Best Campgrounds near Centereach, NY

Join the fun near Centereach. With tons of outdoor activities and scenic camping, this is an excellent vacation spot for all kinds of travelers. Aside from great camping spots, you'll find hiking and many more outdoor experiences. Thinking of traveling with kids? You're in luck—Centereach is surrounded by family-friendly activities. Ready to plan your adventure? Check out our campgrounds near Centereach and user-submitted reviews.

Best Camping Sites Near Centereach, New York (38)

    1. Wildwood State Park Campground

    24 Reviews
    Wading River, NY
    15 miles
    Website
    +1 (631) 929-4314

    $20 - $250 / night

    "The beach is in a walking distance. You can swim or fish there. This camp site has a relatively new and clean facility.

    There are many farms near by where you can get fresh veggies and fruits."

    "However there are too many loud families and the sites are too close in proximity for me."

    2. Blydenburgh County Park

    11 Reviews
    Hauppauge, NY
    8 miles
    Website
    +1 (631) 854-3713

    "just a great place to get away from home"

    "The group camping on the fox sites is accessible by a dirt drive in. I felt like I was suddenly transported upstate when in fact I had only driven 2 towns over, (about 20 minutes from home.)"

    3. Heckscher State Park Campground

    9 Reviews
    Great River, NY
    11 miles
    Website
    +1 (631) 581-2100

    $20 - $285 / night

    ".

    • cottages far enough away from each other
    • fire ring with Adirondack chairs
    • dumpster and recycling within walking distance
    • lots of bone dry firewood around for campfire
    • walkable beach"

    "Overall my experience was positive.

    Camping Sites

    Each camping site has a picnic table and barbeque grill."

    4. Southaven County Park

    7 Reviews
    Shirley, NY
    11 miles
    Website
    +1 (631) 852-1391

    $33 / night

    "Recently went camping in our pull behind, met some old friends and had a great time. Rangers have a hardon for people screwing up tho. Think they're all that and then some..."

    "Great Location Clean Park."

    5. Smith Point County Park

    9 Reviews
    Mastic Beach, NY
    15 miles
    Website
    +1 (631) 852-1315

    "Literally steps to the beach."

    "A short walk from the ocean to the bay, both accessible by walking from your campsite. No shade so be prepared to wake early if you’re in a sweltering tent. Staff has been great, no complaints."

    6. Cathedral Pines County Park

    4 Reviews
    Middle Island, NY
    7 miles
    Website
    +1 (631) 852-5502

    7. Watch Hill Fire Island Campground — Fire Island National Seashore

    7 Reviews
    Bayport, NY
    13 miles
    +1 (631) 597-6074

    $25 - $159 / night

    "Beautiful location steps away from the beach. Listen to the waves crashing as you sleep and stargaze over the clear ocean. Not ready for full on camp-life? No problem!"

    "Camping gets you away from the bustle. It is a little less than a half mile walk from the ferry dock and located behind the dunes which offer some protection. Take a quick walk down to the beach."

    8. Smith's Point

    5 Reviews
    Mastic Beach, NY
    15 miles
    Website

    9. Indian Island County Park

    10 Reviews
    Riverhead, NY
    24 miles
    Website
    +1 (631) 852-3232

    "Campsites are located close enough to the beach/marsh. Multiple playgrounds for the kids although they were closed due to Covid."

    "The beach was within walking distance, lots of little trails, and plenty of activities for the whole family. The bathrooms were mostly clean, and the shower was hot."

    10. Fire Island National Seashore

    1 Review
    Mastic Beach, NY
    15 miles
    Website

    $25 / night

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Recent Reviews near Centereach, NY

226 Reviews of 38 Centereach Campgrounds


  • Paul K.
    Aug. 26, 2025

    Croton Point Park

    Not the Best Place to Go in the Northeast By a Longshot

    Croton Point Campground is a modest little campground, located along the Hudson River within Croton Point Park in NY. In addition to camping, the park itself offers many of its own attractions, including swimming, hiking, kayaking, cabin rentals, and a host of other family-oriented activities just along the Hudson. 

