Waterside camping in New England

Sprawling forests and uncrowded beaches make New England a camper’s paradise.

94% (3131 reviews)
94% (3131 reviews)

Popular camping styles for New England

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8 top waterside campgrounds in New England

100%
(14)

Colby's Cabin

1 site · Lodging10 acres · Carthage, ME
Beautiful, off-the-grid, rustic log cabin on 10 acres one mile up a 4-wheel drive trail. Located in a wilderness region minutes to Webb Lake, Tumbledown Mountain & Mt. Blue State Park. Trails of all kinds right out the front door. In the middle of Maine’s finest hiking, hunting, fishing, and boating. A perfect place for adventure, romance, celebration or serenity. An escape from the electronic world, the cabin has solar and battery lights but no power generator. (See Winter Conditions below) The space This is a cozy place with led lights & solar lights, candles, a gas cook range, gas refrigerator, wood stove, a dug well with hand-pump in the kitchen (pump can not be used when the temperature is below freezing) and a log cabin outhouse. Everything is here: 1 set of twin bunk beds and 1 queen size futon couch in the great room and a king bed in the bunk room. Fully outfitted with dishes, utensils, pots,/pans, linens/blankets/pillows, books, games, oil lanterns, camp/bag shower and more. There is a pantry cabinet full of food and spices. Firewood is included in the rental price. Propane, paper towels, toilet paper and dish soap are also provided. Guest access The whole property is at your disposal. All Wheel Drive or 4WD is needed to access the cabin in winter and mud season. Other things to note WINTER CONDITIONS (when ground is frozen): -4-wheel drive or All Wheel Drive needed. -There is NO running water from the well pump when the ground is frozen. The sink can be used with a bucket underneath. Bring extra water for washing. I will leave a couple of gallons to get you started! -Really big storms can cause reservations to sometimes be rescheduled but I always honor date changes or refunds due to storms. -Extreme Cold Weather: When temperatures fall to 15 degrees or below, we recommend that you use the propane heater in the bunk room along with the woodstove in the great room. It will be necessary for you to feed the wood stove every couple of hours. -Attention Snowmobilers: You may have to unload your snowmobiles at the bottom of the hill to get your trucks up the hill with trailers hitched. You could also leave your trailers at the bottom of the hill in a plowed out parking area. Ride the snowmobiles up separately. OTHER THINGS TO NOTE: Off the grid = NO ELECTRICITY! Amenities include bag shower, outhouse, gas range, woodstove, battery-operated LED lights, solar lights, candles, gas grill. No Shooting or target practice is allowed. Phone: Reliable cell phone service is 1 mile down the mountain in the spring and summer. Spotty service is available at the cabin during winter. Hydration: You MUST bring your own drinking water to be absolutely safe. The dug well is fed by springs and runoff. Dug wells can be contaminated by heavy rains, and wildlife. Drinking the well water is at your own risk. Bugs: This is mosquito and tick country. Use bug spray and do tick checks twice a day during spring, summer and fall. Dogs: Dogs are welcome. However, NEVER leave dogs unattended outside or allow to run at large. Year-round neighbors uphill have dogs that will be alerted to your dog(s) running at large. NEVER allow dogs to venture on the opposite side of Lamb Road or into neighbors' driveways. DO NOT leave dogs alone in the cabin. Please toss any waste deposited on the yard into the woods. Smoking: Cigarette smoking is allowed OUTSIDE the cabin. Cannabis smoking is allowed inside the cabin. Trash: It would be appreciated if you took your own trash, but if that is not possible, you may leave all of your food garbage and trash in the cabin at check-out and we will dispose of it for you. We request that food garbage or food scraps are NEVER left outside. Wildlife: Please do not feed the bears or any other wildlife, including birds, squirrels, fox, deer, coyote or anything you may see here at Ridgeview Cabin. Feeding wildlife results in a negative impact on the lives and environment of the animals, including possible death or extermination of the animals, and presents a potential risk to your safety. Feeding animals means intentionally leaving food out for them, or even simply leaving a bag of garbage outside where animals can get into it. This means that taking care of your food garbage is extremely important. You are welcome to use the garbage bags found in the cabin. If you must remove food garbage from the cabin, please store it in your vehicle until check-out. Never store trash or food scraps outside. Keep it down for the locals: There are year round residents uphill and downhill of the cabin within half a mile. Please be respectful of their quality of life and refrain from long sessions of target practice, aggressive snowmobile/4-wheeler riding around the cabin/up and down the road, yelling and loud music after 8PM and before 8AM.
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$84.15
 / night
98%
(23)

