Nelson's Family Campground

Campground in East Hampton, CT • 59 RV Sites

Spread across a wooded property in East Hampton, Connecticut, Nelson's Family Campground operates as one of the larger camping destinations in central Connecticut—accommodating hundreds of RV sites designed with big-rig-friendly dimensions and offering a recreational infrastructure well suited to family stays ranging from long weekends to extended summer visits. The campground's location in Middlesex County places it within easy reach of the Connecticut River Valley and a cluster of distinctive cultural and outdoor attractions that give the surrounding region its character. Sites are laid out on gravel or grass pads with individual cable television connections, electrical service, water hookups, and sewer or gray water disposal options, providing a consistent full-hookup standard across the site inventory. A general store, outdoor swimming pool, sports courts, and a recreation center address the daily activity and supply needs of guests on-site, while clean bathrooms, shower facilities, laundry, and a dump station handle the practical requirements of campground life across what is designed as a self-sufficient camping community. The property is structured to minimize the need to leave for everyday supplies or services during a typical multi-day stay. East Hampton's position in central Connecticut puts the campground within reach of the Connecticut River and Lake Pocotopaug—a natural lake that supports swimming, fishing, and non-motorized paddling throughout the warm-weather season. The wooded terrain of Middlesex County provides hiking and biking trails that connect to the broader Connecticut trail network, and the rural-to-suburban character of the East Hampton area gives the surrounding landscape a quieter feel than is typical of campgrounds closer to the state's major urban centers. The region's cultural attractions span a wide range and include the Mark Twain House and Museum in Hartford, which preserves the home where Twain wrote several of his most celebrated works, and Gillette Castle State Park along the Connecticut River—a dramatic stone structure perched above the river valley with hiking trails on the surrounding grounds. The Goodspeed Opera House in East Haddam, a Victorian-era theater on the Connecticut River, regularly produces nationally recognized musical theater productions. Brownstone Exploration and Discovery Park offers rope courses, cliff jumping, and water activities for guests seeking more active recreation. Nelson's Family Campground is open through the warm-weather season, with summer and fall representing the busiest periods for both seasonal site holders and visiting campers. New England's fall foliage season brings a second wave of demand in September and October, when the wooded Connecticut landscape produces the color displays that draw leaf-peepers from across the Northeast. Advance reservations are strongly recommended for summer holiday weekends and October foliage weekends, when campground availability throughout central Connecticut is limited. The Connecticut River Valley, which runs through the heart of Middlesex County adjacent to the East Hampton area, is one of New England's most historically and ecologically significant corridors—a flyway for migratory birds, a historic transportation route, and the spine of the region's agricultural and industrial heritage. The Salmon River State Forest, accessible from the East Hampton area, provides hiking on forested trails through one of Connecticut's more extensive publicly accessible natural areas.

Campground rules and policies

Check-In Procedure
- Check-in is at 3:00 pm.
- Check-out is at 11:00 am.
- Please call ahead for early check-in availability.
- While each park attempts to accommodate your exact spot request, the on-site manager has the ultimate decision for spot placement.Quiet Hours
- Quiet hours are from 11:00 PM – 8:00 AM.
- All children must be on their sites with a parent during quiet hours.
- The campground never accepts care, custody, or control of children.
- No sound from sites should be heard off-site.Vehicle Policy
- All vehicles must have a campground ID visible, whether it is a seasonal sticker or a camping pass.
- Only one camping unit per site is permitted without permission.
- Two registered camper’s cars per site are allowed.
- Bar codes are issued to campers for entrance into the campground.
- Bar codes are not transferable.Parking Policy
- Guests must park in the visitor’s lot.
- Park at your own risk only.
- Note: all visitors must park in a free designated parking area or pay an on-site parking fee of $10.00.Speed Limit
- There is a 5 MPH speed limit throughout the campground.Guests
- Please inform your guests that all visitors must stop and register at the office and park in the visitor’s parking lot.
