If you want to explore the beauty of Rochester, glamping is an excellent option. The Dyrt can help find the best glamping in and around Rochester, MA. Whether you're looking for a quiet location in the woods or a site closer to all the action, The Dyrt makes it easy to find the perfect glamping spot.
The countryside setting of the Boston/Cape Cod KOA, 15 miles west of Plymouth, Massachusetts, makes a great base camp as you explore one of the oldest cities in the United States.
Our Boston/Cape Cod area campground boasts wooded campsites and plenty of on-site recreation opportunities; including a Jumping Pillow, theme weekends, and a pocket park filled with all the fun and games to bring your group out to play. Enjoy the picturesque setting in a Camping Cabin or a furnished Deluxe Cabin.
$17 - $27 / night
$17 - $27 / night
Nestled deep in the woods between Boston & Cape Cod, Normandy Farms Campground is a luxury camping destination that has been a family tradition since 1971 and widely recognized as one of the premier resorts in the world. Relax and enjoy the unique seasons of New England in your RV, tent, or in one of our deluxe cabin or YURT rentals. We also have pop-up trailers and safari tents for those seeking an elevated camping experience.
Normandy Farms Campground Special Amenities include: a bike park, creative arts center, disc golf, a dog park, a fitness center, laundry facilities, playgrounds, a store, volleyball, basketball, soccer, bocce, tennis, 4 swimming pools, spa, wellness center, and more!
$50 - $200 / night
Pinewood Lodge Campground is located outside Plymouth, Massachusetts, on a 50-acre fresh water lake and has over 3,000 feet of lake frontage as well as a six-acre island. The campground offers traditional tent and RV campsites, as well as cottages, yurts and cabins.
$50 - $110 / night
Nickerson State Park is situated on the edge of Flax Pond and is home to over 400 campsites making it a great place for camping near Boston. Tent campers, RV-ers, and yurt lovers will all find the perfect spot here for their next Massachusetts adventure. Experienced Nickerson campers recommend getting a reservation early for peak summer months as these high-demand spots are snatched up quickly.
Situated near the National Seashore, Nickerson’s beachy environment welcomes campers who are looking for a unique experience. The park’s location in Cape Cod contributes to its popularity thanks to access to iconic lighthouses, sport fishing, some of the country’s tastiest seafood, and more! Make your way throughout the park and the cape by biking the scenic 22-mile Cape Cod Rail Trail. Enjoy views of white pines and spruce trees, cedar swamps, and countless kettle ponds along the way.
So bring your bike, kayak, and lots of bug spray – you’re about to have a good time.
$22 - $70 / night
More than any other Cape Cod Camp Resort, with three pools and a Jacuzzi, two playgrounds and a beach, fishing and boating on our private access lake with sandy beach, a sports field, adult lounge, teen center, game room, wi-fi cafe, store, waterslide, sprayground, and adult outdoor fitness trail, it is no wonder that Cape Cod Campresort & Cabins has become Cape Cod’s only family campground to receive the highest possible ratings from both of the nation's leading sources for campground ratings: Woodall's and Trailer Life. Located in the heart of one of the true vacation hot spots of New England, Cape Cod Campresort and Cabins is “THE PLACE” to be on Cape Cod! So many of the region’s leading attractions and beaches (including the Martha’s Vineyard and Nantucket ferries) are just a short drive away from your base at Cape Cod Campresort. The park is situated on 55 acres, with its own private access freshwater lake and a beautiful sandy beach. Our campsites average 1600 square feet in size which can accommodate most coaches with sewer, 30/50amp electric and cable. Large wooded campsites with lake views are available, along with cabin and cottage rentals and one of the finest secluded tenting areas on the Cape. Most of our campsites are shaded by whispering pines. Our list of amenities is impressive, with a wood beam cathedral ceiling clubhouse, patio area, three in-ground pools and jacuzzi.
$32 - $60 / night
Ranger
This is glamping campground. It has a pool, game rooms, and everyone is packed in pretty close.
