Finding a great campground is a challenge and definitely one challenge that if you do not succeed in finding leads to a dismal trip. Now, in Rhode Island you may notice that the number of campgrounds, from state or private camps is very limited. Most of that stems from the size of the state, but even in the smaller size you will find the campgrounds and parks that are in Rhode Island tend to be amazing. In this case, we are going to carry out the Charlestown Breachway Campground review.
Location Of The Campground
Knowing where a place is really helps you reach your destination. Yes, Rhode Island is a small state, but it is unlikely that you would want to drive for hours on end only to return to your starting point. Well, the good news is you cannot really drive past the Charlestown Breachway Campground or you would have to get a boat rather quickly. With that being the case, here is the address for the campground.
812-774 Charlestown Beach Road
Charlestown, RI 02813
Features Of The Campground
- The park and campground only have a total of 79 acres.
- The pathway by the campground takes you to the beach.
- Restricted to RV and trailers only. No pop-ups or tents.
- Has outhouses and trash pickup.
- Does have a boat launch.
What Is Available For Kids
As you can imagine being a smaller campground means that their is not as much for the kids to do. That holds true in this case here as the campground is geared more towards the RV travelers and while the beach is close by the campground does not have a lot that the kiddos would like. In fact, their are not many trails even for you to send your kids hiking on.
The boat launch, if you do have your boat with you is a great attraction for kids. However, your kids will not be able to control the boat on their own and that could make it harder for the kids to enjoy themselves. The good news is the fishing, in the allowed areas, is nice and tends to be fairly good. Still for a lot of kids with the modern electronics fishing is not something the kids really enjoy doing.
Campground Open For Limited Time
With the location of the campground on the beach area it is open only certain times of the year. Some of that is because of the hazards of the weather, but other times comes from the fact that the cold temperatures and the beach do not work out really well together.
The time frame that the campground is open comes from April 15th until October 31st. Now, the campground can close earlier if the weather does turn really bad and sometimes since this is the Northeast the road conditions can keep you from getting back to your campsites. No matter when you are planning on going camping here, you do need to get a reservation.
Water Features Are Plentiful
Being on the ocean it is easy to see that the water features are plentiful in the area. In fact, one of the main features you can find at Charlestown Breachway Campground is the beach. The beach is only a short walk away, but it will make it easier for you to find the beach. On the plus side the campground itself is along the shores as well, but I would not recommend going out swimming from the campgrounds shoreline.
Fishing is another major attraction in the region. You can the fishing more here than in most places as you get to fish in the ocean from the shore in designated areas. This makes it easier for you to catch a variety of saltwater fish that are closer to the surface of the water, but also know the fish are different than a normal catch from a freshwater source.
Sometimes you can bring your boat with you when you are camping. Here the boat will actually be useful as the campground does have a boat launch you can use. This makes it easier for you to put your boat in the water, but also get away from any of the smaller crowds in the campground. Not to mention, you are able to find the fishing tends to be better away from the shore.
Restricted To Certain Camper Types
Sometimes a campground is going to be open only for tents. However, at this campground the exact opposite is true. The campground is only open for Recreational Vehicles. In fact, tents and pop ups are not allowed at the campground.
Now, what you need to realize is the campground does have gravel spots. The spots are the back in style and that does make it easier. However, what you can find is these spots can be a challenge for some lesser experienced drivers getting into.
One question that I have is why the restriction against tents and pop ups. Well, the only thing that I could come up with is the weather and ocean breezes. These can come up quickly and in some instances can be very difficult for the tents and popups to handle the weather.
Weather Can Change Quickly
Being on the ocean you may notice that the weather is fairly reliable on what it does. However, this is not always the case. Typically the weather is slow in changing and you can see the storms coming into the shoreline or even from the distance in the land.
The downside is, if you have ever been in Florida in the middle of summer, you know you can set your watch by the time the afternoon storm arrives. Well, in Rhode Island you do not have that same type of luxury and sometimes the storms can blow in rather quickly and not leave you with much warning.
In the fall or spring weather this holds true as well. The weather can go from being nice and sunny with a warm temperature to chilly and breezy in just a few minutes. Granted, you usually have some type of warning, but it may not be enough of a warning that will help you in getting your campsite prepared.
Nice Walks And Stunning Views
The campground and park are small and while that does detract from what you could find in campgrounds with miles of hiking trails, it does not mean that you do not have good walks. Most of the walks that you can take will be, or at least in my case, would be along the shoreline. The shoreline will give you some great views, but also allows you to look out over the water and spot fish in the distance.
