The 18 Family-Friendly State Parks in New York
These 18 state parks in New York are all flagged as good for children, ranked by visitor ratings.
Watkins Glen State Park in Watkins Glen leads, with 4.8 stars from 23,858 reviews; Gantry Plaza State Park in New York follows at 4.8. The list spans 5 cities, including Watkins Glen, New York, Rockland County and Haverstraw.
Between them they carry 52,221 Google reviews and average 4.6 stars. We weigh a rating by how many people left it, so a place with a handful of five-star reviews does not leapfrog one that thousands have rated nearly as well.
1.Watkins Glen State Park
4.8 · 23,858 reviews · Watkins Glen
The top pick in Watkins Glen, holding 4.8 stars across 23,858 reviews. Dogs welcome and parking on site.
2.Gantry Plaza State Park
4.8 · 10,261 reviews · New York
4.8 stars from 10,261 reviews in New York, one of the most reviewed on this list. Dogs welcome and parking on site.
5.Lake Sebago Boat Launch (By PERMIT Only)
4.7 · 435 reviews · Rockland County
Rated 4.7 from 435 reviews in Rockland County. Dogs welcome and parking on site. Open around the clock.
6.Denny Farrell Riverbank State Park
4.6 · 4,549 reviews · New York
4.6 stars from 4,549 reviews in New York, one of the most reviewed on this list. Dogs welcome and parking on site.
7.Marsha P. Johnson State Park
4.6 · 3,706 reviews · New York
4.6 stars from 3,706 reviews in New York, one of the most reviewed on this list. Dogs welcome.
8.Valley Stream State Park
4.6 · 2,746 reviews · New York
4.6 stars from 2,746 reviews in New York, one of the most reviewed on this list. Dogs welcome and parking on site.
9.Shirley Chisholm State Park
4.6 · 1,563 reviews · New York
4.6 stars from 1,563 reviews in New York, one of the most reviewed on this list. Parking on site.
10.Englewood Picnic Area
4.6 · 475 reviews · New York
Rated 4.6 from 475 reviews in New York. Dogs welcome and parking on site.
11.Haverstraw Beach State Park
4.6 · 149 reviews · Haverstraw
Rated 4.6 from 149 reviews in Haverstraw. Dogs welcome.
12.Grover Cleveland Birthplace Historic Site
4.6 · 83 reviews · New York
Rated 4.6 from 83 reviews in New York. Restrooms.
13.Roberto Clemente State Park
4.5 · 1,802 reviews · New York
4.5 stars from 1,802 reviews in New York, one of the most reviewed on this list. Parking on site.
14.Lake Superior State Park
4.5 · 422 reviews · Sullivan County
Rated 4.5 from 422 reviews in Sullivan County. Dogs welcome and parking on site.
15.Charles Memorial Park (Gateway National Recreation Area)
4.4 · 1,297 reviews · New York
4.4 stars from 1,297 reviews in New York, one of the most reviewed on this list. Dogs welcome and parking on site.
16.Clay Pit Ponds State Park
4.4 · 299 reviews · New York
Rated 4.4 from 299 reviews in New York. Parking on site.
17.Bayswater Point State Park
4.4 · 292 reviews · New York
Rated 4.4 from 292 reviews in New York. Dogs welcome and parking on site.
18.Rubeo Cieslinski Park
4.4 · 34 reviews · New York
Rated 4.4 from 34 reviews in New York. Dogs welcome.
Common questions
What is the best family-friendly state park in New York?
Watkins Glen State Park in Watkins Glen ranks first, with 4.8 out of 5 stars from 23,858 Google reviews.
Which city in New York has the most top-rated state parks?
New York has 14 of the 18 state parks on this list.
Which state parks in New York allow dogs?
Watkins Glen State Park, Gantry Plaza State Park, Parque 80, Lake Sebago Boat Launch (By PERMIT Only) and Denny Farrell Riverbank State Park, among others, are listed as dog-friendly.
Do these state parks have restrooms?
1 of the 18 list restrooms on site. Check each place's page before you go, since facilities can close seasonally.
More guides
Rankings come from Google ratings and review counts, and refresh whenever the AllParx directory is updated. Conditions and hours change, so check a place's page before you travel.