    The park, which is honestly probably the largest attraction here, is located just an hour and a half outside of the city. This proximity is both its perk and its downfall, as the park itself, but particularly the campground, has become laden with all sorts of inexplicable and burdensome rules, endless guidelines, and restrictions only a New York State-run bureaucracy could ever make sense of, let alone hope to justify. 

    This includes all manner of restrictions on how you can camp, where you can camp, what equipment can be used, and use in relation to what particular site you may have been lucky enough to reserve. Much of this you can understand while imagining what may have taken place here to bring them to such measures, but it doesn't make it any easier to contend with. 

    In terms of the actual camping conditions Both the tenting section and RV sites are each very clustered together, and quite crowded, with regular patrols🚓(actual patrols) being made day and night, by both the Park Rangers and what appears to be general park staff members, all looking to see if you or your family might be doing something that they might consider outside of the guidelines or not in compliance with the many restrictions. 

    This is not to say you can't possibly have a good time here. It just might mean being a bit more diligent toward reviewing the potential legitimacy of your normal camping routine to ensure it meets with many restrictions and guidelines imposed, while also making yourself comfortable with some fairly regular surveillance during your stay here. These all being things we hoped to get away from while camping ourselves It just turned out to be a bit much for our particular liking.

  • J
    Aug. 8, 2025

    Wildwood State Park Campground

    Our go-to spot

    My wife and I love this campground. It is right at the entrance to wine country on Long Island and has a beach on the Long Island Sound. (A little rocky on the north shore)

  • H
    Jun. 28, 2025

    Hammonasset State Park Campground

    Worst Camp Hosts

    Absolute worst Camp Hosts. They cancel every event they schedule while receiving free beach camping all summer. They’re an embarassment and a constant disappointment for young children. Shame on you and shame on Hammonasset.

  • GThe Dyrt PRO User
    May. 8, 2025

    Wildwood State Park Campground

    Nice campground with lots of sites

    I've been going to this campground every summer for at least 5 years. Recently they became very stringent about parking to vehicles at the site making it very difficult to visit with a family and 2 vehicles. I usually host group camping trips and the single vehicle rule makes that very difficult.

    That aside, this is a very nice campground with various kinds of sites. You can find sites that are less wooded and better suited to group camping, as well as sites that are a little more secluded. This is one of my favorite campgrounds solely because there are platform sites so I can place my tent on a concrete or wooden platform. There is a separate area for RVs vs tents. There is also a store where you can get a cup of coffee in the morning and lots of goodies throughout the day.

    There are hiking trails and you can walk to the beach. Note - it is a downhill walk to the beach. The beach is fairly clean and has a small boardwalk.

    There are lots of stores nearby as well as orchards to pick your own fruits. I stayed there one weekend and went to Splish Splash waterpark that's not far away. There is also a Tanger Outlet nearby. I've been there during a full on thunderstorm and watched as the trees swayed in the wind.

    Lovely campground with lots of activities to entertain you.

  • GThe Dyrt PRO User
    May. 8, 2025

    Heckscher State Park Campground

    My favorite place for group camping

    This place is the best around for group and family camping. The entire campground is one flat open space where some sites are full in the shade and other sites (lower numbers) have lots of sun. I've been going here every summer since 2019 after it re-opened. Each site has a picnic table and grill. Water is also available near the sites.

    You can come here in tents as well as RVs and the staff is very nice. They toilets are cleaned constantly, though they are not immaculate. There is a shop at the entrance to get supplies if you need it and you can rent firepits and buy firewood. The ice cream trucks comes by as well. There is a playground just for the campground.

    Bring a bicycle or scooper and you can ride the loop around to the beach; you can also drive to the beach. There is a pool, but it has not been open for many years. There are also hiking trails and a place where you can rent a kayak.

