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Down to the sea in RVs

Low-key summer fun at Salisbury Beach State Reservation

The location of the Salisbury Beach State Reservation gives visitors easy access to the beach.Mark Lorenz for The Boston Globe

SALISBURY — Who doesn’t want to “own” a place by the water, even if for only a few days a year?

From spring to fall, license plates from all over can be spotted on cars, trucks hauling pop-up campers, and RVs — Quebec, Connecticut, Florida, New York, to name a few — at the Salisbury Beach State Reservation.

Lapped by a nearly 4-mile stretch of the Atlantic Ocean on one side and the mouth of the Merrimack River on another, the 484-site campground provides the ultimate access to swimming, fishing, and boating.

Despite the crowd, the campground is noticeably quiet, perhaps lulled by the ocean breezes. It’s active in a low-key, beachy way. People of all ages leisurely bike around the 521-acre site, many without helmets like it’s 1950.

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Without organized sports and activities, kids fly kites, play on the rocks, kayak on the river, and wait for waves at the beach. Dogs romp. Midafternoon, more than one serious card game is being played.

At night, there’s the boardwalk at Salisbury Beach, fireworks at nearby Hampton Beach, and for those who prefer to stay in camp, free outdoor movies on a large, inflatable screen.

The campground is so popular, many of the sites are snapped up as soon as reservations open on April 17 every year. A two-week limit is imposed during the summer months.

Family reunions are just one reason for visting the camp, about 45 miles north of Boston.

Sitting at a riverside site, Diana Jordan of Suffield, Conn., is there for one being held for the “seventh or eighth year” that includes her mother, Connie Olszewski of Turners Falls; her sister, Linda Molongoski and husband, Gerry; and their daughter, Allison, and son, Kevin, all of Sunderland.

Across the lane, Jordan’s brother, Mark Olszewski of Shutesbury, is camping in an RV with his two sons. A third sister, Cindy Tonucci, is en route from Hingham. Cousins Julie Macdonald of Amesbury and Patty Donahue of Haverhill have shown up for the day.

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“Usually we have two sites, but sometimes Linda gets a third site just for parking,” Diana said.

The Salisbury Beach State Reservation is near 4 miles of Atlantic beachfront and the mouth of the Merrimack River.Mark Lorenz for the Boston Globe

They like to mix it up when it comes to meals, Tonucci said. At the family reunion, they’ll grill some days, plan a lobster dinner one night, and sometimes they all go out. “There are lots of good restaurants around here,” Tonucci said.

Macdonald feels lucky to live so close by. She said she and her husband buy a year-round visitors pass ($60 for Massachusetts residents, $85 for others) and bring their dog.

“We come almost every day,” Macdonald said, “simply because it’s so pet-friendly.”

Rebecca Nagle of Gloucester popped in for the day to visit with extended family, including her uncle, Lawrence “Lefty” Tremblay of Oxford, and cousin from Southbridge, Sherry Jovan and husband, Jack, who are RV camping with Sherry’s parents. Because the camp is dog-friendly, Mario, a Maltese, and Sidney, a Papillon, are along, too.

“Life at camp is simple,” Sherry said. “We eat. We nap. We play cards, board games. We nap again.

“We come with four to five families: cousins, uncles, aunts,” Sherry said. “We always go to the state parks because it’s affordable. When I was a kid, we started in a 10-man canvas Coleman tent. It smelled.” Since then, they’ve upgraded to RVs.

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For 30 years, Marge and Bob Valenti have traveled about 120 miles in their RV from their home in South Hadley to camp here.

“But we don’t come every year,” Bob said as the couple positioned beach chairs in the shade of a tree on their site. “It’s hard to get in. At most state camps, like in Rhode Island or Florida, we can make reservations 11 months in advance. But here, it’s six months.”

“Where else can you stay by the ocean for $40 a night?” asked Barbara Harrington, who’s made the trek from Rutland, a suburb of Worcester about 75 miles away.

Barbara’s setting up tents with her son, Kyle, 14, and her friend, Lisa Gilman. Later in the week, Barbara’s husband, Kevin, will join them.

“It’s our third summer here,” Barbara said, as a gust of wind started to blow her tent away.

Rececca Nagle — sitting at the site next door — jumped up and ran over to help tie it down.

“That’s what we neighbors do,” said Sherry Jovan, Nagle’s cousin. “We help each other.”

The campground charges a $34 fee per night (for state residents, $39 for nonresidents) , plus a $9 reservation charge. There’s a two-night minimum. All 484 sites were booked for Labor Day weekend.

Sites are tight — neighbors are a few steps away — and vary in size, the largest to accommodate an RV or trailer, smaller ones for a tent or two. All include a water/electrical hookup, picnic table, and barbecue grill, and there’s a small spot for campfires. There’s a campground store to buy firewood, two boat ramps, and three newly renovated bathhouses with composting toilets and free showers. A dump station is located near the exit.

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Paul Robinson and his wife, Lorraine, of Spencer, park their RV alongside friends Tim and Kathleen Hackett of Paxton.

“We’ve been coming about 12 years,” said Tim. “Before that, we came up just to the beach.”

Booking early is key, Paul stressed. “There’s only so many sites with 30 or 50 amps to run the AC.”

The couples like to watch TV at night in their RVs, he said, but on cool, clear nights, they’ll sit outside to stargaze.

“The stars are beautiful,” Lorraine said.

At many sites, campers display their personalities: there are pink flamingos, giant palm trees, colorful flags, hanging flower pots, and strings of party lights. Other sites have bikes stacked in front.

Regulars said the campsite is quiet and safe. There’s a strict no-alcohol policy, Kathleen Hackett said, which is enforced by State Police troopers who patrol by car, bike, and even horse.

Mike Magnifico, the Salisbury complex manager since 1985, said in his opinion, the best camping is still ahead.

“In fall, the water’s still warm and the air cool.”


Kathy Shiels Tully can be reached at kathy@kathy-shielstully.com.