Sterling sits on a quiet stretch of Lake Ontario’s south shore, with Fair Haven and Little Sodus Bay just up the road and Oswego an easy drive east. Camping here splits 3 ways: state-park sites with a swimming beach at Fair Haven Beach State Park, lake-bluff and wooded sites at Selkirk Shores near the Salmon River, and full-service RV camping at Shady Shores RV Resort & Campground on West Bay Road. Tent campers, big rigs, and cabin people all land somewhere on that list.
The water decides most itineraries. Lake Ontario and Blind Sodus Bay handle the boating, paddling, and swimming, the salmon and trout fishing is some of the best in New York, and the village of Fair Haven covers ice cream and groceries on foot. Syracuse and Rochester each sit about an hour out for a rainy-day escape, and the Sterling Renaissance Festival takes over summer weekends just outside town. This guide walks through the sites, the hookups, and what each option does best.
Your Camping Options Near Sterling
3 solid options, 1 shoreline. Here’s who each one fits.
RV Camping with Hookups: Shady Shores
Shady Shores RV Resort & Campground on West Bay Road runs pull-through and back-in RV sites with water and electric hookups, a dump station near the office, and cabins for the no-rig crowd. Nightly rates start at $45, monthly from $800, and the amenity list runs from a game room and arcade to an outdoor movie theater. It holds 4.4 stars across 103 Google reviews and has hosted summers here for over 50 years.
State-Park Camping: Fair Haven Beach and Selkirk Shores
Fair Haven Beach State Park puts tent and trailer sites and cabins a short walk from a sandy Lake Ontario swimming beach, with bluff trails and a boat launch on Little Sodus Bay. Selkirk Shores, east near Pulaski, trades the beach scene for wooded and bluff-top sites near the Salmon River. Both offer some electric sites but no full hookups, and both reserve through New York State Parks.
Camping Near Oswego and the Shoreline East
Searches for camping near Oswego, NY land on this same stretch of shoreline. Oswego sits an easy drive east of Sterling along Lake Ontario, so a base at Fair Haven covers the harbor town’s restaurants and lakefront while keeping you on quieter water. Selkirk Shores extends the range further east toward the Salmon River.
What Fills the Days
The lake does the scheduling. Boating and paddling run out of Blind Sodus Bay, the swimming beach at Fair Haven Beach State Park covers hot afternoons, and the fishing is genuinely famous: Chinook and Coho salmon, brown trout, steelhead, and smallmouth bass, with the fall run packing the Salmon River near Pulaski. On land, the village of Fair Haven is walkable for ice cream and groceries, the Sterling Renaissance Festival takes over summer weekends, and the Finger Lakes wine country opens up to the south. Syracuse and Rochester each sit about an hour out. Back at Shady Shores, rainy days move into the game room and arcade, and clear summer nights end at the outdoor movie theater. One note on timing: this is seasonal country. Lake-effect snow closes the campgrounds in winter, so build trips for the warm months and confirm exact open dates before shoulder-season plans.
Shady Shores RV Resort & Campground by RJourney
Shady Shores RV Resort & Campground sits on West Bay Road in Fair Haven, on the south shore of Lake Ontario between Blind Sodus Bay and the lake itself. It gives you the same waterfront the state parks are known for, with the full-service extras they lack: RV sites with hookups, a dump station near the office, cabins and lodging, and on-site recreation from a game room and arcade to outdoor movie nights. The park has welcomed families for over 50 years of summers and runs as a seasonal summer campground, so it makes a comfortable base for exploring Fair Haven Beach State Park, Selkirk Shores, and the Lake Ontario shoreline. Confirm open months and in-season office hours before you book.