    On one visit there was a magician performing for the camp goers. I've even been there while there was a philharmonic concert near the campground.

    Park staff and rangers regularly patrol the campground and are diligent about cleaning up.

  • M
    May. 3, 2025

    Blydenburgh County Park

    Great stay

    If your going to be on Long Island ,Suffolk county is really only RV friendly place.Worth buying green key card for resident access.200 but you’d spend that 4 nights regardless.Very clean campgrounds lots of space.Not much to do inside the grounds.

  • Lee D.The Dyrt PRO User
    Oct. 18, 2024

    Croton Point Park

    Not too much to offer

    General: A county park with a mix of w/e (6 sites) and FHU sites plus about a dozen tent sites near a capped dump! There is a lodge and cabins close to the end of the point, but they appeared to be part of a group camp experience. They all appeared to be closed for the season (or because no one was renting at the time; they reminded me of places I used to take youth groups for weekend camps). The reservation process is a bit wonky. You need to call (no online reservations) and then wait for an e-mail, but the e-mail does not tell you your assigned site; you have to wait until you check in to find out your site.

    Site Quality: We had a loosely defined gravel pad that was level. All sites appeared level. The FHU sites were back-to-back and although there were trees separating the sites, they were close together. No one was in the tent sites, but they did have new picnic tables.

    Activities/Amenities: Other than a playground and a basketball court, there did not seem to be any activities to partake in. There used to be a pool but from the looks of it, it hasn’t been in use for many years. There are walking paths outside of the campground that are located within the park, but we did not have time to explore them. 

    Bath/Shower house: Clean but a bit dated. No shelves or hooks for toiletries. I was surprised the door was left open all night long. There was a sign warning that the toilets were slow flushing, but I think this may have been fixed because the flush was so powerful that the water splashed over the top of the seat! 

    Because it was on a point on the Hudson, I had hoped for views from the campground but there were too many trees to see the water. I was perplexed by the signs throughout saying no trespassing/fishing prohibited. I get the no fishing part but the trespassing? When we checked in, we had to write down our credit card number on a slip of paper before we were given a key that opened the gate to the campground. When we checked out, we asked for the paper or to watch it get shredded but were told they had to keep it on file which concerned us.

  • Prashant M.The Dyrt PRO User
    Oct. 17, 2024

    Indian Island County Park

    Very Busy! Close quarters! Can be loud and neighbors are ignorant of rules

    Stayed at this campground this past weekend and yes it was a long weekend so the campground was packed. All the camping spots are pretty much right next to each one with hardly any space, packed like Sardines. Neighbors are loud and some of them are ignorant of the park rules. Staying on the phones in the middle of the night while talking so loud that all camping neighbors can hear their whole story

    Its a pity that they take a nice park and remove the fun out of camping. 

    However the walk to the beach area was very serene, especially early morning before sunrise and didn't feel like we live in dense suburbia and sunrise from the beach was worth the trip

    Camp site itself was pretty flat, had a water station, bathrooms were well kept , no fire ring (BYOFP)

  • Jessica C.The Dyrt PRO User
    Oct. 11, 2024

    Heckscher State Park Campground

    Great for families, not for solitude

    The campsites are very close together without any defining borders so everybody just walks across each other site’s to get to a different one, a path, the bathroom, etc. No solitude, lots of families with kids, lots of music, I mean it’s basically a party. I didn’t realize this when I made my reservations. The place is great for families who want a safe space to camp and it’s a typical Long Island campground. Rangers came around checking on everyone often so it really did feel incredibly safe. I had a pick up truck w/ tinted windows follow me in the park for quite a while which was rather creepy and I couldn’t shake them. When I biked into the campground itself, the pick up truck couldn’t get past the check in area. Everyone I met was friendly and there’s a little shop in the front of the campgrounds that sells various items. I personally wouldn’t stay here again unless I was meeting up with friends or something and wasn’t trying to have more solitude. This is no fault of the park itself though, I’m just more of a woods girl.


