Camping enthusiasts won’t have to go far from Bushwick this fall to enjoy a unique outdoor experience. Starting Sept. 21, you’ll be able to sleep under the stars in a secluded corner of Fort Tilden Park in the Rockaways.
Camp Rockaway is a brand new program at Fort Tilden to turn a small portion of Fort Tilden in the Gateway National Recreation Area into a campground perfect for a quick getaway from the city.
Organizers say, “a new wave of creative business owners are rebuilding and revitalizing Rockaway. Re-imagined for a new century, Camp Rockaway fuses beach camping heritage with modern amenities.” Apparently, beach camping was quite the industry here in the early 20th century. And there’s really no reason we can’t give it another go over 100 years later.
The program itself is a longtime coming. Bushwick Daily spoke with Camp Rockaway’s Director Kent Johnson back in 2015 about plans to open a campground.
The most basic accommodations are an empty campsite where you can pitch your own tent for $65 a night. If you want to enjoy a full glamping experience, you’ll have to fork over $195 a night for a huge, bedroom-sized tent.
A firepit, bathrooms, a general store, lawn games, and the nearby beach fill out the campground nicely. But hurry, you’ll only have until Nov. 6 to try it out, and only the success of the project will determine whether or not the National Park Service goes for it again next year.
Featured image courtesy of Camp Rockaway.