Best RV Parks & Resorts near Rowley, MA

Winter Island Park Campground: (Scale 1- bad, 5-Very good (70 yr olds in 17’ trailer). I rate primarily based on desire for at least a moderate wilderness type experience w at least some camp site privacy. Overall Rating: 2.5(RV field and hanger spots; 4.5 (Bayside sites). Price 2023: $42 Usage during visit: 100% full because of October celebration in Salem. Site Privacy: None Site Spacing: Very close Site surface: Grass, gravel, and blacktop Reservations: Required Campground Noise: Quiet Road Noise: Not near a major road. Through Traffic in campground: Some traffic down to parking lot. Electric Hookup: Yes Sewer Hookup: No. Dump Station: Yes Potable Water Available: At the site. Generators: I think all trailer sites have electrical hookups. Bathroom: Yes - old. Showers: Yes - old style. Dressing area is not private. Pull Throughs: All are back in. Cell Service (AT&T): Very good. Setting: 3 settings : Open field, Back up to warehouse with ocean view, On blacktop along harbor. Weather: Clear and cool Bugs: None. Solar: Yes Host: Yes. Rig size: Large rigs will fit in many sites. Sites: 12 - 16D along the bayside have a beautiful view of the bay. These sites would be fantastic to be in even though the sites are close together. The sites along the hanger have a water view with a huge parking lot in between. The RV Field area is only good as a convenient spot to visit nearby Salem attractions or Boston (1 hr plus drive through heavy traffic).

We really liked this park! It was clean, very well cared for, supper nice people and a decent price($43/night) for camping in coastal New England. The park recently added new 50-amp full hook-up sites (some of which are pull-thrus) so there are plenty of options for big-rigs. Half of the park is seasonal campers (which is a lot more cramped and more junked up) and the other half is for transients. The two sides are separated by a tree line where the tent sites are located. The park is in a good location and pretty close to the beach, restaurants, shopping and access to Route 1. You are also just twenty minutes or so to Portsmouth and Newburyport which are some of our favorite New England coastal towns. 

Our site (#124) was one of the new sites which they had just completed. It was a gravel back-in which was plenty long and level. They recently seeded the area so new grass was starting to grow. The roads in the park are fairly narrow and we had to drive over the grass across from our site in order to back in. Lucky for us nobody was parked in that site. We hate driving over grass as our coach can really make some ruts, but we had no choice in this situation. The ground was dry and hard so we didn’t make deep ruts. The park does not have cable and we were not able to get reception on our satellite because of the trees and could not get any over-the-air channels. No television was fine because we enjoyed sitting by a campfire after our long day of exploring. We had a picnic table that was kind of small if you had 4-6 people but fine for just two of us. Our firepit was a light weight portable one which we could move. The older sites had heavy fire rings that were not to be moved. None of the sites have a lot of space between them and I bet this park could feel quite cramped when it was full. We were there in the off-season (May) and didn’t have any neighbors so it was pretty quiet. 

There are not too many amenities in the park which was fine for us since we really don’t use them. There was a very large playground, horseshoe pits, shuffleboard, basketball, and camp store. This park really cares about appearance and grounds-keeping is top notch. Our site had a nice grassy space with a small garden planted with flowers. The laundry was very nice, clean and had big front-loading machines. Check-in was super easy and fast. All the staff were very nice. 

About 5 miles to the east is Hampton Beach and a little farther is the town of Rye which are worth the drive. There we discovered Ray’s Seafood and Petey’s Summertime Seafood where you can get a great meal right next to the water. After lunch pop over to Wallis Sand Beach for an afternoon relaxing by the sea. We love visiting the Kittery Trading Post (in Maine) which is a good outdoor outfitter and eating at Bob’s Clam Hut.

We really liked this park! It was clean, very well cared for, supper nice people and a decent price ($43/night) for camping in coastal New England. The park recently added new 50 amp full hook-up sites(some of which are pull-thrus) so there are plenty of options for big-rigs. Half of the park is seasonal campers(which is a lot more cramped and more junked up) and the other half is for transients. The two sides are separated by a tree line where the tent sites are located. The park is in a good location and pretty close to the beach, restaurants, shopping and access to Route 1. You are also just twenty minutes or so to Portsmouth and Newburyport which are some of our favorite New England coastal towns. 

Our site (#124) was one of the new sites which they had just completed. It was a gravel back-in which was plenty long and level. They recently seeded the area so new grass was starting to grow. The roads in the park are fairly narrow and we had to drive over the grass across from our site in order to back in. Lucky for us nobody was parked in that site. We hate driving over grass as our coach can really make some ruts, but we had no choice in this situation. The ground was dry and hard so we didn’t make deep ruts. The park does not have cable and we were not able to get reception on our satellite because of the trees and could not get any over-the-air channels. No television was fine because we enjoyed sitting by a campfire after our long day of exploring. We had a picnic table that was kind of small if you had 4-6 people but fine for just two of us. Our firepit was a light weight portable one which we could move. The older sites had heavy fire rings that were not to be moved. None of the sites have a lot of space between them and I bet this park could feel quite cramped when it was full. We were there in the off-season(May) and didn’t have any neighbors so it was pretty quiet. There are not too many amenities in the park which was fine for us since we really don’t use them. There was a very large playground, horseshoe pits, shuffleboard, basketball, and camp store. This park really cares about appearance and grounds-keeping is top notch. Our site had a nice grassy space with a small garden planted with flowers. The laundry was very nice, clean and had big front-loading machines. Check-in was super easy and fast. All the staff were very nice. 

