Parking was free the day I came here. The beach wasn't crowded at all. There's a nice restaurant with a decent variety of food options. The food quality was pleasantly surprising. The playground for the kids is a nice touch. The women's rest rooms need some serious upkeep though. It was pretty gross. read more

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Awesome place to fish if you do not want to go on a boat and just want to fish from a pier. Pier has cleaning stations and fresh water hoses only down fall you have a little walk to the bathrooms but nothing crazy. read more

Driving through during an 8-state road trip, I was looking for lunch with hopefully a beach side bar or view of the water. What I found was Calf Pasture Beach and a little restaurant called Ripka's. The beach was cute, very clean, not very crowded for a summer weekday, and had working lifeguards. This is definitely a family beach/park. Lots and lots of little kids. And dogs. The park bathrooms were clean and well stocked. I'm assuming it's an HOA type of community park/beach (definitely money poured into this place), although I did find free parking for the restaurant. I'm curious about the name of the beach. I'm from Oklahoma and "calf pasture" makes me think of manure....and cows.....and flies. But, this place is pristine and clean. read more

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Beautiful beach. Went off season 2 weeks ago when we had our 1 and only hot day in the 80's. The beach itself is beautiful and peaceful. I love how short of a walk it is from the parking lot to the beach. Very rocky by the water so make sure you wear water shoes. Biggest complaint is the bathroom situation. Because the beach wasn't technically opened yet they didn't open the bathrooms... SO we had to use portapotties... which is not only hard to do in a bathing suit but completely disgusting too. And to boot there were only 2 PP's and both of them were not only full but they were filthy. read more

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I grew up on this beach so the nostalgia factor is high. It's a typical New England beach with green water, seaweed, stones & rocks but has a nice sandy area. Don't expect the white sands & crystal water of Florida. Bring your water shoes. Living away from the ocean now, I realize just how lucky people are to have this treasure in their back yard. read more

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Let's start by calling this a Park. Calling it a beach is false advertising since you can't even get in the water as the shore is super rocky. You'll need crocs if you want to swim in this dirty pond. There's no waves on any of the Ct beaches and the Long Island sound has some of the dirtiest water in the country since it has millions of pollutants from industrial chemicals to sewage runoff. If you don't live in the town of Norwalk you need to pay $65 for a day pass. $65!!!! A day!!!! To swim in poop!!! ‍‍‍ For $60 you can get a season pass to Rhode Island beaches which are clean, have real waves, sand and people aren't snobby like they are in Fairfield County. If Ct won't fix their beaches and overcharge for them, take your dollars elsewhere! Your family will thank you! read more

5 stars for the overall family experience... We have been going here for a few years now with the kids and friends and have had a great day each time... beach is easily accessible and manageable... plentiful swings and play-gyms, sprinkler park, big clean bathrooms, beach bar/restaurant and ice cream shop all feet away from beach... plus the large grassy, tree lined and shady, area along the beach makes for good relief - especially for the grandparents who may want to sit in a cooler area but still feel very much part of the beach experience. Yes the "rules" can be frustrating... no balls or floats etc... and the shore can be rocky (bring water shoes!)... but the water is calm and pretty (even if not pristine) and we enjoy a swim every time. read more

Beach? This is not a beach although it looks like a beach but when you look closer it's actually just a gravel pit (photos included as proof) with water. By suggestions of friends our family visited this beach (I say that word loosely). When we arrived the place looked really nice, from the distance. They have playgrounds here for children, bathroom facilities and picnic tables (which cost $5 each) for rent. Not sure how they enforce the $5 for the picnic tables but there signs that indicate tables cost $5 so we paid for them. When we got closer to the beach it still looked nice but when we walked out onto the "sand" what we realized was the "sand" quickly became gravel or rocks of some sort (see photo). We figured ok no sand but maybe we could make the best of it but taking our sandals off proved to be painful; literally. We stood at this place for about 3.5hrs and couldn't leave soon enough. This is not a beach so if you are looking for a real beach stay away. Oh and the water has no waves at all! read more

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I grew up going to this beach. Small but personal. Always liked it here. It's on the sound

If you're not a resident of Norwalk, stay away! Parking fees are outrageous. $42 on weekdays before 5pm, $30 on weekdays after 5pm, and a whopping $72 on weekends and holidays. I believe these prices are higher than they were last year. I came to watch my boyfriend play in a men's softball league game at the beach (he is a resident of Norwalk), and still had to pay the fee to be there for less than an hour. Not worth it! read more