- A visitor’s fee is charged for daily visitors, and an additional fee is charged for overnight visitors.
- Daily visitors must leave at quiet hours.
- Maximum of one camping unit per site.
- Fee required for any additional unit.
- An adult member of the camper’s family must be on the site at all times the site is in use.
- Visitors are asked to please leave their pets at home.Pet Policy
- Pets must be on a short leash at all times and are to remain on a strong, durable chain or rope that will not allow the pet to extend off the site in any direction.
- Pets should never be left unattended.
- All pet droppings shall be the pet owner’s responsibility and must be removed immediately.
- All pets should have proper papers for vaccinations to be presented to the campground owner upon request.
- If any pet is creating a disturbance or being a nuisance, the pet shall be immediately removed per the manager’s request.
- No more than 2 pets per site are allowed.
- Visitors’ dogs are not permitted.
- Children shall not be allowed to walk pets.
- No pets are allowed in the recreational hall, pavilion, playgrounds, bathrooms, or swimming areas.
- Accommodations will be made for service animals.
- Any pet bites must be presented to staff immediately.
- Any pet bites will result in the removal of the pet.Campfires
- Build fires in fireplaces only.
- Do not move fireplaces.
- Never leave a fire burning when you leave your campsite or before retiring.
- No cutting of one’s bushes or trees is allowed.
- Firewood is for sale at the camp store.
- Please do not remove firewood from other sites.
- Keep a hose or bucket with water nearby in case of emergency.Trash Policy
- Please bring your trash to the dumpsters located near the campground entrance.
- We recycle and use the appropriate containers.
- Trash/recyclables need to be kept in sealed containers or removed.
- No receptacles (such as buckets, wagons, etc.) can be used to collect and hold stagnant water.
- Please put it upside down or undercover.Septic
- Most sites have gray water only, which requires a reducer and hose.
- Septic is available on limited sites only. Never put septic into gray water pipes.
- Blue boy tanks can never be left connected, and they must have tightly sealed caps at all times.
- The outside shower can only be used as a foot wash.
- Soap is not allowed.
- We offer a honey wagon service for a fee or a free dump station.Telephone Calls
- An emergency phone is located outside the recreation hall doors.
- Instructions for its use are located next to the phone.Recreation Hall, Store, and Pavilion
- No pets, except service animals, are allowed in the store or recreation hall.
- Children 10 and under are not permitted in the recreation hall after 8:00 PM without parents.
- No hard liquor in the recreation hall.
- Bike riding, skateboarding, and rollerblading are prohibited in the recreation hall and pavilion.Weapons
- Weapons and firearms of any kind, including but not limited to airguns, B.B. guns, and slingshots, are absolutely not allowed in the campground.Motorcycles and Mopeds
- It may be driven from your campsite to Mott Hill Road only.
- Joyriding in the campground is not permitted.
- Power-driven riding toys for any age are not permitted in the campground.
- Golf carts are not permitted in the campground.Damages
- You will be asked to leave if you, your children, or your guests vandalize our property or hack, cut, or drive nails or screws into trees, buildings, or picnic tables.
- In addition, children are not allowed to use knives or hatchets unless supervised by an adult.Sheds, Fences, or Decks
- Sheds, fences, and decks are not to be erected at campsites without permission from the campground.
- Likewise, bushes or trees are not to be trimmed without permission.Artificial Grass
- Artificial grass is not allowed on “real grass” sites.Clotheslines
- Clotheslines are not permitted at campsites.Activities
- Check the Activities Board outside the camp store for planned activities and events or any schedule changes.
- Please note that scheduled activities may change without notice.
- Athletic equipment is available at the camp store.
- This equipment must be signed out.
- Some items require a deposit.Prohibited Items
- Your safety and enjoyment during your stay are important to us.
- Please note that we do not permit the following at the campground:
- Beer or wine kegs
- Drones
- Skateboards or scooters
- Gasoline or electric chainsaws for firewood
- Loud bug zappers
- Fireworks or sparklers, even “legal” ones.Boulders
- Do not climb or play on boulders along the edge of campsites.