Sites & Hookups
Here is the practical difference between the state parks and Shady Shores. Fair Haven Beach and Selkirk Shores offer state-park campsites and cabins with some electric sites, but no full hookups, so larger rigs need to plan around dry-camping and a shared dump station. Shady Shores offers RV sites in both pull-through and back-in layouts with hookups, a dump station near the office at the bottom of the hill, and cabins and lodging for guests traveling without a rig. If you want a state-park setting on the cheap, the parks deliver. If you want the same Lake Ontario shoreline with hookups and resort amenities, Shady Shores is the base. Golf carts are allowed on-site with proof of insurance.
What's On-Site
State parks keep amenities simple: a beach, trails, a boat launch, restrooms, and not much more. Shady Shores is built around the water but adds the extras. Waterfront access to Lake Ontario and Blind Sodus Bay anchors the property, with fishing right off the shoreline and shaded sites throughout. On-site recreation includes basketball, volleyball, horseshoes, a game room and arcade, and an outdoor movie theater that runs in the warm months. A pavilion, playground, picnic tables, and fire rings round out the common areas, and showers and park-wide WiFi cover the basics. A dump station sits near the office at the bottom of the hill, and golf carts are welcome with proof of insurance.
What Guests Say
4.4 stars across 103 Google reviews. Guests come back year after year for the waterfront setting, the shaded sites, and the summer-camp feel of a park that has run for over 50 seasons. The lake access, fishing, and outdoor movie nights come up often, along with the easygoing pace and the staff. For travelers weighing a bare-bones state-park site against a full-service base, the rating reflects a loyal base of returning families who treat Shady Shores as a summer tradition.
State Parks Near Sterling, NY
<p>If state-park camping fits your trip better, 2 New York State Parks share this shoreline with Shady Shores. Reserve through New York State Parks and confirm seasonal policies before you go.</p>
Fair Haven Beach State Park
A New York State Park on the Lake Ontario shoreline with a sandy swimming beach, bluff overlooks, hiking trails, and a boat launch on Little Sodus Bay. Tent and trailer sites and cabins are available, with electric at some sites but no full hookups. A natural fit for tent campers and smaller rigs who want the beach a short walk away. Reserve through New York State Parks. Visit website.
Selkirk Shores State Park
A Lake Ontario state park east of Sterling near the famous Salmon River, with wooded and bluff-top campsites, cabins, a beach, and trails. It is a go-to base for the fall salmon and steelhead runs. Electric is available at some sites but there are no full hookups, so plan accordingly for larger rigs. Reserve through New York State Parks. Visit website.
Things to Do from Your Campground Base Near Sterling
The water is the whole point here, at the state parks and at Shady Shores alike. Lake Ontario and Blind Sodus Bay sit on the resort’s doorstep for boating, paddling, and swimming, while Fair Haven Beach State Park has a sandy swimming beach and a boat launch on Little Sodus Bay. Anglers come for the Chinook and Coho salmon, brown trout, steelhead, and smallmouth bass, with the fall salmon run drawing crowds to the Salmon River near Selkirk Shores and the tributaries up and down the south shore. Launches and shoreline access are easy to reach from any Sterling-area campground.
Fair Haven Beach State Park has hiking trails along the bluffs and around Little Sodus Bay, with overlooks above Lake Ontario, and Selkirk Shores adds wooded trails near the Salmon River. The rolling Cayuga County countryside and the Finger Lakes region to the south add wineries, farm stands, and country roads for a slower day off the water. The village of Fair Haven itself is walkable, with ice cream, a small grocery, and local restaurants a short drive from the campgrounds.
Sterling sits within easy reach of both Syracuse and Rochester, each about an hour away with museums, dining, and city amenities. The Finger Lakes wine country opens up to the south around Cayuga and Seneca lakes. History buffs can reach the Women’s Rights National Historical Park in Seneca Falls, and the Sterling Renaissance Festival runs summer weekends just outside Fair Haven, a regional draw in its own right.
Seasonal Guide for Campers Near Sterling
Summer (June through August)
Peak season on the south shore for both the state parks and Shady Shores. Warm lake days, beach trips to Fair Haven, boating on Blind Sodus Bay, and outdoor movie nights at the resort. State-park cabins and waterfront sites book out far in advance, so reserve well ahead.