Guide to Centereach

Camping near Centereach, NY, offers a mix of beautiful nature and fun activities for everyone. Whether you're looking for a peaceful retreat or a family-friendly adventure, there are plenty of campgrounds to explore.

What to do:

  • Hiking and Exploring: Many campgrounds, like Beaver Pond Campground — Harriman State Park, have great trails. One visitor mentioned, "Going for a hike here in the morning before heading out" made their stay enjoyable.
  • Beach Access: Campgrounds such as Hammonasset State Park Campground are close to the beach. A reviewer noted, "The beach was popular," making it a perfect spot for swimming and sunbathing.
  • Fishing and Water Activities: Many sites, including Wildwood State Park Campground, are near water bodies. A camper shared, "You can swim or fish there," highlighting the fun water activities available.

What campers like:

  • Clean Facilities: Campers appreciate well-maintained restrooms and showers. One visitor at Clarence Fahnestock State Park said, "The bathrooms were very clean," which is a big plus for many.
  • Friendly Staff: Many campgrounds have helpful staff. A reviewer at Lake Compounce Campground mentioned, "Friendly staff and really clean bathrooms," making their experience more enjoyable.
  • Secluded Sites: Campers enjoy having some privacy. A visitor at Kettletown State Park Campground noted, "The lots were large. Semi-private with great view," which is ideal for a relaxing getaway.

What you should know:

  • Noise Levels: Some campgrounds can get noisy, especially on weekends. A camper at Hammonasset State Park Campground warned, "It sounded like a rave throughout the night," so plan your visit accordingly.
  • Booking in Advance: Popular spots fill up quickly. A visitor at Rocky Neck State Park Campground advised, "If you are looking for a site it’s best to book far in advance."
  • Limited Amenities: Some campgrounds, like Liberty Harbor RV Park, are basic. A reviewer said, "This campground is like a parking lot," so don’t expect luxury.

Tips for camping with families:

  • Activities for Kids: Look for campgrounds with fun activities. A family at Riverdale Farm Campsites enjoyed bingo, saying, "It was a blast," which kept the kids entertained.
  • Safety First: Always keep an eye on kids, especially near water. A camper at Bear Creek Campground mentioned, "I also hear coyotes," reminding everyone to stay alert.
  • Pack Snacks: Having snacks handy can make a big difference. A visitor at Wildwood State Park Campground suggested, "There was a nice little camp store," for those last-minute needs.

Tips from RVers:

  • Check Site Size: Make sure your RV fits the site. A reviewer at Clarence Fahnestock State Park cautioned, "Careful which site you choose," to avoid tight spots.
  • Plan for Dump Stations: Not all sites have sewer hookups. A camper at Hammonasset State Park Campground mentioned, "At least 5 dump stations," which is helpful to know.
  • Stay Connected: Some campgrounds have limited cell service. A visitor at Liberty Harbor RV Park noted, "You can see the Statue of Liberty from the park," but be prepared for spotty connections.

Camping near Centereach, NY, offers a variety of experiences, from peaceful retreats to family-friendly adventures. With the right planning and knowledge, you can enjoy the best camping near Centereach, NY, and create lasting memories.

Frequently Asked Questions

What camping is available near Centereach, NY?

According to TheDyrt.com, Centereach, NY offers a wide range of camping options, with 38 campgrounds and RV parks near Centereach, NY and 1 free dispersed camping spot.

Which is the most popular campground near Centereach, NY?

According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular campground near Centereach, NY is Wildwood State Park Campground with a 4.2-star rating from 24 reviews.

Where can I find free dispersed camping near Centereach, NY?

According to TheDyrt.com, there is 1 free dispersed camping spot near Centereach, NY.

What parks are near Centereach, NY?

According to TheDyrt.com, there are 12 parks near Centereach, NY that allow camping, notably Fire Island National Seashore and Hop Brook Lake.