I'm currently in Norwalk, CT for a work trip and thought I'd spend my break doing some exploring. Calf Pasture Beach is about 10/15 minutes from my office. Made the quick drive, winding through some beautiful, snow-covered neighborhoods. I noticed the beach was closed, no one in the toll booth and drove through to snap some quick pictures as I've never seen a beach covered in snow before! The view was gorgeous, the scenery was pretty awesome, just so surreal to see the beach covered in a blanket of snow. There wasn't anyone around, so it was serene and peaceful. Looks like there is a food court, but it was closed obviously. There's a pier as well, which I didn't venture onto b/c it's freezing. In the distance I could see a lighthouse and beautiful ocean-front home lining the coast. I would love to come back in the Summer to see what it looks like then. I'm sure it's just as beautiful :) read more

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I couldn't explore much of the beach, but it's very hard to walk on the beach. It's rocky with trash, plastic straws etc. The water smelled and not clean. On top of that they charge $40 if you are a non resident, just to park and spend some time on the beach and you have to pay for it on some stupid app.The locals keep staring at you for some reason. Come over to Delaware and enjoy some awesome beaches with clean water and wild life. read more

Calf Pasture Beach - Cannot walk beach. - Beaches Near Me - Norwalk, Connecticut

Generally speaking, very small. The neighborhood is nice which is why it deserved the second star. The price to get on for out of state residents is $40. Park on fifth street. Completely free and safer. Close to the highway for cheaper meals. Avoid paying $12 for a hamburger when there's a Panera 8 mins away read more

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Calf Pasture beach is the closest one for Norwalk residents and it's a decent beach. There's plenty of parking although it's a bit expensive. There are also volleyball nets set up for people to play and you'll often see groups occupying these nets. It's not a very wide beach but if you want to spend a day relaxing and getting a tan, Calf Pasture Beach will do the job. There are good places to have a picnic. It also isn't overly crowded which is a nice thing and it isn't that noisy. I would recommend this beach for anyone in the area who doesn't want to drive far to be near the water. read more

Calf Pasture Beach - Beaches Near Me - Norwalk, Connecticut

The reason I am giving this beach 2 stars is because there are so many rules at the beach, it makes it extremely unfun! No floaties of ANY kind allowed except Coast Guard approved life vests. Children can not play with kick boards, noodles, rafts, etc. Furthermore, no balls or frisbees or anything of that like, that you can throw around to play and have fun, can be used in water or on beach. Lifeguards are continuously blowing whistles making people stop from doing anything except sitting, wading or swimming. It's a good old persons beach, for those who just want to sit. The sand is pretty nice, but once in water, I recommend water shoes because it's rocky. The only saving grace that I give this place 2 stars instead of 1, is it has a nice playground, a small splash pad and a decent place to get food. If it wasn't for these last 3 things, it would be a 1 Star for sure. read more

Feel so blessed to live and work in Norwalk, CT. Walking here today looking at the water made me feel alive. So many fun activities here. Bathroom super clean. read more

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When the weather is nice I like taking a Walk to the beach. It's always quiet and clean. I love this local beach by my home. When friends come over in the summer I also take them here so their kids can play in the playground. read more

Calf Pasture Beach - This was before Sandy tore up the bridge. - Beaches Near Me - Norwalk, Connecticut

Definitely not a prime swimming spot, but Calf Pasture has improved greatly in the last 30+ years I've been coming here. Awesome setting for lounging, volleyball, and picnicking. Sure, it's a bit rocky and the water isn't ideal, but I definitely appreciate the beach more now that I live in central CT! read more

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It s a pretty small beach so can get crowded in the week-end , it is very difficult to walk as there are so many rocks and the parking fee for non-residents is $40.00 and on a holiday $65.00 which I find pretty ridiculous...!! We parked on the street about 1 mile away and then we walked so we avoided the charge , we love walking so it was not a problem for us .. Other than that , there is a nice restaurant with pretty decent food and the restrooms were clean . read more

