Long Island Campgrounds
Long Island offers a surprisingly varied selection of campgrounds, ranging from wooded county parks and oceanfront state parks to private RV resorts and primitive wilderness sites. Campers can stay close to beaches, pine forests, freshwater ponds, hiking trails, fishing areas, and some of the Island’s best-known coastal communities.
This directory includes 18 established camping destinations across Nassau County and Suffolk County. It covers tent camping, RV sites, trailer sites, beach camping, glamping, cottages, yurts, safari tents, and permit-based backcountry camping. Availability, residency requirements, seasonal schedules, reservation windows, and vehicle restrictions vary by location, so campers should confirm current rules with the campground before traveling.
Interactive Map of Long Island Campgrounds
Use the map below to explore campground locations from western Nassau County to Montauk, the North Fork, and Fire Island. Select a marker for the campground type, available accommodations, official website, and driving directions.
Camping Across Long Island
Long Island’s public campground system is concentrated in Suffolk County, where county parks provide access to inland forests, freshwater ponds, bays, barrier beaches, and the Atlantic coastline. Campgrounds at Blydenburgh, Cathedral Pines, Indian Island, Sears Bellows, Southaven, Cedar Point, Smith Point, Cupsogue Beach, Shinnecock East, and Montauk County Park cover a broad range of settings and camping styles.
Nassau County has fewer overnight camping options, but Battle Row Campground in Old Bethpage and Nickerson Beach Campground in Lido Beach provide convenient choices for residents and visitors staying in the western half of Long Island. Battle Row offers a traditional wooded campground environment, while Nickerson Beach provides camping close to the Atlantic Ocean and Long Island’s barrier beaches.
New York State operates two of Long Island’s best-known camping destinations: Hither Hills State Park in Montauk and Wildwood State Park in Wading River. Hither Hills is known for its oceanfront setting near the eastern end of Long Island, while Wildwood combines bluff-top woodland, Long Island Sound access, campsites, and cottages.
Tent Camping, RV Sites and Beach Camping
Traditional tent camping is available at several inland and coastal parks, including Battle Row, Blydenburgh, Cathedral Pines, Cedar Point, Indian Island, Sears Bellows, Smith Point, Southaven, Hither Hills, Wildwood, McCann Campground, and Peconic River Campground. Some facilities also accommodate pop-up campers, travel trailers, and motorhomes.
RV travelers should pay particular attention to each campground’s electrical service, water access, dump-station availability, maximum vehicle length, generator restrictions, and hookup type. Smith Point includes electric and full-hookup options, while North Fork Cottages & RV Resort combines RV accommodations with cottages, yurts, and safari tents.
Outer-beach camping is more specialized. Cupsogue Beach, Montauk County Park, and Shinnecock East primarily accommodate self-contained camper vehicles rather than ordinary tent camping. Access may require separate outer-beach permits, appropriate four-wheel-drive equipment, tire-pressure adjustments, and compliance with county beach-driving rules.
State, County, Municipal and Private Campgrounds
County campgrounds make up most of the directory and generally operate through county reservation systems. Residency rules and fee structures may differ for county residents and nonresidents. Some county parks also maintain separate reservation categories for standard campsites, electric sites, full-hookup sites, group camping, glamping, and outer-beach camping.
State park reservations are generally handled through New York’s camping reservation system. Hither Hills is among the most in-demand campgrounds on Long Island, particularly during summer, and campsites may be reserved quickly when booking windows open. Wildwood offers a different experience, with wooded campsites and cottages overlooking Long Island Sound.
Municipal and private options include McCann Campground and North Fork Cottages & RV Resort in Greenport, along with Peconic River Campground in Calverton. These properties offer alternatives to the larger county and state systems and may have their own reservation policies, minimum stays, seasonal schedules, and accommodation rules.
Primitive Camping on Fire Island
The Otis Pike Fire Island High Dune Wilderness provides Long Island’s most remote camping experience. This is primitive backcountry tent camping within Fire Island National Seashore rather than a developed campground with conventional vehicle access and full facilities. Campers must follow National Park Service regulations, obtain any required permit, prepare for changing weather and insects, and carry appropriate supplies.
Because access conditions and camping boundaries can change due to storms, erosion, wildlife protections, and seasonal management decisions, wilderness campers should review the current National Park Service guidance before making plans.
