Sandy G.
Scout
ScoutAutumn Hills Campground
Autumn hills
Beautiful campground. Private spaces. Staff is very friendly.
Camping near Manchester, NH
176 campgrounds · Check availability for any dates.
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SUMMARY PRESENTED BY
State parks and private campgrounds surround Manchester, New Hampshire, providing diverse camping experiences within a 30-mile radius of the city. Bear Brook State Park, located in Deerfield about 20 miles east of Manchester, stands as New Hampshire's largest state park with wooded campsites under towering pines. Pawtuckaway State Park in Nottingham offers waterfront camping along Pawtuckaway Lake with opportunities for paddling, swimming, and hiking to a fire tower. Closer to Manchester, Calef Lake Camping Area in Auburn and Hidden Valley RV Park in Derry provide more developed options with full hookups for RVs. The camping landscape includes everything from primitive tent sites to glamping accommodations and cabins, with most facilities operating seasonally from May through October.
Most campgrounds in the region require advance reservations, particularly for weekend stays during the peak summer season. Cell phone coverage varies significantly, with many state parks offering limited connectivity—Verizon users typically report 1-2 bars in wooded areas. As one camper noted about Bear Brook State Park, "The campground is tucked away in the woods so you really feel like you're away from the cities in the area." New Hampshire's notorious mosquitoes become active in late spring, making insect repellent essential equipment. Many campgrounds close for winter, though the Military Park at New Boston Air Force Station remains open year-round. Narrow access roads and tight camping loops can challenge larger RVs, especially at older state park campgrounds.
Waterfront sites consistently receive the highest praise from visitors, though they require booking well in advance. "Generally large and level sites, many with water access. Make your reservation well in advance if you're planning to visit during peak season or if you want a prime waterfront site," advises one Pawtuckaway State Park reviewer. Family-friendly amenities feature prominently in the region's campgrounds, with Bear Brook offering playgrounds, beaches, and hiking trails. Bathroom facilities vary widely in quality and maintenance, with some state parks providing free showers while others require quarters for hot water. Pet policies differ significantly between locations—some state parks prohibit pets during peak season (Memorial Day to Columbus Day), while private campgrounds typically welcome them year-round with certain restrictions.
Best Campgrounds near Manchester (176)
1. Bear Brook State Park Campground
"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."
"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."
from $35 - $45 / night
Check Availability2. Pawtuckaway State Park Campground
"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."
from $35 - $140 / night
Check Availability3. Calef Lake Camping Area
"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."
from $20 - $40 / night
Check Availability4. Autumn Hills Campground
"Lake access, inground pool, ball field, and lots of activities for the kids makes this a great place to relax with the family."
"Campground is peaceful and quiet; the lake is within close proximity to most sites; I wouldn’t say it’s the best place for swimming but overall a great place to launch a kayak or canoe and paddle about"
from $45 - $60 / night
Check Availability5. Friendly Beaver Campground
"The views outside our camper window is amazing. We’re surrounding be trees and it’s breathtaking when surrounded by freshly fallen snow."
"I prefer trees, but this wont keep us away from trying out RV sites this year."
from $60 - $130 / night
Check Availability6. Cold Springs Camp Resort
"Beautiful, extremely clean bathrooms, reasonably priced little cafe, big camp store, very friendly staff, 4 outdoor pools & pretty big campground that has a gated entry/exit that needs a key card pass"
"They have hundreds of sites, mostly seasonal but gives you nice walk to see the place. The pools were really nice and again clean. They have a snack shack with breakfast, lunch and dinner."
from $69 - $130 / night
Check Availability7. Greenfield State Park Campground
"Easy access to a bathroom (which was very clean). Quiet neighbors, everyone around us observed the quiet hours (10p-7a) and even during the day no one was super loud."
"Nice views of the lake, swimming, wide open sites, not too over crowded! I'd definitely go back!"
from $35 - $105 / night
Check Availability8. Hidden Valley RV and Golf Park
9. Military Park New Boston Air Force Station New Boston Recreation Area
10. Epsom Valley Campground
"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!"
from $35 - $165 / night
Check Availability
Drive Time
- 46 min from Boston, MA
- 1 hr 1 min from Worcester, MA
- 1 hr 34 min from Portland, ME
- 1 hr 49 min from Amherst Center, MA
Recent Camping Photos near Manchester, NH
372 Photos of 176 Manchester Campgrounds
Alyse-Beast F.
Calef Lake Camping Area
Alan
Bear Brook State Park Campground
Maggie H.
Autumn Hills Campground
Sara C.
Cold Springs Camp Resort
Kate C.
Friendly Beaver Campground
Daniel S.
Pine Acres Resort
Keith M.
Pawtuckaway State Park Campground
Steve K.
Lost Boys Hideout
Laura M.
Saddleback Campground
Jean C.
Lazy River Family Campground
Kathleen B.
