Wildwood State Park Campground welcomes pets at all 247 campsites spread across its wooded terrain. Cathedral Pines County Park offers both tent and RV sites where dogs are permitted, with ample space between neighbors in the wooded sections. Both campgrounds require pets to remain leashed throughout the property, including on trails and beach areas. Sites typically include picnic tables, fire rings, and access to clean bathroom facilities with showers. The raccoons at Cathedral Pines can be invasive around campsites, so pet food should be stored securely overnight. Most Suffolk County parks permit up to two dogs per campsite with proper vaccination documentation, though specific breed restrictions may apply depending on the facility.
Hiking trails throughout these parks accommodate leashed dogs, with the Cathedral Pines walking paths offering pleasant terrain through pine forests where deer are occasionally spotted. Long Island Sound beaches at Wildwood State Park allow dogs in designated areas, though the rocky shoreline requires protective footwear for both humans and pets. During summer months, early morning and evening walks are recommended due to hot sandy surfaces. The $8 fire ring rental at Wildwood is considered overpriced by frequent visitors, so bringing your own contained fire pit is advisable. Nearby veterinary clinics are available in Wading River and Middle Island for emergency services, and most local parks enforce quiet hours after 10 PM to prevent excessive barking disturbances. Pet waste disposal stations are provided at major campground sections, with strict policies requiring immediate cleanup.
$20 - $225 / 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."
$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."
"Great park with a nice 7 mile loop around the lake with decent fishing. Lots of horses and dogs on the trail. 30 or so sites around a central public restroom."
"Hiking trails are beautiful. Dog friendly. Clean bathrooms"
"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."
"Campsites are located close enough to the beach/marsh. Multiple playgrounds for the kids although they were closed due to Covid."
"There are dog friendly which was very nice. It is a lil tight from each site but you have the beach and a little hiking trails that makes it worth it."
$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."
$35 - $197 / 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."
$20 - $70 / night
"The showers were outside the bathroom- there was a bench & hooks OUTSIDE! We found out all the other loops had modern bathhouses."
"Beautiful Connecticut beach sits just steps away from your campsite. Well kept showers and bathrooms are abundant and the camp store has the majority of what you need."
GuideI grew up in Long Beach. If you’re looking for a spot to camp so you can surf, this is perfect! It’s basically a parking lot, but it’s steps away from some of the greatest waves on the east coast. Showers are clean, there’s a dog park nearby, and the island is very bikable to get around.
benefits: allows dogs childrens playground beach programs like movie nights throughout the summer
GuideSmall campground with good electrical, clean water, sewer and a friendly owner. Each site has grass and a picnic table. There is a wonderful little frozen custard shop down the road called roses farm stand. It’s a perfect campground for seeing the local area or even catching the train to New York City.
GuideSears Bellows in New York is a lot of fun. It really does offer a lot of outdoor activities for you and your family. I have stayed at this campsite 1 time, and stayed 2 nights. This campground does offer tent sites as well as RV/trailer sites. When I went with my friends in college, we just stayed in the tent sites and really enjoyed it. The campground is very well kept and clean which I really liked. They do have quite a bit of garbage's to dump your trash in. One thing I really liked about this campground is that there was a river/pond close by (Bellows Pond). The first night I stayed here my friends and I rented some rowboats and went on the water. It was a lot of fun, and the price of the rowboat was pretty cheap. The next morning we got up and did some hiking. The trails were beautiful, and the flowers were in bloom. There were people who were also biking on these trails, which looked like so much fun! We also saw some people fishing in the pond- and it seemed like most people were catching. The people who stayed in the campsite next to us were cooking up some type of fish for their dinner that they caught that day. One thing to note is that there are not any electrical hook-ups, so if that is something you need you might now want to come stay here. I would love to come back here someday, but stay maybe a day or two longer to do more things- I would also bring my bike and fishing pole to do more outdoor activities. I would also advise to rent the rowboats because that was a lot of fun!
ScoutThis is a nice family friendly campground that makes for easy trips. There are a variety of sites available, from open field sites to more wooded and private areas. The campground also has a lake for swimming,trails for hiking, and some nice quiet areas for fishing. Well maintained bathrooms, with available showers, are also spread throughout the grounds. Not pet friendly unfortunately.
GuideThe actual beach isn't too nice; not soft sand, broken shells, and cigarettes. However, the campgrounds have nice facilities like a shop, good showers, a playground, and volleyball courts. Be noted PETS ARE NOT ALLOWED in the summer. We were not aware of this.
