Salisbury Beach State Reservation

Absolutely my favorite beache to go to in Massachusetts. The surf is good. The water is clean and the beach is big and plentiful. There's plenty to do at the pier and tons of food spots! The arcade is so much fun and the people in there are so nice. We always have to stop at Tripoli because their pizza is the best!

Terrific public beach, large with tons of parking. The beach is kept very clean, and at least so far this year the green-heads have been minimal. The water can be chilly but hey, it’s nearly New Hampshire so that’s expected. Services are minimal (restrooms with pit toilets) but otherwise I highly recommend this beach.

Absolutely love this beach! It has a great family-friendly atmosphere, and everyone does their part to keep it clean. There are multiple lifeguards on duty, which makes it feel very safe. There are three main parking lots—Lot 1 is great if you enjoy rocky areas and don’t mind a walk, but I highly recommend Lot 3. It's more centrally located and makes it easier to leave on busy days. Low tide is a big plus for families, creating little pools that are perfect for kids to play in. No reservations are needed, which is rare these days. Entry is just $14 for MA residents and $40 for non-residents—cheaper than many other beaches. Bonus: there's a rinse-off area that makes cleanup after the beach super easy. Definitely a spot worth visiting!

Our first time visiting. Clean, lovely beach. Nice restrooms, lifeguards and soft white sand. Even an ice cream truck. Lots of kites and families. We will be back next year.

Such a beautiful area. Great to walk, enjoy nature, catch the sunset, and even camp if you want to.

Beautiful, beautiful, peaceful and serene place.The sunset was just amazing. Captured these few photos with my phone.But then brought out the big boy and definitely caught some amazing shots.

Beautiful beach with a simple but fun boardwalk. We opted for Salisbury Beach bc there was an event at Hampton and we wanted to avoid the crowd. It was the weekend after Labor Day. Everything was still open but there are no lifeguards after Labor Day. The beach has large waves and is on a slight hill. My only complaint is the event center on the beach is pretty ugly from the beach. I have eaten dinner there and it’s beautiful on the inside but the building is a sore sight for those on the beach

Beautiful place, peace and quiet after 7pm, a good spot to watch the sunset. The beach was very dirty unfortunately, lot of trash but to be fair it was after 4th of July.

Ok park with good access to the beach. It gets very crowded in the summer, but we were always able to find a spot on the beach. Sites are water and electric only - they have a dump station with 4 lanes which is convenient. Few trees and kind of close together. One negative for us, it's really priced for Massachusetts residents. They charge an extra for non-MA residents (Like $40 more per night).

Taken within the framework of Massachusetts beaches north of Boston, Salisbury Beach ranks near the top. The beach is long and slender, like a twig in topographical form. It is clean and there is plenty of parking. I also like Crane Beach in Ipswich, but in this day and age there is a certain convenience of Salisbury Beach over Crane Beach: no advance reservations are required, and it is less expensive. There's not much more to say about Salisbury Beach. It's a beach. Both the sand and the water have been clean in my experience. No smoking is allowed, but kiddies are known to light up to their lungs' desire. Lifeguards monitor the water, and false medical emergencies are common. It is generally good practice to not drown when possible, and use great caution in the water if you do not know how to swim. Last time I went, a fetus washed ashore. The lifeguards were hesitant to deal with it, but ultimately one of them mustered the courage to do their job. Hopefully the fetus was composted rather than thrown in the trash. I won't state the parking rate, as it changes with the current of time. May each and every one of you be resourceful enough to find the current parking rates if you so desire. Massachusetts residents with state park passes have parking fees covered under the purview of their passes. A good investment if you visit state parks with some frequency. The campground looks like trash, by the way.

If you are in a pinch it's okay. The beach is very nice, but the bathrooms are dirty and there are a lot of flies on the campsites. A lot of pets/dogs and people leave them in campers and bark for hours. There is no staff monitoring the sites or driving around. It was quite disappointing. You can't even ask for help on the site they direct you to Reserve America. I would rather pay double somewhere in Maine than go back to that place.

