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Best Campgrounds near St. James, NY

244 Reviews

Suffolk County, New York contains several developed campgrounds within a short drive of St. James, offering a mix of camping experiences ranging from tent sites to RV spaces and cabins. Blydenburgh County Park and Cathedral Pines County Park provide year-round camping options with wooded surroundings, while state parks like Wildwood State Park and Heckscher State Park operate seasonally. Most campgrounds in the area feature a combination of tent and RV sites with varying levels of hookups, and several locations offer cabin accommodations for those seeking more comfortable overnight stays.

Camping in this region typically requires advance reservations, especially during the peak summer season when waterfront locations fill quickly. Many campgrounds require a Suffolk County Green Key card for resident rates and access to facilities. "We visited in late July. Park was excellent. Grounds were as advertised. Family friendly," noted one camper about Blydenburgh County Park. The camping season varies significantly between parks, with some county parks offering year-round access while state parks like Wildwood (April to October) and Heckscher (May to September) operate seasonally. Weather conditions are generally mild but can be buggy during summer months, with coastal locations experiencing stronger winds.

Campers consistently rate waterfront locations among the most desirable in the region. Indian Island County Park and Smith Point County Park provide beach and bay access that appeals to families and water enthusiasts. For those seeking a more wooded experience, Cathedral Pines County Park offers sites with greater separation and natural surroundings. A visitor to Cathedral Pines mentioned that "wooded sites are lovely" while noting that "RV sites are in a large field." Amenities vary significantly between locations, with most offering basic facilities like restrooms and showers, while some provide additional features such as hiking trails, fishing opportunities, and picnic areas. Sites closer to the ocean often come with additional regulations but provide unique coastal camping experiences not commonly found elsewhere on Long Island.

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Best Camping Sites Near St. James, New York (42)

    1. Blydenburgh County Park

    11 Reviews
    Hauppauge, NY
    5 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.)"

    2. Wildwood State Park Campground

    24 Reviews
    Wading River, NY
    18 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."

    3. Heckscher State Park Campground

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

    $20 / 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
    15 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. Cathedral Pines County Park

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

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

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

    "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."

    7. Smith Point County Park

    9 Reviews
    Mastic Beach, NY
    18 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."

    8. Smith's Point

    5 Reviews
    Mastic Beach, NY
    18 miles
    Website

    9. Battle Row Campground

    4 Reviews
    Old Bethpage, NY
    18 miles
    Website
    +1 (516) 572-8690

    $5 - $60 / night

    "You can take bike rides , and relax outside with a nice amount of space to yourself ."

    10. Indian Island County Park

    10 Reviews
    Riverhead, NY
    28 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."

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Recent Camping Photos near St. James, NY

78 Photos of 42 St. James Campgrounds

Recent Reviews near St. James, NY

244 Reviews of 42 St. James Campgrounds

  • EThe Dyrt PRO User
    Sep. 29, 2025

    Liberty Harbor RV Park

    Functional with excellent access to the City

    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. Shopping & restraunts are right next door. We brought scooters & had a great stay! Plus you can see the Statue of Liberty from there!

  • EThe Dyrt PRO User
    Sep. 17, 2025

    Liberty Harbor RV Park

    friendly staff at the office

    Gave us a welcome folder with lots of helpful info, can walk to get food up the street, short drive to Liberty Park where we got out and walked at night to admire the city skyline and Statue of Liberty at night. They have hook ups and big laundry room.

  • 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.

  • Joe R.
    Mar. 23, 2025

    Liberty Harbor RV Park

    Worth it

    This is a pricey park, but options are limited. As in almost non existent. This is a prime location for visiting the city or heading down the shore. The light rail is a block away, and the path train is about 8.

    Staff is average, as this is not meant to be high end. They are nice but a bit rough. We had some issues with our converter and they wanted to extort a 20% commission to allow our repair man in. A bit of logical conversation put that idea to sleep. Sites kind of level and very close. Power and water, and convenient dump station if staying and needing to dump. The bath house was above average and heated. The laundry was helpful and was acceptable. Having a view of Lady Liberty out your window is priceless.

    Getting in and out of the city is an adventure. Stay right off the highway to avoid the $30 tunnel toll. Follow RV life pro and not Waze.

Guide to St. James

Camping near St. James, New York, 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 choose from.

What to do:

  • Hiking: Explore the trails at Harriman State Park - Beaver Pond. One camper mentioned, "Going for a hike here in the morning before heading out" made their stay memorable.
  • Beach Access: Enjoy the sandy shores at Hammonasset State Park Campground. A visitor shared, "The beach was popular," making it a great spot for swimming and sunbathing.
  • Fishing: Try your luck at catching fish in nearby lakes. One camper at Wildwood State Park noted, "You can swim or fish there," highlighting the campground's versatility.

What campers like:

  • Clean Facilities: Campers appreciate the well-maintained restrooms and showers. A review for Bear Creek Campground stated, "Friendly staff and really clean bathrooms and shower area."
  • Family-Friendly Atmosphere: Many families enjoy the activities available. One reviewer at Riverdale Farm Campsites said, "They had great prizes for cheap cost" during bingo night, making it a fun experience for kids.
  • Convenient Location: Being close to attractions is a plus. A camper at Liberty Harbor RV Park mentioned, "You can see the Statue of Liberty from the park," making it a great base for exploring NYC.

What you should know:

  • Noise Levels: Some campgrounds can get noisy, especially during peak seasons. A visitor at Kettletown State Park noted, "Things were loud well past midnight," so plan accordingly.
  • Site Proximity: Campsites can be close together, which might affect privacy. A review for Clarence Fahnestock State Park mentioned, "Some sites are grouped in open areas. These lack privacy."
  • Limited Amenities: Not all campgrounds have extensive facilities. A camper at Rocky Neck State Park Campground pointed out, "There’s no on-site camp store for last minute necessities."

Tips for camping with families:

  • Plan Activities: Bring games and crafts to keep kids entertained. One family at Hammonasset State Park Campground enjoyed biking around, saying, "There were kids on bikes, scooters, skateboards."
  • Choose the Right Site: Look for sites that offer some space and shade. A camper at Wildwood State Park mentioned, "Each site has nice space," which is great for families.
  • Pack Snacks: Having snacks on hand can make a big difference. A visitor at Lake Compounce Campground noted, "They had a nice store," which can be helpful for quick bites.

Tips from RVers:

  • Check Site Size: Make sure your RV fits the site. A review for Liberty Harbor RV Park warned, "Getting in and out is not for someone in a brand new 45' travel trailer."
  • Use Carts for Gear: Some campgrounds provide carts to help transport your gear. A camper at Sandy Hook - Gateway National Recreation Area mentioned, "It helps to use the provided wheelbarrows to get everything to your personal site."
  • Stay Midweek: If possible, plan your trip during the week to avoid crowds. A visitor at Bear Creek Campground noted, "CG is pretty empty during the week and gets busy during the weekend."

Camping near St. James, New York, has something for everyone, whether you're a family looking for fun or an RV enthusiast seeking adventure.

Frequently Asked Questions

What camping is available near St. James, NY?

According to TheDyrt.com, St. James, NY offers a wide range of camping options, with 42 campgrounds and RV parks near St. James, NY and 1 free dispersed camping spot.

Which is the most popular campground near St. James, NY?

According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular campground near St. James, NY is Blydenburgh County Park with a 4.1-star rating from 11 reviews.

Where can I find free dispersed camping near St. James, NY?

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

What parks are near St. James, NY?

According to TheDyrt.com, there are 13 parks near St. James, NY that allow camping, notably Fire Island National Seashore and Hop Brook Lake.

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