Nickerson Beach Park Campground's pet-friendly camping sites allow dogs throughout the RV-only camping area, but pets are not permitted on the beach itself. Located in Lido Beach, the campground offers full hookups with 50-amp electric, water, and sewer connections for RV campers traveling with pets. A small dog run is situated on the opposite side of the beach parking lot for exercising dogs. Other pet-friendly options include Blydenburgh County Park in Smithtown, which welcomes dogs both at campsites and along its hiking trails. Campers can choose from tent or RV sites with electric hookups and pets are allowed throughout the park including a dedicated dog run area. All pet-friendly campgrounds near Wantagh maintain clean facilities with regularly serviced restrooms and showers, though specific pet waste stations are limited at some locations. The campgrounds are typically open seasonally, with Nickerson Beach operating from April to November.
Smith Point County Park and Heckscher State Park Campground provide additional pet-friendly camping within 30 minutes of Wantagh. Both locations accommodate dogs at tent and RV sites, and Heckscher even offers pet-friendly cabins as an option for those who prefer not to tent camp with their dogs. The 7-mile loop trail around Blydenburgh's lake is particularly popular with dog owners, with multiple visitors noting the trail's accessibility and frequent use by horses and dogs. Suffolk County parks enforce standard leash requirements, typically six feet or less, and owners are expected to clean up after their pets. Most campgrounds have water spigots at regular intervals throughout the camping areas, allowing convenient access for pet hydration. Camping with pets may require additional planning during peak summer months when temperatures rise and some facilities become crowded with family campers.
"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."
"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"
$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."
$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."
"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."
$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."
$130 / night
"A little intimidating driving in to a nondescript gate at the end of a narrow street but the overall experience exceeded expectation."
$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."
$85 - $120 / night
"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."
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.
Smith Point County Park provides open waterfront camping sites for pet owners near Wantagh, New York. Located on Fire Island's eastern end, the campground sits between the Great South Bay and Atlantic Ocean, with campsites offering water and electric hookups. Suffolk County parks maintain standard leash requirements of six feet or less, with multiple pet-friendly locations available within a 30-45 minute drive from Wantagh.
Beach access with pets: At Smith Point County Park, pets are welcome on campsites while beaches are just steps away. "A short walk from the ocean to the bay, both accessible by walking from your campsite," reports Ali O., noting it's "a great place to spend your summer nights."
Hiking with dogs: The 7-mile loop trail at Blydenburgh County Park in Smithtown welcomes pets throughout the trails. Erik R. mentions, "Great park with a nice 7 mile loop around the lake with decent fishing. Lots of horses and dogs on the trail."
Swimming options: While dogs aren't allowed on Nickerson Beach itself, several Suffolk County beaches permit leashed pets during morning and evening hours. "Spent 2 weeks here while in assignment this spring. Clean, quiet. Very close to everything," reports Clifford about Smith Point, which offers both bay and ocean access.
Privacy levels: Blydenburgh County Park offers more secluded camping than the open beach sites. Linda A. explains, "The group camping on the fox sites is accessible by a dirt drive in. I felt like I was suddenly transported upstate when in fact I had only driven 2 towns over." She adds, "Fox 9 site was a long enough walk I needed to plan my trips to the bathroom. Other sites were spaced enough to allow a true feeling of escaping into the woods."
Urban proximity: Liberty Harbor RV Park offers a unique option within view of Manhattan while allowing pets. "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," says Emily L., noting that shopping and restaurants are right next door.
Wildlife viewing: Deer and other wildlife frequent many campgrounds near Wantagh. At Smith Point, one camper describes, "I watched a momma deer nursing two of her babies. This is paradise." Patrick C. appreciates the natural setting combined with amenities: "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."
Site privacy varies: Most beach campgrounds have little separation between sites. At Smith Point, Michael notes sites are "Great first experience. Had onsite bathrooms and showers that were clean. 1 minute walk over the dune to the Atlantic ocean," though Karen R. warns of "Close sites with no privacy."
Seasonal considerations: Most dog-friendly campgrounds near Wantagh operate seasonally. Wildwood State Park Campground runs April through October, and can get crowded in summer. "Sites had zero privacy and were all pull through," reports one camper about the RV section.
Reservation requirements: Suffolk County parks require advance reservations, especially during summer months. "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," notes one reviewer about the premium options at Heckscher State Park Campground.
Dog-friendly facilities: Family campers with pets appreciate parks with dedicated dog areas. "They have a large dog run so the fur babies will have a great time too. Staff is super nice," says Karen N. about Blydenburgh Park, adding it's "great if you have little ones."
Playground access: Several campgrounds offer dedicated play areas for children. Beaver Pond Campground gets high marks from families: "Short distance from NYC, very organized, clean pond, has a playground, showers, bathroom. Your phone will have signal," reports Zorina N.
Ice cream options: Smith Point has a special treat for families. Patrick C. mentions, "A general store, complete with an ice cream shop window, on the grounds was a treat." Another camper adds, "At nite an ice cream truck comes by, you get visits from the nearby deer."
Electric and hookup options: Most campgrounds near Wantagh offer at least partial hookups. At Smith Point, Stephen P. notes, "Electric and water is nice for pop up," while also mentioning the campsite views: "Sites are great overlooking the bay."
Site spacing considerations: RVers should note that many campgrounds have tight spacing. Ossama B. says about Wildwood State Park, "Nice size camp site, bathrooms are descent, lame not having a fire ring, you have to rent one or bring your own."
Seasonal availability: RV campers should plan ahead for Suffolk County parks' seasonal operations. Lori R. found Wildwood State Park ideal "for maiden voyage in new rig. Plenty of amenities."
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is the most popular dog-friendly campsite near Wantagh, NY?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular dog-friendly campground near Wantagh, NY is Nickerson Beach Park Campground with a 3.4-star rating from 8 reviews.
What is the best site to find dog-friendly camping near Wantagh, NY?
TheDyrt.com has all 23 dog-friendly camping locations near Wantagh, NY, with real photos and reviews from campers.
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