The Queen's Property on Thomas Pond

2 sites · RVs, Tents15 acres · Casco, ME
THOMAS POND Thomas Pond is a beautiful 533-acre freshwater pond with over 7.4 miles of shoreline. Thomas Pond’s maximum depth is 64 feet, and the mean depth is 22 feet. Our guests are welcome to kayak, canoe, swim, fish, and paddle board from the shores of The Queen’s Property, or one of 5 Right of Ways on Watkins Shores Road owned by our Association. Access to your private waterfront is a short stroll through our woods. As our guest staying at The Queen's Property, you will also have free access to the Watkins Shores Road Association's boat launch. The boat launch is just a two or three minute walk down the road from your site. Our new dock is available to dock your boat during the day.. However, there is a small fee to dock your boat overnight (see "Extras") at our site. Just make sure you check for Milfoil or any other invasive plants before launching. LOCAL ATTRACTIONS NEAR CAMP Within 5 minutes of camp, you will find all the essentials, including food items, ice, firewood, goodies, gas, and RV supplies. In fact, you can even order your groceries online for pickup, (free at Hannaford Brothers Grocery and Walmart) either on your way to your campsite or when you need to resupply your camp (we would be happy to give you the details). During your stay, you may also want to take a trip off-site to explore all that the Lakes Region offers. Explore the historic oceanfront City of Portland, or the local Towns of Windham, Naples, or Bridgton. Portland is a 35 minute drive from The Queen's Property. The coastline around Portland is rugged and attractive with world-famous lighthouses dotted along its shorelines. Numerous locally owned shops and nationally recognized restaurants can be found tucked into its many harbors and shorelines. Closer to camp, enjoy strolling through the Town of Naples. Naples sits smack-dab in the middle of the Sebago Lakes Region. Sebago Lake abuts its western border and Long Lake abuts its eastern border. A short 8-minute drive from your site, Naples spoils its visitors with boat rentals, waterfront shops, and awesome restaurants. Further north is the Town of Bridgton. Bridgton is a 20-minute drive from your campsite. It offers its visitors a quaint downtown filled with local retailers, pubs, and restaurants. Enjoy the beaches of Bridgton’s Crystal Lake which sits on the edge of its downtown borders. The towns of Raymond and Windham also offer our visitors numerous restaurants, grocery stores, hardware stores, and gas stations. Once again, all within a short drive from your campsite (3-4 minutes). NEARBY STATE PARKS AND OUTDOOR ACTIVITIES If your idea of exploring is centered around outdoor activities, then Sebago Lake State Park is a 1,342-acre park that abuts the shores of Sebago Lake. It's one of Maine’s most popular parks. Located in the towns of Casco and Naples, the park is open year-round and is less than a 10 minute drive from your campsite. Within the park, you will enjoy protected forests, bike paths, and Sebago Lake beaches. Sebago Lake is a deep glacial lake, and by itself is 44 square miles of clear waters that abut Sebago Lake State Park. The park and the lake host some of Maine's’ best sandy beaches, water sports, fishing, boating, boat rentals, camping, picnic areas, boat launches, extensive woodlands, a wide array of critters, hiking trails, and walking trails. Sebago Park hosts various play areas for children with slides and swings. The summer sun is warm and the autumn colors are always abundant and beautiful. The entrance and parking lot are wheelchair accessible. If you are an avid hiker, The Queen’s Property is a short drive to numerous mountain ranges, forests, and peaks, all of which contain hundreds of miles of ATV and hiking trails. There are over 25 hiking trails within 10 miles of The Queen's Property and over 115 trails within 20 miles. Oh, and if you love winter sports you will love the Lakes Region. Numerous ski resorts, along with hundreds of miles of cross-country ski and snowmobile trails can be found throughout the area.
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from 
$100
 / night
95%
(33)

TOAD HALL

2 sites · RVs2 acres · Harrison, ME
Toad Hall is a heated, one room, 8x8 cabin in Harrison, Maine, with access to the Bear River for wading and swimming (depending on the river height.) There are is a firepit at the cabin, along with one down by the river. The lower area by the river is a beautiful place to hang, pitch hammocks etc... The cabin is near the road, which is great for loading in and loading out, but you will hear/see cars drive by. (Read our reviews, we stand by them!) There is no running water or bathroom on the property so we ask you bring a camping potty and do not bury human waste. The Bear River, which is a beautiful spot to swim and wade in, runs right through the property- but it's also drinking water and a protected watershed. Again, please make sure you have a camping potty plan. Cabin Features: There are 2 cots inside, but also feel free to bring your own pads/bedding... Heat is provided via a propane Buddy Heater as needed (smoke/carbon dioxide detector is in the cabin.) There are solar lights inside, along with a USB plug to charge small devices. It is a clean, warm, dry room, with beautiful light and good ventilation with the windows cracked. Nearby places you will like: We are within walking distance to downtown restaurants and public swimming area on Long Lake. There's also porto potties next to the walkable country store, which has everything you forgot to bring. Also a great ice cream shack, and an above-average watering hole, The Olde Mill Tavern. This is a self check-in/out, so expect an easy arrival process (and we'll ask you to please leave the property prepared for the next guest to arrive.)
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from 
$50
 / night
97%
(38)