Fall (September through October)
The fall salmon and steelhead run draws anglers to the Salmon River and Lake Ontario’s tributaries, and Selkirk Shores is a prime base. Cooler, quieter days make for comfortable lakeside camping where seasonal sites remain open. Confirm closing dates before you plan a late-season trip.
Winter (November through March)
Lake-effect snow defines a south-shore winter, and seasonal campgrounds near Sterling, the state parks and Shady Shores included, close for the cold months. Plan summer and shoulder-season trips, and confirm a park’s open window before booking anything outside the warm season.
Spring (April through May)
The shoulder window as the lake warms and seasonal parks prepare to reopen. Weather is variable and the water is still cold, but late spring brings the first warm-weather weekends. Confirm a campground’s exact opening date before you plan an early trip.
Practical Tips for Camping Near Sterling
Fair Haven Beach and Selkirk Shores offer some electric but no full hookups. If you tow a larger rig or want full RV hookups, Shady Shores is the full-service base with the same lake access.
Cabins at Fair Haven Beach and Selkirk Shores are popular and book far ahead for summer. Reserve through New York State Parks as soon as your dates are set.
Shady Shores runs as a seasonal summer park. Confirm open months and in-season office hours before you plan a shoulder-season trip.
For fall fishing, Selkirk Shores near the Salmon River is the angler's pick. Check tributary conditions and which campgrounds stay open into the run before you commit.
Lake Ontario makes its own weather. Bring layers and rain gear even in summer, and secure your awning when the wind comes off the water.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where can I camp near Sterling, NY?
3 main options share the Lake Ontario shoreline: Shady Shores RV Resort & Campground in Fair Haven for RV sites with hookups and cabins, Fair Haven Beach State Park for tent and trailer sites near a sandy swimming beach, and Selkirk Shores State Park east near Pulaski for wooded lake-bluff camping.
Is there RV camping near Oswego, NY?
Yes. The Lake Ontario shoreline west of Oswego has RV camping at Shady Shores RV Resort & Campground in Fair Haven, with water and electric hookups and a dump station, plus state-park sites at Selkirk Shores near Pulaski. Oswego itself is an easy drive from either base.
Does Shady Shores have tent camping?
Shady Shores focuses on RV sites in pull-through and back-in layouts plus cabins and lodging. Tent campers near Sterling usually book Fair Haven Beach State Park, where tent and trailer sites sit near the swimming beach. If you have a specific setup in mind, call the office at 315-216-7331 and ask.
What does camping near Sterling, NY cost?
Shady Shores starts at $45 per night for RV sites, with monthly rates from $800 for longer summer stays. Fair Haven Beach and Selkirk Shores charge New York State Parks camping fees, which vary by site type and cabin. Summer weekends fill everywhere, so book early either way.
When is camping season near Sterling?
Warm months only. Lake-effect snow closes campgrounds on the Lake Ontario south shore through the winter, the state parks and Shady Shores alike. Summer is peak, fall brings the salmon run and quieter weekends, and exact opening and closing dates vary by year, so confirm before shoulder-season trips.
Which campground near Sterling is best for families?
Depends on the trip. Fair Haven Beach State Park wins for a tent weekend built around the swimming beach. Shady Shores wins for longer family stays: hookups, a playground, a game room and arcade, outdoor movie nights, and over 50 years of returning summer families backing a 4.4-star rating.
Reserve Your Campsite Near Sterling
Camping near Sterling runs from rustic state-park sites to full-service waterfront RV camping. If you want the Lake Ontario shoreline with hookups, a dump station, cabins, and resort amenities, Shady Shores RV Resort & Campground by RJourney is the base. It runs as a seasonal summer park, so confirm open months when you book.
See all site types, rates, and live availability on the Shady Shores RV Resort & Campground page.
Book Your Campsite 315-216-7331