Camping cabins near St. James are the charming alternative to a tent or a yurt. Cabin camping is an adventurous and unique way to experience the city. You're sure to find the perfect cabin rental for your New York camping adventure.
Take the Virtual Tour! - WILDWOOD STATE PARK
Wildwood State Park comprises 600 acres of undeveloped hardwood forest, terminating on the high bluff overlooking Long Island Sound. Swimmers can take advantage of the cool waters of the Sound, and picnickers can relax at shaded picnic tables as their children enjoy the nearby playground. Visitors can fish and use the hiking and cross-country ski trails, making this an enjoyable place to camp and be outdoors in any season. Geography: Wildwood State Park is located near Long Island Sound, on the north shore of Long Island, in Suffolk County. Recreation: Considered a flagship facility, visitors can enjoy the beach, biking, camper recreation programs, fishing, hiking, picnicking, and cross-country skiing. During July and August, movies are shown weekly, and once a week, campers can enjoy an evening of line or square dancing. Facilities: The park has 2 miles of beach on the Long Island sound for fishing and swimming. Each campsite has a picnic table, and dumping stations are nearby. There are 10 cottages, each with a fire ring, screened-in patio, and are available for rent through mid-November. The campground recycles newspaper and cardboard. Other amenities include food concessions, a nature trail, twelve miles of marked hiking trails, a picnic area, basketball courts, ball fields, a playground, and showers. Firewood is for sale at the park; bring your own barbecue or metal fire container.
Heckscher State Park was once the 19th century estates of George C. Taylor and J. Neal Plum. William Nicoll, founder of the Town of Islip, originally built his estate on this property. The park was bought by the State of New York using a donation by the affluent August Heckscher with strong opposition from wealthy local residents. It was one of Robert Moses' most difficult fights to obtain land for public recreation on Long Island. Only with assistance and support from then Governor Alfred E. Smith was Moses able to close the deal on this beautiful property fronting the Great South Bay.
$18 - $22 / night
The family campground at Watch Hill provides a camping experience like no other.
Croton Point Park is a 508-acre park situated on a peninsula on the east shore of the Hudson River. This park offers year-round events and activities and has facilities for camping, hiking and swimming. The park, rich in natural and human history, is also the site of historic wine cellars that are thought of be the oldest in New York State and the Croton Point Nature Center. The oldest oyster shell middens on the North Atlantic Coast uncovered by archeologists on Croton Point confirm that the peninsula was inhabited by Native Americans as early as 7,000 years ago. Croton is in fact named for the Indian sachem, Kenoten, which means "wild wind.” In the 17th century, Indians of the Kitchawank tribe on the Wappinger Confederacy occupied a large fortified village on the high flat at the neck of Croton Point, which they called Navish. This was one of the most ancient and formidable Indian fortresses south of the Hudson Highlands.
$30 - $60 / night
Nestled within walking distance of Main Street, Greenport, Long Island, near the tranquil sound, North Fork Cottages & RV Resort offers a unique lodging experience. Our premier destination features a variety of accommodations, including cozy cottages, well-equipped RV sites, and luxurious glamping setups. The brand-new cottages are not only perfect for a relaxing getaway but also cater to bridal parties and corporate retreats, providing an exclusive setting for special occasions and team gatherings.
You’ve never experienced New York City like this before. A quick ferry ride from downtown Manhattan, our peaceful oasis is nestled in the hills of historic Governors Island. You’ll be surrounded by sprawling green spaces, with unparalleled views of the Statue of Liberty across the New York Harbor. It’s a retreat unlike any other in the world. The retreat includes Three Peaks Lodge dining and group activities space, a great lawn, and a collection of luxury outdoor accommodations (Summit Tents and Outlook Shelters) with en-suite bathrooms and entry level Journey Tents that offer a private dedicated bathroom that can be locked and that includes full flush toilets, showers, hot running water and amenities.
**Getting Here: **Collective Governors Island is located eight minutes from Lower Manhattan and five minutes from Brooklyn via ferry. All guests must arrive at Collective Governors Island on one of these ferries. The full ferry schedule can be found here.
Manhattan ferries run daily: 10 a.m.- 4:15 p.m. (Monday-Friday) and 10 a.m.- 6 p.m. (Saturdays and Sundays)
Brooklyn ferries run: 10:15 a.m.- 4:15 p.m. (Saturdays and Sundays)
*Note above schedules are subject to changes or time variations depending on time of year. Please confirm the most current ferry schedule here.
