This campground is neat and rules are strict but provide for a comfortable stay for those of us who don’t like to party late night. Bathrooms are so clean and conveniently located. Store sells anything you might have forgotten. And the island is just a fun summer tradition - camping makes it so much more affordable at the height of the season. Keep your food sealed tight because the skunks use this campground as much as humans do.
Great place! Open year round and has a very calm and quiet environment. I've lived here full time for a few years.
I read the reviews and was excited to be in a state park near the water for such a reasonable price. Imagine my surprise when we found out that a water/electric site for an out of state camper was $45 per night! This was our first visit to a Rhode Island State Park so not sure if they are all like this but this one definitely caters to Rhode Island residents who camp in large RVs! The sites with the best views are the full hookups (water/electric/sewer) and the rates for out of state campers are significantly more than for residents. I’m used to paying $5 or even $10 more for being from out of state but here the fee is double or more for out-of-state campers. Geez– way to make us feel welcome!
There are four areas, and each has advantages and disadvantages. Area One has the best views and full hookups but there is no bathhouse; Area Two also has full hookups, no view and some of the sites (55-65) are decidedly not level; Area Three is for tents only with no hookups but is close to the bathhouse; Area Four has water and electric hookups, the pads are not paved (as in the others) but most of the sites have more separation than in the other sections. See the photo below to understand the different areas.
No matter where you camp, there are noise issues. Road noise continued throughout the night and there is a wind turbine on the property. I’ve never been this close to one and yes, there is noise, although the road noise bothered me more. Alcohol is prohibited throughout the campground. There are pay showers available. There are the remains of two bunkers but other than walking by them, you cannot go inside. One (in Area One) is a grassy knoll with stairs to a lookout.
On the plus side: The bathrooms were clean, there is excellent cell service, Judith Point lighthouse is nearby, it is close to the ferry to Block Island, and there are numerous recreation options available (playground, tennis courts, volleyball net, and basketball courts). Also, the grouchy staffer I read about in reviews was not there the night we arrived and, in fact, the two staffers were very friendly and even recommended a good restaurant in the nearby town.
This was a very nice campground. Our particular site was a little on the small side, without much greenery to separate from the other sites but the weather was horrible so we spent most of our time inside playing games anyway. The restrooms and showers were very clean! The people who run this spot are nothing but friendly and helpful. There was a short but very nice nature trail within the grounds. There are also full hookups for those with RVs. The tent sites looked very nice and more private, but not sure about hookups in those spots.
There are many things to do close by- a lot of bay side beaches, coffee shops and a wonderful bike trail. Nickerson is right down the street as well which opens up a lot of recreation options.
Would totally recommend and would stay here again.
Beautiful campground, plenty of sites, crystal clear ponds for swimming and kyacking! Excellent bike trails! Friendly staff! Can't believe this is cape cod I felt like I was in the woods can't wait to visit again!
Stayed here visiting Cape Cod and Boston.
Great campsite. I used to come here all the time when I was a kid and was so excited when it opened back up. 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. The comfort stations (indoor bathroom and shower and outdoor sink area) were clean and well maintained and close to all the sites. The sites had both a firepit with a flip grill as well as an upright grill. Both were clean and ready to use when we arrived. The boys had a blast swimming and kayaking at the pond and there was another comfort station right at the water. Leashed pets are welcome and we brought our pup for his first camping experience and he loved it too.
Campground 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:
- Check the ferry schedule. Figure out which departure makes the most sense for you. You may choose to leave from Long Wharf, near the Aquarium T stop on the Blue line, or from Hingham, with overnight parking available. For Bumpkin and Grape Islands, you’ll want to leave from Hingham; Peddocks and Lovells are available from either departure point
- Buy your ticket online in advance. Some town libraries have passes offering 2-for-1 ferry rides, so if you’re a MA resident in the greater Boston area, it’s worth checking that out first. Otherwise, you’ll be looking at an extra$20 for the ferry, but that fee covers your round trip as well as the use of the interisland ferries so you can explore other islands. If you’re traveling as a family, look at the family pack for another discount. You can show the ticket on your phone when you board.
