The most well-known feature of Fair Haven Beach State Park may be its 1,500 feet of sandy beaches, 600 overseen by lifeguards and open to swimming from Memorial Day to Labor Day. Fishing for bass, pike, perch and other species is excellent in the park, and the long pier that creates a channel between Lake Ontario and Little Sodus Bay is a perennial angling hot spot. Boat launch facilities and docks are located within the park on Little Sodus Bay. The park also includes a smaller bay known as Sterling Pond, which has canoe, rowboat and paddleboat rentals during the summer months. Other park facilities include a camp store, picnic areas, playgrounds, hiking trails, concessions and a game room.
To stay overnight, you can choose among 30 rental cabins and three different campgrounds within Fair Haven Beach State Park. The campgrounds are shady and secluded, with both electric and nonelectric campsites that can accommodate tents and RVs alike. Drinking water is available throughout the camping areas, and all campers have access to restrooms and hot showers. Every campsite includes a picnic table and campfire ring. The cabins are rustic, with minimal furnishings and central bathhouses that have showers and restrooms. Eight of the cabins are winterized and open year-round. If you prefer less primitive accommodations, the park also has three fully furnished cottages.
You can reserve a campsite or cabin at Fair Haven Beach State Park by phone or through Reserve America (reserveamerica.com). It is also possible to claim unreserved campsites on a first-come, first-served basis -- but the campgrounds tend to fill up quickly, especially on summer weekends. A current New York State fishing license is required to fish in Fair Haven, or anywhere else in the state, and you can purchase one through the New York Department of Environmental Conservation website (dec.ny.gov). Licenses are also available at tackle shops and a variety of other retailers, including Screwy Louie's Sport Shop on Main Street in the village of Fair Haven (screwylouiessportshop.com).
Fair Haven Beach State Park is the only state park in the immediate Fair Haven Area, but you can reach a few other state parks if you're willing to take a drive. Chimney Bluffs State Park is about 30 minutes west of Fair Haven, and while this park has no overnight accommodations, it does have a picnic area and hiking trails that follow the high lakeside bluffs, offering spectacular views of Lake Ontario. You can also visit Battle Island State Park, 25 minutes east of Fair Haven, which has an 18-hole golf course on an island on the Oswego River; or head to Selkirk Shores State Park, which has camping, fishing and boating on the Ontario lakeshore 45 minutes northeast of Fair Haven.
