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Tent Camping near Exeter, NH

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    Tent campgrounds around Exeter, New Hampshire provide woodland camping experiences within reach of both coastal and inland destinations. Cape Ann Camp Site in nearby Gloucester offers wooded tent sites with fire pits and picnic tables, while Huttopia Southern Maine in Sanford features walk-in tent sites in a forested setting. Military Park New Boston Air Force Station provides more primitive tent camping options for those seeking a simpler experience approximately 25 miles west of Exeter.

    Most tent sites in the region feature dirt or gravel surfaces with minimal grading, particularly at Cape Ann where campsites are nestled among trees and boulders. Fire rings are standard at most locations, though campers should note that showers often require quarters at established campgrounds. Bathrooms are generally well-maintained but basic. Cape Ann Camp Site charges 25 cents for a 5-minute shower, with clean bathroom facilities available throughout the campground. During peak summer season, reservations are strongly recommended as tent sites fill quickly, especially on weekends.

    The tent camping experience in this region offers varying levels of privacy and natural surroundings. According to one visitor at Cape Ann, "the sites are nice and wooded" with sufficient space between campsites to maintain privacy. Areas farther from main roads provide deeper seclusion with natural woodland buffers between sites. Tent-only sections typically offer more shade and quieter atmospheres than mixed-use camping areas. Based on reviews from The Dyrt, many tent campers appreciate the "perfectly level sites in beautiful wooded areas" at Cape Ann, though dirt roads can become muddy after rain. Access to nearby hiking trails, beaches, and small towns makes these tent campgrounds convenient base camps for day trips throughout southeastern New Hampshire and northeastern Massachusetts.

    Best Tent Campgrounds near Exeter (13)

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      1. Cape Ann Camp Site

      4.1(17)26mi from ExeterRVs, Tents, Cabins, Glamping

      "Beautiful rural setting w/ open & tree shaded sites. Full, partial & no hook-up sites for rv’s & tent camping."

      "Location works well. Very narrow road coming in after 128. More for smaller RVs and tent camping. Picnic tables could be replaced."

      from $36 - $44 / night

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      2. Salmon Falls River RV Resort and Family Campground

      4.5(2)25mi from ExeterRVs, Tents, Glamping

      "Multiple pools, a water slide, high ropes, a jump pad, mini golf and more!!! My niece had so much fun! Sites are close together and they are short staffed but other than that a great place!"

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      3. Sun Outdoors Saco Old Orchard Beach

      4.3(24)47mi from ExeterRVs, Tents

      "The campground sits among tall pine trees which offer nice shade helps alleviate some of the feel of a crowded campground. "

      "We tent camped at Saco/Old Orchard Beach KOA. The staff was very friendly and when I called to book the site, they assisted in helping us pick out the nicest campsite."

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      4. Huttopia Southern Maine

      5.0(1)30mi from Exeter2 sitesTents, Cabins, Glamping

      from $248 - $374 / night

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      5. Camp Nihan Education Center

      5.0(2)33mi from ExeterTents, Cabins

      "The group site is super close to parking and yet the terrain is rugged enough that it always felt like we were really in the woods."

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      6. Crown Point Campground

      Be the first to review22mi from ExeterRVs, Tents, Cabins, Glamping
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      7. Military Park New Boston Air Force Station New Boston Recreation Area

      5.0(1)34mi from ExeterTents
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      8. Country Barn Motel & Campground

      4.0(1)33mi from ExeterTents

      9. Boston Harbor Islands State Park Campground

      4.0(8)47mi from Exeter16 sitesTents, Cabins, Glamping

      "Campground review: Camping at Boston Harbor Islands requires some planning, but you get the benefit of a remote island with minimal company."

      "This campground has 6 yurts and 6 tent sites. The yurts have bunk beds, a floor lamp, a table inside, a picnic table outside and a grill. Just getting to the island is a fun adventure."