Planning a Long Island Camping Trip
Reservations are strongly recommended for most Long Island campgrounds, especially from late spring through early fall. Oceanfront and East End campgrounds often fill first, and holiday weekends can sell out well in advance. Campers should confirm check-in times, site dimensions, quiet hours, pet rules, fire regulations, beach-access requirements, and cancellation policies before arrival.
Conditions can differ significantly between inland and waterfront campgrounds. Coastal sites may be windy and exposed, while wooded sites may have mosquitoes and ticks. Campers should bring weather-appropriate shelter, insect protection, drinking water when required, and equipment suited to the specific site. Suffolk County outer-beach camping areas may impose additional rules for self-contained vehicles and beach-driving equipment.
Long Island Campgrounds Directory
The following directory lists the 18 campgrounds included on the interactive map. Campground names link to the official government, park, municipal, or private operator website where available.
| Campground | Community | County | Facility Type | Camping Available |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Battle Row Campground | Old Bethpage | Nassau County | County campground | Tent and RV |
| Nickerson Beach Campground | Lido Beach | Nassau County | County beach campground | Tent and RV |
| Blydenburgh County Park Campground | Smithtown | Suffolk County | County park campground | Tent, pop-up, trailer and motorhome |
| Cathedral Pines County Park Campground | Middle Island | Suffolk County | County park campground | Tent, RV and winter self-contained camping |
| Cedar Point County Park Campground | East Hampton | Suffolk County | County park campground | Tent, trailer, motorhome, group camping and glamping |
| Cupsogue Beach County Park Campground | Westhampton Beach | Suffolk County | Outer beach campground | Self-contained camper vehicles |
| Indian Island County Park Campground | Riverhead | Suffolk County | County park campground | Tent, RV and winter self-contained camping |
| Montauk County Park Campground | Montauk | Suffolk County | Outer beach campground | Self-contained camper vehicles |
| Sears Bellows County Park Campground | Hampton Bays | Suffolk County | County park campground | Tent, pop-up, trailer and motorhome |
| Shinnecock East County Park Campground | Southampton | Suffolk County | Outer beach campground | Self-contained camper vehicles |
| Smith Point County Park Campground | Shirley | Suffolk County | County beach campground | Tent, electric, full-hookup and outer beach camping |
| Southaven County Park Campground | Yaphank | Suffolk County | County park campground | Tent, electric, trailer and motorhome |
| Hither Hills State Park Campground | Montauk | Suffolk County | State park campground | Tent, trailer and RV |
| Wildwood State Park Campground | Wading River | Suffolk County | State park campground | Tent, trailer, RV and cottages |
| McCann Campground | Greenport | Suffolk County | Municipal campground | Tent and trailer |
| North Fork Cottages & RV Resort | Greenport | Suffolk County | Private campground and resort | RV sites, cottages, yurts and safari tents |
| Peconic River Campground | Calverton | Suffolk County | Private rustic campground | Tent and overland camping only |
| Otis Pike Fire Island High Dune Wilderness Camping | Fire Island | Suffolk County | National seashore backcountry camping | Primitive tent camping |
How These Campgrounds Were Selected
This directory is limited to identifiable Long Island locations that provide legitimate overnight camping opportunities to the public through a government agency, municipality, park system, private campground, or permit-based wilderness program. Youth camps, summer camps, day-use parks, temporary camping events, private club facilities, and properties without public overnight reservations were excluded.
Each location was reviewed for an active official or authoritative source, a usable address or recognized camping area, and a clearly described overnight camping function. The map uses static latitude and longitude coordinates generated from the listed addresses. Campground operations remain subject to seasonal closures, weather, erosion, construction, permit limits, and policy changes.
A Wide Range of Camping Experiences
Camping on Long Island can mean pitching a tent beneath tall pines, parking an RV near an ocean beach, staying in a cottage overlooking Long Island Sound, or carrying supplies into a remote section of Fire Island. Although the Island does not have the enormous campground network found in more rural parts of New York, its 18 established public-facing camping destinations provide a substantial range of coastal, wooded, family, RV, glamping, and wilderness experiences. Advance planning remains essential, particularly for summer weekends and the most popular waterfront locations.
