Hammonasset Beach State Park is located in Madison, CT. We arrived here on a cloudy, but sunny day,…read moreso the beach area wasn't super busy. For Connecticut residents admission is free. For non residents it can be as high as $22, per day depending on time of arrival and the day of the week. They had a substantial amount of campers and tents on the park side of the beach! They also have restrooms and showers. You can also find a snack and ice cream bar here. The walk to the beach from the parking was pretty short, since there's no boardwalk here. I found the sand to be pretty soft, the shells were the most prominent and the most aggressive the closer to the water. Unfortunately due to the wind and the cloudy sky, it was too cold for a swim. We used an SPF 70, and still walked away with a red back! The beach was clean and the water was clean. There were lifeguards on duty. I would return here again.

I love coming to this beach. It's close and convenient. The only downside is there are no waves…read more It's compared to that of a still lake. My favorite beach thus far has been West Beach with the pavilions due to the amount of parties and get-togethers I'm able to have in this area. Middle beach I rarely visit while Meigs point is more of a popular spot with the nature center.

Going to a beach in CT was the reason we took our overnight trip. My husband and I have not been to…read morea beach in 15+ years mainly because of body image issues, and never wanted to run into people we know. This is the perfect spot. We actually felt liberated, and it was worth every penny. How do you get there? Go down past all the houses, and you will see a parking lot midway as you drive along the coast. Its $20 for non residents to park in the lot. This beach is small, with not much sand, but not very crowded. We enjoyed our time here as we didn't feel embarrassed, were far enough away from others and could just relax. The sand has many shells, tiny snails, and is quite shallow. When the tide is low you can sit way out, and watch all the little snails head towards the water. There is a little bbq hut incase you are feeling hungry. Our only disappointment is that we tried to come back here at night to just hang out, eat ice cream with a view of the water because the sign says the beach closes at 10pm, but the gates were closed up when we arrived around 9pm. We would definitely take a trip back here to feel comfortable, and pretend like it is our own private beach. Quite the opposite from the beaches on Long Island. Although tiny, well worth the privacy and relaxation.

This is one of our favorite places to stay when we're in Connecticut no question about it. The…read morelocation is perfect, so perfect you can ride a bicycle to the beach. I wouldn't say close enough to walk, especially if you are bringing chairs, coolers, food, etc. You are within minutes drive to restaurants, gas stations, grocery stores, etc for all your shopping needs. Beech Tree also has a little shop that have some drinks, trinkets, clothes, decor, etc. that my fiance says is adorable, cute, etc. If you love going to the beach and want to stay at a place owned by some nice people rather than some big corporately owned motel/hotel with no personality or character, check this place out! You won't be disappointed. We haven't, we're planning our 4th trip back here hopefully sooner than later!

Stayed there last week. It was great. The cottages are cute as can be cozy and clean. Had a great…read moretime. Can hardly wait to go again.

This was a nice shell beach and there was even a walkable maze. We spent about an hour here…read moreenjoying the beautiful view of the ocean on one side and the lagoon on the other.

Lots to learn! Very interesting experience for all ages. Awesome learning experience about the…read morewildlife and nature in our own state! Variety of animals and pictures to inform yourself about wildlife and how to preserve our planet

This is a great little place. Very hospitable owners. Clean and well taken care of. The vibe is…read morevery "New England" and beachy. My mom and I had intended to go to a place in Branford but unfortunately they were sold out so we trekked to Clinton based on previous reviews. I am so glad we did! The Branford place was not as aesthetically nice, nor was the staff as helpful. The ambience, location and crew at Indian River were fantastic. I actually live south on the shoreline in CT, and none of the places in Fairfield county even compare to this. As a matter of fact - I had gone to a place in Norwalk the week before and the staff were a bunch of teenagers who a) only took cash (suspicious), making me drive 10 min out of the way to get cash b/c they didn't have an ATM and b) didn't help me in or out of the water and c) had dirty and gross (literally wet from the last person) lifejackets. This place was the total opposite. Very professional. They provided maps, clear directions and explanations on where to go. The lifejackets were clean. The guys helped us into and out of the water. There was a changing facility and also a little shop (and restrooms) right on premises. Norwalk on the other hand (can't help but compare) gave me wrong/confusing directions and had sent me out to islands that had nowhere to get out of the kayak. The water there was choppier and I was competing with boats who left us in their wake the whole time. This place had a very nice, calm, waterway to kayak in. There was one small area where you had to watch out for boats but it was a small area. Love this place and will be driving the hour and a half whenever I want to kayak - even though I life in a beach town in Fairfield county!