- Pack as lightly as possible and plan to carry or wheel it to your site. If you have a folding wagon, you may appreciate having it to carry items on and off the ferry and to your site on the island. There may or may not be carts available on the island. Peddocks has running water available, but otherwise you’ll need to bring gallon of water/person. If you want to grill, bring your own charcoal; otherwise bring a stove or bring food that doesn’t need to be cooked. You may scavenge wood to build fires below the high tide line only. No alcohol and no pets.
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.
Mostly seasonal but transient sites recently renovated. Private beach and close to many other areas. Office staff nice and helpful.
This is one of the few places where you can sleep on the beach! It's a great place. The water is on the cold side but it's worth it. Beach camping is a very special thing
I fully recommend this camp ground. It can be pricy but it's worth the price
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
Stayed in Section 2 on M Rd which has the the electrical hook ups. M road is nice because you're backed up to the woods on the odd numbered side. These sites are also spaced fairly well far apart and private, some more than others - on M13 which stayed, it was at least 50ft on either side. There are no water hook ups but plenty of water spigots every several sites so easy enough to fill up water jugs.
Drawbacks of M13 in particular is that it was probably the most slopped on the rd but still pretty minimal. We also found a lot of trash on the site - we poked around other sites on the rd as people came/went and they didn't seem to have this problem. Seems like we may have just caught M13 at an unlucky time ( we did pick up a lot of the trash around the site that others left behind to help clean it up and makes us not feel we were sitting among trash)
Firewood was $5/bundle so pretty reasonable. I didn't personally use the bathrooms but other said they seemed new.
Because of the trash issue I would have given 4.5 but so we value private, spaced out sites I leaned on the 5 star side.
We were lucky to find a spot open in Nickerson State Park in mid August. We were pleasantly surprised with the privacy of our camp spot and how easy it was to get everywhere. There is plenty of great biking in the park and all around the Cape Cod area (rail trail!). The camp store was great for some last minute things we forgot, and there are easily accessible showers and restrooms with hot water (and very clean!). All in all, we had a fun time and it didn't seem super crowded even though the park was booked solid.
We spent one night here in our RV and rode bikes into Provincetown. This campground is pretty tight if you have a big rig, but our 24ft was just fine. It’s a big hill with a tight squeeze to enter the campground, but overall our stay was enjoyable. If you’re looking to camp at the end of the cape, this is your spot. Make reservations well in advance!
We stayed in a lean to for the Cotopaxi Questival In April. It ended up raining and in the mid 60s the entire time so it was great and kept us dry!
Driving around this place is definitely not a typical campground but more of a luxury camp because of all of the amenities.
That being said it was very nice and felt safe. The only reason I didn’t give it 5 star is because you can hear the highway nearby so it didn’t really feel like a campground. That’s a preference though.
Check out some of our videos from the competition! We found a little skeleton in our lean to so we made a short video, haha!
The staff are very friendly and the campground is clean. The just remodeled one of two playgrounds in the camp. There is a lot to do for kids including a pool, jumping pillow, miniature golf and a train ride. There a lot of popular events such as an ice cream social and tie dying. Most weekends have themes. The only issue I have are some of the campers. They were filthy and rude. After the Friday night movie they left all their trash on the ground. The kids were riding their bikes on the bathroom handicap ramp. The kids were screaming at the pool and all over. One got hurt at the pool and an adult with the group told them no more horsing around even though he was the one who started it. It’s right off a major highway so you have noise including sirens. There are many places to visit around the area if you enjoy “doing the tourist thing”. Some tent sites are on the smaller side but most are good size. I’ll be honest, I only go to KOA for my son but I find this is one of the better ones. We were in T9 and T8 but we have also camped in T17 ( my favorite).
