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TravelerPawtuckaway State Park Campground
Great spot with all types of different campsites.
Camping near Salem, NH
4 campgrounds with availability this weekend
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Campgrounds near Salem, New Hampshire range from rustic state parks to full-service RV resorts, with options within a 30-mile radius. Pawtuckaway State Park Campground in Nottingham features tent sites, RV spaces, cabins, and glamping accommodations amid a scenic lake setting. Closer to the Massachusetts border, campers find established facilities like Tuxbury Pond RV Campground in South Hampton, which accommodates various camping styles including tent camping and cabin rentals. Several state forests and parks in the region maintain developed campgrounds with moderate amenities, while private campgrounds offer more extensive hookups and facilities.
Most camping areas in the region operate seasonally, typically from May through October, with limited availability during winter months. Harold Parker State Forest, located south of Salem, provides water spigots at nearly every site, though hookup positioning may be inconvenient for RVs. Reservations are essential during summer months, particularly for waterfront sites at popular destinations like Pawtuckaway State Park. The terrain varies from flat, developed campgrounds near town to more rugged settings in state parks. Many sites include fire rings, picnic tables, and access to bathroom facilities, though amenities differ significantly between public and private lands. According to one visitor, "Pawtuckaway State Park offers a variety of landscapes, with something to do and see for everyone. The park includes a large family beach on the lake."
Public campgrounds throughout the region typically receive higher ratings for natural settings and water access, with many campers highlighting the quality of waterfront sites. Bear Brook State Park Campground, approximately 25 miles northwest of Salem, earns praise for its family-friendly atmosphere and extensive trail systems. Visitors consistently mention the privacy levels at state park campsites as a key factor in their camping experience. RV travelers appreciate the full-hookup options at privately operated campgrounds like Beach Rose RV Park, which provides convenient access to coastal attractions. A review noted that some state park bathhouses are "tired, but they offer free showers," reflecting the general experience at public facilities. Proximity to attractions in Salem and Boston serves as a major draw for many campgrounds, with Winter Island Park in Salem being particularly popular for its location despite limited privacy between sites.
Best Campgrounds near Salem (139)
1. Lorraine Park Campground — Harold Parker State Forest
"You could be tucked away from everyone or closer together depending on the site you choose but they are all pretty decent in size. All sites have water which is a plus."
"Every site seems to have its own water spigot, though it's not necessarily conveniently located if you want to hook up a trailer/RV. There are 11 sites with water/electric."
Check AvailabilityCampground full this weekend
Get a text when availablefrom $17 - $45 / night
2. Berry's Grove Campground
"We had plans on both sides of the state line, so the location worked really well for our trip."
"The location is what made this place for us. Waking up and being able to walk right down to the water was great. We spent most of our stay fishing, sitting outside, and just enjoying the campground."
Check Availabilityfrom $1950 / night
3. 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."
Check AvailabilityCampground full this weekend
Get a text when availablefrom $35 - $140 / night
4. Salisbury Beach State Reservation
"We love that it is right on the water, and we can walk to the beach. We also appreciate that it is pet friendly, and our dogs love it too."
"The electrical post and water hookup were placed way behind our site and we could not reach even with our 40’ electrical cord."
150 Sites AvailableAvailable this weekend
from $28 - $38 / night
5. Tuxbury Pond RV Campground
"entrance (seems to happen frequently, I guess)."
"We went just for one night with a tent because our 5 years old loooves camping, so we reserved this at the last minute, and when we get there, well, the tent sites are way too close to each other, thank"
6. Wakeda Campground, LLC
"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."
Check Availabilityfrom $48 - $97 / night
7. Spacious Skies Minute Man
"Beautiful place about an hour from Salem Boston and Plymouth. Be careful getting in Sharp Hill coming up and down lots of scrapes on the ground tight navigation through sites lots of beautiful trees."
"The location was perfect to see so much in the area (Minute Man National Historical Park, Boston, Salem, Plymouth, Cape Cod, Providence etc)."
Check Availabilityfrom $44 - $999 / night
8. Bear Brook State Park Campground
"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."
Check Availabilityfrom $35 - $45 / night
9. Hidden Valley RV and Golf Park
10. Beach Rose RV Park
"Simple, clean, perfect pool set up, quiet and close to beaches and New Hampshire coastline."
