Nestled approximately 15 miles southwest of Boston, Westwood, Massachusetts offers camping options within a heavily forested region at elevations between 100-300 feet above sea level. The area experiences warm summers with temperatures averaging in the mid-80s and cool nights that can drop into the 50s even during summer months. Most campgrounds remain open from mid-April through late October when temperatures and conditions are most favorable for outdoor recreation.
What to Do
Waterfront activities: Boston Harbor Islands State Park Campground provides unique boat-in camping opportunities with a variety of water activities. "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," notes a visitor who stayed at Peddocks Island.
Historical exploration: Several campgrounds offer access to significant historical sites. A camper at Hanscom AFB FamCamp reports, "In the immediate vicinity are the villages of Lexington and Concord as well as the Minute Man National Park and Walden Pond, so the campground makes a great basecamp for exploration of the area's rich culture and history."
Outdoor sports: Many campgrounds feature extensive trail networks. At Myles Standish State Forest, a guest observed, "The bike trails through the park are great and we enjoyed them. Paved and mountain bike trails. Take the map with you as the bike trails were a little confusing."
What Campers Like
Unique yurt experiences: Yurt camping near Westwood, Massachusetts has become increasingly popular. A visitor to Peddocks Island commented, "The yurts on Peddocks are great, providing shelter from the elements, bunks with mattresses, electricity, a ceiling fan, table with benches, and a grill."
Clean facilities: At George Washington State Campground, a camper highlighted, "Sites were well spaced and provided some privacy depending on your site choice. Grounds were well kept, bathrooms were very clean with hot showers (bring quarters, $1.50 for 6mins)."
Seasonal programming: Many campgrounds offer special activities during holidays. As one visitor to Boston/Cape Cod KOA mentioned, "We stayed here over the 4th of July this summer. The activities for kids is the draw for this campground for sure. My kids loved the train rides, movie night, flash light candy hunt, and arts and crafts."
What You Should Know
Reservation requirements: Campgrounds with specialized accommodations book quickly. Regarding Boston Harbor Islands, a camper advised, "Reservations open 6 months in advance and sites fill quickly, so plan ahead if you're counting on a particular day."
Noise considerations: Some locations experience unexpected noise. At Winter Island Park, a camper noted, "This is a city park with a beach and a campground. The cons were the noise during the day from the beachgoers, and the visits from raccoons and skunks at night (scavenging the food left by the beachgoers)."
Site selection matters: Campground layouts vary significantly. At Myles Standish State Forest, a visitor observed, "The campgrounds themselves are really nice, but considering there are about 400 spots, you may find that some areas are more to your liking when it comes to things like more sun or more shade. Some locations offer less space between campsites, some more."
Tips for Camping with Families
Water recreation options: Multiple swimming locations are available. A visitor at Pinewood Lodge Campground mentioned, "We were lucky enough to get a site by the pond. There were great views from our site of the pond. On the site there was also a path down to a little dock on the pond that you could sit and relax on."
Weekday advantages: For a quieter experience, consider non-weekend stays. A camper at Myles Standish State Forest reported, "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."
Bathroom considerations: Quality varies between locations. At Boston/Cape Cod KOA, a parent noted, "There were long lines for showers every night and the showers were very outdated and not clean at all. Quiet hours were not enforced and people with very loud music were walking up and down the road past sites well past quiet hours."
Tips from RVers
Hookup availability: Full-service sites can be limited. At Sutton Falls Camping Area, one RVer mentioned, "We stayed at an RV site for 1 week this past summer. The site we stayed at (47) took a little leveling to get right but it was pretty nice having views of the water."
Connectivity challenges: Cell signal varies by location. As one RVer at Sutton Falls noted, "Only problem was the cell signal. My wife works remotely and needs to be connected. Without our antenna we we only had 1 bar of both Verizon and AT&T. No signal at all on T-Mobile/Sprint."
Site size variations: Research dimensions before booking. At Boston/Cape Cod KOA, an RVer warned, "I have belonged to KOA's for quite a few years and I have learned that you really need to upgrade to the better campsites to enjoy your stay. 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."
