What Is Tenting and How Do You Choose the Right Campsite?

Updated

Tenting means camping with a tent as your shelter instead of an RV or trailer. You choose a campsite by matching three things: the site's hookup type (none, water/electric, or full hookup), the amenities you actually need (restrooms, showers, water, store), and the rules that affect you (pets, quiet hours, fires). A lakeside campground like Swanzey Lake Camping Area in the Monadnock Region of New Hampshire shows how these factors play out in practice: it offers rustic tent sites with no hookups alongside water/electric and four-way hookup sites, and it's open May 1 to November 1.

Tenting vs. RV camping: what actually differs

The shelter is the obvious difference, but the practical split comes down to utilities and space.

Factor Tenting RV/trailer camping
Shelter Tent you pitch and pack Vehicle you drive in and park
Hookups Often none; sometimes water/electric Commonly water, electric, and full hookups
Site needs Flat, clear, well-drained ground Level pad, clearance for slides and length
Setup time Minutes to pitch, more weather-dependent Leveling and connecting utilities
Gear carried Everything in the car or on your back Stored in the rig

Swanzey Lake accommodates both: spacious tent and trailer camping, with RV sites for most rigs up to 35 feet. If you're tenting, you're not limited to the no-hookup sites — you can book a water/electric or full hookup site and simply not use the connections, though that usually costs more.

How to choose the right campsite

Work through these in order, because each one can eliminate options.

1. Confirm tents are allowed and pick your hookup level

Not every campground accepts tents, and not every "tent site" is the same. Ask for the site type by name:

  • Rustic tent site (no hookups) — cheapest, no power or water at the site; you rely on the bath house and communal water.
  • Water and electric — useful for a CPAP machine, phone charging, or an electric cooler.
  • Full four-way hookup — water, electric, sewer, and often cable; overkill for most tents unless you're staying long.

At Swanzey Lake, all three exist, and the seasonal sites all have four-way hookups. If you only need a tent pad, say so — you'll usually pay less.

2. Check the amenities against your actual trip

A campground's amenity list tells you what you won't have to pack or drive for. Swanzey Lake lists:

  • WiFi hotspot
  • Playground, horseshoe pits, basketball hoops
  • Swimming and fishing
  • LP gas station
  • Hot showers, flushable toilets, bath house, changing rooms
  • Laundry area
  • Hobby room and pottery painting
  • Fully stocked camp store with groceries, snacks, and RV accessories

For a tent camper, the load-bearing items are hot showers, flushable toilets, and drinking water. The store matters more than you'd expect — it's the difference between driving 20 minutes for ice and walking five.

3. Read the rules that apply to you

Rules are where trips go wrong. Confirm before booking:

  • Pets — Swanzey Lake welcomes pets in designated areas, but not on the beach, and owners are responsible for their pets. If your dog swims with you, that's a real constraint.
  • Quiet hours — not listed in the source material; ask when you call.
  • Fires — not listed; ask whether fire rings are provided and whether local fire restrictions apply.
  • Group camping — Swanzey Lake has a dedicated group area that fits several RVs or tents, useful if you're booking for a group rather than a single site.

4. Match the season and book ahead

Swanzey Lake is open May 1 to November 1, with seasonal sites available by phone. Lakeside campgrounds in the Monadnock Region fill on summer weekends and holiday weeks, so book early for July and August, and expect shoulder-season (May, September, October) to be quieter and easier to reserve.

What tenting at a lakeside campground looks like

At Swanzey Lake, tenting sits inside a broader camping setup rather than being a separate experience:

  • Over 100 wooded sites, not far from the shore of a clear lake
  • Row boats, kayaks, and canoes for rent by the hour or the day
  • Boats allowed, with moorings available by day, week, or season for a small fee
  • A lodge with wooden rockers for sunsets

That mix is the appeal: you sleep in a tent but have a lake, a store, and hot showers within walking distance. It's also the trade-off — you're camping near other people, not in backcountry solitude.

Common mistakes when picking a tent site

  • Assuming "tent site" means no hookups. It doesn't always. Ask for the hookup type explicitly.
  • Booking a full hookup site for a tent. You'll pay for utilities you won't use.
  • Skipping the pet rules. "Pet friendly" often excludes beaches, swimming areas, and sometimes specific loops.
  • Ignoring the season dates. A campground closed November 1 can't take a late-fall booking, no matter how good the weather is.
  • Not asking about group sites. If you're camping with several families, a group area beats scattered individual sites.

Quick decision checklist

Before you book any tent site, confirm:

  1. Tents permitted at that specific site type
  2. Hookup level you need (none / water+electric / full)
  3. Hot showers, flush toilets, and drinking water on site
  4. Pet policy and any off-limits areas
  5. Fire and quiet-hour rules
  6. Opening and closing dates for the season
  7. Cancellation terms and whether you can call to hold a seasonal site

For Swanzey Lake specifically, call for seasonal sites and current rates, since prices are subject to change and the rates page is the authoritative source.