ScoutBeautiful campsites! Lots of lean to sites with fireplaces in them. You have to go in person to make a reservation and pay. The camp area is beautiful, especially in the fall. Pet friendly and kid friendly with a playground available. Our favorite site is #25. Up a hill, totally private and has a lean-to.
LegendI had a hankering for East Coast seafood, so I picked Hammonesett Beach State Park for Connecticut. Our 2nd state of 5.
Hammonesett Beach has a huge campground. They divide the loops with names. I unfortunately chose Pequot. This loop has THE WORST bathrooms/showers on the South side of the campground. Looks like they were built in 1950s with rotten wood siding. Dirty. The showers were outside the bathroom- there was a bench & hooks OUTSIDE! We found out all the other loops had modern bathhouses.
My first impression of this campground is it's loud, crazy busy & there's traffic noise from the beach road. I actually liked it! This is a fun campground for families. There were kids on bikes, scooters, skateboards,roller blades. Watch your speed! They don't always watch out for your car.
I found out most people stay through Sunday & leave on Monday. There were still lots of campers left. Lots of tent campers.
I chose site 14 on the Pequot Loop because I thought I would have a view of one of the ponds. There was tall vegetation, so that was out.
The sites on the other side of the loop were right by the main beach road. Noisy during the day, but quiet at night.
There are some sites with shade, but most are sunny.
There's no electricity at most of the sites. Our site was full sun(yay for the solar panel!). On Beach Road in the campground there's 2 rows of full hookup sites, but they go FAST! I tried.
NO PETS! Including dogs.
No WiFi, but there's cell service. At least 5 dump stations.
The beach was popular.
There was a stream running from a pond that kids were playing in.
They have a beautiful Nature Center. A couple of easy hikes through one of the preserves.
This was a good base camp for the area. Gillette Castle & other state parks are within driving distance. Connecticut is a beautiful state!!
RangerMy husband and and I camped one night at this newly reopened park over the weekend in Long Island just to check it out and were pretty disappointed by the tent camping area. There are 69 tent/trailer sites(no hook ups). There is no distinguishing separation between each site nor a designated driveway for your car- you merely pull up on the grass. It's basically like camping in your local city park. People park wildly all over the place, which also makes it more difficult to determine which site is which by the number painted on the roadway. Each"site" has a picnic table and an barbecue grate on a post. There is one bath/shower house in the center of all of these sites with no path provided for folks to walk to and fro, so naturally people will walk right through your site randomly rather than around the road. While the bathroom building itself is in decent shape and has a large amount of toilet stalls and about five showers, the condition of women's room was absolutely ghastly inside.
At some point during the evening, a maintenance worker on a golf cart showed up with a mop and some cleaning supplies and cleaned the men's side of the building. I was so relieved when I saw him, but he seemed to neglect the women's side completely, so I resorted to using the men's facilities all night.
There are no fire pits on any of the sites, although I learned afterwards that they do allow you to bring your own metal fire pit as long as it is elevated off the ground. There are large dumpsters located throughout the camping area and a large trash bag is provided (if needed) at the camp office when you check in.
The highlight of Heckscher State Park is the newly constructed heated cottages located on the shore of Nichol's& Great South Bays.. There are currently 11 cottages--- with more under construction. There are cottages suited for two, four, and six people and range in price from$225-$285 per night during off peak seasons and$250- 320 per night during the peak seasons.
The cottages are fully furnished, with a full kitchen and large bathroom with a walk in shower. The cottages are a short walk from the beach and also include a fire pit with Adirondack chairs and an outdoor shower on the exterior each property. I do not have photos of the inside, but they do have them on the Reserve America website if you are interested.
While the cottages are lovely and their location is fabulous they are quite pricey and no TLC was spent in the$22 tent/rv camping area, other than a new registration office which is not yet completed as of this weekend. I do hope they invest some funding in the primitive area to add fire pits,more water spigots, clearer site markings and for the continued maintenance& upkeep of the bath/shower house.
* I emailed the parks departement about the issues mentioned above about the camping area and received this reply:
I am sorry that you are upset with the conditions in our recently opened campgrounds. We have replaced all of the picnic tables. Although, they may look old because they are weathered since these picnic tables were put together during the Winter, however, they are brand new. All of the barbeques are also new and were installed during the Winter. We have changed and modernized the light fixtures and we will be replacing the rusted doors that you mentioned. There are also plans to install a playground within the campground beginning this Fall and we are looking for other improvements and additions to the campgrounds. As you probably noticed there is a new building under construction, at the entrance to the campgrounds, and it will serve as a check-in area, as well as, additional comfort stations, including family restrooms. Your suggestion of fire pits is a good one and the Park Managers will evaluate the feasibility of installing these. Lastly, I have spoken to the Park Manager who will review the cleaning operation to ensure the restrooms are appropriately maintained. I apologize for our employee not cleaning the women's room. Again, I am sorry for your negative experience but we are continuing to make improvements to the campgrounds.