I personally like state parks, lots of room and trees. I didn't feel that at Normandy farms but you might love it
Guide
Booked site in early July for Sept stay. Paid for a premium glamping site 2200 Sq ft with paver patio. Didn't pay site lock fee as I didn't care which site I got as long as was the same type of site and I think the sites are expensive enough. Arrived and was given a site in "motorhome row". Very small and no paver patio. Prayed the whole time neighbor didn't use his grill as he was that close. Left two days early we were very disappointed. Alot of seasonal sites and some were pretty dumpy looking
ScoutThey have glamping sites, which include full hookup, fire pit with chairs, octagon shaped picnic table and stone patio for your rv front door. Pets welcomed, a ton of extra activities like row boat rental, kayak rental, mini golf for $3 all day, must bring a bicycle helmet if your riding bikes(state law), a small store, firewood for purchase, gated community, so you feel safe, 3 pools, laundry etc. We were impressed, only thing is main pool seems alittle run down and arcade area could look better than it does. Wish the had outdoor mo ie nights and crafts for kids
GuideThis campground was recently bought by Sun RV so there already some changes happening- the arcade room is closed and being remodeled and they now allow you to use your own boat (non motor) on the pond which is a definite improvement. Mini golf and the pools are nothing special. We have camped here every summer for 4 years in a “glamp” site which is large with fire pit. The staff has always been friendly and we even projected a movie 4th of July outdoors with no issue. 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. Downtown Falmouth is 10 minutes away as well where you have great restaurants, shops and the ferry to the islands.
Scout
Glamp Frogmore offers the privacy of camping while offering extras to make a truly unique getaway. The large tent has a couch, an extremely comfortable bed (bamboo linens, pillows, and comforter included), battery powered lanterns, a battery powered fan, and games. The private campsite has a site for an additional pop-up tent (which they will include for a fee), a fire pit (firewood included), a Coleman stove, all cooking utensils, pots and pans, and an outhouse. Take one of the trails and visit the small pond with Adirondack chairs and a horseshoe pit. The site also abuts miles of Audubon trails. Optional extras include dinner in a cast iron pot delivered in the evening, coffee and breakfast delivered in the morning, a pop-up tent, a dog bed, a cooler stocked with ice and a sampling of local beer, or seltzers, or lemonade, s'mores fixings, and homemade chocolate chip cookies upon arrival.
GuideI wasn’t sure I would like this level of glamping, but I was pleasantly surprised. The staff was positive and helpful and that made a difference for me. I traditionally dry camp or go for semi hooked up on purpose, I just like the quieter camping. Maybe it’s covid, but it felt good to be “near” other people trying to find peace in a crazy world. So much positive about the resort, the snack bar has an awesome menu and cost is reasonable. Beer at the store wasn’t unreasonable priced. The clothing/swag was fairly priced. The facility is big enough to walk, bike, short run, the frisbee golf is the best set up I’ve ever used. I went recently(mid October) so the pools were shut down, but there was still lots of activities. The bath houses were very clean and there was music playing, another detail that sets this resort apart. The grounds, for a packed campground were actually well done with trees, and large stones around. You will hear other people at nearby sites, it didn’t bother me, in fact listening to all the various dogs barking at each other from their respective sites made me laugh. You can hear cars from 495, but once again, somehow it did not bother me. I’ve stayed at campgrounds up in NH that are dry camping, and I can hear cars on Rt 16 or on the Kanc. There is a catch, sites probably average $100/night or more, when all the amenities are up and running, it is well wort it. Shoot, I’ve stayed in hotels for $150/night with no amenities. This place has so much to do, or just sit by the campfire and drink beer and relax, or borrow a movie for free. Remember to return it or they will process the $20.00 hold. I’m definitely going back, kids had fun, I had fun. Pay ahead and get your gate codes, and you can drive right to your site, that was super convenient, see the positives keep showing up. Thanks for reading
Legend
Solid state park. The yurts kind of suck. Kind of dirty, but would keep you real dry if it got wet. Actually ended up camping outside of the yurt. Glad we had it but also glad we didnt have to sleep in it.
