Best Campgrounds near Candia, NH

The Candia, New Hampshire area features multiple established campgrounds within a 15-mile radius, including Pawtuckaway State Park and Bear Brook State Park. These parks offer a range of accommodation options from traditional tent sites to RV camping with hookups, and several properties include cabin rentals. Most campgrounds in this region operate seasonally, typically from May through October, with Pawtuckaway and Bear Brook providing access to hiking trails, swimming areas, and natural landscapes characteristic of southern New Hampshire's forests and lakes.

Camping availability generally follows a predictable seasonal pattern, with most facilities closing after Columbus Day weekend and reopening in early May. Many campgrounds require advance reservations, particularly for weekend stays during the peak summer months of June through August. Most established sites provide at least basic amenities like picnic tables and fire rings, while facilities such as showers, flush toilets, and electric hookups vary by location. Several campgrounds, including Bear Brook State Park, feature family-friendly facilities with playgrounds and swimming beaches. According to one visitor, "Bear Brook State Park is great because there is probably a campsite for everyone. The sites were a little close and difficult to set up with more than one tent in our specific campsite."

Campground reviews consistently highlight the natural setting and recreational opportunities available in the region. Bear Brook State Park receives particular praise for its extensive trail system suitable for hiking and mountain biking. Campers frequently mention the park's swimming areas and spacious sites as highlights. Several campgrounds in the area feature water access, including swimming beaches and boat launches. Proximity to trails represents another common theme in visitor feedback, with many campers appreciating the ability to hike directly from their campsites. While most campgrounds provide adequate space between sites, privacy levels vary significantly across different camping areas. One camper noted, "Some sites are right on top of each other, but if you can get a site in a more secluded spot it's very nice."

Best Camping Sites Near Candia, New Hampshire (183)

    1. Pawtuckaway State Park Campground

    44 Reviews
    Raymond, NH
    5 miles
    Website
    +1 (603) 895-3031

    $35 - $140 / night

    "Driving around this past weekend I did notice that some of the sites had damp spots; site 71 was the worst with deep mud on the long approach."

    "My first time experiencing a park in the New Hampshire Park system. We went down with a group. Pawtuckaway State Park offers a variety of landscapes, with something to do and see for everyone."

    2. Bear Brook State Park Campground

    28 Reviews
    Candia, NH
    4 miles
    Website
    +1 (603) 485-9869

    $35 - $45 / night

    "Tucked away in what feels like the middle of nowhere New Hampshire is it's largest state park. Bear Brook is full of trails, ponds and a fairly large campground."

    "Site 91 is near the entrance, but large and set back from the camp road, so it offers some extra seclusion. It’s across the street from the playground."

    3. Calef Lake Camping Area

    7 Reviews
    Auburn, NH
    7 miles
    Website
    +1 (603) 483-8282

    $20 - $40 / night

    "Beautiful location in southern NH! Located Beside a lake, The water is great for swimming, and the playground is absolutely perfect for kids and adults alike."

    "They originally booked us on a site so small, our tent wouldn’t even fit so we weren’t going to be able to have a fire because our tent was so close to it."

    4. Epsom Valley Campground

    7 Reviews
    Epsom, NH
    12 miles
    Website
    +1 (603) 736-9758

    $35 - $165 / night

    "I enjoyed the hiking trails in the back and a pretty good amount of things to do near by. Being able to walk to a store and restaurant is great."

    "We only wanted to stay for one and when we arrived, the older women drove me around in the golf cart to see which site would best suit us and I just thought it was the sweetest thing!"

    5. Lazy River Family Campground

    7 Reviews
    Epsom, NH
    13 miles
    +1 (603) 798-5900

    $26 - $30 / night

    "Saturday rolled around and some noisier guests came in for the night, they were several sites away and sounded like they were having a great time, didn't bother us."

    "The family will definitely be making a few return trips, especially with the reasonable drive from the boston area to the grounds."

    6. Wakeda Campground, LLC

    16 Reviews
    Exeter, NH
    21 miles
    Website
    +1 (603) 772-5274

    $48 - $97 / night

    "We had bathrooms located near our site. They were four separate bathrooms that had a sink and toilet and were clean. They did offer showers in another area but I did not use them."

    "Our full hookup site was very close to other sites, so unfortunately we had to deal with some noise issues."