Sincerely, George Gorman Regional Director New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation
I will check back later this year to see if anything was changed and report back.
Rangerthis place seemed okay to begin with, but then you start noticing that the bathrooms are run down and not well kept, the lots are near an expressway that constantly has loud traffic, and there are tons of feral cats wandering and sometimes even begging for food. i probably would like to find a different place to stay during my next visit
Suffolk County camping near Miller Place features forested sites within the central pine barrens region. Several campgrounds offer beach access to Long Island Sound or Great South Bay. Summer humidity levels reach 75-80%, with temperatures averaging 80°F in July and August, dropping to 45-55°F in spring and fall.
Beach exploration at Smith Point: Short walking distance from sites to Atlantic Ocean beaches with early morning wildlife viewing. "We stayed at site 12. Sites are great overlooking the bay. The 230-70 overlook the ocean which is great," notes Stephen P. about Smith Point County Park.
Wine country visits: Campgrounds provide convenient access to Long Island vineyards. "It is right at the entrance to wine country on Long Island and has a beach on the Long Island Sound," shares James O. from Wildwood State Park Campground.
Water recreation: Several parks offer boat rentals, fishing, and kayaking opportunities. "If you like water activities and hiking, then chances are you will probably like this campground. I rented a rowboat, and used that for a large part of the morning. They also have some kayaks available to rent as well," mentions Kari M. about Southaven County Park.
Lake hiking trails: Several parks feature lake circuits with wildlife viewing opportunities. "Great park with a nice 7 mile loop around the lake with decent fishing. Lots of horses and dogs on the trail," reports Erik R. about Blydenburgh County Park.
Stargazing permits: Special permits allow after-hours beach access for astronomy enthusiasts. "You have to buy a stargazing permit to be out on the beach after sunset, which is kind of strange but really helps prevent hooligans from taking over the beach and destroying the serenity," explains Amber A. about Wildwood State Park.
Backcountry beach camping: Permits available for more isolated beach camping experiences. "You can get a permit to backcountry camp instead of reserving a designated campground spot. Just walk down to the beach after check-in and walk east until you see a pole with a tent symbol on it. After that you can choose where you want to set up camp," describes Emily S. about Watch Hill Fire Island Campground.
Site selection strategy: Campground layouts vary significantly with different privacy levels. "You can find sites that are less wooded and better suited to group camping, as well as sites that are a little more secluded," advises Giselle P. about Wildwood State Park.
Bugs and wildlife: Prepare for significant insect activity, especially near water. "Beware and prepare for ticks. Very wooded," warns Ken P. about Southaven County Park, while Rosie R. cautions about Watch Hill: "We were getting attacked by mosquitoes and horseflies the entire weekend. Even with the bug spray, the relief didn't last long."
Reservation systems: Suffolk County uses a Green Key card system for resident discounts. "Worth buying green key card for resident access. 200 but you'd spend that 4 nights regardless," explains Maria P. about Heckscher State Park Campground.
Group camping areas: Certain sections cater specifically to multi-family trips. "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. Group camping has a limit of 2 cars per site," shares Linda A. about Blydenburgh County Park.
Dog-friendly trail networks: Many campgrounds accommodate pets on hiking paths. "Perfect place to take the little ones has a beautiful lake and a really nice playground highly recommended," notes correl H. about Indian Island County Park, which welcomes pets throughout the park.
Environmental education: Seasonal ranger programs enhance family experiences. "There are park rangers on site and have excellent programs for kids," mentions Inocencia O. about Watch Hill Fire Island Campground.
Electrical service variations: RV sites offer different hookup configurations. "RV pull through sites were fantastic. It was a great campground for maiden voyage in new rig. Plenty of amenities," shares Lori R. about Wildwood State Park.
Campsite size considerations: RV sites range from spacious to extremely tight. "Stayed here for two nights with my popup and was surrounded by large motor homes/RVs. Sites had zero privacy and were all pull through," cautions Michael G. about Wildwood State Park.
Seasonal utilities: Off-season camping may have limited water availability. "Water was off because we were a week shy of the season opening. Needed to move to dump station prior to leaving (2 night visit) and had to drive to fill the fresh water tank once while there," reports Janelle G. about Indian Island County Park.
Frequently Asked Questions
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According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular dog-friendly campground near Miller Place, NY is Wildwood State Park Campground with a 4.2-star rating from 24 reviews.
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