"Great location from the ocean and some nice towns to visit. Boston and Salem are very close and you can take a train which is only 5 minutes away from the campground. "
Drive Time
- 18 min from Manchester, NH
- 37 min from Boston, MA
- 51 min from Worcester, MA
- 1 hr 19 min from Providence, RI
Recent Camping Photos near Salem, NH
350 Photos of 139 Salem Campgrounds • uploaded by The Dyrt campers
Tuxbury Pond RV Campground
Lorraine Park Campground — Harold Parker State ForestA
Calef Lake Camping Area
Pine Acres Resort
Winding River CampgroundL
Black Bear Campground
Wakeda Campground, LLC
Salisbury Beach State Reservation
Pawtuckaway State Park CampgroundS
Tidewater Campground
Camp Nihan Education Center
Hanscom AFB FamCamp
Recent Reviews near Salem, NH
785 Reviews of 139 Salem Campgrounds
- k
kevinTravelerSpacious Skies Minute Man
Beautiful place about an hour from Salem Boston and Plymouth. Be careful getting in Sharp Hill coming up and down lots of scrapes on the ground tight navigation through sites lots of beautiful trees.
Nancy W.
LegendWinter 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.Legend
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.Legend
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.Legend
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.
Briggs M.
ScoutBerry's Grove Campground
Nice Place To Relax
We were visiting family around Nashua and needed somewhere to park the RV nearby. Berry’s Grove ended up being a really good fit. We could come and go easily and still have a nice place to relax at the end of the day.
- KKurt B.Scout
Hampton Beach State Park Campground
Oceanfront camping at its best—full hookups just steps from the beach. Located in popular Hampton Beach, you'll be close to nightly bandshell concerts and vibrant nightlife. There is a lottery system in place for stays during the summer.
Harvey R.ScoutBerry's Grove Campground
Never Got Old
Waking up with the lake right outside the camper never got old. We would have breakfast, sit by the water for a while and then head out to explore the area.
Guide to Salem
The camping areas surrounding Salem, New Hampshire offer diverse landscapes across a 30-mile radius spanning southern New Hampshire and northern Massachusetts. The region sits at elevations between 100-400 feet above sea level, creating rolling terrain with numerous small ponds and lakes. Most campgrounds experience seasonal closures from November through April due to New England's winter conditions, with average summer temperatures ranging from 60-85°F.
What to do
Mountain biking trails: Bear Brook State Park Campground provides extensive trail networks specifically designed for mountain bikers. "We camped here to check out the mountain bike trails in the park and we're not disappointed on either count. The campground is nice and spacious, well kept and the staff is friendly. The biking trails were a blast," notes Eammon C. The park maintains separate trails for different skill levels across its 10,000-acre landscape.
Kayaking on quiet waters: Pawtuckaway State Park Campground offers canoe and kayak rentals directly at the campground for exploring the lake. "This a a fantastic little camp for if you want to go canoeing or kayaking or boating of any kind! It's set up of three islands and a large majority of the campsites are right on the water," explains Matt R. The rental facility operates daily from Memorial Day through Labor Day.
Golf activities: Hidden Valley RV and Golf Park combines camping with a full golf course experience. "Nice RV campground with alot of seasonal residents. Plenty of tent sites. On site general store with grill. Fishing and swimming on property along with a club house," writes Shawn C. The course offers both 9 and 18-hole options with cart rentals available on-site.
What campers like
Clean bathroom facilities: Harold Parker State Forest receives consistent praise for maintenance. "It was a quiet night and bathrooms where clean. Has spacious showers. Park rangers drive around campground often," shares Marisabel R. Unlike some state parks, Harold Parker offers free showers, though campers note the facilities are basic.
Historical proximity: Spacious Skies Minute Man provides strategic access to Revolutionary War sites. "Concord is only 30 minute drive away with two full days of revolutionary historic sites, and famous people home tours such as Louisa May Alcott. Lots of good coffee spots and restaurants in historic downtown Concord," notes Ann B. The campground serves as a convenient base for exploring multiple historical landmarks within a 20-mile radius.
Beach access: Salisbury Beach State Reservation offers immediate ocean access. "Clean facilities, super quick access to the beach, friendly staff, sites are pretty close together with little separation between each other. RV & tent sites available. Our family loves both the ocean & camping so it is a win-win!" shares Sara D. The beach provides swimming areas supervised by lifeguards from late June through August.