Barred Owl Farm Getaway

3 sites · Lodging35 acres · Whitefield, ME
Denali, our farm hound, looks forward to greeting you. The sheep, pigs, and chickens will also enjoy seeing you. Our farm cabin has a great feel of being connected to nature. It is quiet, cozy and a wonderful place to watch the sunset overlooking grazing animals. The cabin has a queen bed in the downstair bedroom and another double bed in the loft. The couch in the sitting room also folds-out to a double bed for the children. We use high-quality cotton sheets, pillows and down comforters - to assure you will be cozy and feel pampered. We provide coffee/tea service in the morning in our farm store. By reservation, we serve a full country breakfast ($14/pp) and four-course farm-to-table dinners with many ingredients from our farm ($65/pp). By reservation, we also offer a special evening of our own chef-made wood-fired pizza, backyard fire and Downeast company. Many of the ingredients are from our farm. BOYB. ($50/pp; groups of 4 or more $40/pp) Discounts for families with children. The cabin does not have heat, electricity or running water. We provide numerous battery-charged lights and candles making this a is cozy, relaxing and perfect way to experience Maine farm life. An outhouse is nearby. We provide an outdoor hot-water shower. Plan to visit our farm store where you can buy goat-milk soap, beeswax candles, organic wool pillows, sheep and goat skins and other creations made by Patti. Loads of hiking trails are right out our door or wander down the gravel road. Visiting the animals (sheep, pigs, chickens and, of course, Denali - the farm hound) is always a highlight for guests. Please leave your own dog at home, thank you. Chris is a proud Mainer and natural tour guide. He will be happy to provide you with his favorite recommendations and hidden gems. For the past nine years, hundreds of people have enjoyed seeing the lambs, visiting our pigs, walking on our trails, and relaxing in a cell-free zone. In the summer our cabin books every night – so we encourage you to make reservations soon. If you would like to talk over your plans, please give us a call. Denali the hound (and we) look forward to welcoming you!
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from 
$96
 / night

Under $50

Dog-friendly getaways

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Happy farmer sitting in a truck in a grassy field
Happy farmer sitting in a truck in a grassy field

Waterside camping in New England guide

Overview

From the brisk, rugged coasts of Maine to the quaint lake cottages of New Hampshire, New England is a camper’s paradise. This multi-state region offers a diverse range of activities, whether you’re visiting White Mountain National forest for some paddling or you’re biking across coastal Rhode Island. Nature trails, oceanfront camping and even glamping are available here. New England is also a great destination for adventure lovers because it’s easy to get away from the crowds and truly experience the natural side of this beloved area.

Where to go

Acadia National Park, Maine

Majestic trees meet Atlantic waters in Acadia National Park, a family-friendly nature getaway for campers of all stripes. From Hull’s Cove Visitor Center, you can take the park’s scenic drive to Sand Beach for a swim. Hikers can then enjoy the trek to Otter Point, which provides stunning views of the coastline, or take the Cadillac Mountain Loop hike. In addition to hiking trails, the park has numerous campsites and campgrounds available.

Cape Cod, Massachusetts

A great place for quiet beach camping, Cape Cod has options with rv sites, cabins, family camping and everything in between. Far from the bustle of Boston, you can find bike and kayak rentals along the cape, with some good options in Provincetown. Cape Cod National Seashore is a haven for adventure and play, and there are a few state parks with pristine beaches, including South Cape Beach State Park and Scusset Beach State Reservation.

Green Mountain National Forest, Vermont

Vermont’s Green Mountains are the perfect place to adventure any time of year, but in the warmer months, you can enjoy full service family campgrounds as well as tent sites. Granville State Forest has biking trails, while Savoy Mountain State Park has multiple camping spots and a lake for canoeing. The Appalachian Trail also stretches through a section of the Green Mountains, intersecting with Long Trail, if you’re feeling extra adventurous.

When to go

New England’s winter’s are famously harsh, so you’ll want to keep tent camping between May and October. Note that crowds will die down significantly once kids go back to school in early September, so keep in mind that you may have a better time (and a peek at some changing leaves) if you choose to camp in early fall.

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