      Campground full next weekend

      Get a text when available

      from $8 - $55 / night

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      10. Lost Boys Hideout

      3.7(3)43mi from Exeter3 sitesTents

      Available next weekend

      from $49 - $149 / night

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    View all 13 campgrounds

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    Recent Tent Camping Photos near Exeter, NH

    23 Photos of 13 Exeter Campgrounds • uploaded by The Dyrt campers

    Tent Camping Reviews near Exeter, NH

    760 Reviews of 13 Exeter Campgrounds

    • Nancy W.The Dyrt Pro User
      Oct. 30, 2026

      Winter Island Park

      Basically a parking lot but with great views!

      I’m not going to lie this was a little tricky for big rigs to get to, but with lots of patience and skillful driving, it is doable. Salem is an old New England town so there are many narrow streets and some low clearances. Follow the directions on the parks website as they are designed for RVs– don’t use Google Maps unless you are a small camper. Even getting into the park is kind of challenging because of the way the entrance is laid out with the entrance booth and some low hanging trees. This campground is in a municipal park with a marina, beach, a short walking trail, and picnic areas. The campground has different sections and totally different feels to them. We arrived on a weekend and section we were in the section which is in the parking lot of a busy marina. The parking lot was half full which made for navigating our 45’ bus into our site pretty hard. 

      No sites have fire pits but you can have a fire if you bring your own above ground pit. Tent sites have picnic tables but nothing else. Some sites you can drive to and have a car onsite and others are non-vehicle access sites (11, 17, 18, 25, 26, 27& 38) in which you have to park in a parking lot. Some RV sites have great water views and others are in a back gravel lot. In my opinion, the best RV sites are 12-16(A-D) because they have a water view. Sites 16B-D are a little tricky for big-rigs to get into because of the tight space. Our site (#13) had a slight downhill slope. We pulled in forward so we could have a view of the harbor which meant the utilities (water electric only) were in the front of our site but we were able to reach without an extension cord. We loved watching the action in the harbor. There is a gazebo by the water which we enjoyed siting under and watching boats go in and out of the harbor while it rained. 

      There is a nice sandy beach onsite which attracts a lot of day use vistors. The grounds are interesting to walk around as the water views are nice and there is an old fort to explore. Nearby town of Salem Willows is(about½ mile away) is a cute old seaside town with restaurants and arcades. They have a Bluebike rental station which is an easy way to get downtown and explore the area if you don’t have a car.

    • Nancy W.The Dyrt Pro User
      Oct. 29, 2026

      Sea-Vu West Premier RV Resort

      Pleasantly surprised.

      This campground is mostly seasonal, privately owned park models, but has 45 spaces for RV’s. I was a little skeptical about staying at this campground with so many park models and seasonals but was pleasantly surprised at how nice, clean, and tidy all the sites were. They obviously take pride in how things look because the grounds and campsites were very well-kept. 

      All campsites are 50/30-amp full hook-up with level gravel pads with grassy patios, a picnic table, and fire pit. We stayed in site#702 which was long enough for our 45’ motorhome and tow car. All the utilities were easy to reach and the electric worked well. The only problem was that we were parked under a large oak tree that was profusely shedding large acorns. There are some sites that are in the open which I would definitely choose, if I came back in the fall. The campground is gated which is a nice feature. It is located a mile or so off Route 1 which means you don’t get the road noise and traffic, but still conveniently located near shops and restaurants. 

      One nice feature are the shaded walking trails in the park. While they are not super long, it is a nice change from walking the roads (which are paved). Other amenities include a decent size swimming pool (closed while we were there), a basketball court, playground, laundry, and camp store.  I thought it was a little expensive at $75/night (for full hook-up) at the end of the season, especially since the pool was closed.

    • Nancy W.The Dyrt Pro User
      Oct. 29, 2026

      Sun Outdoors Wells Beach

      Tight sites and expensive, busy area along the Maine coast

      We stopped here in the summer to check out the coastal towns in southern Maine. There are many campgrounds in the area and we chose this one because they had a 25% off coupon (on a 7-night stay) which gave us the best nightly price in the area. However, the nightly rate was still$74/night, one reason being they charge a “resort fee” of$15/day which is ridiculous. This is a typical resort-style campground with lots of amenities (most of which we never use). But, for some people, this is a destination campground because of all the amenities- a large heated swimming pool, basketball courts, sand volleyball, bocce, fitness center, two playgrounds, 18-hole minigolf (that you pay extra for), and more. 

