Northshore magazine showcases the best that the North Shore of Boston, MA has to offer.
Issue link: http://read.uberflip.com/i/996797
et up close and personal with Salem's mar- itime and military history at Winter Is- land Park, where RV and tent camp sites dot a small piece of land that juts out into Salem Harbor, just a few miles away from busy downtown Salem. Not only is there a camp store, enclosed picnic space, playground, and public boat ramp, but Winter Island Park is also home to the 17th-century Fort Pickering (complete with ammunition bunkers), Fort Pickering Light, and the small, sandy Waikiki Beach. Roast marshmallows, fall asleep to the sound of waves, and enjoy beautiful sunsets and sunrises. salem.com/winter-island-park Don't bring outside firewood. Instead, get it at the campgrounds themselves to prevent the transfer of invasive insects, such as the Asian longhorn beetle, says Walsh. Only build campfires in designated areas and adhere to all fire warnings in the summer. Walsh says there are certain times when you shouldn't have a fire during summertime dry spells. Respect park rules when it comes to trash. Although dumpsters and barrels are often available, many campgrounds are "carry in, carry out" parks, meaning that anything you bring into the campground you should take with you when you leave. 107 ithin the more than 3,000 acres of Harold Parker State Forest there's Lor- raine Park Campground in Andover, a family-friendly campground with more than 80 campsites. "For a lot of people, it's close to home, so it's a good first-time place to camp," Walsh says. It has two separate waterfront areas for swimming—Berry Pond and Frye Pond— and is popular for hiking and mountain biking on the 35 miles of trails within the larger state forest. ere's also fishing and boating on the ponds within the forest. "It's all connected. e camp- ground is contiguous with the park, so you can access trails straight from the campground into the park," Walsh says. Showers and bathrooms, electricity at some of the campsites, and trailer/ RV dumping are a few of the available amenities. mass.gov/locations/harold-parker-state-forest LORRAINE PARK CAMPGROUND A N D O V E R