Best Tent Camping near Bradford, RI

Recent Tent Reviews near Bradford, Rhode Island

526 Reviews of 9 Bradford Campgrounds

• D

  DOROTHY R.

  Scout

  

  May. 16, 2018

  Horseneck Beach State Reservation

  Spring Camping

  The best!! Our site was perfect for tent camping and pets!

• 

  Michael C.

  Guide

  

  Aug. 15, 2018

  West Thompson Lake Campground

  West Thompson Lake Campground

  We'll run and very clean. Nice wooded tent sites with activities and fishing.

• S

  Scott I.

  Guide

  

  Oct. 19, 2021

  George Washington State Campground

  A wonderful escape

  This is my second time here with my Airstream. Clean and well kept campground. I’d easily tent camping here. A lake and great trails to hike.

• 

  Kimbo K.

  Traveler

  

  Oct. 27, 2021

  Newport RV Park

  Great staff

  Wonderful staff clean tent site are amazing great place to camp and fish and hike great place to take a dog

• 

  Tom R.

  Scout

  

  May. 29, 2019

  Burlingame State Park Campground

  Nice state run campground

  Book early before memorial day, sites fill up quick and around 4th of July.  I went here for years with friends and family. Great sites. Flat level. Some of the best tent camping in the state.

• K

  Kayla B.

  Traveler

  

  Sep. 18, 2019

  Wilderness Lake Park

  Best. Campground. In CT.

  Man I love his place. Quiet rv and tent site park. Portopotties scattered about and showers and such near the entrance. Tent sites are nice and isolated, but not scary far apart. Lots of wildlife so keep your food sealed... Nice walking trails and free kayaks as available. I always get site 1, it's in its own area with pretty flat terrain. To reserve, fill out the form on the website and you'll get a confirmation. You can pay at the office when you check in. they'll also bring firewood to your site.the kid that works there is really nice but I always forget his name!

• 

  Will A.

  Scout

  

  Jul. 19, 2023

  Mystic KOA

  Great camping experience for all ages

  Stayed at a great wooded tent site - quiet during the week and packed out by the weekend. Close to the bathrooms, with water spigot and electric hook up. Two small ponds with enough blue gill action to excite the kids. Worth checking out!

• 

  Todd J.

  Traveler

  

  Aug. 30, 2018

  Hopeville Pond State Park Campground

  Great for families

  Stay at least once or twice a year. Always a good time. RV and Tent sites with one cabin as well as canoe sites off the beatin' path. Public beach with another beach for campers. Store on site for firewood and ice.

• 

  Ryan A.

  Guide

  

  May. 15, 2024

  George Washington State Campground

  An OK Campground but not Great

  Camped out here for two nights after reading about this place in the"Best Tent Camping: New England" book. It's better than the other campgrounds in Rhode Island that I looked at (Burlingame, Fort Getty) but isn't my favorite campground. If you're not a Rhode Island resident the fee for most sites is$36/night. Is it worth it? Eh, probably not unless you're really jonesing to camp for a weekend in the Ocean State. 

  It does have some great things going for it, namely the hiking trails and views of the lake. There are some tent-only sites which are numbered T1-T5. I stayed in T5 and it was the best of the bunch because it had the most privacy and space, including a grassy area. The other tent-only sites were fairly small and if you go to any mixed use sites you run the risk of having an RV next to you. The A1-A7 sites are remote and hike in, but you're going to have to hike either 0.4 or 0.6 miles through some uneven terrain. The next best group of sites would be 19-24 which are on their own small loop near the lake. 

  The things I didn't like were the streetlights over the port-a-potties that shine all night. There is a manned gate where you check in and you have to get let into the campground during the day, but at night the gates are wide open and it seems like some people know this because there are a few oddballs around in the early morning. There is swimming at the lake but it looked way too dirty. 

  Overall the place was managed very well, the sites were cleanish and the grounds were taken care of. The employees drove by at least once an hour, I thought they were collecting trash from dumpsters but the only place with a dumpster is near the entrance. I couldn't figure out why they kept driving by so often. I had a good time, it was relaxing and scratched the camping itch.

• K

  Kailie G.

  Traveler

  

  Jun. 25, 2020

  Brialee Family Campground

  Large Family Campground

  Fairly large campground. Tent sites available but mostly RV/Campers. WiFi in common areas isn’t great so if you’re planning on working during some down time, this isn’t the place. Nice hiking around the area. Bathrooms are clean. Good for kids/families.

• 

  Christina M.

  Traveler

  

  Jul. 22, 2020

  Whispering Pines Campground

  Whispering pines

  Busy campground with a lot of RV sites on top of each other. Campsite was large and set in the back. Hike to the bathroom from tent site. Two sites right on top of each other but lots of room. Screaming children all night took away from the peacefulness.

