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TravelerPawtuckaway State Park Campground
Great spot with all types of different campsites.
Tent Camping near Rye, NH
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Tent campers seeking sites near Rye, New Hampshire have several established campgrounds within driving distance. Cape Ann Camp Site in Gloucester, Massachusetts offers wooded tent sites approximately 45 miles south of Rye, while Boston Harbor Islands State Park provides a more remote island camping experience with primitive tent sites. For those willing to travel slightly north, Sun Outdoors Saco Old Orchard Beach in Maine provides tent-specific camping areas about 35 miles from Rye.
Most tent sites in the region feature natural terrain with minimal development. At Cape Ann, tent sites are set among trees and boulders, providing natural separation between campsites. "Cape Ann has beautiful tent sites surrounded by trees so it felt pretty private," noted one visitor. Facilities vary between locations, with most offering basic amenities like fire pits and picnic tables. Campers should check seasonal availability, as many campgrounds operate only from May through October. Pay showers are common at established sites, with Cape Ann charging 25 cents for a 5-minute shower. Boston Harbor Islands requires more planning, as campers must bring all supplies including drinking water.
The tent camping experience near Rye offers varying levels of seclusion and natural settings. Areas closer to the coast provide beach access, while inland sites offer more wooded surroundings. One camper described Cape Ann as "clean and secluded enough but close enough to others to meet and greet if you wanted." Walk-in tent sites at Boston Harbor Islands State Park provide a more remote experience, requiring ferry transportation but rewarding campers with unique coastal views and exploration opportunities. Tent campers frequently mention the benefit of shade at Cape Ann's wooded sites, particularly valuable during hot summer months. Wildlife sightings, including wild turkeys and deer, add to the natural camping experience at several locations.
Best Tent Campgrounds near Rye (10)
1. Cape Ann Camp Site
"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."
Check Availabilityfrom $36 - $44 / night
2. Salmon Falls River RV Resort and Family Campground
"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!"
3. Sun Outdoors Saco Old Orchard Beach
"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."
4. Huttopia Southern Maine
Check Availabilityfrom $248 - $374 / night
5. Crown Point Campground
6. Camp Nihan Education Center
"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."
7. Boston Harbor Islands State Park Campground
"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."
Check AvailabilityCampground full this weekend
Get a text when availablefrom $8 - $55 / night
8. Military Park New Boston Air Force Station New Boston Recreation Area
9. Country Barn Motel & Campground
10. Viewland Campground
Drive Time
- 37 min from Manchester, NH
- 1 hr 1 min from Boston, MA
- 1 hr 6 min from Portland, ME
- 1 hr 19 min from Worcester, MA
Recent Tent Camping Photos near Rye, NH
19 Photos of 10 Rye Campgrounds • uploaded by The Dyrt campers
Tent Camping Reviews near Rye, NH
673 Reviews of 10 Rye Campgrounds
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.
- DDwain S.
ScoutSalisbury Beach State Reservation
Showers were a bit cold. Site had rubbish scattered about.
Renee R.
GuideWinter 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.
Thomas B.
RangerSun 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.
Jimmye M.ScoutPowder Horn Family Camping Resort
Great Place
Very Clean. They mow something everyday. Asphalt roads. Easy access to every spot. Extra clean showers and restrooms. They have activities for all ages. But no dog park. Why not? They have plenty of room.
Guide to Rye
Tent campsites near Rye, New Hampshire provide access to the rocky New England coastline and forested inland terrain. The region experiences seasonal temperature variations with summer highs averaging 80°F and cool nights around 60°F. Most camping areas within driving distance of Rye operate seasonally from May through October, with peak crowds in July and August.
What to do
Beach exploration: 4 miles from Sun Outdoors Saco Old Orchard Beach to Old Orchard Beach for swimming and beachcombing. "The campground sits among tall pine trees which offer nice shade helps alleviate some of the feel of a crowded campground," notes Nancy W. Beach access includes a convenient shuttle during summer months.
