Best Campgrounds near West Barnstable, MA

Cape Cod's northern shore near West Barnstable, Massachusetts features several established campgrounds within a 15-mile radius. Shawme Crowell State Forest Campground in nearby Sandwich accommodates tents, RVs, and cabins with both drive-in and walk-in access. Nickerson State Park Campground in Brewster offers similar accommodation types with the addition of yurts and glamping options. Most campgrounds in the region provide electric hookups, fire pits, and shower facilities, with several offering water hookups and sanitary dump stations for RVs.

Camping in this coastal New England region operates primarily from April through October, with limited year-round options. Many campgrounds require advance reservations, particularly during summer months when Cape Cod tourism peaks. "We chose this park due to its location close to downtown Newport (a mere five miles). There is a lot to do in this area and we wanted to spend time sightseeing," noted one visitor about a nearby campground. Weather conditions can change rapidly along the coast, with potential for strong winds and storms, especially in spring and fall. Most developed campgrounds in the area feature wooded sites that provide some protection from coastal winds, though sites directly facing Cape Cod Bay may experience stronger gusts.

Campers consistently highlight the region's proximity to beaches, bike trails, and historic sites as major advantages. The Cape Cod Rail Trail connects several campgrounds to beaches and towns, making bicycle exploration particularly popular. Bourne Scenic Park offers views of the Cape Cod Canal with access to a paved hiking/biking path. Several visitors mentioned the family-friendly atmosphere at campgrounds like Nickerson State Park, which features kettle ponds for swimming. A reviewer noted, "The park has a number of kettle ponds to swim and boat in. It is such clean water! And the bonus is that there have only been about 20 people there at the most because one can only walk to it." Sites with water access tend to fill quickly during peak season, while more secluded wooded sites offer greater privacy but may require longer walks to beaches or ponds.

Best Camping Sites Near West Barnstable, Massachusetts (55)

    1. Shawme Crowell State Forest Campground

    21 Reviews
    Sandwich, MA
    8 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."

    2. Nickerson State Park Campground

    42 Reviews
    Orleans, MA
    18 miles
    Website
    +1 (508) 896-3491

    $22 - $55 / night

    "It is at the edge of the Cape Cod Rail Trail bike Path from where you can access both bay side and ocean beaches by bike. it is also walking distance to a bayside beach."

    "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."

    3. 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. "

    4. Peters Pond RV Resort

    7 Reviews
    Forestdale, MA
    6 miles
    Website
    +1 (508) 477-1775

    "Convenient location, beautiful pond on beautiful cape cod, Ma. My family has gone there for years with neighbors and always enjoyed our stay."

    5. Sweetwater Forest

    16 Reviews
    Brewster, MA
    15 miles
    Website
    +1 (508) 896-3773

    "Walking my dog late at night or early in the morning was absolutely silent. The camp store was well stocked and offered hot coffee and a variety of grocery items."

    "Nothing but positive things to say, if you haven’t tried it, defintely do. C loop sites our favorite, but really not a terrible site in the place, depending on what you camp in."

    6. Shady Knoll Campground

    16 Reviews
    Brewster, MA
    15 miles
    Website
    +1 (508) 896-3002

    $50 - $88 / night

    "There’s a great walking trail connected to the campground. They have good access to the bay beaches and the Cape Cod Rail Trail- although you do have to drive ona busy road to get there."

    "Well situated within Brewster, with a great small grocery store a two minute walk from the campground entrance."

    7. Scusset Beach State Reservation

    7 Reviews
    Sandwich, MA
    8 miles
    Website
    +1 (508) 888-0859

    $22 - $34 / night

    "It's located close to the Sagamore Bridge on the mainland side. Traffic can be messy in the summer, especially on weekend days!

    The campground itself is a haven for RVs."

    "State run campground located at beginning of cape cod route 6. The sites can accommodate large rvs and tents. They are dog friendly however, not allowed on beach during peak summer season."

    8. Charge Pond Campground — Myles Standish State Forest

    19 Reviews
    South Carver, MA
    17 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."

    9. Cape Cod Campresort & Cabins

    11 Reviews
    North Falmouth, MA
    12 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."

    10. Sandy Neck Beach Park Primitive Campsites

    4 Reviews
    West Barnstable, MA
    3 miles
    Website

    $20 / night

    "The park has 5 dispersed sites located 3-4 miles from the trailhead with picnic tables and an outhouse."

    "All around a great place to camp"

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Recent Reviews near West Barnstable, MA

445 Reviews of 55 West Barnstable Campgrounds


  • SkipperAllen C.The Dyrt PRO User
    Sep. 8, 2025

    Wompatuck State Park Campground

    Very nice stopover

    Good place to spend the night.It was quiet comfortable and plenty of room between campsites

  • G
    Sep. 3, 2025

    Coastal Acres Campground

    Favorite campsite of all time

    Absolutely adore this campground. Much of what others have said in the reviews is true – the sites are small and there’s not a ton of privacy in many spots (although you certainly can find more private spots if you know which to book). But none of this is really matters given the location. Less than 10 minute walk to downtown Provincetown, and an extremely safe, enjoyable walk. You cannot beat the access to one of the best towns in the world. The campground also felt very safe and incredibly quiet.

  • Matt S.The Dyrt PRO User
    Aug. 17, 2025

    Atlantic Oaks Campground

    Great home base for Cape Cod

    We spent a week in Cape Cod at Atlantic Oaks Campground and so glad we did. We paid $113 per night plus fees for a FHU 50 Amp Pull-thru site(#A6). 

    This campground makes a great home-base while touring Cape Cod. 

