Whether you're an RVer or tent camper, Wading River, NY is a great place to post up for the weekend—or longer. There are tons of hikes and other fun activities to partake in. Experience some of the most stunning views that New York camping has to offer. You're sure to find the perfect spot 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.
Hammonasset Beach State Park is the largest of Connecticut’s shoreline parks. Two-mile beach, facilities for swimming, camping (third weekend in May to Columbus Day), picnicking, saltwater fishing, scuba diving, hiking and boating; concessions. Nature center and interpretive programs. Bicycle rentals available through Labor Day, rates begin at $10 per hour and range up to $75 per week, with discounts for children. Helmets provided free to use and are mandatory for riders 15 and younger. Note: Lifeguards on duty on Wednesday through Sunday. Pricing: Weekdays: free for CT vehicles; $15/out-of-state $7 after 4:00 pm. Weekends and holidays: free for CT vehicles; $22/out-of-state $7 after 4:00 pm William F. Miller Campground. 558 open sites. Concession, dumping station, bathrooms, showers. Saltwater swimming and fishing. Individual fireplaces not provided. No pets.
$20 - $45 / night
Smith Point, on the Fire Island barrier beach, is a haven for sportsmen, surfers and beach lovers. An extremely popular facility, the park's white sands, rolling Atlantic surf and adjoining camping facility attract Suffolk County residents and tourists each summer season. Reservations are required for all the sites in the campground. All sites have water, and many have electric hookups and sewers. Outer beach camping is available on first come, first served basis, beach conditions permitting.
A nationally recognized team of lifeguards makes Smith Point its home base, providing ocean visitors with an extra-special safety feature.
Off-road vehicles, with permit only, may drive on the eastern portion of the outer beach. All beach-goers are advised to respect the marked, protective fencing around the nest sites of endangered shorebirds inhabiting the ocean and bay beaches.
The Carmans River flows through this scenic, pine-oak forested park. Southaven is a popular picnicking site, containing group areas capable of accommodating up to 1,000 people. Southaven's 1,356 acres also offer a bicycle hostel. Boating and freshwater fishing are permitted. Camping is also available, with sites for tents and trailers.
$33 / night
The family campground at Watch Hill provides a camping experience like no other.
Situated along the scenic Connecticut coastline making great camping near New Haven, Rocky Neck State Park is a is a small recreation area that features white sand beaches, salt marshes, and the rocky remnants of Ice Age glaciers. The park is located about 1 hour southeast of Hartford, near the town of East Lyme, with a view across the sound of Fishers Island, Gardiners Island, and Long Island. The park showcases several examples of ancient glacial terrain, including rock scouring and polishing, potholes and erratic boulders. In some places, the overlying sediment has been completely eroded away to reveal interesting outcrops of banded granitic gneiss.
The campground at Rocky Neck offers 160 drive-in campsites for tent and RV campers. Visitors can choose from open, grassy sites and wooded, shady sites. Each site is equipped with picnic tables and fire rings, but RV hookups are not available. Sites can accommodate vehicles/trailers up to 35 feet; some sites are tent-only. Water faucets, restrooms, and trash/recycling receptacles are located throughout the campground; a dump station is located near the campground entrance. Dogs are not permitted in this park. Camping is available from May through September; sites are $20–$30/night; reservations accepted.
The main attraction at Rocky Neck is its wide, sandy beach, where visitors can lounge in the sun, or go for a dip in Long Island Sound. The park has several picnic areas for family and group gatherings, several miles of hiking trails for exploring the park’s salt marshes, waterways and natural features, and anglers can fish for saltwater bass, blackfish and flounder. Along the park’s western shore, the historic Ellie Mitchell Pavilion has concessions, and dining and lounging areas. The park also offers a variety of seasonal interpretive programs, guided hikes, wildlife viewing, and evening entertainment.