    7. Hidden Valley RV and Golf Park

    4 Reviews
    Derry, NH
    11 miles
    Website
    +1 (603) 887-3767

    8. Pine Acres Resort

    3 Reviews
    Raymond, NH
    7 miles
    Website
    +1 (888) 707-1477

    "Swimming, fishing, hiking, climbing (near by), biking. What ever your into its here. Volleyball, softball, tent sites, cabins, RV sites..seriously all the amenities."

    9. Wellington Camping Park

    5 Reviews
    Lee, NH
    14 miles
    Website
    +1 (603) 659-5051

    $45 - $55 / night

    "Had to walk around to find signal for phone call."

    "Sites are wide I parked my truck next to camper and still had enough space for a safe fire in the pit."

    10. Circle 9 Ranch Campground

    6 Reviews
    Epsom, NH
    11 miles
    Website
    +1 (603) 736-3111
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Recent Reviews near Candia, NH

777 Reviews of 183 Candia Campgrounds


  • JThe Dyrt PRO User
    Sep. 6, 2025

    Beach Rose RV Park

    Nice park

    Owners were helpful on arrival, level concrete pad full hookups. Sites close together but quiet.

  • Utshob A.The Dyrt PRO User
    Sep. 2, 2025

    Bear Brook State Park Campground

    Convenient and fun

    The park was easy to get to, only about half an hour from Manchester. It has kayak rentals and a very well stocked camp store, that was close to the camp sites. Our campsite was only about a hundred feet away from the camp store but still felt private.

    Our campsite also had a fire pit and a picnic table which were great.

    The size of the sites varies quite a bit though as well as their isolation, some were out in the open.

    For cell service: ATT seems to have pretty decent coverage but not Verizon.

  • Kaileigh K.
    Aug. 25, 2025

    Sandy Pines Campground

    Amazing location and campground amenities

    We had an amazing long weekend at Sandy Pines and will definitely plan to return. I loved that there was a tent only area that felt a little more secluded and quiet with some nice privacy between sites. The playground and pool were a hit with the kids. The bathrooms were always clean and single user, some had showers as well. The proximity to goose rocks beach was a major plus!

  • S
    Aug. 23, 2025

    Cold Springs Camp Resort

    All Around Exceptional

    This place is just great! They have clean, flat sites, easy to navigate and get our fifth wheel in. The facilities are spotless. There are numerous pools and hot tubs, activities and the people that work there are just the nicest! Our kids were never scolded for being loud and neither were the adults. We have booked our return trip already and can't wait to go back!

  • d
    Aug. 19, 2025

    Cape Ann Camp Site

    25 cents for a shower

    The aerial photos of this place are very deceiving. This camp ground is the foreground of the main house which, is situated on the top of the hill. The sites are all dirt. There is no concrete pads. There is no WIFI. There is no sewer hook up however, near the street there is a "dump station."  The camp ground is run down and unmaintained. Our site had a fire ring which, was filled with ash. Our first night we woke up to a trailer filled with smoke because, someone near by had a fire in 92 degree heat. Most campers are full time residents. There is no sight of them during the day light hours but, at night they are up and about on bikes and mingling with each other. 

    25 cents per 5 minute hot shower is offered in the public restroom. Some shady people immediate started to hover near the public restroom once we drove up the hill to use the public restrooms. For $70/nite for a view it's not worth it. I was glad to leave- very creepy.

  • R
    Aug. 15, 2025

    Sun Outdoors Wells Beach

    Zero wifi or cell signal

    Stayed back in 2023 with travel trailer and experienced almost zero wifi signal as well as verizon cell signal. Returned this past week and found no improvement whatsoever. This on back half of property. Manager stated they are awar and working on it. (For 2 years?). Could not plan anything, check weather unless you walked or drive up front. Light globes at various sites next to campers lit all night and were annoying so covered with bag. Some sites are just bad..huge pine tree at 428 caused camper to park his angled. Fire wood being sold is all pine & burns up immediately.

  • Cassie G.
    Aug. 12, 2025

    Winding River Campground

    Fun laid back place. This campground has a lot of potential. Some info on their website and Facebook isn’t accurate.

    I would like to share my experience this past weekend at Winding River in Exeter NH. My family of 3 Stayed at tent site 523 in the Oak area. We also had family at 553 and 554 and Cabin 2.

