A good spot to hang out and chill alone or accompanied. You can observe nature, bike, jog, walk or…read moreget in the water & do kayak, boating, swim or paddle board if you desire. It's a beautiful park. Check it out.

Beautiful hiking spot with easy to navigate trails and stunning ocean views. We were able to see…read moreFisher's Island, Long Island, and Groton. The port-a-potties were a nice amenity too. It was a little loud due to small airplanes taking off and landing at the nearby airport but it added a layer of intrigue. There are picnic tables and plenty of spots to sit along the water. Next time, I'll bring food and a book.

Elion beach has been in my family for generations. It's a place where, for the families whom own…read moreit, can gather and enjoy summer, whenever they want. It doesn't matter if your family is from CT or Pakistan. Elion beach family members can have fun, share stories with one another and experience the ocean as only the ocean can offer. This spot has shed many memories for me. My cousin benj showed me how to use muscles attached to the rock and how to fish with them. My uncle jack nearly drowned one of my dogs here. To my bubbie, this was home. It's a nice beach to come to and think back on my memories and enjoy the atmosphere- the fond memories of family, the water, the sand and the waves crashing in on the shore.

Stunning gardens in full bloom we enjoyed in late June this year with the beach being very…read moreinviting. There is beautiful expansive lawn with trees and tables to enjoy a picnic. Glad we stopped and look forward to visiting again.

I really enjoy walking around this area. They have the beach, the house, the garden. There's so…read moremany areas to walk around and take pictures. There's always an event going on.

Gorgeous beach to enjoy on a bright sunny day. Sand is not too rocky and feels good to walk in…read morebarefoot. Decent amount of parking as well. Potentially more crowded on hot summer days, but was very empty on a fall Saturday.

My bf lives two streets over. We went there after a date just around midnight...walked. We both saw…read morea shooting star. Fate. I love this place.

So, I have a number of gripes about this beach. Firstly, the parking. They want $30 dollars to park…read moreyour car. $30!!! That is obscene. They do not take card and they do not have an ATM on site. I am out of state visiting and so had to turn around and find a gas station with an ATM so I can get the cash for their obnoxious parking rate. There was no option to pay by mail and again they do not accept cards which is ridiculous. Once you finally get into the beach, it is OK for what it is but it is quite small and not a lot to do. The water and sand is nice but for the $30 price tag to park I was disappointed with the amenities, or lack their of. My daughter had fun which I guess is what matters but based on this experience I will not be returning.

We live nearby so we go there 4 or 5 times a week. It's a small beach with a large parking lot…read more You can watch private and military planes fly over from the nearby airport, also watch sailboats and ferry boats going back and forth. The snack bar has good hamburgers, hot dogs, fries, onion rings, salads, grilled cheese, ice cream, and specials like steak sandwiches with peppers and onions, or fresh cod sandwiches at very reasonable prices. We really like it there and would recommend it for families with small children and older folks who like to just sit and enjoy the beautiful scenery. Teens and 20 somethings probably would not like this beach because there are no clubs, etc. It's just a small family beach with basketball courts and a little playground.

Grew up swimming in the Atlantic Ocean at this spot. Bygone days where the Guthrie Beach raft would…read morebe the happening spot to swim to, play the diving game with a Popsicle stick, and get ice cream sandwiches from the truck. Spend a whole day here and lose sight of all that matters in the world. Meet the cousins, hang with the friends, relax and let the seagulls try and steal your grinder crumbs.

After coming back recently from vacation, then taking more time to enjoy what is left of Summer…read more This was a perfect spot and a wonderful time spent at Ocean Beach Park at New London, CT this past weekend. I dabble in a couple of hobbies and Photography is one of my many hobbies. We made a decision to be off technology and enjoy the time. Next time, more photos Our time spent was overall enjoyable and relaxing with family. There is plenty to do Arcade, Amusement Rides, miniature golf, Pool, Water Slides, Sandbar Cafe, etc. Some of their attractions appear old, but appear to be properly maintained. In respect of the Beach, Beautiful... The most part it is refreshing to view the scenery and soak in overall. We will be coming soon again to events at Ocean Beach Park, New London, CT

(3/5 stars) The…read morebiggest positives are that the sand is relatively clean, there was no seaweed during our visit, and lifeguards were on duty, which made the beach feel safe. Unfortunately, there were several negatives. The seagulls were extremely aggressive--they were going into people's bags and pulling out food. People were feeding the birds, which only encouraged this behavior. Another downside was the atmosphere. Several groups were playing very loud music, making it difficult to relax and enjoy the beach. Parking was $40 per car on a Sunday in July, which felt expensive. The boardwalk amusement rides are priced individually, and many of them seem very old and dated. Overall, while the beach itself has some nice qualities, the aggressive seagulls, loud environment, high parking cost, and aging rides made the experience less enjoyable than expected.