About 5 miles to the east is Hampton Beach and a little farther is the town of Rye which are worth the drive. There we discovered Ray’s Seafood and Petey’s Summertime Seafood where you can get a great meal right next to the water. After lunch pop over to Wallis Sand Beach for an afternoon relaxing by the sea. We love visiting the Kittery Trading Post(in Maine) which is a good outdoor outfitter and eating at Bob’s Clam Hut.

We stayed at this campground to hang out with some friends that were nearby. Therefore we didn't need much in the way of amenities, just a place for our camper and to sleep, and this fit the bill. The owner / manager in the office was super friendly, very nice, easy to talk to. 

I think there are less than 10 rentable sites in the campground. The rest of it are all seasonal and many of them look like they have been there for quite awhile - many have permanent decks, PVC for plumbing to the sewer, etc etc. All the signs of a camper that is intended to stay for a long period of time. Not a criticism, just an observation. 

The campground is right at the board of Wells and Sanford, and Wells beach is ~9 miles away. Some big box stores and grocery are right down the road. 

The rentable sites that I noticed and we stayed in, were all pull through. The connections are close to the front of the site instead of the back, as you would normally expect. I used all of my 25 ft power cord and 30 feet of sewer hose to hook up. If you have a ~40 foot rig and the power is near the rear you're going to need an extension / 50 ft cord to pull it off. 

Both AT&T and US Cellular had decent signal in the middle of the campground. 

They had a pool, we didn't check it out. I think it's 4feet deep and I'm not sure it's heated. I didn't notice a camp store, but it might be there.

Bear Brook SP, NH: Oct 2023 (Scale 1- bad, 5-Very good (70 yr olds in 17’ trailer). I rate based on desire for at least a moderate wilderness type experience w at least some camp site privacy. Overall Rating: 4.5 Price 2023: $30 about Usage during visit: 10% weekday Site Privacy: Open Site Spacing: Very large sites. Site surface: Rocky soil. Reservations: Yes Campground Noise: Very peaceful. Road Noise: None. This is a long drive back through the woods from the highway.
Through Traffic in campground: None. Electric Hookup: No Sewer Hookup: No Dump Station: Yes Potable Water Available: Spigots are scattered throughout. See my picture of the map. Generators: Allowed. Bathroom: Clean flush toilets. Showers: Individual shower rooms Pull Throughs: Some. Cell Service (AT&T): 1 to 2 bars. Setting: Maple/conifer forest along a pond. Woods obscure atheist pond’s view. Weather: Beautiful day, High 80s, but the thick woods offers needed shade. Bugs: Yes, there are more mosquitoes than we experienced further north. Solar: Our site, B 31 offered enough solar to equal our minimal output late in the day.
Host: I don’t see a host near my location. Rig size: Orrery good size rig can fit in some sites. Sites: See map in my photos. There are some great sites here. Spaciousness is the plus point for this campground.

This small state forest campground in north/central Massachusetts is just up the hill from Damon Pond. I suggest downloading maps before you head out because cell service is iffy in the area.  

Sites are largely level, around a small, bisected loop with towering pines. Most of the sites are best suited to tents and small trailers (think teardrops and pop-ups), but a couple of sites can accommodate slightly larger units. They are level and there's not a lot of brush between sites, so not much privacy either. I liked site 3 for a bit more privacy ; it's also one of the 3 sites designated for an RV. Site 11 is larger and can accommodate a larger unit.

There is a large yurt suitable for 10 people. The yurt does offer electricity, but there are no hookups nor a dump station at the campground. There are flush toilets, but no showers. The small bathroom was under renovation autumn 2020. There is a dishwashing sink. 

There are hiking trails in the area and, of course, swimming at the small pond. A nearby roadside waterfall offers another picnic area opportunity. For a longer hike, you can hike to and from Pearl Lake State Park. Fishing, mountain biking, and geocaching are other activities available. There's a parking lot closer to the beach or it's an easy walk from the campground.

If you are from out of state, check fees carefully. In 2020 MA increased fees significantly in light of the pandemic. Prices are steep for what you get if you are out of state.

Harold Parker State Forest, MA: (Scale 1- bad, 5-Very good (70 yr olds in 17’ trailer). I rate based on desire for at least a moderate wilderness type experience w at least some camp site privacy. Overall Rating: 4.25 Price 2023: INCREASED RATE FOR OUT OF STATE: $60 per night for electric site Usage during visit: Low, though the electric sites are at about 70%.
Site Privacy: Pretty good in most sites. Our site, #115 opens up to #48 Site Spacing: Most are very good. Site surface: dirt and some gravel.
Reservations: Required Campground Noise: Quiet Road Noise: Set far back from the highway except for the water sites. The moderately used highway is across the pond. The pond view would be worth it as there was not that much traffic.
Through Traffic in campground: None Electric Hookup: Some sites Sewer Hookup: No. Dump Station: Yes. Potable Water Available: At electric sites and bathhouses.
Generators: Allowed Bathroom: Flush toilets. Clean. Showers: Yes. Shower Room is not heated , so very cold this time of year.
Pull Throughs: Some.
Cell Service (AT&T): 2 bars Setting: In a deciduous / conifer forest.
Weather: Highs 60s and lows 40s during our stay. Bugs: None due to the cold, I am sure.
Solar: To heavily forested for most sites.
Host: Around.
Rig size: The largest I saw was a 25’ trailer. I think larger rigs are allowed. Check website and carefully select your site.
Sites: #61 through 83 that are on the water side and are nice, not as private and Road/Highway across the water. I think they would be worth the moderate road noise for the water view. 102,105,108,113 are slightly better of the electric sites. Other sites that I took pictures of are sites I would be happy with. There are so many I can’t list them all. The best sites are among the no electric sites.