Keyser Pond Campground
Recent Reviews near Manchester, NH
812 Reviews of 176 Manchester Campgrounds
- VVictoria W.Scout
Hampton Beach State Park Campground
RV camping
We booked three nights of dry camping and arrived Friday excited to start our weekend. Unfortunately, we barely made it 24 hours before deciding to leave because of the way we were treated. We were told by another man at the campground that we were permitted to run our quiet generator overnight. The posted cutoff time was 9:00 AM, and we fully intended to shut it off by then. At approximately 8:50 AM the following morning, a woman who lives on-site who is named Karen(no pun intended)- and appeared to run the facility came pounding on our RV door, yelling at us about running the QUIET generator all night. We tried to explain that we had been told we were allowed to do so and that we were going to shut it off at the required time. Instead of having a reasonable conversation, we felt that we were essentially pushed out and harassed during the short time we were there. We also had our baby with us, and it was a hot summer night. Being told that we should have simply opened the windows was incredibly frustrating and felt completely dismissive of our situation. We came to enjoy a three-night camping weekend and instead left after barely 24 hours because of how uncomfortable and unwelcome we were made to feel. We have never experienced this kind of treatment at a campground before. Unfortunately, based on this experience, we will never be returning to Hampton State Park RV Camping. The way we were treated was completely unacceptable and left us extremely disappointed and disgusted with the experience. She told us and I quote“this is a campground, not a prison” But clearly it wasn’t.
- JJohn B.Scout
Pine Acres Resort
Developmentally disabled adult daughter experienced discrimination here.
I am writing because I am deeply concerned about the treatment of my disabled adult daughter: today and last week at Pine Acres. She loved the campground and sent me literally 100s of pictures of the wildlife and activities.
She had a friendly connection with Brendan and some other staff; she had a terrible Christmas last year, and she told me how doing a Christmas craft and attending your Christmas party healed that for her. She was happy, and I can’t imagine she was an issue other than the crying.
She sent me pictures of the“ neighborhood” she was moving into for the rest of the season. She was happy. She’s been struggling so much since the loss of that dog. I felt like she had found a place to heal, was having fun, and was going to be ok. She mentioned wanting to be friendly( greeting people is hard for her) and make the park a better place, like picking up others' trash. I was shocked to hear she was asked to leave simply for having an autistic meltdown, a neurological event she will experience for the rest of her life, like a seizure. Even if this made others uncomfortable, she didn’t damage any property, threaten anyone, or do anything that could possibly warrant this treatment. It seems that someone was uncomfortable with the intensity of autistic emotions, and she and I now faced devastating consequences, including additional costs. Moreover, I also have a traumatized daughter who is scared to settle again kicked out for crying.
This never needed to be handled like this. She tried to advocate for herself and ask for one more night to prepare, but she never refused to leave; she was packing well, advocating. She was also advocating, believing that the people who had been so kind would be reasonable. Then she was retaliated against for that advocacy. Grace is reasonable, and a resolution could have been reached to address any non-discriminatory concerns; instead, you chose violence. Grace is kind; I realize she is a bit awkward, but that doesn’t mean she wanted this mistreatment.
TERRY P.ScoutCape Ann Camp Site
Gloucester & Rockport close
Beautiful rural setting w/ open & tree shaded sites. Full, partial & no hook-up sites for rv’s & tent camping. Grocery shopping at Market Basket (great store) & laundry in Gloucester.
- Amy D.
TravelerEllacoya State Park Campground
Pretty ok!
No major complaints. Beautiful location, easy to get to, convenient RV hookups. Goose poop everywhere so watch your step. Showers are relatively expensive. Sites are very very close together.
- AAmanda W.Traveler
Northstar Campground
Quaint, cute…a little crowded
For the price, it’s not bad. For about $50/night, we got a nice even sandy campsite with a picnic table and fire ring. Not much privacy, though- the neighboring sites are not separated by trees or bushes or anything.
Daniel C.TravelerCold Springs Camp Resort
Such a clean campground!
I have to say one of the best campgrounds in New England. All of the bathrooms, showers, site and other places were all clean and well cared for. We had a nice site by the pond. It was peaceful while still being busy withe plenty of kids. They have hundreds of sites, mostly seasonal but gives you nice walk to see the place. The pools were really nice and again clean. They have a snack shack with breakfast, lunch and dinner. A well stocked store with very nice staff. It was our second stay and will not be our last.
The only thing that wasn't great was the WIFI and cell service isn't great.
Nadine R.
GuideGunstock Campground
Everything I Love About Camping
This was such a great campground! Before we even left we were planning on returning. It’s clean, has great facilities and a camp store with anything you need or forgot without having to go to Walmart. It’s a fun place for kids, peaceful for parents, plenty to do on site and nearby.
- jjohn C.Scout
Oxbow Campground
Great Campground!
Extremely well maintained and managed. We plan to return many more times this year.
Guide to Manchester
Camping near Manchester, 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 getaway, there are plenty of campgrounds to choose from.
What to do:
- Hiking: Explore the trails at Pawtuckaway State Park Campground. One visitor mentioned, "So many lovely waterfront sites, clean facilities, camp store and beach are great."
- Kayaking: Enjoy the water at Bear Brook State Park Campground. A reviewer noted, "The campground has a beach, a playground, a ball field, and a store."