Well run business. Great people and great kayaks. The employees are very instructive, informed and…read morealways caring. They provided maps, suggested routes and things to be on the outlook. Beautiful area, beautiful bay. They had both single kayaks and tandem kayaks available. They also sell kayaks and all supplies. I will be back. Highly recommended.

To see the…read more sea The town of Clinton Connecticut has lots of great places to kayak and canoe but unfortunately it doesn't have many good places to launch a yak or other type of small boat. Most of the coast line is private and finding a place to park a car or truck is problematic. Some cool rivers and of course Long Island Sound is right there but you just can't get to it. Fortunately the town realized that the number of people yaking is growing every year and decided to do something about the problem by building a launching area for yaks, canoes and other small craft. It was completed this summer and It's located off of Main Street right on the Indian River. From the Indian River you can go north up the small river or south down into Long Island Sound. Either way is pretty cool but if you go north make sure you judge the tide right or you might end up carrying carry your yak in places. I usually save going up river until the winter or late fall when all the horrid flies are gone. Going south into the sound gives you miles of great yaking. You can go west to Hammonasset Beach, east to Duck Island or if you have the time and energy even cross the sound and go over to Long Island, New York. A long trip but fun in the proper weather conditions. The ramp itself is more of dock which makes launching a bit tricky for novices. I have seen many people go over trying to get in their yaks from the higher dock. Seems a simply ramp would have been a better choice for a small boat. Still, it's not really difficult with a little practice. One of the best things about the launch site is the location. It's right behind the town hall which means there is always plenty of parking and it's a safe place to leave your vehicle. So many parking areas for boating are prime targets for degenerates, perverts and thieves. The launch area has beautiful views of the Indian River and has a little gazebo for people to relax and enjoy the scenery even if they don't want to actually go on the river. A great idea to give people access to the wonderful water that Clinton has. Hopefully this site is just the first of many more.

Joy was very accommodating, the boat was a perfect sale and we enjoyed ourselves on a beautiful…read moreafternoon. Would definitely recommend.

I always wanted to go to Greece and this experience to visit Athens and the Saronic Islands were…read moreamazing! Despite the weather not being the best, May 2025, the islands were not crowded which is why it was arranged to go at this time! Greek cuisine deserves its own spotlight. Whether dining at a seaside taverna or exploring bustling markets, I was treated to flavors that celebrated freshness and tradition. Imagine biting into tomatoes so sweet they taste like candy, or savoring seafood caught hours before it landed on your plate. I will always savor the Feta cheese and the Ouzo! Joy recommended several high quality restaurants and we weren't disappointed! Joy did her very best to give us many options of activities or to go it alone! The captain and host, assistant to the captain couldn't have been more accommodating on my boat, The Full House! I will never forget this experience! Thank you Joy!

What a great experience we had with JK Kayak and SUP. This was our first time kayaking and we…read morewere in great hands with Joe and Connor. The website provided all the information we needed to be prepared for our adventure. Upon arrival, Joe and Connor got us fitted with our safety vests and our kayaks and then gave us lessons on how to use the paddle, get in/out of the kayak and provided general navigation and waterway guidance; from there we were off and loving life! We kayaked in Cold Spring Harbor just behind the lab and had an awesome time. It was so relaxing and quiet as we glided across the water. Joe led us in the front and Connor picked up the rear so we always felt safe and in good hands. Since this was our first time, we opted for a 1hour lesson/tour and Joe told us that most of his customers, at the end of the tour, say they wanted more time. We all felt the same way and can't wait to go back. If you're thinking about kayaking... go for it and definitely do it with JK Kayak & SUP. You won't be disappointed. Thanks Joe and Connor for such a fun afternoon!!!

My 13-year old nephew and I had a great time on our 2-hour tour with Joe. My nephew was I…read morefirst-time kayaker, and Joe patiently taught him the ins and outs of getting around. Joe was also very knowledgeable about the geography, wildlife, and history of the area. Our next trip is already booked!