So I drive up on my own to join my family. I knew the cost would be higher because I am from out of state of Mass. There are kiosks where you pay (with a credit or debit card, no cash). I was pretty horrified to see since I was from out of Mass, the cost was FORTY DOLLARS. The cost for Mass residents was 14.00. I can see adding maybe another 10 on top of that but 40 is just crazy. So know this, if you are not from Mass, clearly, you are encouraged to stay away unless you like getting reamed for ridiculous money.

The camp site is nothing much to write about (minus the sun sets) but the beach nearby is stunning. Im not talking about the main beach. Im talking about one near the campsites. It has little entryways (closer to alphabetical campsite areas H-W? Cant recall) leading to it. Its not crowded on weekdays (cant fully report re weekends) and the tides are calm. Great for working moms who need free childcare w constant peripheral supervision while working remote using phone as hotspot. ..not that I would know. This smaller beach is very clean, clearer waters, fun for little ones w textures all around eg seaweed, barnacles, crab shells, hermit crabs, etc. I have a thing for beaches with deep purple sand. (Plum Island does too. Turns out thats not at all where the name comes from) Great for restful walks, fishermen watching (if up early. Theres a tidal pool area the fish like to play at certain hrs of the day), sunbathing peacefully (without people trying to spray sunscreen several feet from you as it blows into your face), watching seals at a distance, collecting purple sand, and the occasional happy dog dancing in freedom. Do bring snacks as this is no Crane Beach fried clams stand type of beach. No bathrooms on the beach site. But there are near enough bathrooms (3 large scattered throughout campsite) and then.. theres the ocean (esp if you have a 7 yr old with a small bladder) We camped in the Z area. The newest renovated/just created bathroom building was close to us. Two showers (those ones where you have to pump the button every 8 seconds. but hey. Lets be grateful.) About 6 reg stalls. 2 handicap. It stayed relatively clean. Just don't expect the Ritz -Carlton and you'll be fine. The main beach (with lots of parking) is great if you have older kids who don't need to be monitored every second. Its a great area for those mini foam boards the young teens like to use. Nice small to med waves. Even on weekdays, its somewhat crowded. Though my mom friend loved the main beach as well. Esp bc there was a playground for our boys to play at. (yay for adult conversation time) I need to mention that Reserve America did take over the reservation aspect of this campsite. It's probably a good and bad thing overall for maintenance & sustainability but a strong warning -- that they do not work in collaboration (at least when we were there. But they'll likely change that if they took my requested review seriously). Hence, if you need help changing your reservation in any way, Do Not check in yet. Once you've checked in, the on site staff and office administrators have no power to help you, as kind as they are. The camp sites are side by side. So don't expect a wilderness expedition. Its no glamping experience either, but there is an electrical outlet near each site, along with running water area where you can wash dishes. Two nights three days stay for us two moms and two boys came out to $74. I put up my own 4 person tent (w/o the help of hubby who claims I cant follow instructions) and we maintained fire long enough for the boys to make s'mores. All in all, a spectacular time together of peace, figuring out food w/o refrigeration, and two mommies feeling restored again via nature (while still carrying the world) :)

Salisbury Beach State Reservation was a nice little destination for a day trip (we paired it with mini golf and ice cream in the Salisbury area). At first I wasn't sure if it would still be worth a visit on a cloudy day, but I'm actually glad it worked out this way, as the cooler weather meant almost no crowds! We came here not so much for a traditional beach day, but more so to relax and have a scenic walk, and it definitely fit the bill for that. We walked along the beach over to the Butler Toothpick area (basically a big, red triangular statue with a bunch of rocks that you can climb on), and just sat, relaxed, people-watched, etc. for a while. They also have a nature trail that isn't directly on the beach - we didn't check that out, but it's there if you want a non-beach walk. The campsite area was pretty full with campers and trailers, and you can tell that this is definitely a beach that would fill up on a sunny day with the people who are camping plus all the day visitors. My only complaint is that the boardwalk area that you walk along before going down to the beach had a bit of trash on it... but it got much cleaner once we got down to the actual beach itself. Parking is $14 for a day pass for MA residents. The person at the gate told us that it is free after 5 PM, which I wish we had known (we showed up at 4 PM), but still was a nice destination for some afternoon exploration in Northern MA.