Traveler
Tents, yurts, powered or not powered. You can have remote-feeling sites, or ones that are close in…and all are “floored” with nice flat cover of dry pine needles from the towering white pines local to this area. A few miles from the north coast of Cape Cod (town of Sandwich), close to beaches and to a lovely long narrow “board walk” across a sea grass / marshland. You can have a campsite with a mountain bike trails leaving your space and ride through miles of trails. You can walk to fabulous shower and bath houses; you can also rent yurts!
GuideThis campground is so well run I felt like I was in Disneyland's Frontier Land. They offer anything you could want. Spotlessly clean and wonderful employees. the pool is also great. The yurts are beautiful.
Legend
This campsite loop at Myles Standish State Forest is closest to the headquarters and borders a small pond with beach. In addition to tent/RV sites, there are 3 yurts available with bunks. Sites that appear to be near the pond are pond view rather than pondside. Approaches to Yurt JC and J5, J 26, J27 are sloped. J14 is a little awkward. J33 is probably among the largest and nicest with a pond view. The sites aren't as large as those in the Charge Pond loops, but it's a smaller campground.
The loop has flush toilets and showers. Water is available, but no electric hookups. Fire rings and picnic tables provided. Cell phone coverage throughout the forest is poor to absent; download maps for offline use if you want to be sure to know where you are or find directions. There are miles of bike trails and ponds for fishing, swimming, and boating. There's a larger beach and picnic area at College Pond.
Traveler
This campground has 6 yurts and 6 tent sites. The yurts have bunk beds, a floor lamp, a table inside, a picnic table outside and a grill. Just getting to the island is a fun adventure. The island is beautiful and has an old fort to explore as well as a lot of Rocky shoreline and trails. You can build bon fires and see gorgeous sunsets. During the day you can take small ferries to a variety of other islands to go swimming or explore. This is a great adventure for kids. On peddocks island there is plenty of drinking water available and a ranger station. These sites book quickly, so you should try to book 7 months to the day in advance. That said, you can also look for last minute openings. I been 3 times and always have a great time. This campground is only open during the summer months.
LegendCampground review: Camping at Boston Harbor Islands requires some planning, but you get the benefit of a remote island with minimal company. Unless you book one of the 12 yurts on Peddocks island, the camping is rustic; you’ll need to bring everything, including water. Reservations open 6 months in advance and sites fill quickly, so plan ahead if you’re counting on a particulate day. I only visited the campsites on Peddocks Island, so I can’t speak to the ones on Lovell, Grape, and Bumpkin.
Getting there: Unless you have your own boat(check regulations on the website; you’ll need to anchor offshore overnight), you’ll want to catch a ride on the ferries to the Boston Harbor Islands. Figuring out the schedule is the trickiest part, not least because they don’t make the inter-island ferry schedule as readily accessible. Here’s the scoop:
The yurts on Peddocks are great, providing shelter from the elements, bunks with mattresses, electricity, a ceiling fan, table with benches, and a grill. There are 6 yurts up a small hill, with a composting toilet and water from a tap nearby. The 6 tent sites are also in this area. An additional 6 yurt sites are below the hill and in the woods, so it’s a slightly longer walk to the toilet. at the top of another hill there is an open, grassy area, also with a composting toilet, that provides group campsited.
While you’re out on the islands, take time to explore one of the others…look for sea glass on Spectacle Island and climb the hill for a view of the Boston skyline, explore the old forts and visitors centers, earn a Junior Ranger badge from the National Park Service, fly a kite, or go for a swim or kayak. In mid-August we collected handfuls of blackberries as we explored Peddocks.