Hammonasset Beach State Park is the largest of Connecticut’s shoreline parks. Two-mile beach, facilities for swimming, camping (third weekend in May to Columbus Day), picnicking, saltwater fishing, scuba diving, hiking and boating; concessions. Nature center and interpretive programs. Bicycle rentals available through Labor Day, rates begin at $10 per hour and range up to $75 per week, with discounts for children. Helmets provided free to use and are mandatory for riders 15 and younger. Note: Lifeguards on duty on Wednesday through Sunday. Pricing: Weekdays: free for CT vehicles; $15/out-of-state $7 after 4:00 pm. Weekends and holidays: free for CT vehicles; $22/out-of-state $7 after 4:00 pm William F. Miller Campground. 558 open sites. Concession, dumping station, bathrooms, showers. Saltwater swimming and fishing. Individual fireplaces not provided. No pets.
$20 - $45 / night
Smith Point, on the Fire Island barrier beach, is a haven for sportsmen, surfers and beach lovers. An extremely popular facility, the park's white sands, rolling Atlantic surf and adjoining camping facility attract Suffolk County residents and tourists each summer season. Reservations are required for all the sites in the campground. All sites have water, and many have electric hookups and sewers. Outer beach camping is available on first come, first served basis, beach conditions permitting.
A nationally recognized team of lifeguards makes Smith Point its home base, providing ocean visitors with an extra-special safety feature.
Off-road vehicles, with permit only, may drive on the eastern portion of the outer beach. All beach-goers are advised to respect the marked, protective fencing around the nest sites of endangered shorebirds inhabiting the ocean and bay beaches.
The Carmans River flows through this scenic, pine-oak forested park. Southaven is a popular picnicking site, containing group areas capable of accommodating up to 1,000 people. Southaven's 1,356 acres also offer a bicycle hostel. Boating and freshwater fishing are permitted. Camping is also available, with sites for tents and trailers.
$33 / night
Legend
We generally only stay in KOAs or similar RV parks when we need showers, laundry, or a dump station. This one was in a convenient location plus many campgrounds had not yet opened for the year when we were there. It had rained for a few days before our arrival and that did not help our first impression as we drove on the rutted and muddy road to our site. There was a sign that improvements are underway, but I am not sure what those planned improvements are and when they will be implemented.
On the plus side:
*Friendly and helpful staff. Not sure why when we are given a map an employee escorts us to our site but that is a KOA thing. Later an employee asked if I wanted help carrying our clothes to the laundry.
* Warm showers (but it did take a while for the water to get warm)
*Brand new pool that was uncovered but it was way too cold in April to use*Sites were spaced a decent amount of space apart (although there is little physical separation). This was helped by the fact that there was no one on either side of us during our stay.
*In season, there are many activities to occupy families (pool, playground, mini golf, daily firetruck rides, complimentary shuttle into the town of Niantic); however, we could not take advantage of most of these.
*Reasonably priced laundry, although the washing machines were smal, and it took two to do what should have been one load. However, the dryers give you 60 minutes so although it took longer to dry, I only had to use one.
On the negative side:
*Unmaintained roadways. The main one was once paved but has not been maintained; others were dirt (and mud after a rain)
*High price for what we received. Not sure if we received an off-season rate but at $87 per night for a water/electric site and not being able to take advantage of amenities seemed high.
*Allowing political flags to be displayed at sites. I understand that on private property, this can be allowed at the owner's discretion, but this was offensive to us.
Again, this is not our preferred type of camping. Initially, I struggled to give this two stars but once the rain stopped, our stay improved somewhat.
Scout
Stayed at this campground this past weekend and yes it was a long weekend so the campground was packed. All the camping spots are pretty much right next to each one with hardly any space, packed like Sardines. Neighbors are loud and some of them are ignorant of the park rules. Staying on the phones in the middle of the night while talking so loud that all camping neighbors can hear their whole story
Its a pity that they take a nice park and remove the fun out of camping.