Not much happening here unless you consider fighting the Nats/sand fleas a good day, the kids play area has nothing to get out of the sun, Oh and let's not forget the green heads they draw blood with their bites,On a good note the place does have showers, If you are not a mass resident you will pay for it$$$.

Birthday tradition revived!! We got to visit Salisbury today. I love coming when it's still chilly so we can have the shore almost too ourselves. Beautiful and serene!

One of our favorite camping area. Paved area for RV and chairs. Clean! They were cleaning almost every two hours. The bathrooms were spotless. Showers were warm and clean. Felt secure. Beach is well maintained a fact that I love. The atmosphere here is welcoming. Walkable area, plenty to see. Highly recommended

This review is about the CAMPGROUND and, more specifically, the jerk who runs the camp store. I have never met anyone so rude in my life and have no idea why he is allowed to act like that! I went in there three times over three days and each time was worse than the last. The first time, on our first day, I went in there to ask where the beach was - because it was 90 degrees out and I was walking to it with my 3-year-old son and didn't want to chance getting lost. "Are you kidding me?" he snorted. "What are you, first timers?" Like, yes, yes we are. Then he proceeded to give me the wrong directions. The second time there was another man behind the counter with him that seemed to keep him in check, still...I was squinting at the board behind him to read the "cash only" sign and he was like, "What, you can't read?" And it's like, I don't have my glasses on! The third time, because it was cash only and our last day there, I only had a certain amount of cash left on me and needed a half gallon of milk and a bundle of wood. I asked how much each was ($5 for a half gallon of milk, btw) and proceeded to add it up in my head and count my money. "Are you kidding me? Didn't you go to school?" It was like, jesus, man, give it a break...you are NOT funny and you're the one sitting in a funky-smelling, dusty old 150-degree store filled with clutter acting miserable. Seriously, this guy should be fired! It made an already "eh" weekend worse. The campground is cramped and many spaces - including ours - lacked trees or shade of any kind. The bathrooms were gross. Showers grosser. There are almost zero amenities. The main beach is crowded and filled with blood-sucking greenhead flies. There's zero security or anyone patrolling the place (which can be good or bad depending on how you look at it). Gaggles of kids - mostly boys - were roaming and biking around well until midnight. And in general a lot of the people came across as Cousin Eddie types. But, hey, what do you expect for $35 a night, I guess, right? The only upside was the wedding we went to on the beach. That was the one and only reason we went here. Won't be back.

This beach has some massive waves. Was fun mayhem for the adults, but I would not feel comfortable allowing my 10 and 5 year old swim at this beach. Must be a strong swimmer. I had a great time. Sand is also hot lava. Shower, and changing area was disgusting. Was full of trash, and smelled highly of urine. Bathroom was okay. Horse flies were out in full force. Parking on the weekend will fill fast.

Overall, the campground is adequate. Location is great! But quiet hours are not adhered to. With a young baby, it's hard when the neighbors allow their children to be up screaming all hours of the night. It would be nice if there was some enforcement of this

Very nice park and convenient access/parking system. However I'm going to have to give them an D for customer service. We got there early and found a picnic table by a grill, but seeing the sign about reservations for the canopy area my friend called to see if it was ok if we setup there. The person he talked to said there were no reservations for the day so it was ok if we stayed in that spot. Then a few hours later someone showed up and said they reserved that space. Thinking he was bluffing because he just wanted our spot we called the staff again. This time a different operator said the space was in fact reserved for that day. So we had to move all our stuff and luckily found another table and grill. If he didn't know he should've just told us directly that there was a chance it was reserved? Instead of leading us on with misinformation?

