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Martha's Vineyard has exactly one campground: the Family Campground in Vineyard Haven. Complete guide to sites, prices, booking, glamping options, and the Cape Cod camp-and-ferry strategy.
Martha's Vineyard has one campground: the Martha's Vineyard Family Campground in Vineyard Haven. There are no glamping resorts, state park sites or beach camping, just 180 sites in an oak forest, a free bus stop at the gate and a community campfire every night.
Camping here takes planning. Peak-season sites sell out within days of the late-January reservation opening, and the cancellation policy is strict. If you get a spot, you'll pay $49–$150 a night on an island where hotel rooms regularly top $400. All the details here were checked for 2026.
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The Feeney family ran this campground from 1972 through three generations; in April 2026 it was acquired by Northgate Resorts, the national operator behind Jellystone Park and Camp Margaritaville, so expect some gradual changes as the new team settles in. Set within a mature oak forest along the main road between Vineyard Haven and Edgartown, it remains the most affordable way to sleep on Martha's Vineyard.
You don't need a car: walk onto the SSA ferry, bike or bus to the campground and use the VTA all week. It's the cheapest way to stay on Martha's Vineyard.
The 2026 season ran May 20 through October 1. In past years bookings for the next summer opened in late January, with the longest stays going first, so the campground site is worth watching over the winter for the 2027 dates.
| Period | Dates | Minimum Stay | Price Range |
|---|---|---|---|
| Shoulder (Early) | May 20 – Jun 30 | 2 nights | tent and RV sites from about $49/night |
| Peak Season | Jul 1 – Aug 31 | 3 nights | tent and RV roughly $70–90, cabins about $150–220/night |
| Shoulder (Late) | Sep 1 – Oct 1 | 2 nights | tent and RV sites from about $49/night |
Prices change with site type, season and demand in the Campspot booking engine, and every reservation carries a one-time $6.00 booking fee. Seasonal RV sites run $7,900–$8,300 per season (2025 published rates). Maximum stay is 2 weeks.
The campground has approximately 180 sites across 10 wooded acres: roughly 100 tent sites, 27 cabins, 26 seasonal RV sites, and 20 daily/weekly RV sites.
Primitive campsites have no hookups and come in compact to large sizes. Some take vehicles up to 25 feet, and the smallest "No Vehicle" option is tent-only. They're the best value on the island.
Powered campsites have 20/30 amp electric and water hookups, for vehicles from under 15 to 24 feet depending on tier.
RV sites have full hookups (water, sewer and 30/50 amp electric). Standard sites fit up to 30 feet and large ones up to 38–40 feet by request. All are back-in; there are no pull-through sites.
One-room rustic cabins sleep 4 on a full bed and twin bunks, with a mini fridge with freezer, propane grill, fire ring and picnic table. There's no running water or bathroom inside, so you bring your own bedding and dishes.
Two-room rustic cabins sleep 6 on two full beds and single bunks, with the same setup and no plumbing.
The sites sit in the shade of a mature oak forest; from the air you can barely see them through the canopy. The ground is hard-packed sand, so a good sleeping pad helps. The campground maintains a 5 mph speed limit on internal dirt roads.
| Facility | Available? | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Restrooms | Yes | Indoor, open 24/7 |
| Hot Showers | Yes | Free · indoor AND popular outdoor showers |
| Laundry | Yes | Coin-operated |
| Camp Store | Yes | Firewood, food, ice, coffee, accessories |
| Swimming Pool | No | Use island beaches instead |
| WiFi | Yes | Reviews say "great" to "okay for basics" |
| Fire Rings | Yes | Every site · campfires 6 AM to 11 PM |
| Playground | Yes | Plus volleyball, basketball, ball field |
| Recreation Hall | Yes | Ping pong, air hockey, video games, board games |
| Community Campfire | Yes | Nightly gathering, a longtime campground tradition |
| Bike Rentals | Yes | Adult bikes available on site |
| Generators | No | Not permitted |
In peak season there's live music, candy bar bingo, movie nights, tie dye, crafts and root beer floats.
Dogs are not allowed in peak season (July 1–August 31). In the shoulder season they're welcome on tent sites, RV sites and the pet-friendly cabins on E Road, up to two dogs per site, registered with the campground directly. Our pet-friendly Martha's Vineyard guide covers dog rules across the island.
The campground keeps 24-hour courtesy hours: everyone in their tents and all site lights off by midnight, campfires 6 AM–11 PM. There are no arrivals after 11 PM, and check-in is 3 PM or later. Each site takes up to two sleeping tents and one vehicle, the primary guest must be 21 or older, and motorcycles can come and go only 8 AM–10 PM.
TripAdvisor 4.0/5 (100 reviews, #2 specialty lodging in Vineyard Haven). RV LIFE 9.5/10. Hipcamp 100% recommend.
"The campground has to be the best value ever on Martha's Vineyard. We book in January of each year to go in July, and we have never had anything less than a stellar time."
Reviewers praise the clean facilities, the friendly staff, the outdoor hot showers, the nightly campfire and the bus stop at the entrance. (Most of these reviews predate the April 2026 ownership change.)
