in Middleboro, one family reported "my kids loved the train rides, movie night, flash light candy hunt, and arts and crafts." The campground features a "bouncy 'pillow', pool, bounce pad, sluice, miniature golf, and a playground."

Swimming options: Water access points have varying features for children. Pinewood Lodge offers "pond views" where campers can enjoy "great views from our site of the pond." One visitor mentioned a "path down to a little dock on the pond that you could sit and relax on."

Tips from RVers

Site leveling challenges: RV campers should prepare for uneven terrain at many campgrounds. At Bourne Scenic Park, one RVer noted that "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."

Water hookup variations: Different campgrounds offer varying levels of water access for RVs. At Gateway to Cape Cod, campers should be prepared for potential seasonal challenges as "driving around picking my site, the roads were extremely uneven and the rain had created huge lakes in the middle of the road as well as on the sites themselves."

Site selection strategy: For RVers wanting better sites, advance planning is essential. At Boston/Cape Cod KOA, one RVer advised: "I have learned that you really need to upgrade to the better campsites to enjoy your stay. With that being said I did not take my own advice and I booked a basic 30 amp fullhook up campsite and it was so tight that unfortunately I did not enjoy it as much as I wanted to."

Frequently Asked Questions

Where are the campgrounds in Rochester, MA?

Rochester, MA and its surrounding area offer several camping options. The Thousand Trails Gateway to Cape Cod is located near Rochester and provides full-service camping facilities. Within a short drive, you can also access Myles Standish State Forest which contains multiple campground areas. These campgrounds are strategically positioned to give you easy access to both Cape Cod attractions and the amenities of Rochester, making them convenient home bases for exploring southeastern Massachusetts.

Can I rent an RV for camping in Rochester, Massachusetts?

While there aren't dedicated RV rental facilities directly in Rochester, several options are available in the greater southeastern Massachusetts area. Once you secure a rental, the Boston/Cape Cod KOA near Middleboro provides excellent big-rig-friendly sites for RV camping. Pinewood Lodge Campground in Plymouth is another great option with full hookup sites. For RV rentals, check with dealerships in New Bedford, Middleboro, or Plymouth, or use nationwide rental services that offer delivery and pickup options at your chosen campground.

Are there tent camping options in Rochester?

Tent camping enthusiasts have several options near Rochester. Charge Pond Campground in Myles Standish State Forest offers beautiful tent sites with level grounds perfect for setting up camp. Another excellent option is Barretts Pond Campground, which features spacious tent sites with pond access. Both locations provide basic amenities including water access and restroom facilities. Massachusetts state parks prohibit alcohol consumption, so plan accordingly if you're preparing for a tent camping adventure in these areas.