We came here for what looks like our last beach day of the year.. plenty of parking available. We…read morewent out of season, so it was free. I'm not sure how much it costs in season. I love how there are so many establishments within walking distance. The beach itself is small but cute. The boardwalk is nice and refreshing. There are restrooms available. Just a nice spot overall.

Hole in the Wall Beach is a tiny private beach in Niantic. I was here on Thursday when we had…read morerecord high heat of 90+ degrees for mid April. The beach was filled with young kids and families. The beach is located behind Gumdrops & Lollipops Ice Cream Shop! Parking is free until Memorial Day, after that it's $40 per car. There is a beautiful boardwalk filled with benches. It is very clean and well kept. Overlooking the boardwalk, I could see a family of ducks, enjoying splashing in the water. Above the beach is a train track with an active train passing through. However being on the beach, I couldn't hear the train. I could only hear it from the boardwalk. I love how this beach is hidden, when you walk past Gumdrops & Lollipops you will see a "window" of the beach, you'll have to walk through a tunnel. Keep walking right for a lovely beach experience at this tiny beach!

5 star in the winter months when no one is here…read more 1 star in the summer, proving that some places are great, if it were not for the people. This place seems to attract a certain type of people who have no respect for their environment and I always had to walk around piles of trash that out of towner's left (lived in this area for 10+ years) when walking in the area in the summer months. Part of the issue, I think, is the bar nearby, which seems to attract the lowest of the low in the state of CT. The type who are self absorbed, brainless frat boys. Watch out or you might get blinded by the sun reflecting off the pounds of tanner on the faux bronze skin. Thankfully I know the town well and know where to go for peace and solitude. So in a way, I do not mind giving up one little slice of beach, out of miles of it in the town, as long as the rest of the beach within the town remain d-bag free (and thus, easy to avoid). Very few locals come here and I hope eventually, some saavy business person can come in and class the place up, because the Pavilion, for sure, is not.

to all families that go to this beach, you have to be careful yesterday. I was there on my family,…read moreand I caught a weirdo, taking photos of little kids and sending them to people, and the police only did was slap them on the wrist and walked him home. Didn't even arrest him.

Four stars because it was pretty and the old asylum was a sight to see. The parking area is…read moreneedlessly far away from the building, under some shady trees. There are actual paved spaces that must have once been parking sports (maybe one a low budget basketball court) that would bring you closer and prevent walking exposed to the boiling summer sun. I cannot speak to any actual walking trails, but the dogs that were playing seemed to be having a great time. The old building is gated off, understandable, but you can tell from the outside it was made in an older era where aesthetics meant something and it wasn't all about saving a penny.

The Seaside State Park is quite a unique place as it hosts the infamous and now abandoned Seaside…read moreSanatorium, a building that was commissioned in the 1930 when tuberculosis was a major affliction. One of the treatments for this disease was fresh air, so many of these sanatoriums were built around the coast and around lakes, copying a trend that had taken over European lands. Over time it was discovered that fresh air not only helped tuberculosis but all types of diseases, particularly mental illnesses like depression and anxiety. As tuberculosis became a controlled ailment, the Seaside became a host to more people with mental illnesses as well as the elderly. Supposedly, during this period of the Seaside as a psychiatric ward, many irregularities took place and the consequence resulted in patient's deaths. I have no proof of this but that is how the story goes. All this information is found on the Connecticut .org websites. Arriving to this "haunted" and "damned" place, as many publicize it, is a unique experience. I parked in a lot with an abandoned garden house next to it, making even the parking area spooky. The building sits at the distance, and some people jog around or walk their dogs. The peculiar feeling of being watched is pervasive though, even though there aren't many people around. I walked the garden, walked a covered bridge that is very spooky, touched a water well that has dried up, walked by the beach and over a wall that protects the shore from erosion. I stayed on the paved path as much as possible because I felt that a certain order needed to be followed, even if there are no signs that say "Keep off the grass". One lap around this property is more than enough. I started on the left, and exited on the right. Once I exited, I didn't look back because I felt that I was being watched from behind the boarded windows. I was not interested in seeing a ghost looking at me or waving goodbye from the broken glass window... Spooky as it may seem, this is a beautiful place, the building is gorgeous, the view is amazing. If you are looking for serenity, this is a good place for it. The views of the Connecticut coast are amazing as well. I was very happy to have visited this active site in Waterford. This place is also known as The Seaside Sanatorium.