Great family beach. A Mass State Parks parking permit is only $60, and gets you free parking. Plenty of parking. They have life guards. You are allowed to use boogie boards and other beach toys. Restrooms are far from the beach and they only have outdoor cold showers

This review is for the Campground only. The beach itself was very nice. I hesitate to give this campground 2 stars rather than a more accurate 1 star, but I will admit that your experience will depend greatly on your expectations of camping in general. For us, this missed the mark by a large margin. Firstly, this is a state park, and in Maine this means something. State parks are known for being well kept, quiet, wooded, with space between spots and clean if modest bathrooms. Perhaps we are spoiled. This felt more like a trailer park with tents. Pros: Near the beach. You do have to drive to it if you are carrying anything, but there is ample parking. The staff at check in and in the general store were friendly. Pretty view over the marsh once you walk down to it (not from sites). Cons: -Our site was full of trash when we pulled in, we walked around for about 10 minutes picking it up. -The sites are on top of each other. If we had two cars like we originally planned to, the cars and a single tent would have taken up almost the entire site. And we had one of the larger sites. -When we arrived at 4pm on Friday the women's bathrooms were already filthy. -Our site (X002) was right next to the marsh/inlet, but there is a paved road between the site and the marsh. (see photos) -The sites are not wooded at all, so you are completely exposed. -Someone was blasting country music from 8-10pm, and there wasn't much we could do about it. If you have an expectation of respectful neighbors, this isn't the place for you. A storm came through on our second night and we used it as an excuse to leave. For some campers this might be just what you like, but it didn't work for these nature lovers.

We stayed for 2 nights on the hottest days of the summer in the campground. There is no shade whatsoever so be prepared to try and beat the heat. The sites were easily accessible and to back into with hookups but they are packed in like sardines. If you were like our visit, you probably will be next to some trashy folks or drug users. That was a bummer. The showers were long lines and make sure you wear shoes while using them. We swam at the mouth and at the beach- we preferred the mouth, but there were lots of dogs and people fishing from shore. I personally picked up some broken glass and fish hooks. Overall, it's OK here. It is "camping" after all. I might do it again. I would want to hand pick my site though. I got the last one.

Open 8am-10pm (I think) Memorial Day to Labor Day (I think, check the website to be sure!). $9 fee to get on the beach, but it has tons of parking, and at that price it is totally reasonable compared to a lot of beaches in the area. The beach was pretty full today, but it was AMAZING weather, and I'm pretty sure that they do fireworks on Saturday nights (you can see them from Hampton Beach) so that would explain it.... 90+ degrees on the beach, we set up a blanket and ran down to the water. The water was a COOL 60+/- degrees, every part of your body feels numb within 15 minutes, but oh so refreshing! I hadn't been here in YEARS, maybe 10, but it was pretty much what I remembered. There are lots of warnings about rip tides, which is usually why the beach is always so full, and there is tons of space IN the water. Keep an eye on your kids if you come here, rip tides are no joke! I always set up near the lifeguards chair anyways - out of habit, my mum used to so it was easier for us to find her from the water. I will be back again, hopefully before the summer is through!

Great place to take your family any time of the year. Though, expect long lines during summer peak times, when the weather is good. The issue they have is not being able to direct traffic correctly coming in. There should be two lanes open during busy peak times upon entry. One for season holders and the other for those paying. The entry should be widened to accommodate for the large volume during the summer. It's a great place to see the seasonal birds too. Lots of clean beach and water.

It's nice beach not too crowded the water cold though, easy parking $14 for MA Resident and $40 for Out of state plate, Warning it's traffic on the way out

Someone's has to do something about the speeders in the campground area. We are local residents and walk there as often as possible with our dogs. People speed at high speeds with no care for anyone walking. The speed limit is posted 5 mph and hardly anyone abides to it. State Police should set up speed traps. It is very dangerous walking there, particularly where people drive in the opposite direction of the campground park and don't even know it. Suggest the park install do not enter signs, or one way signs, and brighten up the 5mph on the street, or enforce the speed with the State Police. It is a nice park and with the new electrical project, seems to be changing things a little. However, the biggest complaint is the speeders, then those who simply do not care when they are walking their dogs and don't pick up after. Then there is all the litter. I filled a green back of cans one day, which I brought to the recycle center. A week later, cans thrown all over the place again. People are so inconsiderate. I appreciate the park placing buckets for dog poop, but the owners should take it away since it is often left in the buckets. Overall, the access to the beach is pretty good. Just biggest complaint is the speed and the road surface in the park.