They really need to chill on the cost of parking. $25 is plain ridiculous. I'm not coming here from the UK, I'm coming from Westchester, NY. Its not that far and considering that this is more along the lines of a lake rather than beach... its too much. Its a nice enough place but its rocky and you can't really swim in it much, waves are low and limited. I'm spoiled but the awesome and free beaches in California I suppose. They don't charge to get on the beach, but that isn't an option for everyone. There are better beaches in Connecticut than this one. Its small and limited. But if you're rich and don't mind rocks and not swimming, you're good here. read more

Pretty cool. Nifty place to bring a nice group. They have a big high boardwalk that you can fish from. Convenient and large bathroom facility, which was relatively clean. A pavilion where you can get simple margaritas, fish baskets, Cuban sandwiches, lobster, raw oysters, burgers and fries. (beer on one end- oysters on the other). And they do a pretty damn good job. They also have a little café with souvenir shirts, bottled drinks, muffins and smoothies. Dude, these smoothies are the bomb. They are the reason I look forward to going to this beach. Serious. The water and sand are clean. Not much to the beach really but I think that's the charm. Sand, water, concessions and short distances between them. Barbecue session on other end is a mere stretch of the legs. Family central. Don't get caught bouldering the rocks as I did. Quite embarrassing to get chastised by a lifeguard half your age. The fee to get in is outrageous but it keeps out the truly annoying people and if you make a decent day of it, it's well spent. (mmmmm, smoooothies!) read more

We decided to give it a try and were just disappointed. For non resident you pay 30 dollars on the weekends which can discourage people. Non the less ones your inside you have the option of playing in the park or enjoying the beach. Oh yeah the beach not so great unless your a teenager or older odeon who simply wants to tan and sit and not enjoy the waves. Oh yeah there are no waves and the beach is very rocky all the way to the water. Not to mention all the seaweed and crabs out. Being from New York I think were gonna suck it up and pay the toll over the bridge and go to jones beach, Robert Moses, long beach. Over all the park is great but definitely not worth 25 or 30 dollars to get into unless you live in Connecticut then it's worth going for since you guys don't pay a dime. Not fun if you have kids who want to play on the beach but hey everyone is different read more

Love this place, the parking is pricy on the weekend ($40) but it's a lovely place. Clean bathrooms, water park, tons of space, they let you bbq and play music. It's not your average "you have to be quiet beach" so for that vibe I suggest nearby Jennings beach. But if you wanna get lit and have a good time, this is the place, also child friendly :) read more

You are right. Beaches in CT are rocky as you are in the sound, it's not actually the ocean yet. If your looking for smooth sandy beaches CT isnt it. You can go to Compo Beach in West Port, but it is $40 to park for the day if you dont have a pass and are not a resident. They did more work on the beach and replaced the rocky coast with more sand, so it's softer on the feet. Calf Pasture beach parking is cheap, bathrooms are clean, and it has sand. great place to go out and lay, relax and play in the water. If your looking for waves, your not gonna get them in the sound. go down to Long Island. read more

Alright, the previous poster obviously does not spend much time on the CT side of the Sound. Connecticut beaches on this side of LI are rocky, that's the way it is. It's the same pretty much everywhere ... until you reach the part of the coast where we pass LI and you get the Atlantic Ocean, fewer rocks and more waves. That said, Calf Pasture is most definitely a beach. I've spent a lot of time there, both on the sand and in the water, and I love it. Great facilities, the Calf Pasture Stew's serving up burgers and ice cream ... what's not to love? This is not a beach like you'd find in Northern New England. But us Norwalkers love it. Sorry you don't. read more

Really love this beach. Beautiful anytime of year. Parking is expensive, yes, but no more than what we've encountered at other Connecticut beaches. read more

BEWARE went there May 22, 2021, from New York wanting to visit the beach for the day. They are charging out-of-state residents $65.00 a car to get in. Such a disgrace! When I asked why it was so expensive the woman said I just work here call the Town. Needless to say, I didn't give them $65.00 and went to another fun place instead. read more

This "beach" is a joke. Parking is $40 if you're not from around there. The lady who was working the front gate took FOREVER because she wouldn't stop chatting with the lady in the car in front of us. The place is small and dirty, trash everywhere! The sand is full of rocks and the water is disgusting. I was disappointed because it was super hot, but I refused to go inside the murky water that smelled like sewer. It's a good place to BBQ since there's a lot of space under trees, just bring a lot of bug spray. This is probably the worst beach I've ever been to. I feel bad for those who think this is a "nice" beach lmao read more