• 

  Lyssa M.

  Guide

  

  May. 3, 2020

  Horseneck Beach State Reservation

  Beachside RVs

  This campground is primarily RVs, although we still had a nice time at our tent site. The beach is only a few hundred feet away, and the campground has basic facilities. The beach is small and quiet, and has some great shells and rocks. All in all, a quiet campground with the fundamentals.

• S

  Susan C.

  Scout

  

  Aug. 25, 2020

  Wilderness Lake Park

  RV park

  $60 cash. Maybe tent sites less but not given the option. Not good value. (State parks in CT and MA requiring 24 hr advance rez.)Water/elec. Some porta potties in tents area. A little swampy lake. Mostly permanent summer residents parked with big rigs and plastic decor. But, almost nobody around mid week August. As prev reviews, woodsy, moderately secluded up in tent area. Visited in the time of COVID. WEAR A MASK!

• 

  Robert L.

  Traveler

  

  Jun. 30, 2020

  Wilderness Lake Park

  How did I not know about this place?

  Connecticut is LACKING when it comes to outdoor activities when compared to some of the places around the country. That being said, it's more rewarding when you find a little gem like Wilderness Lake Campground.

  While this is about 60% RVs, the tent sites are great. The host gave us a secluded spot in the back to the point I didn't feel like I was at a campground other than the fire ring. We didn't need bathrooms, water or electricity, but there was a bathroom within walking distance. It also looked like they were building a little outbuilding for Women and Men's bathrooms near the tent sites. 

  The lake was quiet and we saw kids swimming in it in the morning. There was a hiking trail on the property and the host mentioned they were building a Disc Golf course on the property. Whether you have an RV, want to Car Glamp or looking to feel deep in the woods, this place checks all the boxes. It's also conveniently located off I-84(exit 70).

• K

  Kerrie C.

  Scout

  

  May. 21, 2022

  Old Holbrook Place - Closed Til Spring 2022

  For Sale

  Lovely quiet campground on cove of Manchaug Lake. Great Tent sites in Hollow as well as seasonal RV and visiting RV’s,Canoe-Boat (row or troll) , beach and picnic area for day visits. 

  Adjacent to an outer lake Family Activity Campground/Sutton Falls

  Previous Manager/Owner/Operators had a parent decease a while ago and saddened to see it up for sale

• K

  Kayla B.

  Traveler

  

  Sep. 18, 2019

  Hammonasset State Park Campground

  Nice family place

  Good family campground with access to the ocean. No fire pits in the ground but you can bring your own ($50 on Amazon) or rent one (bring cash). I've done tent camping here in the summer but don't know much about the RV side, although I believe they have dump stations and such. Restrooms and showers are pretty good too, but typical campground bathrooms. 4 stars cuz I'm not a huge fan of the beaches, if I could give 4.9 stars I would.

• 

  Michelle C.

  Guide

  

  Jul. 15, 2021

  Newport RV Park

  Quiet, small, bigger sites, no amenities

  This is a cute little campground that’s easy to access. It’s 20 minutes from downtown Newport and about 45 minutes to downtown Providence.

  It’s well shaded, has a nice playground, bathhouse, and a laundry room. My biggest complaint is the dryers are terrible. I had to dry my clothes 3 times ( that’s 3 hours). Nobody has time for that. Also if you’re tent camping, the bathrooms are very inconvenient.

  Finally, our site was not angled and that made it tougher to get in to it.

• J

  John C.

  Traveler

  

  May. 28, 2019

  Thousand Trails Sturbridge

  Campsite

  I was probably the only person tent camping in the entire resort. The manager was able to give me a great campsite away from all of the RVs and cabins. It was right at the entrance however you did have to hike up a short 50ft hill to get to the site. It had a great new fire ring and the campsite was very clean/cleared. Running showers and flushable bathroom was very close. I dinged a star from this review because I have seen campgrounds with cleaner bathrooms

• 

  Jacob D.

  Guide

  

  Sep. 18, 2024

  Fishermen’s Memorial State Campground

  Somewhere to stay, not the best

  $18/night if you live here, but $36 if from out of state. Large tent campground with lots of spaces, so everyone is in pretty close together. My main concern is there are showers in the bathrooms you can pay for, but ones outside that are free, but cold water and no curtain, so you literally have no privacy.

• 

  Jean C.

  Legend

  

  Mar. 1, 2020

  Burlingame State Park Campground

  Huge campground, not many level sites.

  I've never camped in Rhode Island, so I was curious to see what a state park campground had to offer. Rates are reasonable for state residents, but quite high if you are out-of-state, given the amenities. There are no hookups, but dump stations are available. Bathrooms have flush toilets and coin-operated showers. There's a small beach at the pond, a boat ramp, and proximity to wildlife refuges and the ocean. It's a HUGE campground, with 700 sites and 20 cabins. Canoes are available to rent.

