Campgrounds and RV parks near Shinnecock Hills, NY

Beach time drives most trips here. Hither Hills State Park fronts a two-mile stretch of Atlantic ocean beach with swimming from Memorial Day to Labor Day, sport fishing, and the walking dunes of Napeague Harbor on its eastern boundary. Wildwood State Park adds two miles of Long Island Sound shoreline plus twelve miles of marked hiking trails through hardwood forest above the bluffs. Anglers can fish year-round at Hither Hills and obtain permits to fish at night. Families gravitate to the state parks' playgrounds, ball fields, and summer recreation programs, which at Hither Hills include family movies, children's summer theater, and magic shows. Across the Sound, Hammonasset Beach State Park offers hiking, biking, saltwater fishing, and the Meigs Point Nature Center.

The main camping season on eastern Long Island runs roughly from April through October. Wildwood's camping season traditionally begins the first weekend of April and ends on Columbus Day weekend, while Hither Hills typically operates from early April into November. Hammonasset in Connecticut is open for overnight camping from around Memorial Day into early October. Peak season at Hither Hills runs mid-June through mid-September, when only seven-night reservations are accepted, limited to one reservation per household. During non-peak season, a two-night minimum applies, so late spring and September trips give travelers more flexibility on length and site choice. Summer weekends fill early and traffic on Route 27 through the Hamptons can be heavy on Friday afternoons and Sunday evenings. Shoulder-season trips in May, early June, and mid-September through October usually deliver mild weather, open beaches, and easier bookings, though ocean swimming is only lifeguarded during the posted season.

Sites at Hither Hills are relatively close together with minimal privacy, laid out in an open plan rather than tucked into woods, and individual sites do not have built-in fire pits. Wildwood offers a mix of tent and trailer sites with dumping stations nearby, and campers should bring their own barbecue or metal fire container since firewood is sold at the on-site camp store. Hammonasset has over 550 grassy open sites, with restrooms, showers, a camp store, dump stations, and water; fire pits are not provided but can be rented from the camp store or brought in as raised containers. A limited number of sites offer water and electric hookups. Expect back-in style sites with equipment length limits ranging roughly 20 to 30 feet at Hither Hills. Ticks and mosquitos are present in wooded areas from late spring through early fall, and campers should pack for cool ocean nights even in July.