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.

Beautiful park. If no one is at the booth when you arrive, scan the QR code near parking and pay…read moreonline. Plenty of picnic tables are scattered around the park and a few charcoal grills. Lots of port-a-john near the beaches and a building closer to parking. No swimming was allowed at the beaches. Plenty of fishing though. Nice place to walk and look for shells. The mansion gardens are small and beautiful. Lots of colorful plants. Graceful collonade. Definitely a nice spot for photos. Lots of pollenators enjoying the gardens too. Pathways through the park are a mix of paved and gravel. Watch out for goose poop when crossing through the fields. Pets are welcome on a leash and be sure to pick up after them. State parks are "carry in, carry out" so there are no trash bins. Be sure to bring your own trash bag to dispose of your trash at home.

A beautiful seaside park that was surprisingly busy on breezy November weekend. We walked around a…read morefew of the gardens which I imagine will be even more impressive in the spring and summer.

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.

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.

A pop up shower shortened my visit, but otherwise it was an enjoyable experience. Some nice views,…read morealthough parking can be a little difficult. Overall a nice way to spend some time during the summer.

I really loved going for a walk on the Niantic Bay Boardwalk on a very warm November afternoon last…read moreweek. This boardwalk has access to the beach, where the sand is soft and beach is very clean. There are no dogs allowed at any time, not even currently when it's off season. This is unfortunate as my dog would love to go for a walk here, he loves people, and I'm sure they would all be happy to greet him. If you're counting your steps, this is the place to get them without much effort. I made 8000 steps according to my fitbit, and it wasnt even the whole boardwalk. It would also be a nice place for a bike ride, but they don't allow those either. There are plenty of benches if you need to sit for a bit. The dedication plaques with very sweet words add a special touch to this beautiful boardwalk.

A playground near the beach with grass areas and trees, I mean what more could a kid ask for! There…read moreare multiple play areas for varying age groups. The park is in good condition, all new rubber mats along the bottom and trees surround the park so it's a beautiful spot to picnic that overlooks the water. During fall months there was no fee, I'm sure the summer it is packed here due to the beach. But if you have kids this is a fantastic place to spend a a few hours.

Fantastic beach! It's not huge, but it's still a decent size. Brought my 4 yr old here on a Sunday…read moreand had a great time! We arrived about 10:30 and there was plenty of space. The nice guy in parking told us it was $30 to park for nonresidents (assume that's both parking and pass, though not sure), but free parking was available a short distance up the road and entry fee would be just $10. We went with that even though it meant I would be carrying everything to the beach. The parking was really not far... maybe one wide city block. It's literally across the playground (which you can't cut to since it's part of the park and fenced in). Then you go down the hill which is all sidewalk (good when you have kiddos), and down to the paid parking and beach. Once you arrive to the parking, you go to the restroom building on the left and there's a sign that says "passes" on the right side. Go there to pay the $10 pass. There were some rules I wasn't aware of, so some tips: umbrellas need to be behind the cones. I believe the life guard said it was to keep the incoming tide from washing it out? The tide did come up a little during the day we were there. Also, no boogie boards allowed anywhere at the beaches with life guards. What I didn't know, was it was allowed at the private beach strip between the two public beaches. There are houses overlooking the private beach area, but everyone seems to use it or at least walk it to get from one public beach to the other. I'm sure if someone really didn't want you hanging out there, they'd tell you, but we seemed to be allowed. We also were just 2 people and not a party hanging out, so that probably helps. The water was warmish in the shallow waves but cooler once in. Water is pretty clear and some areas had more seaweed than others, but not bad. There are a ton of boat type shells and not much of others. The sand and waters are full of nice pebbles, stones, and larger stones. There is also a floating raft a short distance out (of both public beach areas) that you can swim to, although we did not since my daughter still doesn't swim well. The beach gets busy after noon, but it wasn't too bad. There are a couple outdoor showers by the bathrooms that worked really well. We didn't use the bathrooms so not sure how they were. I don't know if there's a concession stand; I didn't see one. But there was an ice cream truck that came by at the main beach. A nice playground is up the hill a little bit from the beach that we were going to visit, but decided to keep moving and go home. I'd definitely come here again. For $10 and a little hassle of carrying your things a short distance, it's a really pretty and clean beach, with nice views of sailboats on the water. The waves are gentle too, so it's good for little ones. Still watch them though bc as the day went on, the waves got a little bigger and has a good pull for small kiddos.

Not my cup of tea personally for a beach. Get here early enough it's peaceful and have better…read morechances in finding beach glass. Once the kids started showing up and screaming for no reason was where I made my decision. Looks like plenty to do though. There's a plentiful of volleyball nets. Looks like a play place as well.

I was a little disappointed this time around. This is usually my fave beach b/c of the white clean…read moresand,pool,& ocean. The ocean water was dirty & I've never seen that before @ this beach. Came on a Saturday so parking for non New London residence is $40. I was super bummed b/c the pool was closed. Worker said it was closed b/c it rained in the early morning. In the forecast there would not be rain after that & it didn't rain. I stood the whole day @ the beach. I tried getting in the water but it was dirty & freezing. It is always colder than lost beaches b/c it's off the Long Island Sound. I was not a happy camper especially after paying $40 to not really have a good time & couldn't even get a swim in.

Amazing we had the best time! Will absolutely go back . Beautiful too. We just loved the scenery.read more

This isnt a beach! It is a batch of dirt and rocks! You wont be able to get your beach umbrella…read morethrough the rocky ground so be prepared to have to hols your umbrella! A woman suggested to used a rock to hit the umbrella!! Lol There isnt sand and it is by the picnic and bbq sector by the "beach". It is a free spot and if you can get parking - go for it but be prepared to be underwhelmed! The water is equal disappointing and disgusting! The only saving point is the bathroom which is clean and the shower head outside to the left of the bathrooms! I basically filled up buckets of water and hauled it to "sand" for the kids to play with!

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!