  There's a nice playground, a camp store, and a naturalists cabin. Trails are available for hiking and biking. The beach is sandy and there's a small parking lot there, but I suspect most people walk to it. No alcohol allowed. 

  I didn't see more than a handful of level sites, with varying degrees of slope, but many are quite large. If you have an RV, plan to level; if you have a tent, be sure to bring good mattresses to protect you from the roots and rocks and orient your head to the uphill side. Most of the sites have some degree of visual separation from their neighbors, but there are places where it's hard to tell where one site ends and the next one starts. Site have fire rings and picnic tables, but if you plan to cook over the fire, bring your own grate or plan to use sticks and/or aluminum foil. 

  If you don't have a tent, consider reserving one of their rustic cabins. These offer two sets of bunks (no mattresses) and a small porch with a picnic table and fire ring outside. Some are located along the pond.

  3-4 bar cell phone coverage. No road traffic. East Beach is nearby, but parking fills early.

• 

  Steve T.

  Traveler

  

  Aug. 3, 2020

  Fort Getty Campground

  Tent campers

  Perfect location for a summer / beach camp. Mostly for RVs but tent site #6 was great. Views of the ocean to wake up too and tucked away from main area.

  Worst part is you can’t bring your car on the site. Do not understand this, especially since it was over 95° and we have dogs that need AC, one if which is 14. We did sneak the car up by asking an RV camper to use his land because they block off the entrance with giant tree trunks.

  More good stuff, the private pet friendly beaches were great! Small but perfect to relax. No problems with the pets at all and old but clean bathrooms.

• 

  Alex S.

  Guide

  

  May. 13, 2020

  Rocky Neck State Park Campground

  Best New England beach campground!

  The beach is about a 1 mile walk or drive from the campground.  The walk is lovely and I have seen deer, turkeys, many birds, skunks, raccoons, and other wildlife along the way. There are several osprey nests too. Many families bring bikes. 

  There are several camping areas at Rocky Neck - I think Crane is the best because it is quiet and the bathrooms are updated. 

  The tent camping area is in a field without much privacy or shade. I recommend setting up your tent at a traditional site.

  The beach is great for relaxing and beach combing. The water is warm and shallow, very calm. No floats or toys are allowed in the water, not sure why. Don't bring your kite either as the Amtrak is next to the beach, it's interesting when it goes by!

  Sometimes generators are an issue, but there are limited hours at which they can run.

  Lots of dumpsters for easy trash disposal. Firewood available for a low price on site, don't bring any outside wood. 

  Campground is not too far from a Walmart if you forget something. There's a gas station close by too for ice.

  This campground books up FAST, I usually book in the wintertime. I stay for a week at a time.

• K

  Kailie G.

  Traveler

  

  Jun. 25, 2020

  Wilderness Lake Park

  Really enjoyed our time here

  Quaint little campground. Not many tenting sites but along a beautiful lake. Pets allowed. Bathrooms close by 10, something to keep in mind. And they’re cash or check only! Taylor Pond is not far and a great hike to bring both kids and pets. This campground was perfect for us and our dog. Bring your own kayaks or use the campgrounds free of charge.

• 

  Joanna M.

  Guide

  

  Jul. 31, 2020

  Fishermen’s Memorial State Campground

  Clean campground. Nearby beaches

  Lots of nearby beaches and restaurants. Campsites are simple. A patch of grass with a small bush or two, not very much shade, space or privacy. Tent sites do not have water or electricity but bathhouse is in easy walking range. A nice place to ride a bike around so definitely bring your bike. More of an RV park. RVs do have hookups. Bathrooms and showers are clean. $1.50 in quarters for a 6 min hot shower. Which is nice after a long day at the beach. Playground and courts on the premises and walking paths and an area that accesses the water if your wanted to throw a kayak in. It's a nice place for the location. But not much privacy really, and not much shade, but that will vary from site to site. It's nice because there is so much to do nearby and kept very clean. Our site ended up being right next to the bathhouse so there wasn't too much privacy there. I'd come back again though. And I would definitely come back in an RV instead of I could.

• 

  Ryan A.

  Guide

  

  May. 21, 2024

  Devil's Hopyard State Park Campground

  Good Location for Hiking, Lots of Garbage, Not Recommended

  Camped here on a Friday night in Site 16, yet another campground recommended in“Best Tent Camping: New England.” Overall I was not impressed. The campsites are right next to each other and are marked with posts. The sites are so close that the posts are marked with the site number on both sides which tells me that there has been confusion in the past.

