Cedar Point County Park

Did a weekend camping trip the end of last September with friends. Had a relaxing time since the camp wasn’t packed. Loved the smell/​feel of the upcoming autumn season in the evenings and the last strains of warm summer weather during the daytime. As everyone has stated, this is a very well provided for camp with showers and an on-​site store.
The only disclaimer I must say is that their maps are not very useful. Way out of scale and can be frustrating navigating around if new to the place. I’d say you guys hire my friend Cynthea and she’d be more than happy to make you guys an accurate camp map. Also, make sure to bring your own fire-​pit-​holder-​of-​some-​sorts since that wasn’t provided and making a fire on the direct sand is not allowed.
Also, make sure to explore the beautiful hiking trail: Cedar Point Nature Trail (the entrance is right by the office) enhanced by the changing of the seasons.

I went there with a friend in mid September. We had called a week earlier trying to ask if we needed to make a reservation for a camp site. The person answering the phone ensured us that the park would not be packed and that we could come on down day of, and still get a spot. What a relief.
When we got to the check in office, which is right at the entrance to the camp site, we were told to drive around the camp site and find a space that we liked. We circled back around and they gave us our ‘ticket’
30 $/​night it was for the 2 of us, with just a small SUV and a tent.
They do have a snack shop/​general goods store. Its ran by a single person, so its a bit slow on the morning side. They offer almost everything that you would need for a fun family camping trip. Canned goods, first aid, towels, blankets, you name it, they got something like it!
Plenty of nice clean bathrooms.
THey also accommodate for big RV’s too which was kinda neat seeing.
There are no firepits on any of the camp sites, but you are allowed to bring in your own if you have one. They are also available for purchase from the general goods store for ~16 $ and then 6 $ for wood. (My suggestion is that you go to a grocery store before hand and pick up some fire wood for much cheaper and in greater quantity. There were plenty of houses that were selling them on the side of the road leading up to the camp site.)
Overall a great place. Friendly staff.
⁴⁄₅ stars only because it was a DRY camp site, meaning we could not drink there.

We are probably good for three campouts at Cedar Point County Park a summer. The campsites are sufficient, some a bit smaller than others. We like that you can get out to the beach and enjoy a nice swim in warm weather. This year however, I’ve noticed a distinct decline in the cleanliness of the bathrooms and showers, not enough to keep us away, but something that could use definite improvement. Also, the check in at times can be interminably long. They want a green key, car registration AND driver’s license. The system should be automated at check in. Great location and easy access to Montauk.

It is expensive to camp — so we opted out of that — but we stopped by on a Saturday eveningish to check out the sunset and the corner store. My husband and I decided to split a burger and it was WAY more delicious than we thought it would be. Looks can be deceiving. Plus, the husband and wife that own that store have been there for over 30 years — we never have a problem supporting local.

Camping ranked very high on the list of things I had absolutely no interest in doing, ever. Here’s why:
— Setup and break down is too much damn work. Sippin’ mimosas on a beach is better!
— I’m not pooping in a gotdamn hole in the ground. This is 2012!
— Critters and slither– ers love to play at night.
— BEARS! Fucking BEARSSSSS!
— I have no deep woods survival skills. Wasn’t a girl scout — I just eat the cookies. (Caramel deLites FTW!)
So when BFF invited me to camp weekend at Cedar Point, I gave her the side eye because she knooooooows better! However, she convincingly stated her case when she ran through a description of the camp site, promising that it was definitely the best place to introduce camping noobs. She was right on the money. I FREAKING LOVE THIS PLACE! Here’s why:
— Lots of toilets and hot water showers. Relatively tidy and cleaned regularly.
— Other facilities: picnic areas, baseball field, playground, volleyball court (field?) to name a few.
— Can park car on camp lot. (LOVED THIS! Not at all interested in hiking/​canoeing my shit to the lot. Plus I left everything in my trunk so tent wasn’t cramped) Visitor’s lot available for extra parking.
— Hampton Bays is a stone throw away. (Very rocky! Bring swim shoes.)
— On-​site convenience store that serves breakfast, lunch and dinner. (I purchased coffee and the Sunday Post. Coffee and Post were very much alike: trash!)
— A short drive to East Hampton’s town center, but completely isolated from the dbaggery (sorry Hampton’s scene, I don’t get you AT. ALL!)
I coordinated nothing so I don’t know details as far as booking and rates are concerned. I heard that nonresidents of Suffolk County cannot make reservations so it’s probably best to call ahead for details. Current contact (631) 244‑7275 (Website is useless)
A few problems:
— Better signage is needed to find lot numbers.
— Traffic on Montauk Highway — a two lane road — is a biatch! Patience required.
Overall it was a FANTASTIC experience (even with rain) and I definitely won’t hesitate to camp at Cedar Point again in the future!