Ranger Product Review: Banner& Oak Traveler Shirt
As a Ranger with the Dyrt, I sometimes get to test items; in this case I ordered the Banner& Oak Traveler long-sleeve t-shirt in indigo. It’s long sleeved and super soft, but the first time I went to put it on, I realized the Banner& Oak tag along the hemline was sewn through both the front and back, so I couldn’t put t on until I removed the tag. I didn’t have scissors with me, so it was tough to get it off and ultimately I ended up with a hole in both the front and back. I’ve worn this on strolls through the woods when the weather was nice, but cool and on the foggy morning ferry ride to the island. The sleeves are not constricting and when I pushed them up to my elbows, they stayed in place while I hiked. I will say that it is a unisex t-shirt and the sleeves and body of the shirt tend to run long. I like that, but if you're petite, it may be annoying.
LegendThis state forest campground is located just over the Sagamore bridge, across the Cape Cod canal. It's a basic, no-frills campground, with more than half the sites designated as tent only; a few of the sites are designated for tent/pop-up. The tent sites tend to be on short spurs that may be hilly and uneven, so would be difficult to navigate with a trailer or larger vehicle. If you don't have camping gear, there are 6 yurts available for rent, though they were not available during the 2020 covid season. The bathrooms offer showers and are undergoing some renovations in 2020. No hookups, but there is a dump station.
If you have young kids, they'll love the new playground area. That's really about the only attraction within the campground, though there are some hiking and biking trails. The Cape Cod Canal Bikeway is nearby and provides easy biking and exploration. If you're looking for a beach experience and you'll be there a few days, consider buying a weekly parking pass. During the week, it may be worthwhile to cross back across the Sagamore bridge to visit Scusset Beach State Reservation, but weekend summer traffic will likely make that prohibitive.
If you forgot food, Market Basket is a short distance away.
LegendThis park is huge! The 418 mostly wooded sites are divided into 7 sections and even more loops. You can find walk-in sites, tent sites, RV sites or yurts. The only thing missing is hook-ups. Water is readily available and there's a dump station, but you won't find electric. I liked some of the sites on the top and backs of the loops in the Section 6 area.
The attraction for me is the central location on the Cape Cod Rail Trail. Additionally, a number of beaches on Cape Cod Bay are only a couple of miles away, so you can easily bike over and avoid the parking struggle. There are bike trails in the park as well, but hillier than those outside the park. You can fill many hours hiking, geocaching, fishing, boating, and swimming. If you don't have a bike or a boat, they'are available to rent in or near the park. If you are seeking the dunes and expansive coastal beaches, you will need to leave the park and contend with traffic, but there's plenty to keep you busy without ever leaving the park.
Of note, the rates are quite reasonable for MA residents, but significantly higher for out of state campers. Even so, it's a bargain for the prime location!
Guide
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. Too bad. The place has nice level sites and close to the Cape.
LegendWe planned a brief stop in the Boston area with the intent of seeing the John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum and Normandy Farms appealed to us for various reasons. One reason was the fact that they have dog walkers that will come to your site and take care of your precious pooch while you are away. Not knowing how long we would be away from the campground that service was a great option. As it turned out, we did not need to use this service but for some it would be a great perk if you were going to be gone all day. And with Boston traffic, we can see how that could happen. By the way, the library is well-worth it.
When you enter Normandy Farms it is more like checking into a hotel than campground complete with a concierge and express check-in. The park is gated and a code is needed to enter and leave giving you a sense of security but I’m not sure it is necessary. Driving in you quickly realize how huge this park is with some 400 RV sites, tent sites, yurts, lean-to’s, safari tents, and cabins.
There are plenty of sites to choose from the “premium” full hook-up (50 amp) to basic with just water and electric and many others in between. Both back-in and pull thrus are available as are sites with shade and full sun. Premium sites have paved patios while other sites are gravel. Roads are paved and plenty wide enough for big RV’s to navigate. They offer cable television that yielded nearly 100 channels. Wifi worked well at our site and other places throughout the park. All sites come with a fire pit and picnic table.