Absolutely gorgeous, acres of undisturbed land, long beautiful ocean front, showers at parking lots two and three. One of my favorites

One of the best beaches I've been to this far in Massachusetts. Only an hour away from Boston. Ample parking available, $14 for MA residents and $20 for non-MA residents. The beach itself was very clean and not too crowded. The water was cold but refreshing with a decent amount of waves great for body surfing or boogie boarding. The walkways to the beach are in great shape. There are public restrooms, outdoor showers and changing rooms. There are also picnic tables and a playground! Overall, it is a great beach and I am looking forward to my next visit!

This depends on the season. For me, off-season beachgoing can't be beat, and we have loved this place for decades. The playground is so Much fun with children, especially on those soft spring days or clear, comfortable fall days. And if you have a camera and you can catch the golden hour while Your children are playing at the beach, you will cherish those photographs forever. The Merrimack River is so gorgeous at this spot, great for strolls in the sand while you watch for seals and all kinds of birds. Bird watching here is great, too, in the off-season, because you can take your time and set up your scope and look around without too many hassles. Butler's Toothpick is a scenic little spot. Again, for bird watching, lots to see. There are hunters and fisherman around, enjoying their hobbies and sports, but it's never very crowded...during the off-season! The beach is really nice and there are restrooms available. The jetty is picturesque and great for fishing. The campsites are so nice and flat, but during the season, the place is packed. Still, if you're looking for a nice off-season nice weather thing to do, meander and explore all around this place, and bring your binoculars, kite, young ones, whatever you please, and you'll love it.

Love this beach. Perfect waves. Amazing wildlife. Parking is solid. Lots of walking trails to explore. Note: don't bring your dog as they aren't alowed

It used to be one of our favorite affordable places to go but DCR really really hiked up the prices up from $9 to $14 and let this place go... (and $36 seasonal to $60 seasonal) The traffic control once you get into the park is awful, people who pay cash have to wait in line for those that pay with a credit card (where the attendant has to walk over the CC machine) causing a big line. No signs of high tide anymore. Bathrooms are ABSOLUTELY disgusting... some water needs to be flushed down here to get rid of the smell. Not enough trash containers... when we left the whole area was littered with TRASH! The beach is nice and they are doing improvements on the jetty... not sure why? Life guards once noticeable was few and far between and when you do see them they are flirting with the other life guards. I know Mass has some budget issues but once a treasure ...now thinking of just heading to Hampton State from now on.

The Park is in a great location but was crowded. The bathrooms were NOT very clean at all and, I found out that they are cleaned? by "volunteers" who get "paid" with free campsites! For hundreds of campers, there are only 2 buildings with just 6 showers!!! And 2 of the showers were out of order!!! Oh...AND there are NO laundry facilities! Good news is...the campers were very kind and respectful of one another.