What you should know
Seasonal fluctuations: Many campgrounds drastically change character between peak and off-peak times. "We went in early May, when it was still a bit cold at night (in the low 40s) and not many people were around. The campground, though we had neighbors in every adjoining site, was pretty quiet," writes Kris M. about their experience at Pawtuckaway State Park.
Alcohol restrictions: Several state parks have strict alcohol policies. "Only complaint about Massachusetts state parks is no alcohol even while sitting in your site," notes Randy R. about Harold Parker State Forest. This restriction applies to multiple state-run facilities across both Massachusetts and New Hampshire.
Site spacing considerations: Tuxbury Pond RV Campground varies significantly in site privacy. "The tent sites are way too close to each other, thank god we just had one other guy next to us but was very uncomfortable being too close, no privacy at all," explains Ana. Private campgrounds tend to place sites closer together than state parks in the region.
Tips for camping with families
Playground facilities: Bear Brook State Park Campground provides recreational options beyond hiking. "I was here with a 5-year-old the last time and she enjoyed the playgrounds both at the campground and at the Catamount Pond beach. There's another beach in the campground itself," Jean C. explains. The campground maintains separate swimming areas for different age groups.
Educational programs: Campers with children appreciate ranger-led activities. "A ranger ran a program to teach about the area fauna which was pretty interesting for kids and adults alike," shares Migdalia G. about their experience at Harold Parker State Forest. Programs typically operate on weekends during peak summer months.
Protected swimming: Calef Lake Camping Area offers smaller, contained water access. "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," writes Alyse-Beast F. The shallow swimming area features a gradual entry point ideal for younger children.
Tips from RVers
Hookup positioning challenges: Some campgrounds have awkwardly placed utilities. "The water and electric were between our site and the next on one side and sewer between our site and the one on the other side. This made it difficult to place our trailer on the slanted site and reach all services," Carry M. notes about Hidden Valley RV and Golf Park. Bringing extension cords and longer water hoses helps overcome these limitations.
Satellite reception: For RVers relying on satellite TV, tree cover impacts signal. "Most of the sites are wide open so getting satellite is possible. We were able to get plenty of antenna channels and had a strong Verizon phone signal," shares Nancy W. about Salisbury Beach State Reservation. The coastal campgrounds generally offer better reception than inland, forested sites.
RV size limitations: Wakeda Campground can accommodate larger rigs but requires careful navigation. "Great employees, clean reliable power. No issues great spread out sites," reports Zachary W. The campground can handle units up to 40 feet, though some interior roads require slow, cautious driving.
Frequently Asked Questions
What campgrounds are available near Salem, NH?
What campgrounds are available near Salem, NH?
Salem, NH offers several excellent camping options within a short drive. Pawtuckaway State Park Campground is a popular destination featuring wooded sites, water access, and extensive recreational opportunities including swimming, hiking, and kayaking. For those seeking private campgrounds, Hidden Valley RV and Golf Park near Derry provides full amenities with the bonus of on-site golfing. Other nearby options include Bear Brook State Park Campground, Tuxbury Pond RV Campground, and several family-owned facilities like Woodmore Family Campground and Calef Lake Camping Area, all within 30-45 minutes of Salem.
What amenities are available at Salem, NH campgrounds?
What amenities are available at Salem, NH campgrounds?
Campgrounds near Salem offer a range of amenities to enhance your camping experience. Bear Brook State Park Campground provides family-friendly facilities including trails, play structures, a camp store, beach access, and even a baseball diamond. For those seeking water recreation, Ayers Lake Farm Campground and Cottages offers beautiful lakefront views and firewood sales. Many private campgrounds in the area feature more luxurious amenities - swimming pools, full hookups for RVs, WiFi, and organized activities. Most campgrounds provide basic facilities such as restrooms, showers, picnic tables, and fire rings. Reservations are recommended, especially during peak season, as the most popular campgrounds fill quickly.
How much do camping sites cost near Salem?
How much do camping sites cost near Salem?
Camping costs near Salem vary by amenities and location. At Greenfield State Park Campground, tent sites typically range from $25-35 per night, with RV sites slightly higher. Private campgrounds like Woodmore Family Campground and RV Park generally charge $35-60 for tent sites and $45-75 for RV sites with hookups. Most New Hampshire state park campgrounds require an additional day-use fee if you're visiting beaches or recreational areas. Prices are generally higher during peak summer season (June-August) and on weekends. Many campgrounds offer discounts for extended stays or off-season camping, with potential savings of 10-20% for weekly rates.
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