We chose a paved full hook-up pull thru with paved patio (Site E1). Our site was easy to navigate in and out of and was definitely big rig-friendly with ample space for our motorhome and tow car. All utilities were well-placed and functioned properly. The site was level. At the time we were there in October the campground was not very busy but we imagine that things get a little crazy when the park is full.
There is a really long list of amenities for this campground….four pools (include an indoor heated one), fitness room (with elliptical, treadmills, bikes, machine and free weights), creative arts center, camp store, 20,000 square-foot activities building (with adult only lounge, pool table, arcade, games, wide-screen televisions, sauna, Jacuzzi), restaurant, huge off-leash dog park (you can reserve individual day kennels), BMX bike park, horse shoe pits, baseball diamond, volleyball, fishing pond, shuffleboard, disk golf, and playground, and probably a few more things I missed. During the busy summer months there is a long list of activities ranging from yoga to kids games.
Normandy Farms is approximately 35 miles from Boston. If you don’t want to drive to the city, you can park at the nearby train or subway station and ride into the city. You are just five miles from Gillette Stadium (home of the New England Patriots) and Patriot Place (a hub for shopping and dining). About a mile from the campground is Foxboro State Park where you will find 20+ miles of hiking trails. Also within a five mile radius are plenty of restaurants, shopping, hardware store, grocery store, and more.
Some of the really good features are the huge dog park which has a dog washing station, water fountains for dogs and humans, agility-type obstacles for them to play on, dog kennels, and a bin with balls and Frisbees. I also liked (and used daily) the fitness center which had functioning equipment and a large television to help pass the time while working out – and was never crowded. The large community building has and adult-only lounge which serves as a nice place for people to get together and watch television or hang out without kids. With everything this campground has to offer you can see why it is a destination park for some people as their kids would be busy all day.
The downside really is the price and how many sites there are. If you are looking for a quiet, peaceful getaway this is not it.
ScoutWhen my boyfriend and I decided to camp on the cape, he had mentioned Nickersons but said he hasn’t been there since he was little. I decided to check it out online and found you were able to make an online reservation. This seemed appealing and I felt was the easiest way to go about it. Unfortunately it wasn’t the easiest process as the website itself that they use (reserveamerica) was very hard to navigate and super confusing. After awhile of trying to figure it out, I finally was able to reserve a site and pay right online. We even got the Massachusetts resident discount with his home address. When we arrived, it was a very easy check in. They gave us directions to our site and even to the store to buy fire wood. The tent sites were a little close together but luckily our neighbors were quiet and easy going. The bathrooms were right behind out site which was really nice. We only stayed one night but it was very enjoyable at Nickersons and we will most definitely be back!
Scout
This is the perfect family campground with lots of activities for the whole family during the
on season. Your whole family will be entertained Be prepared for a busy campground.
TravelerBeautiful grounds with all the amenities you’ll need. Un level grounds so specify what you need. Very tight tent sites and very very busy so not very private.
ScoutNot too pricey and clean With lots of activities for the family.
ScoutBeautiful Campground God has many trails to wake as well as a few places to swim. Great place to get away for a little while.
RangerMyles Standish has a little bit of everything: hikes, swimming and easy access from Boston area. Depending on the time of year other campers can be loud. Great swimming spot for the family.
RangerBeautiful campground and well maintained. I'd recommend it to anyone.
ScoutI'll be honest and say that I'm a stealth camper and this review was written from that perspective. It isn't by choice, mind you, it's just that coastal MA has very few places you can legally camp in peace (away from all the families and drunken college kids) and the prices many parks/campsites will ask per night is just ridiculous if you're like me and don't intend to use their power, showers, bathrooms, etc.
