Steep yourself in history, New England charm, family-friendly folks, and rustic beauty at the Village Green Campground in Brimfield, Mass. This family owned and operated campground in south-west Massachusetts has the welcome mat out for seasonal neighbors and vacationers alike.

With pond and playground, pavilions and proximity to antique fairs, the Village Green Campground is a dream destination for couples who collect, as well as families looking for quality time together.

The Campground

Village Green Campground is a mix of seasonal guests, who give the park its neighborhood feel with blooming landscapes, cheery signs, and clever decorations, and vacationers in coaches, fifth wheels, trailers, and tents. The park has more than 100 large spaces along smooth dirt roads named for the ducks that spend their summers in New England.  All sites have water and most have either 30 or 50-amp electric service.  Safari field offers a great venue for extended families and groups while nearby four generous pull-through sites can accommodate the largest of coaches.

Playgrounds, ball fields, volleyball and basketball courts, and horseshoe pits on the entry road signal that Village Green is a place for family fun.  At the heart of the Village Green Campground is a spring-fed pond with a sandy swimming beach and catch-and-release fishing. When night falls, a dance and dining hall with a wooden floor offers totally modern entertainment with dancing and other activities. A campfire ring near the playground is a perfect spot for families to gather.

Modern restrooms, a laundromat and family-run Country Store – where camping supplies, as well as candy to keep the kids happy are always in stock –  make camping at the Village Green convenient and worry free.

The family-owned campground takes its reputation as a family friendly destination seriously — with the on-property owners keeping things safe and wholesome for everyone with firmly enforced rules, while keeping things lively with weekends loaded with activities from movies, to tie-dye parties, to trivia contests.

Add resilient to the list of outstanding features at the Village Green Campground.  On June 1, 2011, the campground, which has been owned and operated by the same family for more than 20 years, was devastated by a major tornado.  With little left but the skeleton of a campground, the Village Green has been in rebuilding and re-growing since.

What to do Near the Village Green Campground

The Village Green Campground is conveniently located in the heart of Massachusetts’ antique country –  Brimfield is a mere two miles away and Sturbridge is a five-mile trip.

Brimfield is a quaint, picturesque rural New England town, settled in 1706 and incorporated in 1731. The town’s 35 square miles in the Pioneer Valley are surrounded by orchards and horse farms. For most of the year, the town’s population numbers a little more than 3,000, but for three weeks in May, July, and September it swells to more than 250,000, when the town hosts the largest outdoor antique show in New England.

Over 5,000 dealers from across the country flood the historic town with an eclectic collection of treasure, collectibles, and antiques displayed across six massive fields that span over a mile. At 50 years the show is the nation’s oldest and largest “Outdoor Antique and Flea Market.”  While the shows always take place in May, July and September, the dates vary each year.

The crowds travel from around the world, and include serious collectors, curiosity seekers, rock stars, and families out for a fun day, all hoping to find treasure in the massive trove that ranges from rare to weird.  Food courts, comfort stations and activities throughout the six days of each show add to the festival atmosphere and make it one of New England’s must-do attractions.

Step back in time at Old Sturbridge Village, a living history museum which depicts live in an early 19th Century rural village.  The Village sprawls over 200 acres and tells the story of New England life from the 1790s to 1830s with more than 50 antique buildings, three water-powered mills and a working farm with heritage breed animals.

Costumed historians give life to the Village, operating the town store, preparing meals in a historic kitchen, spinning wool, making pottery, or demonstrating tool and tin making.

Old Sturbridge Village offers special programs and activities throughout the year, ranging from the Sleepy Hollow experience to spending the night with the town blacksmith and his family.

If the kids are seeking more excitement, discounted tickets to Six Flags New England in Agawam, Mass., are available at the Village Green Campground Country Store.

If You Go

The Village Green Campground is open for travel seasonally from mid-May to Mid-October. The campground is family and pet friendly and can accommodate a variety of RVs. The campground is located at 228 Sturbridge Road in Brimfield, Mass.