Nickerson Beach Park Campground allows dogs on campsites but not on the adjacent beach, with a small dog run located on the other side of the parking lot. This RV camping area near Old Westbury primarily accommodates recreational vehicles rather than tents, offering full hookups including electric, water, and sewer connections for extended stays. Clean shower facilities and restrooms serve the camping area, which operates seasonally from April through November. ['The campground is essentially a parking lot next to the dunes, making it convenient for surfers accessing Lido Beach but offering little privacy between sites.'] Blydenburgh County Park provides a more natural setting with grassy sites beneath trees, accepting both tents and RVs in a family-friendly environment that welcomes pets throughout the grounds.
Dog owners camping at Heckscher State Park should note there are no permanent fire pits at campsites, though rentable fire pits and firewood are available for purchase. The park features good hiking trails accessible to leashed dogs, with sites spaced generously apart and water spigots conveniently located throughout the camping area. Recent visitors note the campground is regularly patrolled by park staff who maintain clean facilities. Wildlife encounters require appropriate pet management, particularly during early morning and evening hours. Ward Pound Ridge Reservation allows dogs on trails and camping areas with standard leash requirements, offering primitive tent camping in a less developed setting than neighboring options. When hiking with dogs during summer months, carrying additional water is essential as some trails have limited shade coverage and water sources can be seasonal.
"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."
"Very close to everything."
"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"
$145 - $180 / night
"Very plain & functional, no frills but right on the harbor & on the very edge of Jersey City, close to a ferry & the train that takes u across to New York City."
"Very easy to hop on transit to get to New York City. People were friendly."
$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."
$17 - $20 / night
"15 dolares la noche para los que viven en el Estado de New York o New York city .. si es fuera del estado son $5 dolares mas!!"
"Drive-in tent campgrounds. Adequate restroom facilities sprinkled amongst tent sites. Some campsites have raised platforms. All sites have picnic tables and fire ring with flip-top grill."
$130 / night
"A little intimidating driving in to a nondescript gate at the end of a narrow street but the overall experience exceeded expectation."
$85 - $120 / night
$45 - $55 / night
"Pet friendly and kid friendly with a playground available. Our favorite site is #25. Up a hill, totally private and has a lean-to."
"Close to the city and civilization, yet large enough to have nice trails and creeks to feel away from it all. The camping sites are very different so it’s useful to go in person and select the area."
$30 - $60 / night
"Tent sites are very private with some dirt roads to exit out but thats what make it unique experience! Bathrooms with shower is near by and has plenty porta potties all around."
"Was close to bear mountains state part and the train station is right there!"
$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."
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
GuideCamp Gateway in Brooklyn New York is one of my favorite places to visit. I went to college in New York, and loved to get out of the busy city and go camping and be outdoors. Camp Gateway was always a place that I loved to go. It is pretty close to town-which is crazy because you feel like you are miles away. Camp Gateway does offer a lot of different activities for everyone. One thing I love to do is go kayaking and stand up paddle boarding. My girlfriends and I tried to do this once a month to get away from the city and school. Because you are so close to the city, you can plan outdoor activities as well as some activities in the city. My friends and I stayed 1 night in the campground, and the next day went to a recital show that took us 10 minutes to get to. You can also walk, hike or ride your bike along multiple paths- I have done the Fort Tilden trail (I just walked, but there were multiple people that passed us on their bikes). Within the campground they do have some fire pits- which my friends and I always use because we love cooking smores and hot dogs for dinner. A little further away from the campground, about 10-15 miles there is a place where you can do horseback riding, see the Statue of Liberty (which is gorgeous!), and there is a little beach area. This beach area is where I do my kayaking and stand up paddle boarding. Again, its not very far away...you can either drive there, walk or ride your bike. The road is paved, which is nice. I stayed here also with my parents, and I know my dad went golfing one day (I didn't go, but he said it was awesome)- and again that was only a 10 minute drive from our camping spot. This campground like I said, does offer quite a bit. Sometimes it doesn't really feel like you are "camping" because things are pretty close by, but it definitely is worth going to and trying.
