The camping spots near Shelter Island, New York provide access to the Long Island Sound and Atlantic Ocean coastlines, with most campgrounds sitting at elevations between 10-50 feet above sea level. Summer temperatures typically range from 65-85°F with high humidity, while spring and fall offer cooler camping conditions with fewer crowds. Most campsites in this coastal region remain open from April through October.
What to do
Beach exploration: Cedar Point County Park offers a 2.5-mile hike to a historic lighthouse that campers enjoy. "We pretty much had the entire park to ourselves. We arrived on Friday afternoon and enjoyed a quiet peaceful weekend with cool weather and no bugs. Plenty of space to walk and hike out to the lighthouse, kayak, biking or just relax," notes one Cedar Point County Park visitor.
Wildlife viewing: Hammonasset State Park Campground features a nature center with educational programs about coastal ecosystems. "You can ride your bike from your site to the playground, store, beach, local ice cream shop, coffee shop, or our family favorite, meig's point nature center. We make it a point to spend at least a week here every summer!" reports a Hammonasset State Park Campground camper.
Kayaking and boating: Many waterfront campgrounds offer direct water access for small boats. "Short walk to the beach with lots of little trails, and plenty of activities for the whole family. The bathrooms were mostly clean, and the shower was hot," explains an Indian Island County Park visitor.
What campers like
Spacious sites: Several campgrounds offer well-sized sites that provide adequate room for setup. "Campgrounds are clean and spacious but very open, being a beach there are a few campers who enjoy staying up quite late and listening to music," reports a camper from Wildwood State Park.
Clean facilities: Most campgrounds maintain quality shower and restroom facilities. "We were super lucky to get in for Memorial Day weekend. The beach is great and the staff was very friendly. The camp sites are close to each other with little to no privacy but everyone in our area was nice. There's a ton of family's with kids," notes a Hither Hills State Park Campground visitor.
Swimming options: Many campgrounds offer beach access or pool facilities for water recreation. "The campground is very nice. Everything you need is right here, and if you need something else, it's literally 5 mins away. Greenport Long Island, need I say more? I hope you love seafood," shares a McCann Campground guest.
What you should know
Advance booking required: Most camping areas near Shelter Island fill quickly, especially for summer weekends. "We were super lucky to get in for Memorial Day weekend. The beach is great and the staff was very friendly," notes a Hither Hills camper.
Site privacy varies: Many campgrounds feature open layouts with limited separation between sites. "Sites had zero privacy and were all pull through. There was water, electric and sewer hookups at each site, but this was an expensive place to 'camp'," reports a Wildwood State Park visitor.
Fire ring availability: Not all campgrounds provide fire rings with sites. "It's a lame not having a fire ring, you have to rent one or bring your own," mentions a Wildwood State Park camper.
Insect preparation: Bugs can be problematic, particularly in wooded areas. "I don't mind the noise but the nats (little black flies) make it nearly impossible to enjoy an evening," shares a Hammonasset State Park visitor.
Tips for camping with families
Pool access: Some campgrounds offer swimming pools that provide alternatives to beach swimming. "We were here on an extremely hot and humid couple days. It was great to have electric and water hookups. Also being able to use their pool with our grandchildren was great," shares a Crocker's Boatyard visitor.
Playground facilities: Multiple campgrounds feature playground equipment for children. "They have plenty of things at the camp store and you can't beat the couple minute walk to the beach. There is plenty of things in the area if you need to pick up any extra supplies too!" notes a Hammonasset camper.
Scheduled activities: Some campgrounds organize regular events for younger campers. "This campground is undergoing a much needed upgrade. The staff is very friendly and tries hard to make it fun for the kids including icecream socials wagon rides and a coin hunt," explains a Niantic KOA visitor.
Tips from RVers
Hook-up availability: RV sites with full hook-ups are limited near Shelter Island. "No sewers sites that I could tell, and 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 an Indian Island County Park camper.
Generator restrictions: Many campgrounds limit generator hours or prohibit them entirely. "Generator hours are limited. There are spigots located down the middle of the rows. Go on google maps to find a spot near a spigot," shares a Hither Hills visitor.
Cell signal variability: Mobile reception can be unreliable across the area. "Cell signal varies wildly by spot. B17 no prob at all. G14 spotty. F20 total dead zone," notes another Hither Hills camper.
