Salisbury Beach Camping

Salisbury Beach State Reservation has a 484-site campground a short walk from the ocean in Salisbury, with water and 20, 30 or 50-amp electric hookups. You book only through DCR's ReserveAmerica system, up to four months ahead; walk-ins are not allowed. In 2026 a site costs $22 a night for Massachusetts residents or $70 for out-of-state campers, plus $4 for water, $6 for electric and a $3 trust surcharge.

What the Campground Is Like

ReserveAmerica describes the campground as sitting on the coast at the mouth of the Merrimack River, with boardwalks to the ocean beach, comfort stations, a playground and two boat ramps on the river at its southern edge. Sites are arranged in lettered loops, A to H and W to Z; see the campground map and loops for how they are grouped.

Site Types

DCR's booking system lists these site types at Salisbury Beach:

• Standard electric (357 sites): water and electric hookups, for tents, trailers or RVs.
• RV/trailer electric (48 sites).
• Tent only (35 sites) and pop-up/tent (9 sites).
• Group camping (2 sites, for 12 and 25 people).
• The pavilion, a day-use shelter for up to 125 people, booked separately. See the pavilion.

Standard sites take up to four people. Each listing shows the driveway type and the longest equipment it fits; check the site you pick before you book a big rig.

2026 Camping Fees

DCR's fee table for Salisbury Beach:

• $22 a night for Massachusetts residents; $70 for out-of-state campers.
• Plus $4 for water and $6 for electric.
• Plus a $3 surcharge that goes to the Salisbury Beach trust fund.
• Group sites: $35 a night for residents, $100 for non-residents.
• $4.50 non-refundable transaction charge on every reservation; $10 to change or cancel.

So a Massachusetts family on a standard electric site pays $35 a night before the booking charge, and an out-of-state family pays $83.

How to Reserve

1. Go to DCR's ReserveAmerica site and search for Salisbury Beach State Reservation.
2. Reservations open up to four months before your arrival date. From April 1 to Labor Day, new dates release at 8 a.m. Eastern every day; off season, at 9 a.m. on weekdays and 10 a.m. on weekends.
3. Same-day bookings are accepted until 2 p.m. on your arrival date. Walk-in registrations are not.
4. Your site is held until 8 a.m. the day after your arrival date. If you will not arrive, call the campground: a day-of-arrival cancellation loses the first night plus the $10 fee.

Season Dates

ReserveAmerica showed the 2026 campground open through Saturday, November 28. Late in the year services shrink: in 2026 water was shut off for the season on October 19, after which no water hookups or dump stations were available, though the B Street bathhouse stayed open. Check the alerts on the booking page before a fall trip.

Campground Rules to Know

• Buy firewood at the park. DCR requires it at state campgrounds.
• Dogs stay leashed and are not allowed on the beach from April 1 to September 15. See dog rules.
• No alcohol anywhere in the reservation.
• Day-use parking fees apply to visitors' cars in season; see hours and fees.

Good For / Maybe Skip If

Good for: RV and trailer campers who want hookups by the ocean, families who want the beach, boat ramps and beach center within reach, and anglers who want to be near the river mouth.

Maybe skip if: you want quiet woods and privacy. This is a large seaside campground with sites in tightly numbered loops; one of DCR's wooded inland campgrounds suits that trip better.