Calf Pasture Beach - classy.. - Beaches Near Me - Norwalk, Connecticut

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We absolute love this beach. It never gets super crowded. Easy to park a restaurant on/site. They even have a small water park for kids. There's also a nice sit down restaurant right next to it. A small minigolf. Great place! read more

Calf Pasture Beach - Beaches Near Me - Norwalk, Connecticut

I'm working as an intern in Norwalk and, when it came around to the weekend, I went out to do some exploring. Reading the reviews from this place, I was a bit disheartened; but being so close to my apartment, I gave it a shot. Man this beach was way better than I expected! I thought it was going to be small, reclusive, and with gross sand... but it's not that way at all. Sure, it was a bit gravely right by the edge of the water, but a few yards back you have some perfect sand. The place was definitely lively (as expected for a Saturday) but in a comfortable way. It's a pretty long beach and the pier is a lovely place to sit and read a book. On another note, I was expecting to pay a good amount of cash like other reviewers stated, but they just waved me through? I'm not sure why I didn't have to pay, especially being that I'm from New York, but I'm not complaining! I'm definitely going back there tomorrow :) read more

Overpriced & not great. This beach was rough, but I'm not super familiar with CT beaches. it was not very clean, there wasn't any shape and the road was right beside it. It was a bit of an odd crowd as well - some much older people and some much younger. We tried to get in the water, but it was too much for me. read more

Pretty average beach on the sound. It has all of the amenities one would need for a public beach (bathrooms, café and snack area, mini golf, many kid friendly areas, and a pier to fish on). The only cons I can mention is that it is very rocky so you need to wear beach shoes when walking close to the shore and the water is loaded, did I say loaded with seaweed which is a huge turnoff for me. It is pretty pricey too if you are from out of town (30 per car load). read more

Calf Pasture Beach - Beaches Near Me - Norwalk, Connecticut

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Eh, I'm going to tip the apple cart here with a quick story: I'm a longtime Norwalk resident. I just got a new car and haven't had a chance to get down to Town Hall to get an updated beach pass/trip-to-the dump certificate thingy. Anyways, the old guy at the gate wouldn't let me in this morning. He said I would have to pay $5. I told him I could show my license proving I'm a resident, but he wouldn't budge. I finally said, "kiss my ass, the city already gets enough of my tax dollars" and left. Alright, I got it...rules are rules. But seriously, it was Labor Day morning. (the place was actually dead as a fart, so it's not like I was taking up clutch parking) If the guy wasn't a total douche beholden to his superiors he might have said, "OK, it's a father with a wife and kids, it's Labor Day, I'll let him in with a stern waring to get a beach pass first thing tomorrow morning." But noooooo, thanks to this society of rules and regulations, I got bounced. I dropped my family off, went home got our other car WITH a beach pass and picked them up later. (You better believe I told the dude off when I returned.) Did I mention I wouldn't pay the 5 bucks out of principle and the guy can kiss my ass? I could tell those not in-the-know about the new coffee bar and other good things. But I won't waste my time. PS-the picture of the crappy sand pretty much sums things up. read more

Child friendly beach located in the lovely Norwolk area of Connecticut. The clean, picturesque ocean strip is conveniently located off the exit 16 exit of Rte I-95. It offered everything we were seeking at the time. Family friendly, nice, clean beach, diverse environment with easy commute from our home town in Queens NY. It took us approximately 1hour door to door on a Sunday to arrive in mid-August. We paid a parking fee of $35 and in return got easy access to a lovely beach with several ammedities including, small playground, fun water sprinkler area for kids, clean public bathrooms, paved boardwalk strip with seating areas. A mix of beach and shaded grassed area to sit, hang out, lay or play with a good # of garbage bins for use. Visitors can safely swim, boat or fish in water. The sand was clean, but shore was a bit rocky. Between 12-6pm, we found the water this 90degree day clean, cool and refreshing. Once we learned how to navigate through the rocks by the shore, the swimming experience was fun. The strip had a walkable pier, a restaurant and few salt water removal rinsing areas. Easy access from the parking lot and resting areas. It wasn't crowded the day we went. Sufficient, visible security, friendly beach staff, life guards and first aid service. Other food options in the driveable distance. read more