Historic sites: Visit Fort Stark State Historic Site near Rye for coastal defense fortifications dating to World War II. Military history enthusiasts can also explore Boston Harbor Islands State Park Campground which features historic fortifications. "We found all kinds of bunkers and a brick house. We ended up making a fire pit on the beach and a flat rock 'grill' to make our burgers," shares Jess G.
Kayaking: Saco River Marsh offers paddling opportunities with boat rentals available. Water levels vary with tides, so check conditions before launching. The marsh waterways connect to coastal areas with bird watching opportunities, particularly during migration seasons.
What campers like
Natural terrain: Large boulders and wooded sites at Cape Ann Camp Site provide site definition. "We had a nice perfectly level site in a beautiful wooded area," reports Cristina P. The terrain features naturally occurring rock formations throughout the camping areas.
Wildlife viewing: Morning and evening animal sightings common at several campgrounds near Rye. "Very nice folks, great sites with A LOT of space between them. Spectacular views and wild turkeys, deer, etc.," according to John S. at Cape Ann Camp Site. Early mornings offer best viewing opportunities.
Island camping: Ferry access to Boston Harbor Islands for remote tent sites. "Just getting to the island is a fun adventure. The island is beautiful and has an old fort to explore as well as a lot of Rocky shoreline and trails," writes Martha H. Ferry schedules vary seasonally, requiring advance planning.
What you should know
Water supply considerations: Tent sites on islands require bringing all drinking water. "Make sure that you bring enough drinking water and that you are ok with using the composting bathroom or going in the woods," advises Jess G. about Boston Harbor Islands. Plan for 1 gallon per person per day.
Ferry logistics: Boston Harbor camping requires multiple boat transfers. "We took all of our gear on the T to the harbor by the aquarium. We then took the ferry to Georges Island. After that we waited and got on a much smaller island to Lovells," explains Jess G. Pack light and consider collapsible wagons for gear transport.
Shower facilities: Pay showers common at Salmon Falls River RV Resort. "The showers require payment with quarters. I don't know how many quarters it takes because I don't carry change. So I washed my hair in the sink," notes Ben E. about Cape Ann Camp Site. Bring quarters if planning to use camp showers.
Tips for camping with families
Water recreation options: Multiple pools available at Salmon Falls River RV Resort. "If you have young kids this place is so fun! Multiple pools, a water slide, high ropes, a jump pad, mini golf and more!!! My niece had so much fun!" shares Samantha N. Water activities provide entertainment during hot summer days.
Beach shuttle services: Seasonal transport from Sun Outdoors Saco Old Orchard Beach. "In the summer there is a shuttle that takes you to the beach which is convenient," notes Nancy W. The shuttle eliminates parking challenges and fees at popular beaches.
Morning activities: Huttopia Southern Maine offers structured programs for children. "Grounds are manicured and aimed to be family friendly," mentions A.C. Many campgrounds schedule morning activities before peak heat, including nature walks and crafts.
Tips from RVers
Site selection: Choose larger sites for extended stays. "Sites are not too close, clean bathrooms, friendly service," says Matt R. about Sun Outdoors Saco Old Orchard Beach. Corner sites typically offer more space and privacy compared to interior locations.
Seasonal considerations: Most RV campgrounds near Rye close by mid-October. "Cape Ann Campground is located close to Gloucester and Rockport. The campground is clean and quiet with beautiful tent sites. The RV sites are not as secluded as the tent sites," according to Della S. Many RV sites require reservations 3-6 months in advance during peak season.
Frequently Asked Questions
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campsite near Rye, NH?
Which is the most popular tent campsite near Rye, NH?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular tent campground near Rye, NH is Cape Ann Camp Site with a 4.1-star rating from 17 reviews.
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Rye, NH?
What is the best site to find tent camping near Rye, NH?
TheDyrt.com has all 10 tent camping locations near Rye, NH, with real photos and reviews from campers.
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