- These boulders act as a barrier along drop-offs and embankments.
- Please use caution.Bike Policy
- We highly recommend the use of bike helmets at all times.
- Parents must instruct their children in proper safety procedures before riding and provide proper supervision.
- Please ride with caution.
- No speeding or reckless riding.
- The campground speed limit is 5 MPH.
- Cars always have the right-of-way.
- No riding bicycles after dark.
- No riding on steps or hills near the recreation hall, RV sales area, paved areas, or in the pavilion. No riding near or under the traffic control gates.
- Park bicycles in the racks provided near the office at the bike owner’s own risk. Do not park bikes in front of the recreation hall or in any doorways.
- Do not use speed bumps as ramps.
- One person at a time on a bicycle.
- If you ride your bike in the campground, you must agree that staff may place your bike in a secure “bike jail” for failure to follow bicycle rules.
- A parent will need to retrieve the bike from the staff.
- This is subject to CT Bicycle Laws.Pool Policy
- The pool hours are as posted.
- Children under 16 must be accompanied by an adult at all times.
- Accepted ratio of supervision is 1 person 21 years of age or older per 2 children under the age of 16 (unless your own).
- If you bring children to the pool, please remain with them, as children should never be left unattended.
- No Running, Diving, or Excessive Horseplay.
- Only swimsuits may be worn; no cutoffs or street clothes are allowed.
- Any child not potty trained must wear a swim diaper, not a regular diaper.
- Absolutely no alcohol, smoking, glass containers, or eating food permitted in the pool area.
- Please keep the music down to a reasonable level out of respect for others; if you have songs that may make others feel uncomfortable or are inappropriate to play around children, use private listening devices.
- No lifeguard on duty; swim at your own risk.
- No trespassing in the pool area when closed.
- Please follow all posted pool rules.Pond Policy
- No Lifeguard on duty.
- Swim at your own risk.
- No horseplay.
- Swimming and fishing are allowed in the designated areas only.
- No boats of any kind, inflatable rafts, tubes, or floats.
- No swimming after dusk.
- No pets allowed.Playground Policy
- The playground is open from 9:00 AM until dusk.
- Swings are for all ages. Climbers must be between the ages of 5-12 only, with adult supervision.
- One-person limit on the slide. No climbing up the slide.
- No climbing on top of the playground roof.
- No pets or bicycles are allowed in/on the playground area.
- No foul language or inappropriate behavior.
- Young children must be supervised.
- Please show respect for other people and the playground at all times.Emergency Phone
- Located at Rec Hall Entrance.Fine Print
- The management reserves the right to remove, at our sole discretion, without refund, any person or persons who violate our camp rules.
- If you are asked to leave for any reason by the management of the campground, you must do so immediately or accept that you will be treated as a trespasser by the appropriate local authorities.
- Camping has inherent risks associated with outside activities.
- We are not responsible for injuries or damages occurring as part of the inherent risks of any camping environment.
- All campers must maintain insurance; your units are not covered by the campground’s insurance.
- Anyone using these facilities must do so with the understanding that the campground is provided as a recreational facility only, and it may not be used as a primary residence.
- The campground is under constant video surveillance.
- You agree to provide photo identification at any time if requested by staff or face immediate removal from the property.Reservations
- Payment in full is due at the time of booking.Camping Site Rates
- Camping rates are per family (two adults and up to 4 children).
- Camping sites include cable and wifi.
- Limited sewer sites.
- Free dump station on-premises.
- No tents allowed.Campground Disclaimer
- Thank you for choosing to stay at Nelson’s Family Campground.
- We are happy to have you as our guests.
- We ensure the safety and enjoyment of all campers.
- The following rules are intended to provide an enjoyable family camping experience for you and your neighbors.
- Parents are advised to inform their children of these rules and are responsible for their supervision.
- Violation of these rules could mean early departure without a refund.
- Regulations can be modified at any time.