30 campgrounds · Check availability for any dates.
Smith Point County Park accepts pets at all of its camping sites within a short walk to the ocean. This Suffolk County facility provides tent, RV, and glamping accommodations with full hookups including electric, water, and sewer at many sites. Bathroom facilities are clean with hot showers and good water pressure. Both Smith Point and nearby Southaven County Park enforce standard pet policies requiring leashes and proper waste disposal. Sites at Smith Point overlook either the bay or ocean, though they are arranged close together with limited privacy between neighbors. Park police strictly enforce quiet hours and alcohol policies at the beachfront campground.
Campers report deer regularly wandering through Smith Point, sometimes eating lettuce from visitors' hands despite feeding wildlife being prohibited. Cathedral Pines County Park offers more wooded, spacious sites for camping with dogs, providing a quieter alternative to beach camping. The park features miles of walking trails through pine forests where leashed pets can exercise. Sites at Cathedral Pines include fire pits and grills, though campers should secure food as raccoons are active in the area. For campers seeking electric hookups, Southaven County Park provides options, though the number of powered sites is limited. Most pet-friendly campgrounds in the area remain open year-round, with October offering comfortable temperatures for beach camping when bugs are gone and crowds have thinned.
"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."
from $20 - $225 / night
Check Availability"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."
"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."
from $33 / night
Check Availability"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."
from $35 - $237 / night
Check Availability"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."
"* 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."
from $20 - $285 / night
Check Availability"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"
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
ScoutVery nice family oriented, places the beach, which is great except for the birds watch out they come at you. They have a dog park basketball courts playground swimming just about everything.
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!
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
Pet friendly camping near Shirley, New York centers around Suffolk County parks that provide both oceanfront and wooded camping options. The barrier islands along Long Island's south shore create distinctive camping environments with sites ranging from directly on beaches to inland pine barrens. Fall temperatures remain moderate through October, while summer camping requires advance planning due to high demand.
Kayak and fish the local waterways: At Indian Island County Park, campers have easy access to both kayak launches and fishing spots. "You are a short walk from beach access and kayak launch. There is a playground for kids and clean facilities," notes Michael G. The park features a mix of shoreline and wooded areas for different outdoor activities.
Explore natural hiking trails: The pine forests of Blydenburgh County Park offer extensive trail systems through native Long Island habitats. One camper describes it as feeling "like I was suddenly transported upstate when in fact I had only driven 2 towns over." The park features a 7-mile loop around the lake with "decent fishing. Lots of horses and dogs on the trail," according to Erik R.
Beach activities year-round: The oceanfront locations remain usable in cooler months. A camper at Smith Point County Park notes, "A short walk from the ocean to the bay, both accessible by walking from your campsite." Water temperatures remain warm enough for wading into early fall, and beach walks continue year-round.
Direct oceanfront access: Campsites at Smith Point County Park provide immediate beach access. "Literally steps to the beach," writes Gianna about staying on the bayside. Another camper adds, "1 minute walk over the dune to the Atlantic ocean. Will definitely be back."
Wildlife encounters: Multiple campgrounds host native deer populations that have become accustomed to humans. At Watch Hill Fire Island Campground, a camper reports seeing "wildlife: deer, rabbits, turtles" regularly throughout their stay. The park's natural setting preserves habitat for native species.
Wooded seclusion options: For campers seeking more privacy than beachfront sites provide, Cathedral Pines offers an alternative. "Wooded sites are lovely," notes Karen R., contrasting them with "RV sites in large field." These sites provide a different experience from the more open beach camping areas.
Off-season camping advantages: October camping reduces both crowds and insects. A reviewer at Watch Hill Fire Island Campground states, "Beach camping at its finest. Listen to the waves crashing as you sleep and stargaze over the clear ocean," highlighting the natural experience available after summer crowds diminish.
Campsite spacing varies significantly: Many oceanfront sites trade privacy for location. A review of Smith Point notes, "Close sites with no privacy. Short walk to beach." This is a common trade-off at beachfront locations throughout the region.
Mosquitoes require preparation: Insect pressure varies seasonally but can be intense in summer months. A camper at Watch Hill warns, "Expect to be eaten alive... it was nearly impossible to enjoy ourselves because we were getting attacked by mosquitoes and horseflies the entire weekend. Even with the bug spray, the relief didn't last long."
Permit requirements: Some locations have special requirements for non-residents. Heckscher State Park requires permits for certain activities, while other parks have resident preferences for reservations. As one camper at Blydenburgh advises, Suffolk County is "Worth buying green key card for resident access. 200 but you'd spend that 4 nights regardless."
Fire ring availability differs: Not all parks provide fire rings. Ellen C. noted about Heckscher State Park: "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."
Look for playground access: Several campgrounds feature dedicated play areas for children. At Indian Island County Park, "There is a playground for kids" that provides recreation within walking distance of campsites. Family-focused amenities vary between parks.
Consider cottage options for comfort: Wildwood State Park Campground provides more structured accommodations. "Sites had water, electric and sewer hookups at each site," notes one reviewer, though they caution it was "an expensive place to camp." The comfort level makes it suitable for families new to camping.
Beach campgrounds require sun preparation: Shade is limited at oceanfront locations. A camper at Smith Point warns, "No shade so be prepared to wake early if you're in a sweltering tent." Bringing portable shade structures helps families manage exposure during summer months.
Plan for noise levels: Family-friendly often means more ambient noise. "This is not a quiet campground, campers stay up late drinking by the fire. Kids of all ages are generally running and playing day and night in the loud and unreserved way they do," reports Ali O. about Smith Point, noting this creates a welcoming atmosphere for families but may not suit those seeking solitude.
Reserve electric hookups early: Limited powered sites fill quickly. At Southaven County Park, "There is electric, water but those fill up fast," reports a regular visitor. Making reservations well in advance increases chances of securing these premium sites.
Consider site access challenges: Not all parks accommodate larger RVs. While Indian Island County Park is described as "nice for pop up" with "electric and water," other locations have more limited facilities or access routes that may challenge larger rigs.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is the most popular dog-friendly campsite near Shirley, NY?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular dog-friendly campground near Shirley, NY is Wildwood State Park Campground with a 4.2-star rating from 24 reviews.
What is the best site to find dog-friendly camping near Shirley, NY?
TheDyrt.com has all 30 dog-friendly camping locations near Shirley, NY, with real photos and reviews from campers.
Keep Exploring
