Today it’s a hot and sticky July summer day in New England - Just the right sort of day to be heading to a New England beach. A beach with a breeze, waves to surf-ride, fly a kite, or even catch a fish. But why just stay for the day - how about overnight or maybe a week?

Most coastal New England states have campgrounds either on the sand or so close you can you can taste the salt in the air.Here’s just a few options to get you started and realize you don’t have to fork out a month’s pay just to experience a New England beach family vacation…

Rocky Neck State Park - Connecticut:

Located in East Lyme on Long Island Sound this is a popular recreation spot in the state. Rocky Neck’s varied terrain offers something for everyone. Clear waters and a stone-free beach with expanses of white sand make it ideal for swimming.

Varied trails within the park provide easy and interesting walks to a scenic salt marsh and to interesting points such as Baker’s Cave, Tony’s Nose and Shipyard.

Because of the tidal marshes there is abundant wildlife on display and seasonal changes provide opportunities to catch mackerel, striped bass, blackfish and flounder. There are 160 wooded and open campsites for weekenders and vacationers during the season which runs from May to September 30th. There are no hookups available. For more information click here.

Cape Cod National Seashore - Massachusetts:

One of the wonders of New England and the east coast of America, Cape Cod National Seashore is miles and miles of white sand beaches and dunes stretching over 44,000 acres.

If you’re a lighthouse freak then you’ve come to the right spot. You’ll also find many interesting self-guided nature trails and walks, and bicycle paths scattered throughout the seashore area, and you should make a point to check out one of the visitor centers located in Eastham and Provincetown.

There is no camping allowed on the National Seashore but you can camp at nearby Nickerson State Park in Brewster or any number of private campgrounds in close proximity to the beach. I’ve had good success at North of Highland Camping Area in North Truro.

Nickerson State Park offers 420 sites for tents and RVs - no hookups, and North of Highland has 237 sites mostly catering for tent camping. North of Highland is a short walk to a wonderful Cape beach.

For more information and reservations check out http://www.nps.gov/caco for Nickerson and http://www.capecodcamping.com/ for North of Highland area.

Lamoine State Park - Maine:

Maine is famous for its rocky coastline and not so much for beaches. But nestled in its coastline are some beach gems just right for camping. One of these is the 55-acre Lamoine State Park that offers 61 campsites for tents and RVs - no hookups.

The park is located in the heart of Downeast Maine and close to Bar Harbor, Acadia National Park, islands, and of course plenty of lighthouses. So there’s plenty to see and do in the region.

Campers enjoy a quieter setting than the popular towns along this coast, and amenities include: boat launching ramp; saltwater pier; children’s playground, and hot showers.

For more information click here.

This is just a sample of camping beaches and there are many more privately-owned campgrounds located near New England beaches which you can find with a quick search using your favorite search engine.

Check back soon for more ideas for your New England vacations.

Cliff Calderwood
Executive Director
New England Vacations Guide