They also mention skunks, a lot: "Oh so many skunks" and "skunks use this campground as much as humans do." The skunks are harmless if you don't startle them, and food stored away with no scraps left out keeps them moving.
The campground uses the Campspot online platform at www.campspot.com/book/marthas-vineyard-family-campground. You can also reserve by phone (9 AM–3 PM) or email, though email does not guarantee a site. Payment in full is due at booking.
| Date | Time | Who Can Book |
|---|---|---|
| Thursday, January 22 | 9:00 AM | Stays of 10+ nights |
| Sunday, January 25 | 9:00 AM | Stays of 5+ nights |
| Wednesday, January 28 | 9:00 AM | All stays (general release) |
July and August sites sell out within days to weeks of the January release, so it helps to be online with your account set up and your dates decided.
It's safer to have your Steamship Authority ferry reservation before you book the campground. Vehicle ferry reservations open in February and fill within hours for peak weekends, and the campground will not refund you if you can't get a boat.
All cancellations must be submitted in writing via email:
No refunds for weather, ferry cancellations, or early departure. The campground strongly recommends purchasing travel insurance.
Before you book
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There are no safari tents overlooking the ocean here. The island has essentially one glamping-style option.
Island Spirit Kayak runs a permanent luxury yurt completed in 2020, a fully built yurt home rather than a tent. It has a round skylight, radiant concrete floors, full kitchen with Bosch appliances, primary bedroom, loft sleeping area, private patio with fire pit, enclosed outdoor shower, and HVAC. Kayaking and paddleboarding are included. In-season rates run well into the hundreds per night; check current pricing when you book.
It's the only verified yurt on the island, and more of a luxury rental than a campsite.
Some travel articles list Winnetu Oceanside Resort as offering yurts or glamping. It doesn't: Winnetu is a full-service family resort in Edgartown with hotel rooms, suites and cottages.
Under Canvas, Collective Retreats and Glamping Hub have no Martha's Vineyard listings. The nearest brand-name glamping is AutoCamp Cape Cod in Falmouth: Airstreams, luxury tents, and tiny houses from roughly $150–200/night in the off-season, plus a nightly amenity fee (summer rates run much higher), just minutes from the Woods Hole ferry.
So much of the island is conservation land that camping stays tightly limited.
Beach camping is banned in all six towns. Chilmark's rules spell out "loss of beach privileges, fines and arrest." Every town enforces this through bylaws.
Manuel F. Correllus State Forest (5,300+ acres) has no camping. The island's largest open space prohibits camping and fires, and DCR clears unauthorized camps every year. The main concerns are wildfire risk in the fire-prone coastal pine barrens and protection of globally rare sandplain habitat.
Conservation lands don't allow overnight stays either. Felix Neck (Mass Audubon), Trustees of Reservations properties (Cape Poge, Wasque, Long Point, Menemsha Hills), MV Land Bank (4,200+ acres), and Sheriff's Meadow Foundation all prohibit individual camping. The former Webb's Camping Area in Oak Bluffs closed in the late 1990s, the land became conservation property, and the Land Bank voted unanimously in December 2022 to permanently ban camping there.
Martha's Vineyard has no National Forest, no BLM land, and no federal public lands. The island is approximately 100 square miles where virtually every acre is privately owned, conserved, or developed. Sleeping in vehicles is also prohibited island-wide outside the campground.
Without a site on the island, you can camp on Cape Cod and ride the ferry over for the day. The island is a 45-minute boat ride away.
Camping on Cape Cod and day-tripping to the Vineyard works well on a budget. Our Trip Cost Calculator adds up the total.
About 4–5 miles from Woods Hole (10 minutes by car), this family-run campground has ~100 sites with full or partial hookups, cabin rentals and a few tent-style structures. It sits on the Shining Sea Bikeway and runs a free daily shuttle to Woods Hole, beaches, and Falmouth.
24 miles / 35 minutes from Woods Hole. 285 campsites plus 6 yurts on 700 wooded acres, no hookups. Rates: $17/night MA residents, $54/night non-residents. Yurt rates are higher and vary by residency; the DCR reservation site has them. Reservations via ReserveAmerica, opening 4 months before arrival. Season: Memorial Day through Labor Day (full), October–April weekends only.
40 miles / 1 hour from Woods Hole, and Cape Cod's best-known campground. 418 campsites across 1,900 acres with 8 freshwater kettle ponds for swimming. Rates: $22/night MA residents, $70/night non-residents plus a $5/night surcharge. It connects to the 26-mile Cape Cod Rail Trail and is very popular, so sites go the day reservations open.
| Expense | Daily Cost (couple) |
|---|---|
| Cape Cod campsite | $17–$75 |
| SSA ferry round-trip (2 walk-ons) | $44 |
| Woods Hole parking | $25 |
| Total | $86–$144/day |
A modest MV hotel room runs several hundred dollars a night. On the island, the fare-free VTA bus plus bike rentals ($30–$40/day) make car-free exploration easy.