The best time to visit the Salisbury Beach State Reservation, a.k.a. "The Res", is coming off season for free. I guess I am old fashioned, but $9 feels like a lot to park...but for families it's probably not all that much. Still it's a nice beach, away from the center and the White-Trash vibe of the Salisbury Beach Center. Sure the pizza is good, and it's nice to play games, but I would rather just go to the beach and chill. Camping hear is a tremendous value, but I think they should limit the amount of RV's. It's not really camping if you are in a 20-50 foot metal box with cable, etc. I am all for the creature comforts, but it's kind of ridiculous. This place is kinda sad that the sites are so damn close together. I agree, it is like a refugee camp of sorts. That said, in the off season it's awesome. People do drink here in moderation (even though it is technically illegal) but you have to A. be real quiet. B. be very, very discreet C. Not be in a large group as the State Police and Park Staff patrol very often in peak season. Oh yeah, almost all the sites have virtually no shade, so prepare accordingly. Oh and the seagulls are all over your site if you leave anything accessible. I wish this place was better maintained. I wish the staff here didn't hate there jobs. I wish more sites were set aside for tenters. That all said, it is a great place that many people in Eastern Mass have been coming for years and I always enjoy it... Bring your bikes, your walking shoes, a fishing pole for the Merrimac River and definitely anything you can use for shade. Buy wood on site so you don't accidentally bring the Japanesse Beatle that is threatening the forests of North America.

There's a fee to get into this small stretch of beach, but I prefer it over Hampton, or Plum Island. There's a campground on the site, too. There's nothing appealing about a campsite packed with RV's to me where people are within 10 feet of you on all sides. They remind me of metal refugee camps. Time it right, grab some takeout from somewhere and there might be a full moon in October or April on an unseasonably warm night and you can pitch a tent in the relatively desserted campground, build a fire and enjoy the beach.

This place is well worth the $9 parking fee...Or, better yet, if a MA resident: pay the annual fee of $35, and park free at this, and all state parks for the year (very worth it if you go more than a few times). We've been coming here for the last two years..it's clean, there are bathrooms, a great playground (on the last parking lot), camping facilities, and snack bars (just hot dogs, water, and ice cream, but it's inexpensive, and helps in a pinch). The beach itself is large -- there are three separate parking lots..we opt for the last lot as it's nearest to the smaller beach which abuts the river(less waves for the kids), and it's nearest to the excellent playground for the kids..but all of the beach is well maintained, clean and just lovely. You can also BBQ here - there are pits near the last parking lot, and some interesting historical information. Very easy to access via 95N or 1AN...I love the many north shore beaches, but this one has the feature of offering affordable parking, and a playground right there..so it has my vote as a family friendly place...and, unlike most northern CA beaches, the water doesn't require a wet suit to go swim in!!

This is my beach of choice. I have been enjoying this beach ever since I was a little kid. This is a state park and you can either pay daily at $9, or by a season pass at $35, which is good for any MA state park. Great deal in my book. There are several parking lots and although you may have a bit of a walk to get to the beach, parking is almost always gauranteed. There is also a RV area which I have never ventured into. Like others have stated, it does seemed to be clustered very close together. The Reservation also houses a playground, bathrooms at every parking lot, ands food truck at the first parking lot. The beach itself is always cleaned daily and never seems to have any seaweed. The beach is staffed by lifegaurds daily and they are reasonable about what you can and cannot do. One warning - do NOT bring alcohol here; this is a family enviornment and they do take alcohol offenses seriously. There is also a "rock wall" at the end where, if your timing is good, you can catch small crabs. This past weekend, with the pass of Hurricane Arthur, we witnessed the surf like never before. Strong tides and currents, huge waves, and even a sea lion surfaced his head 10 feet from me! Never ever before seen that in my life. As a beach bum I love the peacfulness of this location and look forward to coming back for years to come.

disappointed this year, the parking rate got jacked up and the beach is not well kept. Been going there for many years but went to Hampton Beach during a week and payed less and the beach was nicer its pretty sad to see it go this bad

AWSOME campground. Clean and right in beach and river for saltwater surf fishing. Higher power sites are 30's +. You need to have a saltwater fishing license to fish but only $10 so was well worth it! But firewood from the guy at the end of the entrance road as it's much cheaper. Bring tie downs and watch weather as it blows in hard and fast here so be prepared to take down EZ ups and roll up awnings, saw a few go flying this week. Enjoy!!!

Cute little beach that has bomb pizza from Tripoli's. I feel like this beach is the beach that you go to when it's neighbor beach, Hampton, is already too packed to enjoy your day there. But I didn't mind coming to this beach. The sand wasn't made out of pebble rocks, which is nice because Boston beaches have that. The arcades there were ok, nothing mind-blasting.

