Burlingame State Campgrounds Review: What Recent Campers Report

Burlingame State Campgrounds sits on Burlingame State Park Road in Charlestown, Rhode Island, and the source record lists it as a campground with a 4.4 rating across 521 reviews. That combination of a wooded state-park setting and a large review base is exactly why so many campers search for a Burlingame State Campgrounds review before committing to a trip, and it is also why the details in this piece are drawn strictly from the listed property data and from what recent visitors chose to write.
The source columns describe a forested campground with a swimming beach that permits RV camping, charges a camping fee, and lists dogs as allowed. Reviews from the past several months add texture to that summary: guests talk about wide sites, renovated bathhouses, a stocked camp store, generator hour limits, and, in a few cases, friction over check-in and pond access. What follows separates the property data from the personal opinions, so you can see which is which.

Burlingame State Campgrounds at a Glance

The property is addressed at 75 Burlingame State Park Rd, Charlestown, RI 02813, in the United States, and its coordinates place it in the wooded southern corner of Rhode Island near the coast. The listed category is simply Campground, and the official website is the Rhode Island state parks camping section, which is where the source data points anyone looking for area descriptions and specific requirements. A phone line is listed at +1 401-322-8910 for the campground itself; one reviewer noted that a different number was in use at the gate than the one published, so it is worth confirming contact details before a late arrival.
The source attributes describe a place built around vehicle-based camping in the trees: RV camping is explicitly listed, camping fees apply, and the setting is recorded as a forested campground with a swimming beach. Amenities in the source data include public toilets, restrooms, and public showers, and the accessibility column records a wheelchair-accessible car park, entrance, and toilet. Parking is listed as a free lot with on-site parking also noted, alongside a paid lot entry, and the payments column records credit cards, debit cards, NFC mobile payments, and separately a cash-only flag, so carrying both a card and cash is the sensible reading of that mixed signal.

What Do Visitors Like About Burlingame State Campgrounds?

Overall sentiment in the supplied reviews is strongly favorable, though not unanimous. Nine of the fifteen separate reviews in the source data read as positive, three are mixed in tone, and three are distinctly critical, which fits a campground that has been rated 4.4 across 521 reviews. Repeat visitors are common in the feedback, with one person describing twenty years of family trips and another calling it a favorite local spot, and multiple reviewers highlight the staff, the wooded setting, and the bathrooms. The complaints cluster around a few specific things rather than the site itself: firewood cost and rules, condition of portable toilets, pond beach access, and one disputed check-in and ranger encounter.

1. Beach and pond access, and convenience to town

Beach access is the most contested point in the feedback. Several reviewers describe a nice beach by the pond within walking distance and one mentioned a swim area and playground but no pool, while another stated plainly that access to the pond beach was closed to the public and that they were referred to a public beach roughly thirty minutes away each way. Because these accounts conflict, current status should be checked directly before planning a swimming-focused trip.
Nearby conveniences are mentioned often. Reviewers cite a short drive to East Beach, a breachway with clear water and a parking fee, a Walmart about ten minutes away, a coffee shop under ten minutes away, and a town parking garage with a free trolley into Newport. One reviewer also noted canoe rentals starting around forty dollars and single kayak rentals around sixty dollars, and mentioned laundry is not available on site, with the closest option in Westerly about thirteen minutes away.

Visitor Highlights

Paraphrased summary of what visitors mention most — not direct quotes.

15 visitor mentions analyzed · 9 positive · 3 mixed · 3 critical

Read original reviews on Google Maps →

Facilities and Amenities: What Should You Know?