One of the better walks is the path that takes you from the campground over to the beach. Once you arrive at the beach you can sunbathe or even go swimming. Either way this makes the walk well worth the trip that you are taking because the beach is amazing and allows for swimming.
The views that you get from the campground and the beach are second to none. These views make it easier for you to enjoy the camping trip even more because you get to look out over the ocean and the sounds. In fact, one of the main attractions for the views is the one you get from the beach looking over the Block Island Sound.
Pros And Cons
- Campground is a beach front campground.
- Short walk to a beach that allows swimming.
- Boat launch is available.
- Fishing is allowed.
- Is a smaller campground reducing the chance of massive crowds.
- No tents or popup campers allowed.
- Gravel sites are nice, but can be hazardous for bare feet.
What Attractions Are Close By
The campground and the beach are great, but sometimes you want to do things in the local area as well. That is when you should know about some of the local attractions. Knowing these can really help improve your vacation or camping trip even more.
The Fantastic Umbrella Factory is one of the closer attractions and one of the only ones night tied in with water. While the name may sound like it is a factory that makes umbrellas and offers tours that is not the case. In fact, the location is one that features several different smaller artisan shops which exposes you to different items and allows you to buy unique gifts or mementos of your trip.
East Beach is another famous beach and one that you can enjoy. This beach actually makes it easier for you to swim and with the different beach you have a different view to admire.
Finally, Charlestown Town beach is only a little under 4 miles away and provides you with another beach chance.
What Restaurants Are Close By
Eating the camping food you brought with you is important to prevent spoilage. However, sometimes you are going to need to eat out because your food went bad or you just want to have a chance of pace and enjoy some locally cooked food. Here are a couple of restaurants that you should try out.
Haversham Tavern is a place that has a good atmosphere, but also decent food. As they say about most places you can come for the food, but honestly you may end up coming for the atmosphere as well.
Phil’s Hungry Tavern is another place to check out. The good news is once you leave Phil’s the chances are you will not be hungry anymore.
Finally, I am putting this here because my husband said I needed to give a coffee shop some pointers to. The local coffee shop to check out is Dave’s Coffee, which has good coffee and overall is a decent place to get a cup of Joe and hear from the locals what is going on.
Who Would Enjoy The Charlestown Breachway Campground
The people who would really enjoy the campground are those that are using an RV. The sites are large enough to take in most of the RV’s, but also have a nice gravel pad. Not to mention the ability to run your generator during restricted hours definitely makes it easier to have a good time.
Another group of people that would like the campground are those that are looking for a beach campground and do not want to pay an arm and a leg. Granted, the campground is not free, but compared to some of the privately owned resort type of campgrounds this is a campground that is affordable.
Who Would Not Like The Campground
The people that would not really care for the campground would be those that are camping in a tent or a pop up. The reason for that is the campground does not allow those types of campers at the time that I published this article. Now, this is subject to change, but currently these are not allowed at the campground.
Something else to be mindful of is if you like to have a large fire. The campground has been reported to not have a fire ring available at the campsites and you cannot have an open fire. So if you like having a larger fire then you may not really care for this destination either.
What Others Are Saying
While our information is solid and well researched you may want to know what other people think as well. With that being the case, here is some of the information about what other people are saying about the campground.
Jae H from the Dyrt has this to say about the campground. ”Only trash and outhouses”. This is talking about what is at the campground. With that being the case, it does mean you will have to keep all of your waste water in the camper.
Laura L also from the Dyrt mentioned this about the campground, ”your site may overlook the channel”. Overlooking the channel would be a great way to camp, but it is not always available. So you need to make sure you book early and try to get a spot that is over the channel if you can. Then you will be rewarded with some spectacular views. all the time.
Frequently Asked Questions
Are Pets Allowed?
No, pets are not allowed at the campground.
Does Charlestown Breachway Campground Have A Dump Station?
No, the campground does not have a dump station.
Do The Camp Sites Have Electric?
The campsites do not have any electric. However, generators can be run between the hours of 8AM until 8PM.
Are All The Sites On The Water?
No, not all of the sites overlook the water.
What Type Of Surface Is The Campground?
Where you park your camper is gravel.
My Final Thoughts
Rhode Island is a small state, but it is one that makes the most out of the natural resources available to it. Now, you may think with that being the case that the campgrounds will not be plentiful or pretty enough to stay in. However, after looking at the Charlestown Breachway Campground I am sure you will change your mind. All you have to do is look at the access to the beach and the view of the Block Island Sound, combined with the comfortable tow-behind or recreational vehicle camping only to see why this campground stands out from the rest. It is important to note that Charlestown Breachway Campground does not have any electric, or dump stations so you may not have all of the comforts you have gotten used to having.
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