However the walk to the beach area was very serene, especially early morning before sunrise and didn't feel like we live in dense suburbia and sunrise from the beach was worth the trip
Camp site itself was pretty flat, had a water station, bathrooms were well kept , no fire ring (BYOFP)
Traveler
The 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.
Scout
Needed a place to stay for 2 nights , My wife and I were going to show at the Garde Theater. Which was walking distance from the boat yard.
Had a bite to eat at the Blue Duck, it was fine. Saw the show and walk back to the boat yard.
The next day we took the ferry to Block Island which was also walking distance from the boat yard. Block Island a must see. Took the 5 pm ferry back.
Had dinner at a Thai restaurant which was 5 minutes walking and it was great.
Sunday we went and visited Fort Trumbull which is also walking distance away. Very nice place to visit and learn.
Also took a tour of the Coast Guard Ship at Fort Trumbull.
Head home around 12 pm stopped a Logee's Greenhouse on the way home.
All and All it was a great get away weekend.
Thank You Crocker Boat Yard!
Guide
Camping Review:
This campsite is beautifully located in the woods, offering a peaceful and serene environment. There are no busy roads nearby, which ensures a quiet setting during the day.
However, there are several downsides to consider. The camping spots are uneven, making it challenging to set up tents or campers. Additionally, swimming at the nearby beach is restricted to residents of the village, so visitors are not allowed to swim there.
During our stay, there were multiple large groups, including a Christian group that preached (screamingly) and played loud music until midnight, despite the designated quiet hours. Unfortunately, the management did nothing to enforce the rules, which was disruptive.
Another significant issue was the state of the sanitary facilities. They were extremely dirty, with feces present in various places. It took a long time before anything was cleaned, which obviously kept us from using the facilities.
Overall, while the location is beautiful, the poor management, noise issues, and dirty sanitary facilities seriously detract from the experience.
ScoutSecure and convenient location. Site can be a bit loud but calms down during the evening . Bathrooms were clean and the pool was amazing. Definitely going back!
Legend
I 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!!
ScoutEasy access to the boatyard at night; pulled in, picked a spot and all good.
Enjoyed the pool.
Walked to Fort Trumbull.
Recommend Crockers.
ScoutWe 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. They were very accommodating with all our questions and needs. No trees but its a boat yeard. And very interesting to watch the goings on at a boat yard
Traveler
I took the train to Montauk on 6/20/24 and got a cab ($20) to the campsite. All sites were reserved, but only 1/3 were being used. I was able to put my name on a waitlist and got a tent lot. They wouldn’t let me register for more than 1 night.
I was in A6, which is against the dunes (which are ~12ft tall), so I could hear the surf, but not see it. There was no one within 2 sites, so it was quiet.
Friday morning, I put my name on the waitlist at 8am, I had to break down my site by 11am, and come back at 1pm to claim a site. I took J10 (which is on a bluff ~20ft above the beach and G, H and I areas). Strangely, I was offered a 2 night stay (Fri&Sat).
Beautiful views of the ocean from my tent and I could still hear the surf. Area J has the best (newest?) facilities (bathrooms, showers, sinks (kitchen and personal)). Drawback is 10 minute walk to the general store/ranger station and 5 minutes to the beach (10 to swimming area).
Almost no cell service! 2 bars was the maximum and finding that was rare. (Not enough service to get an Uber or play Spotify). There is a landline outside at the ranger’s station.
General Store closed at 3pm, but Gurney’s is 1.5 miles down the beach if you want expensive bars and restaurants.
FYI, guarded swimming area is ~100 yards wide and located next to the entrance circle.
Traveler
Truly great spot. Amazing sites with plenty of room, though they are close together. But was worth it for the amenities and fantastic views. Stayed on the bayside (site 30), which had a fantastic direct bay view. Although most sites have views of the bay, some are blocked by seagrass (for example site 28 - huge corner spot but the flat spot to park has an obstructed view). Literally steps to the beach.
