Salisbury State Beach Camping: The Complete 2027 Massachusetts Campground Guide

Salisbury State Beach camping puts you on the Atlantic at the very top of the Massachusetts coast, where the Merrimack River meets the ocean. The campground at Salisbury Beach State Reservation is one of the biggest in New England, with 484 campsites, and every one has water and electric hookups. That makes it a favorite for RV and trailer campers, but tents are welcome too.

This guide covers the Salisbury Beach campground loops and map, reservations and fees, the off-season, pets, and the beach itself.

Salisbury Beach State Reservation: The Basics

• Address: State Reservation Road (off Beach Road and Route 1A), Salisbury, MA 01952.
• Phone: (978) 462-4481.
• Operator: Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation (DCR).
• The beach: about 3.8 miles of ocean shoreline, reached by boardwalks over the dunes.
• Day-use hours: sunrise to sunset.
• Getting there: from I-95, take Exit 88A and follow Route 110 East into Salisbury. Turn left on Route 1A, then right on Beach Road, and follow it 2 miles to the park entrance. From I-495, take Exit 119 to Route 110 East, then Route 1A North for about 2 miles.

Salisbury is about an hour north of Boston and just south of the New Hampshire line, so it's an easy weekend trip from most of eastern New England.

Is the Salisbury Beach Campground Open?

Yes, through November 28, 2026, on a reduced schedule. We checked the official reservation listing in November 2026. It showed no closures, and the campground was taking reservations for Thursday, Friday and Saturday nights only.

Two things change in the late season:

• Water is off. Water service shut off for the season on October 19, 2026. After that there are no water hookups and no dump station. The B Street bathhouse stays open.
• Weather closures. The campground sits on a barrier beach, and DCR warns that it can close at any time in severe weather. Check the listing before you drive up in a nor'easter.

The 2026 peak season ran May 7 to November 28. The 2027 dates hadn't been published when we checked, so watch the reservation site in early spring.

The Salisbury Beach State Reservation Campground

Sites and Hookups

Every campsite has water and electric hookups. Amperage varies by site, with 20, 30 or 50 amp service, so filter by amps on the reservation site if your RV needs 50. Most sites are back-ins, and the listings show driveways up to about 40 feet.

Amenities include:

• Comfort stations with showers, including a heated bathroom building
• A camp store and a dump station (in season)
• A playground and picnic areas
• Accessible restrooms, accessible camping and beach mats, with beach wheelchairs available

This is not a wooded, private campground. Sites are close together in open rows, so you'll see your neighbors. People pick Salisbury for the ocean on the other side of the dunes, not for seclusion.

Salisbury Beach Campground Map and Loops

On the reservation site, the campground is split into eight loops named by their site numbers:

• A1–18, B1–18, C1–21 and A19–A50, B20–B50, C22–C49
• D1–D27, E1–E25, F1–F22 and D32–D50, E32–E50, F29–F48
• G0–G30, H1–H26, W1–W24 and G31–G50, H29–H51, W25–W47
• X1–X27, Y1–Y21, Z0–Z13 and X28–X43, Y20–Y37, Z15–Z25

There are also two group sites (for 12 and 25 people) and a reservable pavilion. Use the interactive campground map to compare sites. Check three things: the walk to the nearest boardwalk, the walk to a comfort station, and the site's amperage and driveway length.

Salisbury Beach Camping Reservations

Massachusetts state park camping is booked through ReserveAmerica.

• Reservations required: walk-in camping isn't allowed. You can book same-day sites up until 2 p.m. on your arrival date.
• Booking window: up to 4 months before arrival. From April 1 through Labor Day, new dates open at 8 a.m. ET every day. In the off-season, they open at 9 a.m. on weekdays and 10 a.m. on weekends.
• Check-in and check-out: check in from 1 to 9 p.m. Check out by 11 a.m.
• 14-day limit: between Memorial Day and Labor Day, you can stay a total of 14 days in any one park.
• Occupancy: up to four adults, or two adults and their children. You can have two tents, or one tent and one RV, plus up to two vehicles.

Summer weekends here sell out fast. Set a reminder for 8 a.m. exactly four months before the date you want.

Salisbury Beach Camping Fees

The reservation listing gives these campsite fees:

• $22 a night for Massachusetts residents, $70 for non-residents
• Plus $4 for water and $6 for electric, charged at every site
• Plus a $3 surcharge for the Salisbury Beach Trust Fund
• $4.50 non-refundable transaction charge per reservation

Changes and cancellations cost $10. To cancel on your arrival day, you have to call the park, and you'll lose the first night's fee plus the $10. If you won't arrive on your first night, call the park. Your site is held only until 8 a.m. the next morning. Fees can change, so check the total at checkout.

Day-Use Parking

If you're not camping, daily parking fees apply from May 23 to October 12. It's $14 for cars with Massachusetts plates and $40 for out-of-state plates.

Salisbury Beach and Things to Do

• Swimming: swim and sunbathe along the 3.8-mile beach. Ocean water this far north stays cold well into summer, and conditions change fast, so check for posted advisories before you go in.
• Boating and fishing: two boat ramps on the Merrimack River side launch motorboats, canoes and kayaks. Fishing is listed as a park activity, and Massachusetts requires a saltwater fishing permit for anglers 16 and older. A local, unofficial guide says surf fishing is allowed from 5 p.m. to 10 a.m. in summer, so confirm the hours with the park.
• The town beach: the Salisbury Beach boardwalk area, with food stands and the beachfront center, is in the town of Salisbury just north of the reservation.
• Programs: DCR lists educational programs, a nature center and Movies in the Parks events here. Check the park page for the schedule.

Rules to Know

• Pets: up to four per site, leashed and never left alone. Bring a current rabies certificate, because staff check it at check-in. No dogs on the beach from April 1 to September 15, except service animals. See our camping with dogs tips.
• Firewood: you can't bring firewood into or out of any DCR campground. Buy it at the park, and see how to start a campfire.
• Alcohol is banned in all Massachusetts state parks.
• Quiet hours: 10 p.m. to 7 a.m.
• Bikes: riders 16 and under must wear helmets.

Recommended Gear

Salisbury is exposed coastline, so plan for wind and sand.

• Coleman Sundome Camping Tent: a stable, weatherproof dome for a windy beach site. Stake it well, using our tent setup guide.
• Helinox Chair One: packs small enough to carry over the boardwalk to the sand.
• Black Diamond Spot 400-R Headlamp: for late walks to the bathhouse and night fishing at the jetty.

Fall nights on the water get cold, so read our guide to staying warm while camping, and work through the camping checklist before you go.

More Coastal Camping

For more Massachusetts camping, see Nickerson State Park on Cape Cod. For other ocean and lake beaches, try Hamlin Beach in New York, Cape Henlopen in Delaware and our full beach camping guide.