    About site 523: I clearly had one of the largest and most private tent sites. It was set back with a long driveway tucked between 522 and 524. It’s a very steep drop into the river making most sites a little nerve wracking with a little one. Online it said water available nearby. Most sites had a hookup but there wasn’t a one on my site. It looked like there may have been one to share on the road, but I didn’t end up needing to figure that out.

    Tent sites 522 and 524: Along with most of the tent sites these sites were very close to each other, much smaller and closer to the road. I wished my family members had gotten 552 and 553 as they blended together nicely if you are tenting in side by side spaces. The ground was very rocky making staking tents down difficult. They were right next to the bathroom which was convenient but loud. Ventilation in the bathroom was not good so the doors were propped open much of the time and loud hand dryers.

    Shower:

    • This is the smaller of the two bathrooms in the campground. There are 2 showers there. Each with a single insufficient curtain and no hooks on the wall or bench to place things down. Water was hot enough, pressure was ok if you set it to the high power massage-like setting.
    • The showers in other bathroom (near the town center area) had a door and two curtains. Some had hooks (some of which were broken). I almost tripped going in and out of these bathroom stalls because they are raised up but there is no marking on the ground to indicate that.

    Cabin 2: Ac worked well. There was a good sized bed downstairs, smaller beds in two lofts. I was surprised the couch didn’t pull out. Fridge and all dishes were nice and clean. All the cabins seem to have different back porch setups. This porch was smaller than C1. There was a propane grill that smelled rancid with sooo much caked on The burners. The location of the ceiling fan under the other lights in the ceiling gave them a flashing effect that really bothered me.

    Pros:

    • Lower price compared to other campgrounds (but I don’t feel like I got everything advertised on the website)
    • Two playgrounds, both were nice.
    • Water slide was fun
    • We arrived Thursday at the gate and were told how to get to our site, to set up and then come over to the office which was nice.

    Cons:

    • The river is very low and yucky so none of the boating or fishing advertised was possible. likely causing the massive amount of mosquitos.
    • The whole arcade building was was “out of order”
    • The laundry room had two washers (one was broken) and two dryers 2.50 each per load. Not sufficient for a campground this size (especially when people leave their clothes in the machine for 30 mins after they’re done!)
    • Camp store was poorly stocked (multiple empty coolers).
    • Ice $3 per SMALL bag.
    • Wood $10 per bundle and rules say you can’t bring from off-site. I saw people with huge metal bins of wood but was never offered that option when I payed for multiple bundles.
    • Camp store closes at 3 on Sunday and doesn’t open until 11 am during the week (which is also checkout). This made it a little confusing when I wanted to return the golf cart. They have a small area with icecream that is scooped and maybe a kitchen. I never saw it open but I think the sign said open morning to 12 and then again in the evening.
    • The pool was green and cloudy on day 3. I called the office and was told they had just shocked it and that was a result of the copper. I am not informed enough on pool safety so I opted out of swimming on the hottest day of our stay. My son was bummed.
    • Planned activities were only scheduled for Friday and Saturday, when online mentions “daily”. During adult kareoke there were plenty of kids and really poor wifi (wasting so much time between songs).

    And just to add:

    • Staff I encountered was friendly enough, but It would be nice if they wore shirts to identify themselves.
    • Golf cart was great, but cost more than the site per night.
    • Pedal go-carts were available for rent (I didn’t ask a price).
  • Rae Y.
    Aug. 11, 2025

    Saddleback Campground

    Uncomfortable feeling for my girls

    I made everyone stay in the trailer every night , we just didn’t feel comfortable with our girls being out after dark. There was def a lot of questionable rif raf that were definitely on something and it was obvious that there were a few girls there that were working.   Always men working on vehicles.  Family will not go back. Don’t want my daughter around that

  • Savanna B.
    Aug. 8, 2025

    Winding River Campground

    Place is nice, can get loud

    It's a nice campground with a pool and hottub. The store is a little overpriced. Most of the staff is okay but there are some that are a little rude. It can get loud at times but it's mostly chill


Guide to Candia

Camping near Candia, New Hampshire, offers a mix of beautiful landscapes and fun activities for everyone. Whether you're looking for a peaceful retreat or an adventure-filled weekend, there are plenty of campgrounds to choose from.

