Blydenburgh County Park's grassy campsites welcome pets throughout the year, offering dog-friendly tent and RV accommodations in a wooded setting near Smithtown, New York. Dogs must remain on leash while exploring the park's trail system that encircles the lake. A dedicated dog run provides off-leash play opportunities for energetic pets. Campers with pets appreciate the clean facilities and well-maintained grounds at this Suffolk County park. Nickerson Beach Park Campground also accommodates pets at its oceanfront RV sites from April to November, though dogs are not permitted on the public beach itself. A separate dog exercise area is located on the opposite side of the beach parking lot. Most campgrounds in the area provide standard pet amenities including waste stations and water access, with no specific breed restrictions noted at county-operated facilities.
Seven-mile hiking trails at Blydenburgh Park offer excellent pet-friendly recreation opportunities, with many dogs and horses sharing the pathways around the lake. The nearby Heckscher State Park Campground provides additional pet-friendly options with tent sites, RV spots, and cabins available from May through September. Camping areas at these parks generally lack privacy barriers between sites, making proper pet management essential for neighborly camping. Local veterinary clinics are available in Farmingdale and surrounding communities for emergency care. Wildlife encounters are possible in wooded camping areas, so keeping pets secured is important for both their safety and local habitat protection. Suffolk County parks typically enforce quiet hours that include pet noise restrictions. Cathedral Pines County Park and Southaven County Park round out the local pet-friendly camping options, both accepting leashed dogs year-round with various accommodation types.
"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"
"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."
$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."
$35 - $197 / night
"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."
$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 - $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."
$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."
"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."
$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."
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.
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.
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.
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.
Camping in Suffolk County offers year-round options within 30 miles of South Farmingdale, with elevations rarely exceeding 100 feet throughout the area. The Long Island region experiences moderate temperatures that rarely drop below freezing in winter, making it suitable for camping across multiple seasons. Most campgrounds in the area sit among mixed hardwood forests with sandy soil conditions.
Hiking around Carmans River: Southaven County Park features trails following this scenic waterway. "The campground is pretty large, which I was a little surprised by. The campground was really clean, and because the campground is large, you feel like there is room between you and your neighbors. They have quite a few walking, hiking and biking trails nearby," notes one Southaven County Park visitor.
Boating and paddling options: Several parks offer rental equipment for water activities. "They do have some items you can rent- I rented a rowboat, and used that for a large part of the morning. They also have some kayaks available to rent as well," reports a camper at Southaven. Similarly, at Watch Hill Fire Island Campground, beach access means "Beautiful location steps away from the beach. Listen to the waves crashing as you sleep and stargaze over the clear ocean."
Wildlife viewing: Deer sightings are common at most parks in the region. "Wildlife encounters include deer, rabbits, turtles," notes a visitor to Heckscher State Park Campground, while Southaven offers good birdwatching opportunities along water features.
Beach proximity: Access to sand and water draws many visitors. At Smith Point County Park, campers appreciate that it's just "a 1 minute walk over the dune to the Atlantic ocean" with sites that offer impressive views: "Our 36ft motorhome backed up to a raised balcony overlooking the bay. Less than 100 feet from the front of our site was the beach and the Atlantic Ocean view."
Clean facilities: Well-maintained bathhouses are frequently mentioned. At Blydenburgh County Park, visitors note the "super nice staff" and one mentions that "bathrooms are just okay." Another says that "Camp on grass! Lovely trees. Everyone is nice. Hiking trails are beautiful. Dog friendly. Clean bathrooms."
Multiple camping styles: From platforms to open fields, area campgrounds accommodate various preferences. "The campground is one flat open space where some sites are full in the shade and other sites (lower numbers) have lots of sun," explains a Wildwood State Park visitor, adding "There is a shop at the entrance to get supplies if you need it and you can rent firepits and buy firewood."
Site privacy varies significantly: Many campgrounds feature open layouts with limited separation between sites. At Heckscher, "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."
Fire ring policies: Unlike many state parks, some locations require rentals. "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," notes an Heckscher camper. Similarly, a Wildwood visitor mentions it's "lame not having a fire ring, you have to rent one or bring your own."
Insect preparation essential: Bugs can be problematic, especially near water. At Watch Hill Fire Island, visitors warn "the mosquitoes are extremely potent and plentiful. Take the good stuff," while at Southaven, campers suggest to "Beware and prepare for ticks. Very wooded."
Playgrounds and recreation areas: Several parks offer dedicated children's facilities. A Cathedral Pines County Park camper mentions the "beautiful walking trails" while Heckscher features "a playground just for the campground." Another visitor notes that Southaven County Park "has a beautiful lake and a really nice playground highly recommended" for families with young children.
Seasonal entertainment options: Some parks schedule special events during peak season. "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," reports an Heckscher visitor.
Beach safety considerations: Lifeguards are present at designated swimming areas during summer months. Smith Point County Park's beach area is "a short walk from the front of our site" with facilities that include "shower and rest room buildings. Clean and well lit."
Site selection strategies: Corner locations often provide more space. At Smith Point, one RVer recommends certain sections: "I also like the corner sites as they are bigger. The 230-70 overlook the ocean which is great." Another camper at Nickerson notes: "Campsite allows dogs, however, the beach does not. They have a small dog run on the other side of the large beach parking lot."
Access challenges: Larger rigs may encounter navigation issues at some parks. For dog friendly campgrounds near South Farmingdale, Cathedral Pines offers good options but has "not very many electric sites" and is not "big-rig-friendly" according to their amenities list.
Seasonal availability: Some dog-friendly locations have limited operating seasons. Wildwood operates "April 1 to October 10" while Heckscher is only available "May 26 to September 3," making Blydenburgh and Cathedral Pines better options for off-season camping with pets as they operate year-round.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is the most popular dog-friendly campsite near South Farmingdale, NY?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular dog-friendly campground near South Farmingdale, NY is Blydenburgh County Park with a 4.1-star rating from 11 reviews.
What is the best site to find dog-friendly camping near South Farmingdale, NY?
TheDyrt.com has all 24 dog-friendly camping locations near South Farmingdale, NY, with real photos and reviews from campers.
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