Rocky Neck State Park offers cabin camping options for visitors to eastern Connecticut. The rustic cabins have limited amenities but provide easy access to outdoor activities. The campground is organized into sections named after water fowl including Crane, Egret, Osprey, and Heron. All camping areas include fire pits with grill attachments and picnic tables, though tent-only sites require carrying gear from parking areas.
What to do
Beach activities: Walk directly from cabin sites to Rocky Neck beach for swimming and shoreline exploration. "The campsite is only a short walk from the beach and available mountain bike and hiking trails. A great family campsite with easy to get to activities," notes one Rocky Neck visitor.
Kayaking excursions: Launch boats from Hopeville Pond State Park Campground to explore the connected waterways. "From here, we paddled south to the end of the pond and up the Pachaug River, eventually reaching the dam at Pachaug Pond. It's an 8 mile paddle with some tricky spots to navigate, but very pretty!"
Nature programs: Visit Meig's Point Nature Center at Hammonasset State Park when staying in their cabins. "You can ride your bike from your site to the playground, store, beach, local ice cream shop, coffee shop, or our family favorite, meig's point nature center," reports a regular camper.
What campers like
Large, wooded sites: Cabins at Waters Edge Family Campground offer seclusion among tall trees. "Most amazing weekend with tons of woods (privacy is huge for us). Very friendly guests and staff! We've been to campgrounds with playgrounds worse than the waters edge dog park," shares one visitor.
Swimming options: Many cabin properties near Oakdale feature both lake and pool swimming options. At Odetah Camping Resort, "The lake is great!! The pool area is a little small, but the attraction is the lake. The splash area at the pool is great for little kids."
Beach access shuttles: Some resorts provide transportation to nearby beaches. The Niantic KOA "will give free shuttle rides to 3 beaches & downtown Niantic, CT," according to a recent guest.
What you should know
Bathroom conditions: Facilities vary widely between cabin properties. At Burlingame State Park Campground, "Bath houses - are usually pretty filthy, and that's because there are too many people per bath house, and people are gross."
Site privacy levels: Density of cabins differs between properties. Strawberry Park has "many rules" and sites are close together. As one camper observed, "There are a lot of things to do there but so many rules. You can't really have a great time."
Site types: Waterfront cabin sites often book fastest. "If you want to pay a little extra for the deluxe request slot 92!" advises a Niantic KOA visitor about premium waterfront options.
Tips for camping with families
Off-season timing: Consider cabin stays after Labor Day for fewer crowds. At Burlingame State Park, "We were there the weekend after Labor Day weekend in 2014, and it was pretty quiet. Nice for biking, cute little beach, dog friendly."
Activity planning: Book cabins at resorts with scheduled programs for children. Strawberry Park features "Bingo every night, and more activities than you could possibly do!!! The kids ride their bikes to the sports fields, the rec center for the pool and activities."
Weather preparedness: Pack for sudden weather changes when booking cabin stays. "When my family went here it poured! And we were thankful that there were so many things to do, painting ceramics, karaoke, an arcade," shares a family who stayed at Strawberry Park.
Tips from RVers
Cabin upgrades: Consider deluxe cabin options for better amenities. At Mystic KOA, "We always rented a Kamping Kabin when we came here, which is a very basic cabin with bunk beds and a small refrigerator."
Location selection: Choose cabin locations based on activity preferences. "If you want to be up near the action– pool, bar car, and other activities– get a site in the front section. We wanted to be as far away from that as possible," advises a Mystic KOA visitor.
Storage planning: Most basic cabins lack storage space. "Most sites have even and good sized," notes one Odetah camper, though inside cabin storage is typically minimal.
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