I really hate to camp. But the several times I’ve been here to visit friends who are camping at Cedar Point, I have to say I was very amazed that such a beautiful humongous natural haven existed just a few miles away from where I live.
It’s got lakes, bays, forests with paths, a park with swings and other contraptions for kids to climb all over. People come to camp overnight and bond with their kids over a campfire, boy scouts come to hike the trails, others row their boats or just watch the wildlife (quail, deer, wild turkeys and more).
It’s pretty organized, so a camping newb like myself would probably not get too lost. The area where you check in is pretty security oriented and so I have always felt safe sending my son there for an overnight camping trip.
You couldn’t pay me to go camping, but if I were to sleep outside in nature fighting off mosquitoes and strange nighttime sounds, then this would be a perfect place to do it.

Nice park to visit if you’re heading to the Hampton or at least around the area. The park is well maintained and has a very nice lake where you can take a stroll and just relax. I think in the summer time you can rent a row boat and go around the lake.

It is sometimes shocking to people that the «Hamptons» is a place of amazing natural beauty. The unspoiled parts of the area are really why the East End flourishes. The top-​ten beach is the obvious draw. However. the bay and woods to the north easily rival the sandy Atlantic coast.
A great way to experience the area as it was hundreds of years ago is Cedar Point County Park. It is simply rapturous. All it takes is a short ride north and a pair of old shoes and you’ll be able to enjoy one of East Hampton’s (and the East Coast’s) most awe-​inspiring places.
Not being a camper, I cannot clue you into the overnight stuff. What I can recommend is my simple approach to the park: drive or bike north to the park… stop at a pretty spot… wander around.
My favorite time is in the fall, when the crowds are busy with their lives elsewhere. Usually, my footsteps are all you can hear — other than a breeze through the oaks and pines or the rustle of deer in the distance.
Aside from the quiet beauty of the forest, the magnificent bay views are splendid. As you gaze at the low mass of Shelter Island in the distance, you can imagine what the settlers from England or the Mantaukeet scouts saw 300 years ago.
And it is all compliments of Suffolk County.

Though (as Elsa K. points out,) this park can some-​tymes be booked and full of families, the grounds of East Hampton’s Cedar Point County Park can also turn out to a nice piece of earth on which to seek solace and refuge, a very desolate place, if you time it right: The only living souls I saw in my last venture here were of the magnificent white tail deer and wild turkey orders. A fine acreage of woods. Aside from the activities Elsa posted, you can shoot your boom-​stick at local waterfowl, or dance or meditate to try and meet your animal totems. I took a walk on the beach to check out the 1868 (abandoned) lighthouse, which according to outdated maps and local elders, was originally set-​off on an island, until The Wind Spirit «transformed the shoreline» and connected it to the mainland via a natural, mile-​long peninsula. The building is bricked up now and assumably only houses the ghosts of navigators. I would not know for sure.. . I have not been inside.

Who would have thought that a mere 2 ½ hours or so from NYC lies a world of natural beauty. Ladies and gents, welcome to the Hamptons. If any of you have any sort of beef with this part of Long Island, then I’m guessing you’ve only experienced the Boardy Barn, Drift and other assorted «hot» spots.
Yet if you simply drive a little farther east on Montauk Highway (aka Rt 27), you will find yourself in the more down to earth East Hampton. Cedar Point is located about 30min northwest of Montauk. This 607 acre park offers campsites, nature trails, and access to Gardiners Bay. For $ 24 per night, you can rent a site, pitch a tent, cook some burgers, go for a swim (keep an eye out for jellies when the tide changes), rent a canoe, or play beach volleyball (borrow a ball from the snack shack). There are surprisingly clean bathrooms, complete with showers, and a snack shack that opens early and closes relatively late (coffee, food, drinks, snacks, camping necessities). They also show movies for free on Saturdays I think.
I have camped here twice so far this summer and I had an absolute blast on both occasions. Cedar Point seems to be very popular and was pretty crowded, mostly with families. The campsites however are large enough to offer a certain degree of privacy. While you’re there, be sure to wake up early for the sunrise, and don’t forget to visit Montauk as well.