- Beach Days: Spend time at Salisbury Beach State Reservation. One camper said, "Great location. Perfect for a beach weekend or week."
What campers like:
- Spacious Sites: Campers at Greenfield State Park Campground appreciate the large, private sites. A long-time visitor shared, "If you like large sites in a wooded setting with many private ones, this is the place."
- Clean Facilities: Many enjoy the well-maintained restrooms and showers at Lorraine Park Campground. One reviewer mentioned, "The sanitary building is clean with good showers."
- Family-Friendly Atmosphere: Families love the amenities at Sandy Pines Campground. A satisfied camper said, "Beautiful setting, very well run, clean and comfortable bathrooms. Lots of family-friendly amenities."
What you should know:
- Limited Cell Service: At Monadnock State Park Campground, some campers reported no cell service. One said, "I wish this were clearer on their website as we needed service to do some work."
- Pet Policies: If you're bringing a furry friend, check the rules. For instance, pets are not allowed at White Lake State Park Campground. A reviewer noted, "Pets are not allowed in the campground or beach area of the park."
- Crowded Weekends: Expect busier conditions on weekends. A visitor at Greenfield State Park Campground mentioned, "The weekend was packed! Our neighbors were playing karaoke till 11pm."
Tips for camping with families:
- Choose the Right Campground: Look for family-friendly spots like Wompatuck State Park Campground. One camper said, "Wompatuck is a charming state park with numerous hidden trails known mostly to locals."
- Plan Activities: Make sure to have a list of activities. A family at Bear Brook State Park Campground enjoyed the beach and playground, saying, "The campground has a beach, a playground, a ball field, and a store."
- Pack for Bugs: Be prepared for insects, especially in wooded areas. A camper at Monadnock State Park Campground warned, "The bugs… holy hell, the bugs."
Tips from RVers:
- Check Site Sizes: Make sure your RV fits the site. A reviewer at Minute Man Campground mentioned, "Some of the FHU sites are pretty tight, but overall the campground is nice."
- Look for Amenities: Choose campgrounds with electric hookups, like Sandy Pines Campground. One camper said, "The campground is clean and the facilities are in great shape."
- Be Mindful of Noise: Some campgrounds can get noisy. A visitor at Wompatuck State Park Campground noted, "You don't have the feeling of being really in the woods."
Camping around Manchester, NH, has something for everyone, whether you're looking for adventure or relaxation.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the best campgrounds near Manchester, NH?
What are the best campgrounds near Manchester, NH?
The Manchester area boasts several highly-rated campgrounds. Ayers Lake Farm Campground and Cottages is a family-owned gem offering beautiful views of a serene New Hampshire pond. Woodmore Family Campground and RV Park receives excellent reviews for its friendly atmosphere, cleanliness, and recreational activities. For those seeking more natural settings, Pillsbury State Park provides a more primitive camping experience with lakeside sites. Hidden Valley RV and Golf Park combines camping with golfing opportunities. If you're willing to drive a bit further, Gilson Pond Campground at Monadnock State Park offers access to one of New Hampshire's most popular hiking mountains.
Are there affordable camping options in Manchester, NH?
Are there affordable camping options in Manchester, NH?
Yes, there are several budget-friendly camping options near Manchester. Pillsbury State Park Campground offers primitive camping (no showers or electric hookups) at reasonable rates, with many sites situated on a beautiful lake. Greenfield State Park Campground provides affordable camping in a wooded setting with access to hiking trails. State park campgrounds typically charge $25-45 per night depending on residency and amenities. For an even more economical option, the new Roots and Wings Homestead offers a relaxing rural New Hampshire camping experience. Camping off-season (spring/fall) can also result in lower rates and fewer crowds at many campgrounds near Manchester.
What amenities do Manchester, NH campgrounds offer?
What amenities do Manchester, NH campgrounds offer?
Campgrounds near Manchester offer a range of amenities to suit different camping styles. Tully Lake Recreation Area provides prime campsites with direct water access. Beach Rose RV Park features a swimming pool, clean facilities, and is conveniently located near beaches. For families, many campgrounds like Friendly Beaver and Cold Springs Camp Resort offer playgrounds, swimming areas, camp stores, and organized activities. Full-service RV parks typically provide electric hookups, water connections, dump stations, and Wi-Fi. State park campgrounds like Bear Brook include amenities such as restrooms, fire rings, picnic tables, and access to hiking trails, though they may have more limited facilities than private campgrounds. Many campgrounds also rent cabins for those without camping equipment.
What parks in Manchester, NH allow camping?
What parks in Manchester, NH allow camping?
While Manchester itself has limited camping options within city limits, there are several excellent parks near Manchester that allow camping. Bear Brook State Park Campground is New Hampshire's largest state park and offers extensive camping facilities within a reasonable drive from Manchester. For those willing to travel a bit further, Pawtuckaway State Park Campground provides wooded campsites with water access. Both parks feature hiking trails, swimming areas, and other outdoor recreational opportunities. Additionally, several private campgrounds like Friendly Beaver Campground in New Boston and Calef Lake Camping Area in Auburn are within a short drive of Manchester and offer camping year-round.
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