Are you looking for a fun affordable day trip to a beautiful beach with white sand , three playgrounds and nearby little eateries? Check out Fair Haven Beach State Park. This great state park is a bit over an hours drive but there is lots to do and spend the day with friends and family.
14985 State Park Rd, Fair Haven, NY 13064
? Take Me There
The Beach
The beach is long and narrow but there is ample places set down your stuff and quickly start to enjoy the beautiful water. When we arrived the water was a cool 74 degrees and felt good in the scorching sun. There are two parts to the beach. When you pull in the main parking lot to the right this part of beach does not have a lifeguard and the water is deeper. If you cross over the boardwalk to the left there is a lifeguard on duty and the water does not go past mid thigh.
The Playgrounds
Up further away but still within walking distance you will find the parks main playground. This fantastic gem is in great condition and has some interesting features which we have not seen at other playgrounds before. If you have a monkey that loves ropes this climbing structure is for them! The swing was a big hit as well as the slides of course! This playground is up on the hill so you are always getting a nice breeze and have a fantastic view of the beach.
Since we had a plentiful amount of rain during our stay we were unable to visit the two other playgrounds in the park. During a “nap” drive I was able to view the other playgrounds but was unable to snap any good photos because the rain was quite heavy both days we were there. Which brings me to our next adventure that was 20 minutes from the park. With the amount of rain we had and 3 children ages 6 and 3 we needed to come up with an indoor plan and fast! CMOO came to the rescue! The Children’s Museum of Oswego is a fantastic place to spend some time when you have inclement weather. Check out more information about it here.
The Camping
This park also has non electric and full electric camp sites. Bring your tent or camper and for as little as $50 you can rent a spot and make a whole weekend of it like we did!
Once you get into the camping areas you will see two smaller playgrounds, one near the non electric sites and another one near the electric sites on the opposite side of the park.
Other Activities
Five minutes outside of the park you will see a delicious little ice cream shop Big Bo’s. It’s a must stop- they have yummy ice cream and milkshakes. Make sure you bring monies- this is a cash only eatery.
Also being this far north you will start to see signs for the Sterling Renaissance Festival which is another great place to to check out during the summer season when visiting Fair Haven Beach State Park.
All in all its a good place to come for the day or make a weekend of it. The beach alone is worth the drive! Please note the day rate is $9 per vehicle to enter the park unless you are camping then you need to register your vehicle for the time spent in the campsite areas.