      The campsites in the front of the park are sandwiched between the swimming pool and Route 1 which is very busy and noisy. Campsites in the far back portion of the campground are shaded and a much quieter section. Camping pads and patios are a mix of gravel and sand. Many sites have shade and some have an astroturf patio (I think those are “premium” sites). Our campsite was in the middle section which was fairly quiet but the sites are close together with no privacy. The site was a long and level pull thru with a gravel pad and gravel/sand patio. All sites have a picnic table and fire pit. 

      There is a tent-only section and they have renal cabins. There is lots to do for families in the area including the beach and amusement and water parks. Restaurants of all sorts are nearby. You can easily walk to Congdon’s Donuts which is a Maine classic.

    • Nancy W.The Dyrt Pro User
      Oct. 29, 2026

      Seacoast Camping and RV Resort

      Nice Campground, Love the area!

      This is a nice, clean, well-maintained campground for RV and tenting. The campground is located on Route 1 which means you are convenient to a lot of things but there is lots of traffic. Half the campground is seasonal/long term campers and the other side is mostly transients. The roads and campsites are fine crushed gravel with nice grassy patios. The campground is very well maintained (the best part being that the mower collects they cut the grass so no clippings get tracked in your camper). There are some mature trees that provide shade but don’t impede navigating in and out of sites or impacting slide outs. 

      Campsites range from tent with water/electric to RV water/electric and RV full hook-up 50-amp and full hook-up 30-amp. There are three bathhouses on the property (one of which has a dishwashing sink) and laundry. Tent sites 50-55 are in an are set away from RV sites and more private. They are also close to a large bathhouse with multiple toilets and showers. Tent sites 90-100 are across from a large playground which can be quite chaotic, but if you have kids, this is a great spot. 

      Our site (#147) was a long pull-thru with a descent amount of space between our neighbors. We got about half a dozen over-the-air channels (one being a major network station) and were able to connect with eastern arc satellites with our Dish Satellite. The 50A electric was good as was the water pressure. 

      The campground does not have much in the way of amenities except for a game room, basketball court, and playground. The game room is pretty cool with lots of arcade-style games, a pool table, foosball, and table tennis. While we were there, they just finished putting in all new playground equipment and enlarged the size making it really big and a hit with the kids in the park. Once convenience is that maintenance picks up garbage at your site (between 8am– 3pm). Unfortunately, people leave them out after hours and animals got into them and scattered garbage everywhere.  We've stayed here before and always enjoy being in the area as it is close to the fun cities of Portsmouth and Newburyport.

    • Renee R.
      Oct. 15, 2026

      Winter Island Park

      Cool location!

      Hard to beat being right on the water with a lighthouse!  But it's kind of a kooky campground.

      Pros:

      - Gorgeous views.

      - Cute little trails.

      - Super friendly staff.

      - The bathrooms were always being cleaned (which is nice), but the bathrooms are dilapidated, so it's kind of like putting lipstick on a pig.

      Cons:
      - It's just an odd arrangement of sites.  The RV area is a parking lot.  Some tent sites don't allow cars on them.  Our site #37 was cool, but right by the busy entrance.

      - As we stayed in October, the entire area is Halloween central.  There were tour trolleys coming in all day, and since we were near the entrance we felt like animals in a zoo.

      - As mentioned previously - the bathrooms could use a serious upgrade.

    • Renee R.
      Oct. 15, 2026

      Spacious Skies Minute Man

      Probably great, if you're looking to enterain kids.

      Let me just preface this review by saying when I go camping, I like to be immersed in nature– ideally with a toilet and shower nearby. These are my only desires. This is not that kind of campsite. But just because it isn’t for me, that doesn’t mean it won’t be for you. 