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Calf Pasture is great for families or a picnic dinner with your significant other. Lots of shady spots for the babies and a playground for the older ones. I grew up on Cape Cod so beyond the amenities the beach is only so-so. I mean the sand is like dirt with trash particles and rocks. Not so lovely. But for a place to go and gaze into the distance while your kids go nuts on the playground and in the warm water, it's great. If you are sans kid and don't care about taking a swim set up your chair near the kayak rental place. Peace and quite with a view of boats coming in and out of Norwalk Harbor. For a party atmosphere head towards the picnic tables. Lots of families cooking food and playing music. Kind of annoying if you're looking to unwind so head the other way if you're looking to relax. They also have books and magazines to borrow near the lifeguard office! read more

If you love here, you get free parking. If not, be prepared to say goodby to a decent amount of money. I am not sure what is the charge these days, since I never payed, but I heated it is ridiculous. Now to the beach: it is well maintained, and as much as it take away some of the wilderness, it is very helpful when you come with kids. There are no waves, it is more a lake like beach. If you have in mind a picture of sandy beach and blue clear water, this is not it. If you are OK with urban beaches, it will do. I don't think that it is fair to charge so much people who come to visit. I am local, but I still think that mature belong to everybody. read more

Beautiful beach. Clean, well maintained picnic areas, bathrooms, sidewalks & playgrounds. Plenty for kids to do if they get tired of the water. Very rocky so definitely bring shoes that can be worn on beach and into the water. Great pier & 2 concession stands. Concession stands a bit pricey but worth it for everything else that comes w the beach. read more

Calf Pasture Beach - Pier - Beaches Near Me - Norwalk, Connecticut

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We're fortunate to live here in Norwalk - free resident parking! We spend a lot of time here once the weather is nice enough. Great paths to walk, two nice concessions, and plenty to do. The beach hosts lots of fundraising walks and during preseason there are go-kart races that can take up most of the parking lot, so check before you go if it's before May 1st. Otherwise, go enjoy the beautiful views! read more

Calf Pasture Beach - Morning walks at the beach! - Beaches Near Me - Norwalk, Connecticut

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It's a very pretty + clean beach. I just wish there were less rocks! It's so difficult to walk in the sand or even head over to the water!

I haven't been to the beach all summer so I was so excited to go today. Some one recommended Connecticut for beaches and after looking for "best beaches" in C.T., I chose this one due to proximity. Coming from Rockland County, it was only about an hour and I wanted only a leisurely, short commute. The Overview: A beach on the Long Island Sound, this beach is well kept and pretty. Although small, there is ample green space for those who want to set up on the grass opposed to the sand. There are some tables, a cafe, and recreational options (playground, baseball, e.t.c.). "The nonresident parking fee is $25/car on weekdays before 5 pm, $30/car on weekends before 5:00 pm, and $10 after 5:00 p.m."Passes are available at the beach. The Good: The view is really lovely, with cute little islands, sail boats e.t.c. Overall the ambiance was nice, with kids running around, hot sun, and a bit of a breeze. The pier overlooking the water is lovely. As mentioned before, it is well maintained in my opinion and definitely a great place to relax, hang out, snack, and doze. There are life guards posted so nice to know safety is in mind! The Bad: If you're thinking soft sand and blue waves, think again. The water is pretty still and calm, much like a lake. Honestly when I first got there, I thought it was a lake. There is not much for waves and as someone who cannot swim, I rely on waves for fun. So that was pretty disappointing. Moreover, the edge of the water was covered in rocks and pebbles, which made walking to the water torture. The water was murky and had a strange odor, so I didn't do more than stand knee length before retreating. Parking was $30, but between three of us it wasn't so bad, but still a steep price. Overall: All beaches are not the same. The water was/is a huge turn off. Had I known and done more research, I would've went elsewhere though I don't regret because it was a good opportunity to enjoy with friends, and the close distance to where I live is a plus. It is very family-oriented and is a cute, quaint beach. Though having the "sun" without the "surf," is too much a disappointment. As someone who vacationed in gorgeous Isla Verde in Puerto Rico, safe to say I've been spoiled. Definitely recommend this occasion for a casual day because the views are lovely. I would go again if I wanted to relax on the beach and get some sun. As someone mentioned before, not a "destination" zone or hot spot, but it does make for a good time. Life is what you make of it. read more