Best Cape Cod Campgrounds

Cape Cod is a popular holiday destination with campers. There are plenty of great campgrounds and there is a lot to do and see in the area.

It can be difficult to choose the perfect spot to stay during your trip. We have put together this guide to help you decide which campground to stay in.

1. Coastal Acres Campground

This campground is suitable for tents, trailers and has on-site RVs you can rent. It also has free, high speed wifi which is a big selling point if you have children or teenagers that will complain about not getting any signal!

You can walk into Provincetown easily from the campground, or follow the bike trails to nearby beaches.

This is a pet friendly campground, so you can bring your dog with you on your camping holiday. The campground offers access to drinking water, electricity, septic connections, and clean bathrooms. You also get a choice of campsites, some of which are in wooded areas.

This is a lovely place for a camping trip – you can explore Provincetown harbor and Cape Cod Bay, or check out the waterfront aquarium marketplace.

Take a dune buggy ride over the sand dunes or take a boat trip to go whale watching.

2. Atlantic Oaks Campground

This campground has its own private entrance to the Cape Cod Rail Trail and it is located conveniently close to the National Seashore Salt Pond Visitor Center.

It also has direct access to the bike trail. That makes this campground an ideal place to stay if you want to explore the stunning location of Cape Cod and the surrounding area. The closest town is Eastham, and you can easily drive to Provincetown.

Whether you are tent camping or in an RV, use of the hot showers is free and you have access to water, clean toilets, wifi and laundry facilities.

The RV sites have a choice of electrical hookup and a sewerage link. Some of the RV sites even include cable TV links. You can fit one tent and two cars or two tents and one car per site.

There is a dog park on the campground for those people who want to bring their dog camping with them.

3. Martha’s Vineyard Family Campground

This is the only campground on the island of Martha’s Vineyard. It is suitable for tents, camper vans, trailers and RVs, but also has rental cabins.

The sites are wooded and peaceful in a beautiful setting, with sandy ground which is soft and comfortable. Each site has a picnic table and a fire ring. Water and electric hookups are available, but extension hoses are recommended.

The RV sites can accommodate RVs up to 40 feet long. The premium RV sites have access to cable TV. The rustic wooden cabins come in different sizes with amenities like a refrigerator and a propane gas grill.

This campground benefits from indoor toilets, a well-stocked camp store, a coin operated laundry room, a dump station and recycling. As well as individual fire pits, there is a community fire pit.

There is also a recreation room, a playground, a recreational field, a basketball hoop, and an area for badminton and volleyball. You can also rent a bike from the campground to explore the bike trails.

4. Sandy Pond Campground

This campground is in Plymouth, Massachusetts and is only 3 miles from Cape Cod Canal. It has 200 sites which are perfectly situated between shady trees with plenty of open areas.

The campground also has its own sandy beach, ideal if you want a relaxing day close to your site. The shoreline is 2000 feet long, and you can rent kayaks from the campground to get out onto the water.

Whether you are looking for a secluded tent site or a fully equipped RV site with hookups, this campground will have what you need. Guests benefit from free wifi and cable TV.

The campground has laundry facilities, a dump station, 2 playgrounds, a full size basketball court, and an arcade. It is a great place for fishing and there are plenty of fantastic hiking trails in the nearby area.

You can purchase firewood and propane gas on site. Open campfires are allowed, and you can also bring pets onto the campground if they are kept on a leash.

5. Shady Knoll Campground

This campground is a great location for exploring Cape Cod because it’s very central. It is only one mile from Cape Cod Bay so you can easily reach it on foot.

It is even closer to the Rail Trail, so it is super easy to get out and about for the day. There’s also a general store only a short walk away so you can stay stocked up on food, snacks, and whatever else you might need for your camping trip.

All of the sites are nicely shaded. There are basic sites ideal for primitive tent camping, or fully equipped sites for RVs with hookups. A lot of the sites also have cable TV.

There are clean toilets and hot showers on the campground as well as laundry facilities, a playground and free wifi. There is a lodge building with a games room and a camp store which is ideal for guests.

Campfires are allowed on the campground until 11pm, so you can stock up on marshmallows and enjoy some peaceful evenings around the fire.

There are also plenty of picnic tables so you can enjoy eating outdoors. Reservations for the campground can be made online.

6. Sweetwater Forest Campground

Sweetwater Forest Campground is very popular with families. The sites are surrounded by lots of oak trees and pine trees, creating secluded and peaceful spots where you can relax and enjoy getting close to nature. This is a family owned campground and has been for 4 generations.

One of the reasons this campground is perfect for families is the range of activities. There are 6 different playgrounds, a mini-golf course, a basketball court, and a schedule of recreational activities on offer.

You can also get out onto Griffiths Pond for canoeing, kayaking, fishing, boating and more.

Sweetwater Forest is a great spot for birdwatching, biking and hiking. The campground also has free wifi and an indoor internet cafe.

Inside the lodge building you can play board games, watch TV, play ping pong or video games, or socialize with fellow campers.

There are also social campfires to help the guests get to know each other. On certain weekends there are activities led by staff such as karaoke, pet shows, raffles, BBQs, pot luck dinners and other socials.

It is recommended to reserve a site during the summer as it can get very busy. The site is suitable for tents, RVs and trailers with various options from primitive camping to full hookups.

There is an air-conditioned dog kennel with both day and night options available.

7. Nickerson State Park

Nickerson State Park in Massachusetts is an inland campground with over 400 sites. It is located in the heart of the woodland surrounded by pine trees and oak trees, but you can still reach Cape Cod Bay on foot.

The sites are situated around Flax Pond, where you can swim, kayak and canoe. You can also fish on the pond. There is a boat launch to access the pond, and you can rent a boat if you don’t have your own.

There is plenty to do in the state park, with lots of trails for hiking and biking. There is an 8 mile bike trail that connects to the Cape Cod Rail Trail.

This campground has showers and toilets, plenty of parking, and a convenient camp store. There are over 2000 acres of campground to explore, with options for group camping and yurt camping as well as individual camping.

8. Off-Road Camping

The rules are tighter in Massachusetts when it comes to dispersed camping. However, there are several places where you can go off-road camping including on the beach.

This must be done in a self contained vehicle like an RV, with self-contained water or a chemical toilet- there are no tents or trailers allowed. You will need to obtain a SCV permit before off-road camping in Cape Cod.

There will be no campground facilities, but you will be close to the water or even right on the beach. Camping on the ORV corridor is limited to 100 vehicles, so you will need to plan ahead to get there early and secure your spot.

It’s important to always keep an eye on the tide, and be aware that changes in weather or conditions could cause temporary beach closures that impact the off-road camping.

Summary

Whether you want a family friendly campground, a luxury campground, or something more primitive, there is something for everyone on this list. Make sure you check which attractions are nearby so you can plan your trip to make the most out of your time.