      Pros:

      - Easy to book and accommodating staff.

      - Restrooms/showers were clean(though the air fresheners are not migraine sufferer-friendly).

      - Nice, tall trees. 

      Cons:

      - My only real con is the general vibe. Again, it’s just not for me. It has lots of activities for kids (an arcade, park, pool, etc.), so if that’s what you’re looking for, great!  It just wasn’t what I personally was looking for.  But with limited camping options in the area, it was our only real choice.

    • Thomas B.The Dyrt Pro User
      Oct. 10, 2026

      Sun Outdoors Saco Old Orchard Beach

      Good for kids

      I have stayed in about 20 campgrounds in the past two months and this was by far the loudest despite being pretty empty. Kids screeching and screaming for about 6 hours a day, including weekdays. Had one come knocking on my door while I was working to try and sell keychains. Some uncontrollable dogs in our loop as well. Despite the lack of peace, the campground itself was in good shape and had a lot of amenities.

    Guide to Exeter

    Tent campsites near Exeter, New Hampshire range from rustic wilderness spots to more developed facilities within driving distance of the New England coast. The region sits at elevations between 100-300 feet above sea level with a humid continental climate that features warm summers and cold winters with significant snowfall. Campgrounds in this area typically operate from May through mid-October, with July and August bringing average temperatures in the 80s and occasional evening thunderstorms.

    What to do

    Beach exploration: 10 minutes from Sun Outdoors Saco Old Orchard Beach offers easy access to coastal activities. According to visitor Rachel P., "Old Orchard Beach is a trip. It is a throw-back from your childhood when carnival rides and funnel cakes made you so happy. The town smells like fried food and pizza."

    Wildlife viewing: 25 miles west of Exeter at Military Park New Boston Air Force Station provides opportunities to spot native New England wildlife. Camper Shuang W. notes it's a "Great Outdoor Place! Nice scenery with fresh air and freedom sunshine!"

    Urban camping adventure: 65 miles south at Boston Harbor Islands State Park Campground offers unique island camping with city views. Martha H. explains, "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."

    Paddle sports: 5 miles from Old Orchard Beach lets you explore marsh ecosystems. Nancy W. recommends: "If you like to paddle, head to the Saco River Marsh. Here you can put in your own boats or rent some and paddle through beautiful marsh – just watch the tides."

    What campers like

    Level tent sites: Campers consistently mention the quality of tent pads at Cape Ann Camp Site, about 30 miles south of Exeter. Camper Dan notes, "We had a great time camping and going to the beach. The camp ground is full of beautiful boulders and fire pits. We were tent camping and were very happy with our site."

    Wooded privacy: The natural spacing between sites creates seclusion at many campgrounds. According to Rebecca S., the Cape Ann campground is "clean but very rustic" with "great beach access and friendly staff."

    Water activities: Multiple swimming options exist at Salmon Falls River RV Resort, 12 miles northwest of Exeter. Samantha N. shares, "Multiple pools, a water slide, high ropes, a jump pad, mini golf and more!!! My niece had so much fun!"

    Clean facilities: Despite rustic settings, campers note well-maintained bathrooms. Matt R. from Sun Outdoors Saco says, "Great campground. Sites are not too close, clean bathrooms, friendly service."

    What you should know

    Seasonal operations: Most tent campsites near Exeter operate from May through mid-October. According to Della S., "Call and they will help you find a spot if you have questions."

    Shower costs: Budget for coin-operated showers at many locations. Ben E. notes at Cape Ann, "The showers require payment with quarters. I don't know how many quarters it takes because I don't carry change."

    Frequently Asked Questions

    Which is the most popular tent campsite near Exeter, NH?

    According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular tent campground near Exeter, NH is Cape Ann Camp Site with a 4.1-star rating from 17 reviews.

    What is the best site to find tent camping near Exeter, NH?

    TheDyrt.com has all 13 tent camping locations near Exeter, NH, with real photos and reviews from campers.

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