Best Campgrounds near Charlestown, RI
The area around Charlestown, Rhode Island includes several established campgrounds offering diverse accommodation options within close proximity to coastal attractions. Burlingame State Park Campground, the largest in the region with over 700 sites, provides tent camping, RV sites, and rustic cabins along a freshwater pond. Charlestown Breachway State Park Campground offers waterfront RV camping with direct access to Block Island Sound, while East Beach State Campground provides a mix of tent, RV, and cabin options. Most campgrounds in the area feature fire rings, picnic tables, and varying levels of hookups, with several facilities accommodating both tent and RV campers within the same property.
Camping in the Charlestown area operates primarily from April through October, with most facilities closing during winter months. Reservations are strongly recommended, especially for summer weekends when waterfront sites fill quickly. Many campgrounds charge significantly higher rates for out-of-state visitors compared to Rhode Island residents. The region experiences typical New England coastal weather patterns with humid summers and cool, sometimes stormy shoulder seasons. Most developed campgrounds provide basic amenities like drinking water and restrooms, though hookup availability varies considerably between facilities. A visitor to Charlestown Breachway noted, "It is nothing more than a parking lot with no hookups and only composting toilets available, but you get access to Block Island Sound and all that it offers."
Campers consistently highlight water access as a primary draw to the region's campgrounds. Sites near Charlestown Beach, Burlingame Pond, and along Block Island Sound receive particular praise for their proximity to swimming, fishing, and boating opportunities. Several visitors mentioned the benefit of ocean breezes helping to moderate summer temperatures at coastal sites. Privacy between campsites varies significantly across facilities, with some offering well-separated, wooded sites while others feature more open layouts. A camper at Burlingame State Park commented, "I didn't see more than a handful of level sites, with varying degrees of slope, but many are quite large." The region's campgrounds generally provide good access to nearby attractions including wildlife refuges, historic sites, and the coastal communities of southern Rhode Island.