MORNINGS BACK TO WORK:Governors Island Ferry only starts transporting back to Manhattan at 10AM to 10 South St., however Collective Retreats guests may take exclusive morning ferries back to 10 South St. at 7:15AM, 7:45AM, 8:15AM, 8:45AM, 9:15AM, and 9:45AM. No reservations are required in advance, see front desk for more info.
$529 - $1200 / night
Scout
Update number 2: I told you I come here a lot, we did bingo and it was a blast. It was a beautiful day on the beach pond. They had great prizes for cheap cost. I spent 2 dollars for 10 long rounds of bingo with 4 cards. Who can beat that!!?? My son won a game prize worth 5 times that. I had to give the rest of the money I had as a tip because I was so happy with how everything worked out. They are always updating, someone broke the basketball 🏀 hoop on one side and it’s fixed 2 weeks later.
Update: They have changed days for me many times when I had issues with the camper. Never once asked questions or even treated me differently. No extra cost. You might have have to change spots but I don’t care. They are so easy to work with. Thanks guys
Great Value and Nice Family owned business. The lake is perfect, the river needs work. But this an awesome small campground. The kids who work here are so friendly and the playground is nice. They did a show on the beach one night that was fun too. We did bingo too. Have been going for 2 years and started with tenting up to a trailer. I love coming here and wish I could spend more time. Really close to Hammonassett beach and one of my favorite restaurants the “log cabin”. Make sure you bring Tupperware with you to this place.
Also don’t let other family’s ruin your trip. We had 3 family’s meet up on 2 sites near us and the father and mother just kept yelling at the kids. Made me feel bad for the children but doesn’t make me right a bad review about the campground.
Scout
Kettletown State Park isn't just for camping. There are also hiking trails , a fishing area and a swimming hole, but the week I was there there was a high bacteria count, so no swimming was allowed. Also, when swimming is allowed, there isnt a lifeguard.
The campsites are varied, you can tent camp, use a camper, or they also have a few cabins you can rent. Be advised, there isn't a kitchen or bathroom in the cabins!
TravelerStayed in a cabin on the lower loop. Went hiking all day. Kinda close together sites, but the trails make up for it.
Traveler
Perhaps it was the weekend we went but this was an extremely unpleasant trip. The bathroom facilities are wonderful as is the beach but the crowd stayed awake playing music all night very loudly. I think the cabins here are the way to go.
Scout
It's a good park/camp for groups. They have cabins and RV sites and now that the Tapan Zee bridge work is done most of them are now open again as the bridge workers have moved out.
There is a model airplane air field and a decent playground for young kids.
Only down side is there is a train depot right outside and you can hear them shunting trains all night.
GuideWell , one of the best sites , big enough, some have platform, clean bathrooms,many showers . Walk to the beach on Long Island sound , rocky beach you need water shoes or sandals , sunset is beyond amazing . Fire allowed, but no fire ring , rent it for $8 per day (rip off) so bring yours ! Quiet place , cabins look amazing, all booked , you gotta book a year in advance :( fishing and swimming allowed. Cell service available. Ticks signs everywhere, just be careful and wear light colors clothes. I’m going again this summer !
LegendClose to the Hampton's and Fire Island National Seashore. A great family campsite right on the Long Island Sound. A little bit of a bummer on the rental for a firepit but the bathrooms are big and spacious. The showers could be a little bit warmer.
GuideAs a long islander is was a Good local experience. The state park is very well run and the facilities are clean. However there are too many loud families and the sites are too close in proximity for me. This place is great for a group/family getaway but those looking for a quiet nature retreat may want to look elsewhere.
LegendGeneral: 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.
GuideWe love this State Park because it's close to our home for a quick getaway.
This time we tried one of the sites on the water, and I probably wouldn't choose the same site again. Site 11, while large, was uneven and had some large tree roots that would be easy to trip over. It was a walk up the hill to the bathhouse. No hookups.
It's quiet, clean, and exactly what we were looking for in a weekend. Close to Southford Falls for a nice hike and waterfall views.
Speaking of bathhouse - this one is really just in dire need of updating. Having visited 2 other state parks in a neighboring state, CT should really invest in better quality bath houses. This is the only reason why I didn't give it 5 stars.
Ranger
My 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.
ScoutI camped here solo on Friday and Saturday over the Labor Day weekend. Overall my experience was positive.
Camping Sites
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. My site had good shade coverage and was free of rocks and other hazards.
I had enough space that I didn't feel like I was intruding on my neighbors and vice-versa. That said, there aren't clear paths to the restroom building so it's not uncommon for people to cut through the edges of sites to get there. In my experience I (and others I saw) tried not to go right through the middle people's setups to do so.
