
Looking for a fun outdoor family activity in late summer or early fall? Massachusetts offers fantastic opportunities for family camping throughout all regions of the Commonwealth. While you are camping, you can enjoy swimming, fishing, canoeing and kayaking, hiking, wildlife viewing, biking and many other activities.
The Department of Conservation and Recreation offers camping at 26 state parks and forests in all regions of the state. The parks provide easy access to all kinds of outdoor activities in forested settings and a few coastal locations.

Find out more about what each DCR campground has to offer, the dates they are open, and how to reserve your site.
My favorite state campgrounds include Erving State Forest (nice lake for swimming and fishing, good hiking); Otter River State Forest (very good stream fishing and mountain bike trails); and Horseneck Beach State Reservation (salt water fishing, bird watching and body surfing).
Here are some pictures from a recent camping trip with my seven year-old son, his friend and father at another one of my favorite camping spots, The Trustees of Reservations’ Tully Lake Campground. We had a great time kayaking, fishing, hiking, and enjoying time around the campfire.



