Fishermen's Memorial State Park Camping: The Complete 2026 Rhode Island Guide

Fishermen's Memorial State Park camping is the Rhode Island state campground closest to the ocean towns of South County. It sits at 1011 Point Judith Road in Narragansett, a few minutes from Scarborough, Roger Wheeler and Salty Brine state beaches and about a mile from the Block Island ferry dock in Galilee. The state calls it a "seaside village": trimmed lawns, tree-lined paths, tennis and basketball courts and a playground, with RV hookups on most of the sites.

It's also one of the most booked campgrounds in New England. This guide covers what you need to know before you try for a site: the four camping areas, hookups, 2026 rates, reservations, the season, the campground map and what to do nearby.

Is Fishermen's Memorial Campground Open?

Yes, through the end of October 2026. The campground opened for the 2026 season on Friday, April 10, and the reservation system lists it as open through Friday, October 30, 2026. After that it closes for the winter. Two things to know if you're planning ahead:

• 2027 reservations are on hold. Rhode Island State Parks is choosing a new reservation provider for 2027 and beyond, so all 2027 bookings are paused statewide. This isn't a closure or construction at Fishermen's Memorial. The state says it will notify campers when reservations reopen, so keep your Reserve America profile and contact details current.
• The construction news is about Burlingame. If you've seen reports of a delayed opening and construction at a Rhode Island campground in 2026, that was Burlingame State Campground in Charlestown, which got new showers and restrooms. Fishermen's Memorial opened on schedule.

Fishermen's Memorial State Park and Campground: Sites and Areas

The campground has 147 trailer sites and 35 tent sites, split into four areas with different hookups:

• Area 1: electric, sewer and water. RVs only.
• Area 2: electric, sewer and water. Tents or RVs.
• Area 3: no utilities. Tents and canvas pop-ups only.
• Area 4: electric and water. Tents or RVs. The state warns that the power in Area 4 isn't enough for RV air conditioners in extreme heat, and use may be restricted at peak times. The same applies to electric heaters in cool weather.

Registered campers can use the dump station for free. Showers are metered, so you pay as you use them. Each site covers up to six people and one vehicle pass, with a second small tent allowed on some sites if there's room.

Facilities include basketball, tennis and horseshoe courts and a children's playground. From May to October there's a weekly RI Grown farmers market on Sundays, 8:30 a.m. to noon. That makes it one of the better family-friendly campgrounds on the East Coast for kids who need something to do between beach trips.

The sites are close together. Reviews say this again and again: you get a short walk to the ocean, not privacy. If you want a wooded site with space, look at the alternatives below.

Fishermen's Memorial State Park Camping Rates

Rhode Island prices state campsites by tier, with lower rates for residents:

Going by the hookups, Areas 1 and 2 match Tier 1, Area 4 matches Tier 2 and Area 3 matches Tier 3. The reservation system shows the exact rate for each site. Other fees:

• $8.75 nonrefundable reservation fee for online or call-center bookings (walk-ins don't pay it)
• $12 second-car pass per reservation
• $8 per day for a visitor vehicle pass, with a limit of two at once
• $20 for non-campers to use the dump station

Residency is checked at check-in against the primary occupant's photo ID. If you booked as a resident and can't prove it, you pay the non-resident rate.

Fishermen's Memorial State Park Camping Reservations

You book Fishermen's Memorial State Park camping reservations through Reserve America (linked from riparks.ri.gov/campgrounds) or by calling the call center at 1-877-742-2675. The rules to know:

• Minimum stay: Peak season runs from the Thursday before Memorial Day through Labor Day weekend. Reservations made before June 1 need at least two nights, and Memorial Day, Labor Day and some July 4th weekends need three. Any site still open after June 1 can be booked for one night.
• Maximum stay: 14 nights in any 21-day period in peak season. After 14 nights in a row you have to leave with your gear for seven nights before rebooking. Off-peak, it's 21 nights in any 28 days.
• Check-in is 1 p.m. to 10 p.m. Check-out is 11 a.m. sharp, and the state means it.
• Pre-check-in: After booking you'll get an email to pre-register. Finish it at least two days before arrival.
• Cancellations: Eight or more days out, you get a full refund minus the reservation fee and an $8.75 cancellation fee. Two to seven days out, you also lose one night. Inside two days, there's no refund, and there are no refunds for weather.

Book early. The state's own listing says "reserve early," and summer weekends go fast. When a site opens up from a cancellation, availability-alert services can notify you.

Fishermen's Memorial Campground Map

The campground map shows the four areas, the courts, the playground and the dump station. The most reliable map is the one in Reserve America, because it shows each site's area, hookups and length when you book. That's how you make sure you don't book an Area 3 site with an RV, or an Area 1 site with a tent. For Fishermen's Memorial State Park and Campground photos of individual sites, look at recent reviews on TripAdvisor and camping apps.

Pets at Fishermen's Memorial

Dogs and cats are allowed, and it's one of only three Rhode Island state campgrounds that allow them. The rules:

• Two pets per site, on a leash no longer than six feet. E-collars don't count as a leash.
• Bring a current rabies certificate. Staff can ask to see it.
• Pets can't be left alone at the site, in a tent or in a vehicle.
• Pets aren't allowed on Rhode Island state beaches, so plan beach days around them.

For more on keeping a dog happy at a busy campground, see our guide to camping with dogs.

Things to Do Near Fishermen's Memorial

• Beaches: Scarborough North and South, Roger Wheeler and Salty Brine state beaches are all a few minutes' drive. Roger Wheeler is the calm-water pick for small kids.
• Block Island: The ferry leaves from Galilee, about a mile away, so you can do a day trip without moving your car.
• Point Judith Lighthouse: It's at the tip of the point, a short drive south.
• Galilee: It's a working fishing port with seafood shacks and charter boats.
• Newport: It's about 30 minutes away for the mansions and Cliff Walk.

Alternatives If It's Full

• Burlingame State Campground in Charlestown has about 700 rustic sites and 20 cabins on Watchaug Pond. There are no hookups, but there's much more space.
• Charlestown Breachway has 75 sites on the water for self-contained RVs only. No tents, pop-ups or pets.
• George Washington State Campground in Chepachet has primitive sites and cabins on Bowdish Reservoir if you want woods instead of beach.

Tips for Camping at Fishermen's Memorial

• Bring layers. Spring and October nights on the coast get cold and damp. Our guide to how to stay warm camping covers it.
• Pack for wind and rain. Ocean fog and storms come through quickly. See camping in the rain.
• Buy firewood locally. Rhode Island asks campers not to bring firewood from home, to keep out forest pests.
• Tent campers: If you want power without RV neighbors on every side, look at Area 2 or Area 4. Our tent camping essentials list covers the rest.

Recommended Gear

Fishermen's Memorial is a car-camping campground. You park at your site, so comfort matters more than weight:

• Coleman Sundome Camping Tent. It's easy to pitch and has a rainfly that holds up to coastal showers. It's a good fit for the tent sites in Areas 2–4.
• Coleman Triton 2-Burner Propane Stove. It's a reliable two-burner for cooking breakfast at your site before a beach day.
• Teton Celsius Sleeping Bag. It's rated for the cold April and October nights, when this campground is at its quietest.

Before you leave, run through our camping checklist so you don't forget anything.