Looking to get away from it all this summer? Check out these campgrounds near Gardner

The summer months are the perfect time to get away from it all and spend some time relaxing, reading, swimming, fishing, and hiking.

Central Massachusetts offers several campgrounds for families looking for the full outdoor experience while not traveling too far from home.

Here are eight local family-friendly campgrounds for anyone looking to enjoy the great outdoors and reconnect with nature. Most of the locations provide a variety of leisure activities, including fishing, boating, sports, rec rooms, arcades, and playgrounds.

Most campgrounds are pet-friendly and offer laundry facilities and wi-fi service, but make sure to check for specific amenities before making your reservations.

Camp Coldbrook RV Resort - Barre

Camp Coldbrook RV Resort, overlooking the scenic Ware River Valley, offers over 400 RV sites and campsites on 156 peaceful acres for families looking to get back to nature and enjoy the simple life over the summer.

The pet-friendly campground, which opened over 70 years ago, offers a wide variety of amenities, including a zero-entry swimming pool, a catch-and-release pond, a cabana bar, playground, outdoor sports, laundry facilities, a game room, and a renovated tavern and arcade (coming soon).

Lamb City Campground - Phillipston

Described as one of New England’s “hidden gems,” Lamb City Campground is located on over 70 acres of woods at the beginning of the beautiful Mohawk Trail. Among the amenities offered are three swimming pools, a variety of sports courts, a frisbee golf course, a playground, two rec halls, laundry facilities, a general store and free wi-fi.

Nearby local attractions include Queen Lake, the Birch Hill Dam, and the Red Apple Farm.

The campground is open through October.

Peaceful Acres Campground - Hubbardston

Billed as a “small town escape,” Peaceful Acres Campground offers the perfect opportunity to get away to relax and connect with nature with a fully stocked lake, miles of hiking trails, and indoor swimming facilities.

With seasonal campsites and unique rental cabins featuring outside decks, fire pits, screened porches, and walk-in showers, Peaceful Acres is the perfect spot for Greater Gardner campers looking to stay local while getting away from it all.

Peaceful Pines Family Campground - Templeton

This dog-friendly campground is for seasonal campers only.

It offers a large pond with docking area, a fishing pond and stream, on-site coin-op laundry facilities, a playground, a dog park, two modern bathhouses, a large pavilion and game room, free wi-fi, and trails leading directly to Templeton State Forest.

No tent camping is allowed.

Pine Acres Family Camping Resort - Oakham

Since opening on Labor Day in 1960, the third-generation, family-owned campground on Lake Dean has offered families a chance to stay close to home but feel a world away while enjoying the great outdoors of Central Massachusetts.

Amenities include three beaches, a heated swimming pool, lakefront dining, a cashless arcade, an adult bar and lounge, a large special-events function room, a country store and café, a bait shop and rental marina, and kayak and paddleboat rentals.

More: Tips to stay safe this summer, especially while having fun at the beach or in the yard

The Pines Campground - Ashby

Owners Paul and Patricia Fiola opened the Pines Campground in 1995 so that others could share their joy and excitement of being outdoors and meeting new people while enjoying an authentic experience in nature.

Acknowledging the fine line between relaxation and boredom, the couple offers a variety of modern yet rustic amenities and facilities, including spacious camp sites, a rec hall, a swimming pool, arcade, playground, picnic tables and fire pits, wi-fi, showers, laundry facilities, and a camp store

Pout and Trout Campground - Rutland

The family-friendly Pout and Trout Campground has been offering what it calls a “Northern Maine camping experience” at affordable prices in the heart of New England since 1973.

With a season that runs until October, the campground offers over 150 wooded or sunny campsites, including tent sites, and an area reserved for guests 55 and older. All sites include a picnic table and fire pit.

Family activities include hayrides, movie nights, live entertainment, holiday-themed weekends, and camp-wide barbecues.

Woodmore Family Campground and RV Park - Rindge, N.H.

This family-owned campground on 23 scenic acres along the beautiful Contoocook River has been a favorite local vacation spot since 1965.

Families who set up a tent or park their RV here will find plenty to do all day without having to leave the campground. Boat rentals, a tournament-sized Wiffle Ball field, complete with a bullpen and dugouts, a pool, an arcade, a recreation room, and a basketball court are among the activities offered.

This article originally appeared on Gardner News: Campgrounds near Greater Gardner