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New cottages open at Wildwood State Park

New indoor accommodations at Wildwood State Park are now open to the public.

State Parks Commissioner Rose Harvey held a press conference Monday afternoon announcing the opening of 10 new cottages that are now available to rent on the Wading River grounds. Until now, Wildwood only offered sites for tents and trailers.

“[The cottages] give everyone an opportunity to stay in the park longer and to stay in greater comfort,” Harvey told the crowd at the unveiling. “Given the natural resources here, with the beaches and forests, for the ability to get out into nature and stay, we needed many more [cottages] on Long Island.”

Construction on the 10 units began earlier this year. The cottages, along with 15 additional units built at Heckscher State Park in East Islip, are the first indoor accommodations offered by Long Island state parks — and they’re going quickly.

A bedroom inside one of 10 new cottages at Wildwood State Park. (Credit: David Benthal)

Seven of the 10 Wildwood cottages are ready for rent and are sold out for Memorial Day weekend. The remaining three will be available in time for Fourth of July, officials said.

The cottages are available for $175 a night for the 670-square-feet one-bedroom and $250 a night for the 784-square-feet two-bedroom cottages. There is a minimum/maximum stay requirement of one week through Labor Day with a two-night minimum expected in the offseason.

The units, which feature a kitchenette, bathroom, furnishings and screened porch, are available through November 25, officials said.

“They have heat so that enables us to go longer than the summer season,” she said. “We’re going to test it to see what the public wants, but [the season] could go through Thanksgiving and open as early as April.”

A kitchenette inside one of 10 new cottages at Wildwood State Park. (Credit: David Benthal)

The park offers fishing, swimming, hiking, grilling, ball fields, basketball courts and a playground. Guests of the cottages would need to bring their own linens, towels and toiletries, as none are provided.

The $6 million project is funded by Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s NY Parks 2020 initiative, a multi-year commitment to spend $900 million in private and public funding for state parks from 2011 to 2020.

Accommodations can be booked at reserveamerican.com.

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