Traveler
The staff greeted with warm welcomes and big smiles. Even when I arrived on a rainy Sunday. Stayed until Friday. And the grounds staff smiled and waved as they went by. The family next to me offered me dinner one night after I spent the whole day working on my RV. Spanish rice chicken the works the plate could barely hold it all. No body bothered me and I was right front and center. Kids riding around on the bikes and lots of laughter from other sites. It was nice. Was able to just relax and do some school work and watch some webinars and get some much needed work done. This was my first of many stops on my countrywide trip. From NJ originally. Spent almost a week here in CT hitting Hartford for the weekend then off to Rhode Island. It was great. No water or electric hookup but I have solar and a generator and they have a wash area for dishes and REALLY HOT showers. Lol I like my showers hot butt my biscuits were burnin lol. They also have a dump station and a place to fill up ur water tank as well. 5 star all the way. Side note...the map online is misleading. I thought site 1 was like away and sorta back by no one...ha noppeeee I was riiiight in the middle where EVERYONE saw me lmao. No tree cover or anything! Lol. All good tho. That was my own fault for not calling and asking lol helped me level up on my social anxiety 😂🫣🤗😅
Traveler
This was our first stay at Devil’s Hopyard campground. We enjoyed our stay and were happy with our site. It was great to hike and see the waterfall.
Scout
This is a nice campground - not crowded and centrally located. However, I cannot walk ANYWHERE without picking up ticks. Even on the large sand paths, going to and from the bathroom I find ticks. It’s amazing!
GuideCamped here on a Friday night in Site 16, yet another campground recommended in“Best Tent Camping: New England.” Overall I was not impressed. The campsites are right next to each other and are marked with posts. The sites are so close that the posts are marked with the site number on both sides which tells me that there has been confusion in the past.
The sites along the creek mostly have worn paths to walk to it but it’s nothing impressive and I wouldn’t want to eat fish that came out of it. Each site has a picnic table and fire ring, some have the kind where the top flips over and others have the moveable grate that goes up and down. There is a large dumpster in the campground and several porta-potties. The old outhouses have been permanently closed and locked shut. My campsite had a lot of trash in it, old tent stakes, plastic bottle caps, plastic fork, broken glass, etc. Not good.
Some of the people there were camping in a group and were blasting music. I didn’t see a single park ranger the entire night so I’m not sure how often they police it. Someone in a pickup truck came into the campground, did a u-turn, and sped out at 30 mph which was really annoying and unsafe.
Across the street from the campground is a trail to Chapman Falls, which will take less than 10 minutes to hike to, but it’s a pretty waterfall despite all the foam and garbage around it.
This is a pretty basic campground and is nothing special. Out of all the sites I think 22 looked the best, it is more isolated and you can hear the waterfalls from it, which would be relaxing. The downside is that it’s right next to the entrance and road so you’ll get car headlights at night.
I woke in the morning to a gray sky and hundreds of birds singing– it was my favorite part of the trip. I delayed getting up to enjoy the moment. I also didn’t see any ticks but I’m sure there are plenty based on other reviews.
I’ve always thought that if states were condiments Connecticut would be mayonnaise– relatively unremarkable and bland. This campground fits that description perfectly.
Traveler
Selden Neck State Park is an island in the Connecticut River with no roads or development other than 4 campsites. You have to kayak or boat in. There's a boat launch across from the island on the west side of the river at Deep River Landing where you can leave your car. (Entering and parking at the boat launch requires a permit Memorial Day to Labor Day.)
It's about a 20 minute paddle across the river to the island. If it's a nice day, you're going to encounter some wake from passing boats so make sure your gear is in waterproof bags. Once you get to the island, follow the bank north until you spot the sign for your campsite.
My 5-year-old and I camped at site 2, Hogback. I haven't visited the other sites, but probably will just book this one again because it was so good. Plenty of flat area to pitch a tent, nice picnic table and fire pit. There's a private outhouse. At low tide, a couple of beaches emerge to play on.
The sunset view was amazing. There was a little noise at night from boat traffic but it didn't keep us up. In the morning, we were completely socked in with fog which would have been an issue if we had to get back early. But it burned off before long and we headed back.
