Planning Your First Visit to Otisville: Weekend Scheduling & Visitor Center Checklist
Planning your first visit to Otisville comes down to two things: knowing which weekend is yours, and taking advantage of the Visitor Hospitality Center before you go inside. Match the schedule to your loved one's last-name initial, and let the hospitality center help you arrive prepared.
Weekend visiting at Otisville Correctional Facility is split into segments based on the first letter of the incarcerated person's last name. Your assigned weekend depends on their last-name initial, not yours. Before making plans, find the schedule segment that matches their last name so you don't show up on a weekend assigned to a different group.
Holiday weekends: If a holiday falls on a weekend, visitation is open to all incarcerated individuals with no last-name restrictions. On the official schedule, holidays are marked with an asterisk.
- Start with your loved one’s last name - Find the first letter of the incarcerated person’s last name, since Otisville divides weekend visits by that initial.
- Match that letter to the weekend segment on the official schedule - The weekend listings show which last-name segment is visiting on each date.
- Scan for asterisks before you commit to travel - The schedule uses an asterisk to flag holidays, which can change the normal name-based restriction.
If you're aiming for a holiday weekend, use that rule to your advantage. When a holiday falls on a weekend at Otisville, visits are open to everyone, even if your loved one's last name would normally fall on the other weekend segment.
Before you enter the facility, there's a Visitor Hospitality Center (run through DOCCS) designed to give visiting families and friends shelter and a place to regroup. Arriving early, traveling with kids, or just need a moment to get organized? This is the space for that. It makes the wait a lot more manageable.
- ✓ Restrooms (use them before you head in, especially if you expect lines)
- ✓ Baby changing station (helpful if you are visiting with an infant or toddler)
- ✓ Lockers for storing personal belongings (a good place to secure items you do not want to carry with you during the visit)
The Visitor Hospitality Center doubles as a practical information stop. Staff there can walk you through visitation rules and regulations, including how packages work for incarcerated individuals. If you have a question that could affect whether you get in, or what you can do for your loved one afterward, ask there before heading forward.
Checklist
- ✓ Confirm which weekend segment applies by using the incarcerated person’s last-name initial
- ✓ Watch for holiday weekends on the schedule (holidays are marked with an asterisk)
- ✓ Use the Visitor Hospitality Center as your “last stop” for info on visitation rules and package guidance
- ✓ If you plan to send anything, remember packages and articles are only allowed directly from vendors via delivery services (U.S. Postal Service, FedEx, UPS, etc.)
- ✓ Do not bring packages to the facility during a visit and do not mail packages directly from family or friends
Check the official Otisville weekend visitation schedule close to your planned trip, especially if you're trying to visit on a holiday weekend. From DOCCS materials, the key details confirmed in this guide are the last-name-initial weekend split, the holiday weekend exception, and what the Visitor Hospitality Center offers (including where to ask about visitation rules and packages). If anything about your weekend plan feels unclear, get your questions answered at the Visitor Hospitality Center before you proceed.
Find an Inmate at Otisville Correctional Facility
Search for a loved one and send messages and photos in minutes.