RangerVery plain & functional, no frills but right on the harbor & on the very edge of Jersey City, close to a ferry & the train that takes u across to New York City. Shopping & restraunts are right next door. We brought scooters & had a great stay! Plus you can see the Statue of Liberty from there!
LegendWe tried this campground without knowing what was safe and where to stay for visit New York City. It is located in Brooklyn and is little removed from everything. The sites are at Floyd Bennett Field which is an old airfield. The atmosphere here is eerily cool at the same time. You basically park and camp on the asphalt by the old hangars. No hookups at all but they do have a camp store and bath house. If you are tent camping, there are some grassy sites.
The campground is located right on Jamaica Bay so there were people fishing all the time from the seawall. At night, you could hear cars doing burnouts right next to us. To get to all the action in the city, we had to take a bus and then the subway. The travel was a headache but better than trying to drive in to New York City in our RV. One way to improve here would be to have some security at night as well as access to clean water and dump station. They remained locked most of the time for some reason.
The best part of this place was the free tour of Hangar B by some guys doing restoration of old planes (HARP). They had some great stories and gave us history of the planes on display.
GuideThis place is kind of a toss up for me. On one hand, I enjoy it because it's a little slice of heaven in the hell of one of the busy areas of New York. I hate this place for the same reason. It's not really camping if you're going to see a play and then go tour the Statue of Liberty. It just doesn't seem right to me. If I HAVE to be in New York, maybe I'd consider staying here again just to get myself out of the city for a bit. But this definitely isn't your "great outdoors/rest and relaxation" kind of place.
ScoutThere is only a small place for tents. Mostly people go there with campers. Not your typical campground. Very easy to hop on transit to get to New York City. People were friendly.
ScoutVery reasonable rates to pitch a tent. You get a private space with a fire pit. Ocean is close with lifeguards. Good fishing and pleasant people. Boat from New York City.
LegendThis campground is amazing. You have a clear view of the Narrow bridge and at night the city lights light up your surroundings light a nigh light. The camp here has 7 campsites here and it fill up really fast. I came at 5 in the morning and there was already a family there. There is abandoned buildings here and you can do urban exploring. There are restroom here that are pretty dirty. The public uses the restrooms not just the campers here. For the firewood I recommend buying it or bringing your own. Firewood was difficult to find here. At night there are no stars because the city lights cover them up.There are rangers taking you on a trek and exploring the abandoned building. This place is great if you live in new York city and don't want to drive really far from the city to go camping
RangerThe park itself is lovely and close to some other green areas. The nice thing about this campsite is that it’s so close to NYC. The bad thing about this campsite is that it’s so close to NYC. If you live in NYC this is a good, cheap, super quick escape accessible by public transport. If you’re visiting the area I’d recommend staying in Manhattan/Queens in an AirBNB for the full NYC experience or heading to Long Island, Pennsylvania, “Upstate” New York, or New Jersey for a better nature camping experience. For what it is, this site is a nice green little oasis. It’s National Park Service land and they try really hard to keep things clean and working well with so much traffic. Bring earplus for the airport traffic and the noisy neighbors. Tent sites are pretty and wooded, but there is also a TON of concrete from an old WW2 airfield.
Campers seeking pet friendly camping near Old Westbury, New York benefit from Long Island's relatively flat terrain and moderate climate, with average summer temperatures ranging from 75-85°F and fall temperatures dropping to 50-65°F. The region sits at elevations under 400 feet above sea level, creating accessible campsites with minimal hiking difficulty but often limited privacy between sites due to the topography.
Swimming opportunities: 7-mile loop around the lake at Blydenburgh County Park provides recreation beyond camping. "Great park with a nice 7 mile loop around the lake with decent fishing. Lots of horses and dogs on the trail," notes Erik R., who appreciated the central location for multiple activities.
Hiking with elevation: Bear Mountain trails offer varied difficulty levels at Beaver Pond Campground. "The trails in the area are friendly to hikers, bikers, and the non arthritic kneers, as most are rated moderate to challenging. Don't fret, trails that are rated easy and accessible to disabled are equally enjoyable and beautiful," according to Steve W., highlighting the inclusive options.