This campground is no more than an open field. Very crowded and with a 4 pet limit one must watch where you step. Our neighbors would not park in there site but chose ours! It seems that there are many sites with large access covers with large lifting rings, they are not flush with the ground but are raised a few inches. they always line up with your campers steps. During setting up our site my wife stumbled and fell while exiting our camper. the end result is a broken foot and a dislocated shoulder! The state will surely here from us. CAMPERS BEWARE !

I was wary after the reviews, but I went anyway. This was wonderful. 5 minute walk to the ocean, so no need to pay for parking. Bathrooms were very decent, plenty of TP. There's a store on sight for morning coffee and lots else. There was no partying, yelling or any loudness. Every camper we met was kind and friendly. The police patrol on horses and vehicle, so if you want to party, find alternate accommodations. This is now my new favorite spot. Great for families who just want to do thier thing and relax. 9 out of 10.

This beach is beautiful and convenient to get to from southern central NH. I love it!

We have been coming to the campground for over 15 years. I would say it's adequate for what it is. But price almost doubled from $20 to $34 a night and your not getting anything for it. Typical for Mass. Dirty, no toilet paper in the men's room at 11 am. No one obeying the rules, 2 cars per site does not mean 3/4. Hate to say it but getting pretty ghetto to me. Not coming back .

Shocking. The Massachusetts Salisbury campground had an out of order sign on handicap shower room. The entire side was out of order, 1 of 3 bathrooms toilet was out of order also. Host camper said it was due to campground not cleaning hair out of drain , beginning of season. You can't shower because the water will accumulate up to your ankles. No shower curtains either. What a mess! Do not stay here!

We have camped here a lot over the past 4 years and we love that you can bring your dogs to the beach on the river side. We love that you are right by the ocean. This year we noticed that the sites are really dirty. The DCR kids that ride around in trucks and the UTV don't do anything to keep the place clean. I have never seen them clean a site. Some people don't throw trash away like they should, and just leave it in the fire. We had a lot of trash left on our site the last time we were there and we had to clean it up. Gross! We are camping somewhere else next time and hopefully the DCR kids can start cleaning the sites so we can come back to a clean site.

Maybe the other reviews will frighten everyone away from this ocean front state park, but ever since we moved to Mass we've gone there several times a month even in the winter. The ocean front is beautiful. Sure it isn't Crane Beach, but its only 20/25 minutes drive for us and even at 2009's $9.00 parking fee its the most reasonable place to take grandchildren to jump in the waves. Actually, the parking fee only applies during the summer season. That gives us nine months to enjoy walking on the beach without paying for the privilege. EVEN BETTER! At the beginning of the season this year, husband figured out it would be less expensive to pay $35.00 for a season pass. When he asked the young girl collecting money for the pass, she asked if he was over 65. He had so much trouble saying yes, I had to answer for him. "OK!", the girl said giving him a green card. "Senior citizens don't have to pay the entrance fee." Husband didn't complain about anything the rest of the day. After you drive past the entrance booth, there ae two very different parts to the Reservation. On the right is the RV campground. Packed in the summer. Not my thing, but the campers we've talked to say its one of the best bargains on the coast. On the left is the ocean. There are large three parking areas with reasonably clean toilet facilities. Fromthere you walk on an elevated boardwalk to get to the beach. We've never found good handicapped access from any of the parking areas to the waters edge. At the far end of the reservation is the mouth of the Merrimac River where husband likes to fish for Striped Bass (he's fishing not catching). On the other side of the river is Plum Island and Newburyport. Sitting by the river on a (not to hot) sunny day watching the small boats pass by is a good way to forget about everything. We've been puzzled as to why a lot of people don't like the Reservation. OK, Salisbury isn't the fanciest place on the coast, but once you're on the beach the water looks the same. Some of the reviews we saw when we first moved to Mass complained about bus loads of people from Lawrence or Lowell. We've never had any problems and it is a public beach. Actually, a lot of the cars have New Hampshire license plates. I wonder why the state hasn't put in a higher daily parking fee for out of state cars.