What to do:

  • Kayaking and Canoeing: Many campgrounds, like Pawtuckaway State Park Campground, provide easy access to water activities. One camper mentioned, "Lots of great spots on the water, easy to put a kayak in from."
  • Hiking: Explore the trails at Bear Brook State Park Campground. A visitor shared, "There are many opportunities for hiking, with trails leading to many special points of interest."
  • Swimming: Enjoy a refreshing swim at White Lake State Park Campground. One reviewer noted, "The lake was beautiful—warm and crystal clear, soft sand, with a trail around it."

What campers like:

  • Spacious Sites: Campers appreciate the roomy sites at Greenfield State Park Campground. A long-time visitor said, "If you like large sites in a wooded setting with many private ones, this is the place."
  • Clean Facilities: Many campgrounds, such as Lorraine Park Campground, are praised for their cleanliness. A camper remarked, "The sanitary building is clean with good showers."
  • Family-Friendly Atmosphere: Campgrounds like Salisbury Beach State Reservation are great for families. One reviewer mentioned, "This is a very family-oriented place... everything you need is right there."

What you should know:

  • Pet Policies: Some campgrounds have strict pet rules. For example, at Pawtuckaway State Park Campground, pets are only allowed on hiking trails and not in the campground or beach area during the summer.
  • Crowded Weekends: Expect busier conditions on weekends. A camper at Greenfield State Park Campground noted, "The weekend was packed! Our neighbors were playing karaoke till 11 pm."
  • Limited Amenities: Some campgrounds, like Monadnock State Park Campground, may not have electric hookups or extensive facilities. A visitor mentioned, "No hookups in the campground, and sites are hit or miss with tree coverage."

Tips for camping with families:

  • Choose Campgrounds with Activities: Look for places like Sandy Pines Campground, which has playgrounds and a pool. A parent shared, "There are two playgrounds, a pool, bocce court... the facilities are in great shape."
  • Plan for Mosquitoes: Be prepared for bugs, especially near water. A camper at Bear Brook State Park Campground warned, "There are more mosquitoes than we experienced further north."
  • Pack Snacks and Drinks: Having food on hand can make family outings easier. A visitor at Minute Man Campground noted, "The camp store was very nice and even had a video library that campers could sign out movies to watch free of charge."

Tips from RVers:

  • Check Site Sizes: Make sure to choose a site that fits your rig. A reviewer at Lorraine Park Campground mentioned, "Most sites have non-potable water spigots... there are some RV sites with hookups but not many."
  • Look for Amenities: Campgrounds like Saco Old Orchard Beach KOA offer good facilities. A camper said, "The bathrooms were very clean and the showers are nice."
  • Book Early for Best Spots: Popular campgrounds fill up quickly. A visitor at Minute Man Campground advised, "CALL instead of booking online to get a good spot."

Camping near Candia, New Hampshire, has something for everyone, from families to RVers. Just remember to plan ahead and enjoy the great outdoors!

Frequently Asked Questions

Where can I find camping in Candia, NH?

While Candia itself has limited camping options, the surrounding area offers several excellent choices. Pawtuckaway State Park Campground is nearby with wooded sites, many offering water access. The park features swimming, hiking, kayaking, biking, fishing, and bouldering opportunities. Another option is Roots and Wings Homestead, a newer private camping spot offering a peaceful retreat in rural New Hampshire. For additional options, Calef Lake Camping Area in nearby Auburn provides drive-in access with reservable sites and standard amenities.

What amenities are available at Bear Brook State Park near Candia?

Bear Brook State Park Campground offers a variety of family-friendly amenities as New Hampshire's largest state park. The campground features hiking trails, swimming beaches, a camp store, play structures for children, and even a small baseball diamond. The park's natural setting provides a peaceful camping experience despite feeling tucked away in the wilderness. With multiple ponds throughout the property, visitors can enjoy water activities and fishing. The trail system is extensive, making it perfect for day hikers and campers looking to explore the diverse landscape.

Is there RV camping available in Candia, New Hampshire?

Yes, RV camping is available near Candia. Beach Rose RV Park offers a simple, clean environment with a perfect pool setup in a quiet location that's convenient to both beaches and the New Hampshire coastline. Another option is Woodmore Family Campground and RV Park, which provides a friendly atmosphere, clean facilities, and numerous activities. The owners are known for being helpful and welcoming. For those seeking additional RV accommodations, Hidden Valley RV and Golf Park near Derry offers big-rig-friendly sites with full hookups and the added benefit of on-site golfing.