    THINGS I LIKED: 

    • Great location in Eastham— with access to National Seashore, Provincetown, several great beaches and lighthouses, and much more 
    • Beautiful park setting with well-kept natural landscaping including lots of mature shade trees 
    • Access to Cape Cod Rail Trail right from the campground— bring your bikes 
    • Our hookup utilities all worked fine 
    • This may seem like a silly thing to comment on, but I like how they installed mini picket fences to block the view of the sewer connections from the neighbors— this is a great idea I wish other campgrounds would do too(see the photos) 

    THINGS I DIDN’T LIKE SO MUCH: 

    • Just one thing that bothered me— the sites were all sandy dirt which made everything dirty and dusty(gravel would be an appreciated improvement) 

    WOULD WE COME BACK? 

    Absolutely, this is a nice place with plenty to do 

    WANT A FUN TIP? 

    Check out Wellfleet Drive-in Theatre, just a couple minutes away. We saw Jaws(Jaws~ in Cape Cod!) and had a great evening.

  • Eric LeBoeuf
    Aug. 6, 2025

    Wompatuck State Park Campground

    Meh its ok

    Bathrooms are out dated showers have tiles falling off very small showers also quiet hrs are enforced on Friday nights only it seems

  • R
    Jul. 3, 2025

    Jellystone Park™ Cranberry Acres

    Warning…total bug infestation from our stay

    I was not going to write a review because I truly believe in giving places a fair chance. But after speaking with the district manager I feel I need to give a warning to anyone planning their vacation here. Today is Thursday, we were at cranberry acres from last Thursday until Monday. Our stay was awesome. We did it all the campground offered and had a blast. We stayed with our friends who rented the cabin next to us. Today we discovered that the brand new paper towels I bought from Shawn’s last week and kept(open) under the sink in our cabin were completely infested with what our exterminator says are weevils. The bugs poured out of the bag in a hallway downstairs, are all over the floor, in the guest room and in the bathroom. So now on top of this vacation we are now having to have an exterminator come treat our house for these bugs. We are avid“glampers” with our friends. This is something we do all summer all over New England for years now and this is the very first time we’ve ever experienced something like this. The manager at the campground was wonderful and apologized profusely and called the district manager to call me. This is where things went off the rails. He stated“how do we know they didn’t come from Shaws?”.“Well the unit has been rented and we have had no complaints“. which seeing that this is now three days later I’m sure there isn’t yet.“well thank you for letting us know, we will keep an eye out.”. In all fairness the resort was great, lots to do and we filled every day. The infestation from this vacation does not feel worth the experience. If you stay please keep everything sealed and wash every thing that you bring thoroughly when you get home so you do not wind up in the situation we are in.

  • A
    Jun. 26, 2025

    Charge Pond Campground — Myles Standish State Forest

    Quiet and spacious sites

    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.


Guide to West Barnstable

Camping near West Barnstable, Massachusetts, offers a mix of beautiful nature and family-friendly activities. Whether you're looking for a quiet retreat or a fun-filled adventure, there are several campgrounds to choose from.

What to do:

  • Hiking and Swimming: Explore the scenic trails around the ponds. One camper mentioned, "Hikes around the ponds and swimming is lovely" at Nickerson State Park Campground.
  • Family Activities: Many campgrounds have playgrounds and organized activities. A visitor at Normandy Farms Campground said, "Absolutely love this campground. It has so many things for the kids to do."
  • Beach Access: Enjoy the nearby beaches. A review highlighted that "Your camp pass gets you into an underutilized beach across the road" from Nickerson State Park Campground.

What campers like:

  • Clean Facilities: Campers appreciate well-maintained restrooms and showers. One reviewer at Normandy Farms Campground noted, "The bathrooms/showers are spotless with piped in music and hairdryers."
  • Privacy: Many sites offer a sense of seclusion. A camper at Shawme Crowell State Forest mentioned, "The privacy, facilities, and nearby local places to go and explore exceeded our expectations."
  • Friendly Staff: Campers often mention the helpfulness of the staff. A visitor at Boston/Cape Cod KOA said, "Staff and Management are available to help."

What you should know:

  • Busy in Summer: Many campgrounds can get crowded during peak season. A reviewer at Nickerson State Park Campground warned, "This campground gets very busy in summer."
  • Limited Amenities: Some campgrounds may lack certain amenities. A camper at Wompatuck State Park Campground noted, "There isn't much to the RV sites but an electric plug."
  • Alcohol Policies: Be aware of the alcohol policies at different campgrounds. For instance, Wompatuck State Park Campground does not allow alcohol.

Tips for camping with families:

  • Choose Family-Friendly Campgrounds: Look for places with playgrounds and activities. A family at Normandy Farms Campground said, "Everyone is so friendly. Can't wait to go back for the 4th of July."
  • Plan for Activities: Bring games and crafts to keep kids entertained. A camper at Myles Standish State Forest mentioned, "Great swimming spot for the family."
  • Check for Events: Some campgrounds host special events. A visitor at Marthas Vineyard Family Campground noted, "They also have live music every weekend."

Tips from RVers:

  • Level Sites: Be prepared for some sites that may not be level. A reviewer at Normandy Farms Campground advised, "Bring plenty of leveling blocks!"
  • Check Hookups: Ensure your site has the necessary hookups. A camper at Wompatuck State Park Campground mentioned, "Sites offer electric hookups only."
  • Reservations Recommended: During peak season, it's wise to book in advance. A visitor at Boston/Cape Cod KOA said, "I recommend having reservations if you want to stay at this campground."

Camping near West Barnstable, Massachusetts, has something for everyone, from families to solo adventurers. Enjoy the great outdoors and make some lasting memories!

Frequently Asked Questions

Which is the most popular campground near West Barnstable, MA?

According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular campground near West Barnstable, MA is Shawme Crowell State Forest Campground with a 3.9-star rating from 21 reviews.