If your only goal is to spend your days at the beach and have a cheap place to sleep then this isn't a bad bet. I prefer camping under pine trees with a little privacy but this is just a field with the sites pretty close together. You must hide any alcohol as it is a state park and not allowed. I saw a couple who had a bottle of wine on the picnic table have their entire car searched through, staff made a big deal about it. If your not lucky enough to live near the ocean you may enjoy this place for the location alone but I'm a short drive to the beach so would never bother staying here again.

Would have love to be told about the construction going on before paying 60 bucks for our yearly pass. We get to the beach and the majority of the sand is closed for jetty repair. I wouldn't have spent the money. My 4 year old had the worst day after the large waves knocked her down. This doesn't happen near the jetty and when it's high tide, you can go to the river side with less waves.

Beautiful beach. Water was crystal clean. Beach is busy but not so busy that you can't find your own little spot in the sand. Lots of parking no matter when you come. Highly recommend.

This beach is really nice, though I've only been once. I was reluctant to go but glad I took a friend's advice to check it out. Very clean, ample cheap parking, decent bathrooms. I loved the sand and long stretch of beach. I think negative reviews are from those confusing this with Salisbury beach which is unfortunate. Two totally different beaches, like comparing apples to oranges!

We went to the reservation today. $9 fee to get in but that's not bad compared to other beaches. If you have a handicapped placard you get in free since its a MA state park. There is a lot of parking and every lot has a bath station. I have never seen all the lots filled to capacity so you never have to worry about not getting a spot even if you get there at noon. I don't like how the toilets don't flush as they are the compost kind but some people don't mind that. There is a full flush bathroom near the campground on the far right and also a smaller beach with people swimming and fishing. There are boardwalks down to the entrance of the beach then you need to treck some with your stuff. Not bad treck but enough that you need to wear shoes etc.. There are lifeguards but this beach always has a strong undertow. We were there at low tide and we still had to pull our kid out of the water once as he got "washermachined". Be prepared to watch your kids like a hawk while they are in the water. And it's not a beach you can really swim in as the water is never really shallow and flat. You just go in and ride in the waves or get crushed by the waves. Bring a boogyboard and swim shirt. Very clean sand and surroundings at the reservation. Remember the reservation is totally different than the Salibury Beach itself. They clean it a lot and state troopers on horses patrol the beach.

I truly miss this place. Spent most of my childhood here since we camped quite often and i have so many great memories. The beach near the boat ramp was always the best spot i think since it was less crowded and fishing was always fantastic. Just sitting and watching boats on the jetty was a huge thrill for me

I think this is a great beach. We started going there just last year on the suggestion of a good friend, and we loved it! It's inexpensive $7 to park, or $35 for a summer pass), and a large and beautiful entrance to the ocean and the river. The parking pass is the best deal, in my opinion. It's a public beach, and all sorts of people go there, and for me, that's the charm of it. I like that we found a gorgeous public beach in a state park that's as lovely as it is. I would reccommend it to anybody!

The ability to get to the beach is great but the rules and regulations are absurd. If you have a skim boarder or boogie boarder in your family plan not to do it. They seem to let the boogie boarding go but they do not allow skim boarding since there were so many "broken ankles". The campsite had trash in the grill when we arrived. Bring your own grill since these grills are horrible and the fire pit does not let you adjust. There were two bathrooms in the middle of the park but in the women's room the soap did not work (however it was great to have hot water and soap). Of course all MA state parks there is no alcohol but the most hysterical thing was everyone walking around with solo cups. We also felt it was not friendly. After spending 7 weeks crossing the country chatting with people this unfriendliness was uncomfortable.

I've been here twice in off season & had no issues parking (free the time of year I've been) right up close to where the river end's & walk around. I plan on coming with my camper over the summer & spend a couple day's at the campground. If you have kid's, there's playground(s) for there enjoyment.