Nothing says summer like lakeside camping in Rhode Island! Sitting around a campfire, toasting marshmallows, and telling stories is a popular seasonal pastime. Of course, there are lots of places you can go camping in Rhode Island. You can do it in your backyard, or for a bigger adventure, grab the family and head to one of the best campgrounds in Rhode Island! Whether you like sleeping in a tent, RV, or cabin, you’ll find something special at each of these lakeside campgrounds for camping in Rhode Island.

1. Bowdish Lake Campground

This campground provides electric and water hook-ups at each site. It has a 300-acre lake with a mile of waterfront access. Enjoy the little red craft house, horseshoes, fishing, hayrides, miles of hiking trails, and much more at Bowdish Lake Campground, a hub of summer fun and one of the best lakeside campgrounds in Rhode Island.

Check out this birds' eye view of Bowdish Lake by Jim Wojdylak:

2. Holiday Acres Campground

Offering a variety of ways to enjoy camping in Rhode Island, you can bring your tent or RV or even rent a cabin at Holiday Acres Campground. Located on the Coomers Reservoir, there is plenty of water fun to be had here. Swimming and boating aren't the only activities to keep you occupied. Kids will love the game room, and there is an adults-only game room too.

3. Westwood YMCA and Family Campground

Located on the Quidnick Reservoir, Westwood YMCA and Family Campground welcomes families to their 80 acres of woodlands to enjoy swimming, boating, and fishing on the 300-acre lake. A prime summertime nature spot and one of the loveliest lakeside campgrounds in Rhode Island, this is one spot that belongs on your seasonal bucket list.

4. Burlingame State Park

Occupying 3,100 acres of woodland, this isn't just one of the best campgrounds in Rhode Island, it’s one of the biggest too! Year after year, visitors return to Burlingame State Park to go camping and take advantage of its spacious sites. Right on Watchaug Pond, this park has plenty of water views and a sandy beach. Book one of the 700 campsites or stay in one of the 20 cabins at the park.

5. George Washington State Campground and Management Area

When it comes to lakeside campgrounds in Rhode Island, George Washington State Campground is hard to beat. Found on 100 acres on the shores of the Bowdish Reservoir, the camping area is a primitive campground with no electricity or water hookups. If you don't mind roughing it a bit, set up camp with a tent or RV and get back to nature. Explore miles of trails or relax lakeside.

6. Worden Pond Family Campground

Family-owned and operated, Worden Pond Family Campground has been hosting campers for more than 45 years. This is an RV-only campsite on the beautiful Worden Pond. Shallow yet massive, the pond is perfect for fishing and boating. The campground also features horseshoe pits, volleyball, and basketball.

Watch this video for some epic drone footage of Worden Pond by Ocean State Drone:

Have you ever visited any of these lakeside campgrounds in Rhode Island? If so, which ones and what’d you think? Where’s your favorite place to go lakeside camping in Rhode Island? If you’d rather camp at the beach, you’re in luck. You can actually go camping on the beach in Rhode Island.