The Plaistow area sits in the Merrimack Valley region of southern New Hampshire, with most campgrounds operating from mid-April through mid-October due to New England's seasonal climate. Elevation ranges from 100-250 feet throughout the area, with camping options stretching from the coastal areas of Massachusetts to inland New Hampshire. Most campgrounds near Plaistow require reservations 3-4 weeks in advance during peak summer months.
What to do
Pond activities: Tuxbury Pond RV Campground offers boating options with a designated pond area. "There's a very large playground, horseshoe pits, shuffleboard, basketball, and camp store," noted one visitor about their May stay.
Golfing options: Hidden Valley RV and Golf Park combines camping with golfing on 1300 acres. "The main attraction of this campground is the golf course of 9 or 18 holes. There is a pro shop, golf cart rentals, etc," explains a reviewer. The course is accessible to both overnight guests and day visitors.
Beach access: Beach Rose RV Park provides proximity to Salisbury Beach, approximately one mile from the campground. "We rode bikes to Salisbury Beach and my young adult son rode his longboard to the beach," reports a camper. The park offers transportation options including a shuttle service to nearby beaches during summer months.
What campers like
Accessibility to coastal towns: Sea Coast Camping and RV Resort places visitors near several New England attractions. "About 5 miles to the east is Hampton Beach and a little farther is the town of Rye which are worth the drive. There we discovered Ray's Seafood and Petey's Summertime Seafood where you can get a great meal right next to the water," shares one camper.
Entertainment options: Tuxbury Pond RV Campground schedules regular activities for guests. "The live band was cool but we had golf carts & parked vehicles pretty much surrounding us & some right on our campsite. Then around 8, there was a gentleman that started setting up for a comedy show," reports a visitor who unexpectedly enjoyed the entertainment.
Pool facilities: Multiple campgrounds maintain swimming pools as alternatives to beach swimming. "Beautiful campground, clean facilities, decently priced. The pool, playground, bathrooms, and basketball court were all open and well maintained," notes a Tuxbury Pond visitor.
What you should know
Reservation details: Many campgrounds don't provide site numbers in confirmation emails. A Tuxbury Pond visitor reported: "You do not get a choice during the online booking to choose the campsite to reserve & the site # is not included in the confirmation email."
Site layout considerations: Thousand Trails Moody Beach has an unusual configuration according to a recent visitor: "The campground layout is quite unusual, with campers parked lengthwise along the road. This means that you share the space where you sit outside with the camper behind you, resulting in very little privacy."
Water quality varies: Some pond swimming areas have natural vegetation. A visitor to Sandy Beach Campground noted: "The sandy beach is nice but the swimming area is quite weedy." Campgrounds with pools often maintain them as alternatives to natural swimming areas.
Tips for camping with families
Themed camping for children: Cole's Mine RV Resort specializes in family-focused amenities. "Great place for small families or parents of younger kids. 2 amazing playgrounds, clean facilities and one amazing pool," shares one visitor. The themed environment includes mining activities that appeal particularly to elementary-age children.
Entertainment planning: Check activity schedules when booking. "A staff member came to our site and let us know that there is an 18+ comedy show but there was a children's movie being played on a big screen on the other side of the campground," notes a Tuxbury Pond camper about unexpected evening activities.
Site selection for privacy: Request sites away from common areas. "Our site was in a field that was near the bathrooms. We were on S1, near a septic pipe & there was a severely nauseating, strong smell of sewage coming from it," reported a camper who later moved to a better location after speaking with staff.
Tips from RVers
Navigation challenges: GPS systems often direct RVs incorrectly in this region. "A little tip about GPS: if you're using Apple Maps, it will likely take you to a turn that is not the campground entrance, there's even a hand-written sign on someone's lawn that has directions to the entrance," warns a Tuxbury Pond visitor.
Maneuvering space: Some campgrounds have tight turning areas. "The roads in the park are fairly narrow and we had to drive over the grass across from our site in order to back in," notes a Sea Coast camper, adding that "Lucky for us nobody was parked in that site."
Off-season benefits: RV camping near Plaistow, New Hampshire is less crowded during shoulder seasons. "We were there in the off-season (May) and didn't have any neighbors so it was pretty quiet," mentions a camper, noting this timing provides better site options and more personal space.