Urban exploration: Ferry access to NYC from Liberty Harbor RV Park provides a unique camping-city hybrid experience. "The ferry is 100-yards away that takes you to Wall Street M-F. There is a great market about 1/4 of a mile away, and the path that can take you to WTC or 33rd Street area is only a mile away," shares Shawn B., noting the convenient public transportation options.
Open grass camping sites: Blydenburgh County Park offers natural surfaces instead of gravel pads. "Camp on grass! Lovely trees. Everyone is nice. Hiking trails are beautiful. Dog friendly. Clean bathrooms," reports Ali O., contrasting with the more developed sites at other parks.
Shelters for weather protection: Ward Pound Ridge Reservation provides unique accommodations beyond standard tent sites. "The shelters are great for people who want to camp and not have to worry about unplanned weather. The best part of this campsite are the endless trails in the area. I believe there are over 40 miles of trails in this area," explains Ethan K., highlighting the camping structures that reduce weather concerns.
Tent platforms at Beaver Pond: Keep your tent dry in wet conditions with raised sites. "The biggest positive about Beaver Pond is how spread out it was. You definitely feel like you have your own space and are not camping on top of your neighbor. Many of the camping options were on platforms which is especially nice if it recently rained," shares Ethan K.
Site boundaries vary significantly: At Heckscher State Park, sites lack clear delineation. "Each camping site has a picnic table and barbeque grill. The sites are designated by printing on the roads and do not have clear boundaries between them," explains Thorin J., noting how this affects privacy and navigation through the camping area.
Bear activity in Harriman State Park: Take proper food storage precautions. "Welcome to Bear Mountain" grumbles the park ranger as he sits in complete darkness! He is in his ranger hut, checking in the late evening arrivals to the campground," recounts Steve W., highlighting the wildlife concerns that require vigilance.
Seasonal bathroom closures: Off-season camping may have limited facilities. "Potable water is available at regular intervals, about at the corners of each group of four campsites. Cell phone reception is limited - I had data but it was very slow which led to my phone's battery draining quickly," reports Thorin J. about Heckscher State Park.
Playground proximity: Croton Point Park offers convenient kid-friendly amenities. "Peaceful and gorgeous campsite, with plenty of space between sites. Great view of the Hudson, and playground within sight of our camper," notes Thomas, highlighting the family-focused layout of the campground.
Train noise considerations: Think about light sleepers when booking sites. "Only down side is there is a train depot right outside and you can hear them shunting trains all night," warns Andrew A. about Croton Point Park, an important consideration for families with young children.
Beach access with timing restrictions: Summer swimming requires planning. "We walked 20 min from our site to the beach across the 2-lane highway. The lake is clear and sandy (some rocks in sand on shore, but standard for imported sand), and many families seemed to have traveled up for a day trip," shares Jess M. about Clarence Fahnestock State Park.
City access without driving: Use public transportation from strategic RV parks. "Pick one of the larger end row sites to get a little extra elbow room. If it's packed, your neighbor with be within inches of your rig. Pluses, minutes walk to the Statue of Liberty, liberty Science center. Two blocks away from NJ Path train into Manhattan," advises Keith and Tia S. about Liberty Harbor RV Park.
Reservation timing for popular parks: Book well ahead for pet friendly camping near Old Westbury during peak seasons. "This is a great spot with views of Manhattan, Statue of Liberty, etc. Expect to pay pretty good to be gear, but from here you can pretty much easily get anywhere in NYC," notes John G., highlighting the trade-offs for premium locations.
Navigation challenges: Plan routes carefully with larger vehicles. "We spent 3 nights here last week. I was in NYC for business and we took our RV. Very convenient location. My wife visited Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island. Easy access with our 32 foot RV pulling our Jeep," shares Kevin A., providing helpful perspective on RV access considerations.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is the most popular dog-friendly campsite near Old Westbury, NY?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular dog-friendly campground near Old Westbury, NY is Nickerson Beach Park Campground with a 3.4-star rating from 8 reviews.
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TheDyrt.com has all 28 dog-friendly camping locations near Old Westbury, NY, with real photos and reviews from campers.
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