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5 Best Places To Go Camping Near NYC
Though we love the city for all of its hustle and bustle, there’s no denying a break from it all is necessary every once in awhile. How might you spend a break from the city? We recommend a quick train ride to D.C., upstate getaways, or most favorably, camping!
You might think the urban jungle is barren of nearby campsites, but you’d be highly mistaken. NYC is actually near tons of incredible campgrounds that will be sure to provide some well deserved R&R.
Here are the best places to go camping around New York City. 
1. Collective Retreats, Governors Island
Forget about sleeping bags and having to start your own fire, at Collective Retreats you’re GLAMPING baby! Yes, we’re talking l-u-x-u-r-y. Choose between accommodations including: Journey + Tent, Summit Tent, Outlook Shelter. Wake up to jaw-dropping views of Manhattan and the Statue of Liberty and start your day with a yoga class or quick jaunt to the nearby QC NY Spa. Mingle with the other campers on the sunset terrace or with lawn games on the property. Interest piqued? Read more about Collective Retreats here.
Where: Governors Island
2. Watch Hill Family Campground, Fire Island
Sure trees are great, but what about waking up to a view of sunbreak over the ocean? Then you’ll want to set up camp at Watch Hill Campground on Fire Island. In total, the campsite offers 20 sand sites for tents, 6 glamping sites and 1 group site. Campers must take a ferry to get to the property, which can be booked via LoveFins.com. Additional camping options include backcountry camping which can be reserved online.
Where: Fire Island National Seashore, Burma Rd, Patchogue, NY
3. Beaver Pond Campgrounds, Harriman State Park
About an hour drive from the city, Beaver Pond in Harriman State Park is a perfect weekend getaway from the city. Each campsite offers a picnic table, fire ring (with flip top grill), access to communal bathrooms, and fits up to 6 people. Near Lake Welch, campers are welcome to jump into their bathing suits and make a splash at the beaches. You can book your site online here.
Where: 700 Kanawaukee Road, Stony Point, NY
4. Hither Hills State Park, Montauk
At Hither Hills State Park you can camp along 20 miles of beach complete with fire pits, picnic tables and a playground for children. The entire campsite has a total of 190 sites. Just 122 miles from Manhattan, once you arrive get ready to embrace the outdoors with recreational access to horseback riding, fishing, boating, biking, hunting and more. Reservations can be made nine months in advance.
Where: 164 Old Montauk Hwy, Montauk, NY
5. Round Pond, West Point
The options are endless at Round Pond Campsite with 28 RV camping spaces, 20 Tent sites, 4 Pop-Up sites, 8 Mini Log Cabins, 2 ADA Mini Log Cabins, 1 Rental Cottage, and 5 Party Pavilions on the property. Prices vary for each option. Pick up some bait at the Equipment Rental Center and catch a big fish from the lake or cool off with some ice cream as you pick up a canoe. Find out more information on their website here.
Where: 1348 Round Pond Rd, West Point, NY
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‘Raul’ The Rogue Peacock Has Returned To The Bronx Zoo
When visiting the Bronx Zoo, there’s not many animals you truly get to see roaming freely about—that is, besides the peacocks. Allegedly, there’s hundreds of peacocks on the zoo’s premise that saunter around the property as they please. However, last Wednesday, one of the peacocks had escaped the confines of the 265 acre-zoo.
Authorities received a call about the rouge peacock, now dubbed ‘Raul,’ after biting someone who had supposedly attempted protecting the bird from running into traffic, reported the New York Post.
Though peacocks are known to be aggressive if provoked, the Bronx Zoo explicitly warns on their website that people should remain at a safe distance and not touch, feed or chase the peacocks.
After Raul’s assailment, the not-so-friendly feathered animal flew in a tree outside of the Bronx Zoo, where it remained until it returned to zoo grounds around 11:19 am Thursday morning. Representatives from the Wildlife Conservation Society admitted they had been observing the bird all yesterday morning, certain he would return home.
“We had confidence in our knowledge of bird behavior to predict how he would behave if given the chance to do so without interference. We were confident in our staffs’ ability to handle the situation. We thank the NYPD and NYC Parks Department for their assistance,” the Wildlife Conservation Society shared in a statement.
The post ‘Raul’ The Rogue Peacock Has Returned To The Bronx Zoo appeared first on Secret NYC.