So with that being said, this park is definitely not the place for someone like me. The paid campsites they have available are exactly what I described above: little to no privacy, lots of loud kids, lots of loud 20-30-somethings definitely not drinking in a dry park late into the night, and reservations (that need to be booked before 2pm the previous day, even if open lots are still available) starting at over $20 a night when adding tax and "handling" fees. Now technically speaking, camping in the park off-campsites isn't prohibited (theres no posted signs or regulations on their website or at the park headquarters that explicitly say you can't, nor any state laws against it - I've done my homework as I don't want to be arrested), it's clearly frowned upon given my observations in the numerous times I've camped here. Local police fly up and down the main roads and bike paths (which is super dangerous) through the park all night, flash their searchlights through the woods, and sit in parking lots revving their engines like teenagers with their first car. The place really doesn't give off a welcoming vibe. I get that they might be trying to scare off any homeless people who take refuge in the woods, but if those are the methods they're using I really don't wanna see how they would treat someone if they caught them.
So if you're like me and would rather just go find your own quiet spot to camp out for the night by a small fire, even if it meant slipping $5 into a box by the entrance, look elsewhere. Myles Standish State Park is not the place for a lonely night in the woods. I've only been able to keep coming here because I camp responsibly, I keep a low profile, and I live about 20 mins away so I come in by bicycle. If I had better options I'd go elsewhere but driving to western MA, NH, VT, ME, or even NY where dispersed camping in state and national parks is more commonly allowed just doesn't make sense when it's only for a night or two.
TLDR: if you like solitude in nature go somewhere else if you have the means to, if you don't have the means to then stealth camp - just don't do anything stupid and screw it up for the rest of us!
ScoutWe stay at Myles Standish every June. We stay in the charge pond area which is a smaller pond but nice and clean. There are bbqs, tables and bathrooms at fhe pond. The sites are large and shady but don’t have water or electric. The bath houses are clean and accessible.
GuideOver Memorial Day weekend, we camped at Myles Standish. We were in the Charged Pond area, in loop F. The campground doesn't have hook ups, but there is a dump station with water and water available around the loops. The lower part of the camp ground is set up in different loops. While this is a large campground, it didn't feel that large as the loop probably had 50 sites. Our site was wooded and pretty private for a state campground. We had plenty of room and the site had a fire pit and picnic table. Each loop has one bathhouse. Ours, unfortunately, did not have hot water. We were told if we wanted it, we could go to any of the other loops. The bathrooms had two showers and three stalls, two sinks. There were at least three outlets in the women's room which was convenient for a quick cell phone charge.
The check in process was a little challenging. We arrived later in the day and had hoped to get our pop up set up by dark, but the check in process took almost 30 mins between waiting in line and a VERY slow attendant. He was more worried about my out of state phone number than getting us checked in. He also kept trying to put us in a different section of the campground. I finally pulled up my reservation to show him that I was in the Charged Pond area.
Our daughters rate campgrounds by their bathrooms. I was pleasantly surprised that they received at least one cleaning during our time there. But regardless, the bathrooms weren't that clean. It wasn't the worst bathroom (thanks Yosemite for setting that standard), but it could have been a little more attended to. It scored a - "not so bad that we'd never come back" rating from the girls.
The bike trails through the part are great and we enjoyed them. Paved and mountain bike trails. The map they give you at check in isn't very good - hard to read and a little blurry. We picked up a nice printed, folded map at the visitor's center in town and it was much nicer and easier to read the trails. Take the map with you as the bike trails were a little confusing.
We also enjoyed the various kettle ponds. We kayaked one morning and enjoyed watching the people catching good sized fish around us. The beach (at least at Charged Pond) had a nice sandy section and a bathhouse.
The town of Plymouth is about a 10 min. drive if you need anything. We never saw a camp store or even a place to get ice. But we didn't look that hard either.
I was surprised that it was fairly quite and not busier on a holiday weekend. We felt most people respected quiet hours and there were even empty sites in our loop.
We will definitely go back. It was a nice, quick getaway.
Guidegreat campground with lots of good (flat) hiking, but don't expect to have cell phone reception
Frequently Asked Questions
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