Martha's Vineyard is among the highest-risk areas for Lyme disease in the United States. The island has approximately 5,000 white-tailed deer, each hosting hundreds of ticks. MV Hospital reported a 38% increase in tick-borne disease tests from March to May 2024.
Three species are present: deer ticks (transmit Lyme, babesiosis, anaplasmosis; nymphs are poppy-seed-sized), lone star ticks (can trigger red meat allergy), and dog ticks. Nymphs are most active May through July, right as camping season opens. Our tick safety guide has the full prevention routine.
A boardwalk through the scrub on an island trail: long pants, closed shoes and a tick check when you get back to camp.
The routine that works: permethrin on clothing before the trip, DEET 20–30% on exposed skin, then a shower within 2 hours of coming in and 15 minutes in a dryer on high for your clothes. A deer tick must be attached 24–48 hours to transmit Lyme; early removal prevents infection.
These salt-marsh flies bite with scissor-like jaws from roughly the last two weeks of July through the first week of August. They are largely immune to conventional insect repellent. Covering up works best: light-colored clothing (they go for dark colors), covered skin and windy spots. They're most active 10 AM to dusk.
A few things stay home: bug zappers (prohibited, since they attract wildlife), generators (prohibited) and firewood from the mainland (buying it on the island keeps out invasive species).
There are no bears; Martha's Vineyard has been bear-free for centuries. The wildlife you'll meet at the campground is skunks (very common, harmless if not startled) and raccoons, and stored food plus the dumpsters keep them out of your site.
Edgartown in November 2025, the last leaves turning and the picket fences already trimmed with greenery.
If your dates are flexible, September has a lot going for it: the ocean is still warm, crowds thin, prices drop, the greenhead flies are gone, the first fall color shows and dogs are allowed at the campground. Evenings are cooler, and some businesses keep shorter hours.
Sleeping in a car or on a beach is banned in all six towns; the rules and etiquette guide explains which of the island's rules are bylaws with fines and which are custom.
May and June have longer days and wildflowers, though the ocean is still cold. Our month-by-month visitor guide covers the rest of the year.
In any season, mid-week arrivals are much easier to get than weekend starts.
Step 1 · WhenMonth PickerTwelve months compared on NOAA numbers, crowds, prices and what is open. 
Step 2 · DaysDay-by-Day Trip PlannerMorning, afternoon and evening sketched for every day, events dropped in, emailed to you. 
Step 3 · CostTrip Cost CalculatorFerry, beds with the rooms tax, meals, getting around and activities in one price range. Our own video, filmed on the island.
No. Beach camping is prohibited across all six towns with penalties including fines and arrest.
No. Manuel F. Correllus State Forest prohibits camping and fires, and DCR enforces it.
No. Sleeping in vehicles is prohibited island-wide outside the campground.
For July and August, the day the January release opens (in 2026 it ran January 22–28; the 2027 dates are posted in winter). Sites sell out within days to weeks. For the shoulder season, 2–3 months ahead is usually enough.
No. The VTA bus (currently free) stops at the entrance. With the campground’s bike rentals, the whole island is within reach without a car; our car-free guide has more.
Nantucket has no public campgrounds, so for budget travelers the Vineyard's one campground is an advantage. Our MV vs Nantucket comparison has more.
Island tip of the day Shopping No. 31 of 86 New tip at midnight, island time
The Chappy Ferry costs $5/person round-trip and $17 for a car with driver. Cards work at the Edgartown-side kiosk; bring cash for the boat itself.
A family reunion on Martha's Vineyard: what a whole-family house costs with the 11.7 percent tax and cleaning fee, why bedrooms decide how many it sleeps, the cheaper alternatives, walking twenty people onto the ferry instead of bringing cars, feeding the group, the one restaurant night to book a year out, and the free week.
Oak Bluffs or Edgartown: where to stay on Martha's Vineyard, compared on the ferry (the summer boat lands in Oak Bluffs), room rates ($200 to $400 vs $250 to $450 in August), nightlife (Circuit Avenue to 12:30 vs a 10 PM bylaw), restaurants, beaches, parking, children and couples, with the honest middle answer.
The Martha's Vineyard honeymoon guide from a local: the best month to come (September), the eight inns that are actually romantic with 2026 rates, a five-day plan from Edgartown to the Aquinnah cliffs, the dinners worth a Resy reservation, the catboat and tall-ship sails, the dry-town bottle rule, and a worked budget for five nights.
How renting a house on Martha's Vineyard actually works: agencies versus owner sites, the January booking rush, weekly rents by size with the 11.7 percent tax on top, which town suits which week, what the lease leaves out (linens, keys, trash, air conditioning), the 2026 town rules on short-term rentals, the scams, and the beach passes that come with a lease.
Where to stay on Martha's Vineyard in 2026. From $40 hostel bunks to $1,000 luxury inns, plus vacation rentals and camping across all six towns.
Stay at JADE Home-Run in West Tisbury, a family-run B&B offering cozy rooms, homemade breakfast, and genuine island hospitality.
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