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.
ScoutStayed in May, June, and November 2023. The location is its best feature. The beach is just over the dunes. Village Pizza is remarkably good.
Had to take a star off for no hookups. 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.
Cell signal varies wildly by spot. B17 no prob at all. G14 spotty. F20 total dead zone.
Bath house on the west side is eh. The east side- beautiful.
Guide
Ive been coming here for years. They have great sights and are open all year round. Ive stayed in hammocks, tents, leantos, and even did a good share of car camping. They have many sites and a tone of hiking trails. All of the shelters have fire pits and some have interior fireplaces. The one downside is that you need to book in person but it can be done well in advance if need be.
ScoutDer Camping Platz ist in der wunderschönen Natur gelegen. Das Personal ist sehr freundlich und die Camping Plätze sind grosszügig und gut gepflegt. Das Preis Leistungsverhältniss ist ebenfalls sehr gut. Einziger Nachteil: in den Waschräumen brennt die ganze Nacht das Licht und es gibt keine Türen. Damit wird aus den Waschräumen ein zu Hause für Moskitos und Ungeziefer…
ScoutOur 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. A stones throw away was one of several shower and rest room buildings. Clean and well lit. Our site had a trex picnic table on a cement patio. An on site firepit was cozy at night. A general store, complete with an ice cream shop window, on the grounds was a treat. And sweet deer. I watcheda momma deer nursing two of her babies. This is paradise.
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.
Traveler
Favorite 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.
TravelerBeen to this campsite 2 times. Nice beach with no waves. A lot of fishermen. 5-7 minutes by car to the store, gas station and farms.
ScoutBathrooms are a health hazard, have not been cleaned in who knows how long. Poop is smeared on the walls, floor and toilet. Showers are horrendous. There are young children that have to use those showers and bathrooms. I wouldn’t want to bring my kids here!!!
Traveler
Average compared to other state/county parks. The crowd was a little questionable. State police were called in the settled a dispute between campers. Neighbor ran a generator all night (luckily it was somewhat quite)I, but had no issues with anyone. There seemed to be a disproportionate amount of dilapidated trailers on the side of the campground with no electricity. I'm not sure how some of them even moved. The side with electricity was ok. Places to eat are very close, and a 15 minute drive to Smith's Point beach was a plus. You need a Green Key card membership for reservation which at least got me a 50% ($9) discount on beach parking.
ScoutVery nice staff, campground is nice also. Bathrooms could be cleaner. Close to downtown and beaches - campsite offers a shuttle service to most things around which is great!
Camping near Wading River, New York, offers a mix of beautiful nature and family-friendly activities. Whether you're looking for a peaceful retreat or a fun-filled adventure, there are several campgrounds to choose from.
Beach Access: Many campgrounds are close to the beach. For example, at Rocky Neck State Park Campground, visitors enjoy the convenience of walking or driving to the beach without any extra fees. One camper mentioned, "The beach area is large & very nice with outside showers for rinsing off the beach sand."
Fishing and Hiking: If you love fishing, Wildwood State Park Campground is a great spot. A reviewer noted, "The walk to the beach is slightly downhill but paved and accessible as well," making it easy to enjoy both fishing and hiking.
Family Activities: Campgrounds like Odetah Camping Resort offer plenty of activities for families. One happy camper shared, "This place has everything from a pool, splash pad, boats, food, ice cream, lots of activities, friendly helpful staff."
Camping near Wading River, New York, offers a variety of experiences for everyone. Whether you're a family looking for fun or an RVer seeking adventure, there's something for you!
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is the most popular campground near Wading River, NY?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular campground near Wading River, NY is Wildwood State Park Campground with a 4.2-star rating from 22 reviews.
What parks are near Wading River, NY?
According to TheDyrt.com, there are 12 parks near Wading River, NY that allow camping, notably Fire Island National Seashore and Hop Brook Lake.