  The sites along the creek mostly have worn paths to walk to it but it’s nothing impressive and I wouldn’t want to eat fish that came out of it. Each site has a picnic table and fire ring, some have the kind where the top flips over and others have the moveable grate that goes up and down. There is a large dumpster in the campground and several porta-potties. The old outhouses have been permanently closed and locked shut. My campsite had a lot of trash in it, old tent stakes, plastic bottle caps, plastic fork, broken glass, etc. Not good.

  Some of the people there were camping in a group and were blasting music. I didn’t see a single park ranger the entire night so I’m not sure how often they police it. Someone in a pickup truck came into the campground, did a u-turn, and sped out at 30 mph which was really annoying and unsafe.

  Across the street from the campground is a trail to Chapman Falls, which will take less than 10 minutes to hike to, but it’s a pretty waterfall despite all the foam and garbage around it.

  This is a pretty basic campground and is nothing special. Out of all the sites I think 22 looked the best, it is more isolated and you can hear the waterfalls from it, which would be relaxing. The downside is that it’s right next to the entrance and road so you’ll get car headlights at night.

  I woke in the morning to a gray sky and hundreds of birds singing– it was my favorite part of the trip. I delayed getting up to enjoy the moment. I also didn’t see any ticks but I’m sure there are plenty based on other reviews.

  I’ve always thought that if states were condiments Connecticut would be mayonnaise– relatively unremarkable and bland. This campground fits that description perfectly.

• 

  John D.

  Scout

  

  May. 3, 2015

  Rocky Neck State Park Campground

  Great park in a great location

  I have been camping at Rocky Neck State Park for decades, both tent camping, and now In a 30' camper. Located right off I95 ( which you can hear at times), the park is convenient to all the major interstates and state roads. If you can, stay away from the front gates during the typical peak arrival / departure times. Traffic jams occur, partly because you're also in-line with the car loads of beach goers. The beach and beach parking lots fill to capacity. Week ends are the worst.

  The campgrounds are located within internal loops. Most sites are quite level. Park-like settings surrounding a large lawn. Bathhouses are being rehabbed, deemed adequate; can be seedy towards the end of the season. Park is routinely patrolled by State Conservation Officers who will put you out if needed. CT State Police and local officers also patrol. Camp roads are paved, and lots and lots of kids spend time riding bikes, coloring with chalk, skateboarding, roller blading.

  No electrical hook-ups; potable water spigots located within the camping circles. Generators allowed, but there are quiet hours. Dump upon exit; its up top by the entrance booths.

  There is a "tent-only area" which is nice and abuts a paved road for campers to walk / bike to the beach. Use this. Stay off the main road to the beach if you can. The speed limit is enforced, but sporadically. The fines are very stiff (you receive a State traffic ticket from the Officer).

  This beach road leads you to a wonderful overlook where lots of people take their kids crabbing for Blueshells. There are size regulations so be careful. The regs are posted. Bring some raw chicken wings and kite string and have some fun. You can also follow the signs that will lead you to nature walks. Amazing.

  During inclement weather some campers leave the park. We always recommend taking a right out of the park onto east bound Route 156. Follow into downtown Niantic for restaurants, an Irish pub, or a movie. Nice village area, and pedestrian friendly.

  Rocky Neck is a very nice park, and if I had to list one complaint, it is that the State is in a financial tight-spot, and has been cutting services and personnel. Entrance booths go unmanned and that leads to traffic jams that extend out and onto the main road. Very , very messy. Life guard towers at the beach are empty at times. Bath houses can be filthy.

  All things considered, I would recommend this park..

• 

  Jean C.

  Legend

  

  Nov. 1, 2020

  Wolf Den Campground — Mashamoquet Brook State Park

  Basic campground with hiking trails in the area.

  This small state park campground offers basic campsites with running water and showers, open Memorial Day to Columbus Day.  This is NOT Wolf's Den Family Campground in E. Haddam, CT. Also, be aware there are 2 campgrounds at this State Park; the other one, Mashamoquet Brook, does not offer running water/showers, so if you want these amenities, be sure to select a campsite 1-35.

  There's a small playground in the middle of the loop, a number of hiking trails throughout the park along with a few geocaches (download details for offline use a phone connection is spotty), a swimming pond, and a small brook with an old mill and blacksmith shop that is sometimes open on weekends for tours. It's a nice place to explore and have a picnic. In 2020 with Covid, there were restrictions on visitors to the campground, reservations required, and swimming was not allowed. 

  The parking pads are paved and a few have overhanging branches, but the trees provide  separation and some shade on largely open sites that tend to open up toward the back with open areas for pitching tents. Sites have fire rings with grills and picnic tables. Site 20 is the only one with electric. The ones toward the back of the loop back up toward the woods and give you some more privacy. 

  They don't allow hammocks in the trees or pets. For some reason, silly string also makes the list of prohibitions.