Nice and clean campground with friendly staff. There are Plenty of activities offered like miniature golf, basketball, horseshoes, a game room, and more.
Girls camping weekend was perfect at this gorgeous site. Walk to the beach. Trash pick up. Clean bathrooms and showers, don’t forget to bring quarters for the shower.
Highly recommended
Beautiful woodsy campground and a very short drive up the coast to the beach. We only got to spend one night here, but we were so pleased with the privacy and size of the sites. There is a very nice trail system in the park as well. Would return!
Pros - the campground is lovely to drive through and the sites are fairly nicely design with some privacy between sites (some sites have more some have less). It's also nice to have access to the multitude of hiking trails and ponds.
Cons - the works. We stayed around Charge Pond on a Friday and Saturday night, and even though the park has clearly stated quiet hours of 10 pm to 7 am (which includes generators), it was one of the loudest camps I've ever been to. Several camp neighbors in our loop were up well past 1am loud as hell - talking loudly, screaming and yelling - even their kids! And one site had their trailer generator running all night - there was absolutely no patrol of this campground at all, which is unacceptable on weekends in my opinion. This place attracts some really awful people - there were several spots of vomit in the road Saturday morning, and on Sunday morning a neighbor could be heard at 6 am puking his guts out in surround-sound. That plus the general noisiness, disrespect of other campers, and lack of patrol would keep me away alone, but the state of the facilities topped it off. The women's room in Charge Pond loop A was filthy - it wasn't super outdated, but just not clean at all. Every surface was absolutely disgusting, they had a 5-gallon plastic bucket to serve as the bathroom trash, and the entire place smelled like urine. To top it off, when using it Sunday morning every single stall was out of toilet paper, and the whole place had very clearly had not been cleaned since Friday night. I know campground bathrooms are usually not the best, but this was definitely one of the worst - I've used vault toilets that were cleaner!
I will never stay here again.
Two words: Plan ahead.
Nickerson is popular for many good reasons. The facilities are clean and well maintained. The amenities are wonderful, and the accessibility to all of the Cape’s gem-like offerings make this the best way to get your Cape fix on a budget.
Lots of nice locals in this park. We are staying here for two weeks. The sites are a little tight to maneuver if you have a large rig. They have a nice pool and playground area for the kids. The staff are friendly and ready to help. Site has FHU, 50 amp.
Great location, more enjoyable in the off season in my opinion
We had a great time relaxing at the camp site it was quite and we had beautiful weather
We wanted to explore the Cape and are members of the KOA rewards program so we chose here to stay. The staff were very nice and helpful. They had a big store and plenty of supplies and souvenirs, from sweatshirts to stickers. We then followed the map to get to our site. As we pulled around the office we saw all kinds of activities for kids. Bouncy "pillow", pool, bounce pad, sluice, miniature golf, and a playground. All the sites we saw had trees for shade. It was a very busy place but everyone seemed happy to be there. As the weekend went on we drove thru the whole campground just to check out the rest. They had many cabins, 2 dumps sites for campers, another huge playground. If I'm ever back in the area I will stay here again!
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. 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. The playground is being revamped and looks awesome so far. Unfortunately the bathroom right next to it is closed while the playground is being updated. It is very hilly but many people enjoy riding their bikes here. When driving, be careful of them. I've hiked the trails and you have to be careful. They aren't always well maintained or marked. They are right next to the main highway so you get car noise and can usually see them as well. I find them to be uninteresting. There is no swimming on site either. On the positive side, the campground is within driving distance of great fishing, biking and tourist areas.
Family friendly. Staff is nice. Campsites are big and we'll spaced. Bathrooms are best of any campground. Highly recommend.
The staff is super friendly and very helpful. Nice new pool and kiddie pool. Events for the kids as well as adults. Clean campground with updated bathrooms.
This place is pretty awesome if you’re looking to see a show at the nearby Comcast center. It’s cheap, quiet, and affordable and very close (maybe ten mins or less to the venue) I’ve been staying here for years and love it!