Facilities and amenities as listed in the source data describe a campground with public toilets, restrooms, and public showers available on site, and accessibility features that include a wheelchair-accessible car park, a wheelchair-accessible entrance, and a wheelchair-accessible toilet. Parking appears in more than one form in the columns, with a free parking lot and on-site parking recorded along with a paid parking lot entry, so the safest approach is to expect a mix depending on where you are parked. Payment details are similarly mixed: credit cards, debit cards, and NFC mobile payments are all recorded, and a cash-only flag also appears, which makes carrying both a card and cash the practical choice. Dogs are allowed according to the pets column, though one reviewer noted the campground offers no dog-specific amenities such as pickup stations, so supplies are worth bringing.
For activities, the source records RV camping, an applicable camping fee, and a forested campground with a swimming beach. Beyond the listed columns, reviewers describe a camp store, an arcade room, a playground, walking trails, a multi-lane dump station at the front of the park, potable water refill stations, and dumpsters placed around the grounds. Showers were described by guests as metered and coin-operated, so quarters are useful, and one reviewer mentioned an ATM near check-in. The campground is addressed at 75 Burlingame State Park Rd, Charlestown, RI 02813, the listed phone number is +1 401-322-8910, and the official website is the Rhode Island state parks camping page, which is where requirements and area descriptions are published.

Is Burlingame State Campgrounds Worth Visiting?

Is Burlingame State Campgrounds Worth Visiting? Based on the listed 4.4 rating across 521 reviews and the tone of recent feedback, this is a reasonable choice for campers who want a large, wooded, dry-camping experience with space between sites, working bathhouses, and a stocked store within a short drive of Rhode Island beaches and basic shopping. It is less suited to anyone expecting full hookups, guaranteed pond swimming, on-site laundry, or lenient arrival timing, since those are the areas recent reviewers flagged.
The campground suits tent campers and RVers comfortable without electric or water connections, families who want room for groups across several sites, and travelers using it as a base for exploring the Charlestown and Westerly area. It suits cabin users who want a step up from a tent and do not mind bringing bedding, a lantern, and cooking gear. It is a weaker fit for campers who need level pads without blocks, who rely on reliable published phone contact for late arrivals, or who are planning the trip primarily around a swim at the pond beach given the conflicting reports.

What Are the Potential Limitations?

The source data does not establish operating hours, seasonal opening and closing dates, or reservation and cancellation policies, and it does not confirm current pricing beyond the existence of a camping fee. The conflicting entries in the parking and payments columns are not resolved by the data, and the amenities column listing Wi-Fi conflicts with a reviewer who reported no Wi-Fi on site. Beach and pond access status is disputed between reviews and is not settled here. Crowd levels, wait times, and current condition of the portable toilets or bathhouses cannot be verified from the supplied information, and the specific ranger encounter and check-in complaint reported by reviewers are single accounts rather than established patterns. Nothing here reflects a site inspection, and conditions at a large campground change frequently.

Frequently Asked Questions

Are dogs allowed at Burlingame State Campgrounds?

Yes. The pets column in the source data lists dogs as allowed. One reviewer noted there are no dog-specific amenities such as pickup stations, so bringing your own supplies is sensible.

Does Burlingame State Campgrounds have electric, water, or sewer hookups?

The source data lists RV camping and a camping fee but no utility hookups, and a detailed reviewer described the campground as dry camping with no electric, water, or sewer at the site. That review also mentioned a multi-lane dump station at the front of the park and potable water refill stations throughout.

What facilities are available on site?

Listed amenities include public toilets, restrooms, and public showers, with wheelchair-accessible parking, entrance, and toilet recorded. Reviewers additionally describe a camp store, an arcade room, a playground, walking trails, and dumpsters around the grounds.

How do I contact the campground?

The listed phone number is +1 401-322-8910, and the official website is the Rhode Island state parks camping page, which publishes area descriptions and specific requirements. One reviewer reported that the number used at the gate differed from the published one, so confirming before a late arrival is advisable.

Is there a swimming beach at the campground?

The source data describes a forested campground with a swimming beach, and several reviewers mention a pond beach within walking distance. Another reviewer stated that public access to the pond beach was closed, so the current status should be confirmed with the campground directly.

Final Verdict

Final Verdict: Burlingame State Campgrounds reads as a well-liked, large, wooded campground that earns its 4.4 rating across 521 reviews largely on space, setting, bathrooms, store provisions, and quiet-hour enforcement. The recurring caveats from recent visitors are concrete and manageable if you plan for them: dry camping with no hookups, sites that often need leveling blocks, firewood cost and outside-wood rules, coin-operated showers, and disputed pond beach access. Campers who arrive with the right expectations and gear will likely find it a strong base for exploring southern Rhode Island, while those needing full utilities or guaranteed swimming should verify details with the official source before booking.