If you're looking for privacy, the sites at the rear seemed to be less-densely packed, even though every site was occupied. Quiet hours are generally adhered to but not enforced - there were some campers that had noise running later.
Amenities
The restroom building is in the middle of the campground and was clean and had plenty of stalls.
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.
Access
A car is an absolute must for this part - the entrance is directly off of Southern State Parkway with no pedestrian access. Train stations are nearby so you could take the train most of the way and rent a car from there.
TravelerWas pleasantly surprised with this campsite ! Facilities (bathroom/showers) were clean, campsites were generously spaced, water spouts at almost every site. Was unaware there were no fire pits at the site so I would just bring your own. We made due with our charcoal grill provided at the site! Beaches were a 5 min drive
RangerThis was a last-minute booking for us and we were delighted with the beachside cottage, with enough amenities that mom and dad did not worry we had their cutie with us for "camping". She's too little for backpacking into the woods but finally got to stay overnight and help with the campfire!
Pros
Cons
ScoutEs bonito
GuideState is really trying with this park, putting in new beach front cottages. Other then that the RV and tent camping is horrible, as the previous review stated sites aren't marked and the tables and BBQs are trashed.
TravelerThis is more of a drive-in picnicking park than anything else. They have some activities and areas for games, but I wouldn't really consider it somewhere to camp.
TravelerThe 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.
Legend
Fire Island National Seashore! Take the ferry over across the bay to this quiet little gem on Long Island. Amazing, your own ocean and beach! You are not quite roughing it as there are showers and running water at the Watchhill campground. Reservations highly recommended!
ScoutBeautiful 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! There are shops, a restaurant and a bar a 10 minute walk away! One warning, however, the mosquitoes are extremely potent and plentiful. Take the good stuff. There are park rangers on site and have excellent programs for kids.
RangerIt was absolutely gorgeous, don’t get me wrong. However, it was nearly impossible to enjoy ourselves because we were getting attacked by mosquitoes and horseflies the entire weekend. When we first arrived to the campground, we were immediately getting attacked so we doused ourselves in deet. Even with the bug spray, the relief didn’t last long. We couldn’t even enjoy our meals at camp because it was that bad. Def bring a shelter or a canopy with a mosquito net!!! We spent a lot of time inside our tent, needless to say. We tried spending more time up at the beach to get some relief, but the horseflies were out of control!! They have a cool bar down by the boat dock that was fun, but prob won’t make it back here.
GuideFire Island is a great spot in the summer, but can be busy. 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.
Two-night minimum on weekends, and no fires. You can bring charcoal to cook on the grills provided or camp stoves, though.
GuideOnly about 20 min drive and 30 min ferry trip for us we got to watch hill. Awesome place close to home easy check in and very friendly ppl. It’s a bit of a walk to camp site but all on board walk (we took to carts full of stuff) some sites are not private meaning some site will have your neighbor right behind you. We had site 2 which was a nice private site. Short walk to the beach. Only thing no hot showers as it was a beach bathroom shower. It was a little cooler so showering was not that great also showers are not covered no curtains. Also come with deet repellent as mosquitos are vicious. Over all great weekend
TravelerYou 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. There are many spots along the dunes and allows to really space out from other campers. It felt like we had the entire beach to ourselves because there was no one else even close to around us, we went the weekend after labor day.
TravelerFavorite place ever. You can get there by ferry. Very quiet and comfortable. Birdsong in the morning and the sound of the waves. There are showers, toilets and a café. For those who want to be at one with nature. Lots of mosquitoes, be prepared.
GuideEasy car camping! Super accessible with well maintained bathrooms. Was pretty loud over when we went. The walk to the beach is slightly down hill but paved and accessible as well.
GuideThis trip was too short!
We really liked this location, you can see your neighbors, but each site has nice space.
It was a quick walk down to the beach.
The LI sound is definitely different from the ocean, but still nice. There was a nice little camp store, and by the beach another store and concession stand. This state campground does not have many amenities or activities, but the area is very nice. We enjoyed visiting The Shops at East Wind.
We definitely would come back, the only drawback is if you don't live on Long Island, the traffic getting here and leaving is insane.
Cabin camping near St. James, New York, offers a perfect blend of nature and comfort, making it an ideal getaway for families and outdoor enthusiasts alike.
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According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular cabin campground near St. James, NY is Wildwood State Park Campground with a 4.2-star rating from 22 reviews.
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