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    Hammonasset Beach State Park

    4.0 (175 reviews)
    Closed 8:00 am - 6:30 pm
    Updated 2 months ago

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    George M.

    Had a great beach day with the fam at Hammonasset, specifically Meigs Point -- one of the three beach areas along with West and Middle Beach. We scored a prime spot right by the water and next to the food hut, after a little bit of parking roulette (but hey, it worked out!). The beach was clean, the vibes were right, and the food did what it needed to do. We ordered a cheeseburger, foot-long hot dog, surf & turf platter, and fish with fries. Nothing gourmet, but perfect for a beach snack. Bonus: the slushy was a hit -- especially in the heat! Only hiccup? Shells. So many shells. Great for collecting (my daughter was thrilled), but rough on bare feet -- so maybe bring those sandals. Overall, I'd definitely come back and already recommended it to a few friends -- who also loved it! Beach days done right.

    Fourth of July
    Saira K.

    This is a beautiful state park in Madison. There's 2 miles of beach, there's also a campground, and it's very popular. They had nature preserve, too. There's free parking for cars with Connecticut license plates. On busy days there are plenty of rangers to help you park. It gets busy in the summer. There are nice views of Long Island Sound. The park is open every day from 8 to sunset. Camping is allowed from Memorial Day to Columbus Day.

    Enxhi B.

    Good local beach. Lots of seashells. It has restrooms, a concession area offering food and drinks, plenty of parking, lifeguards, etc.

    Susan G.

    On Friday, April 14th, 2023 temperatures inland were expected to reach 95 degrees. We were worried that it might be too hot even at the beach, but we were pleasantly surprised that, with the water temperatures in the 40s, the air on the beach was comfortable and cool. The pictures I took were taken at around 10:30am. When we left for lunch just after noon, the place was packed. Because this was pre-season, there were no lifeguards and we were able to bring our dog with us (on leash). The bathrooms were unlocked and cleaned. The grill wasn't open, and we didn't see any other concession stands. Also there were no fees to enter or park because it wasn't yet officially open. This is a beautiful beach. There are at least 3 different beaches there, with separate parking lots. And there is a paved path that people were walking and biking on. We are looking forward to returning some time.

    June 2023
    Monica B.

    Full of debris today and they are mentioning that when you enter the park. I don't understand the reason for not cleaning the beach. We were there for 4 hours and nothing was happening. Hopefully they are going to fix it soon.

    Peaceful rock tower
    Matt C.

    Such a beautiful area. I've been coming here for almost my entire life, enjoying the ocean spray, the sandy beaches and numerous shells, and interesting rocky parts too. They have quite a lot of structures and picnic areas, and a fine place to camp as well. It gets busy but it's well worth the adventure. Right off Route 1, access is easy, and there's plenty of food in the area. In the summer, they open the bathrooms and cafes. I love the Megs Point Nature Center very much. The staff is always friendly and informative. They have many tanks with local sea creatures, and plenty of activities for kids and adults. It's a wonderful area for a walk or bike ride, and the beach is trash free. Feels very wild and a great place for peace and quiet.

    Claiming the boulders
    John C.

    The largest and most beautiful beach in Connecticut. My wife and her family used to come here for Summer vacation. We visit when we are in the area visiting our selves. As massive as it is I can't believe that they have to close the gates during the summer because e they a FULL. we came in October and it was empty. No fees to get in. Dogs are allowed on the beach. It was wonderful. It has grown so much in 20 years since the last time we visited.

    Beach
    Jason P.

    I'm going to grade HSP as a CT State Park rather than a beach. As a State Park, it's distinctive because it has a large section of space along the water, aka "a beach". But it's more than that. You can camp, bird, shell, bike, climb rocks and take photos. Parking is good except during peak times during peak seasons. We even go off season to hear the ocean and walk near the water. The beach itself won't be your favorite beach, but it hits a lot of the notes. There isn't much of a wave scene, the water runs colder than our favorite US beaches and the beach can be rocky. We usually have a good time though.

    Lovely marsh along the beach.
    Kelly H.

    COVID-19 era review: on New Years Day, this was the place to be! Hammonasset was a populated park all summer too; Twitter announced parking lot closure nearly each day. For a tiny but densely populated state with property lines extending to the shore, this is a coastal oasis. Best of all, it's free to CT residents/drivers. Like other state beaches you find shelters, beach showers, a nature center, and a HUGE campground. Reserve America says pets aren't allowed on the campground, but on this beach in the off season, pets were looking content. RA also says the campground has 87 sites electric hookups, a minority of the 500+, but many more than other campgrounds at CT parks. Skippable flat stones, oyster shells, periwinkles, and cobalt-colored mussels made for one very colorful stretch of beach. On our gray January day, it felt less populated than it was. In all, it was a peaceful place to start the year.

    At low tide you can walk forever before you even have water to your waist.
    Melissa V.

    Sorry Hammonasset. We've heard for years how beautiful this place is, and it was really beautiful. The 3 stars are for the beauty and the setting. We switched up our beaches because of Covid that Rhode Island was discouraging visitors from out of state to cut down on crowds. So we decided it was time to check out another beach and head to Connecticut. We were prepared that there really wasn't any waves at this beach, so that wasn't a disappointment because there isn't ANY. We're beach walkers and were pretty excited to see how far this beach goes, BUT you can't walk on this beach!! Yes, it's allowed, but the slope is steep and full of rocks and shells. So you're either walking all wonky on the slope or stepping on something that hurts. The water was nice and at low tide you could walk out very far before you reached your waist. There seemed to be some sandbars too. But, when the tide came in it was a quick drop. It's probably a great place for families with young children.

    Daryl P.

    This place has always been a spot to disappear to when work or life gets to be too much. The family and I decided to escape here during the work week and current Pandemic situation to social distance whole enjoy the moving waves and warm sand while waiting for the rest of the family to arrive. I could see the areas near the bathrooms and showers getting more populated while the camp areas seem to be pretty packed as well but near the pavilions away from the visitors building you'll be comfortable to spread out and soak up some rays. I will express appreciation for many that actually respected the ring of sand that I outlined to maintain social distance except for the little toddler that wanted to say hi. He gets a free pass. Cheers to the summer.

    Sara K.

    There's just something that makes Hammonasset special. It's my favorite beach in the state and where I love spending a beautiful sunny day, no matter the season. I enjoy birdwatching and visiting the Meig's Point Nature center. I could spend hours taking in the scenery on the walking path and will relax on the beach from sunrise to sunset. It truly is my happy place in Connecticut!

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    2 years ago

    It was not crowded, the sound of the water was peaceful, and walking along the shore was beautiful.

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    1 year ago

    Awesome place to go camping fishing hiking we go to the campground all the time friendly environment beautiful place to visit

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    Page 1 of 5

    Ask the Community - Hammonasset Beach State Park

    Is there any place to BBQ on a grill or are there any on site bbq pitts at hammonasset beach?

    Just at the campsites.

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    Review Highlights - Hammonasset Beach State Park

    The nature center at Meigs Point is small but offers a wide slate of activities both hourly and daily.

    Mentioned in 27 reviews

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    People searched for Parks 326 times last month within 15 miles of this business.

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    Indian River Marina & Kayak

    Indian River Marina & Kayak

    4.9(58 reviews)
    1.7 mi

    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.

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    Indian River Marina & Kayak
    Indian River Marina & Kayak
    Indian River Marina & Kayak

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    Town of Clinton Small Boat Ramp

    Town of Clinton Small Boat Ramp

    4.0(1 review)
    2.3 mi

    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.

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    Town of Clinton Small Boat Ramp - Indian River looking north

    Indian River looking north

    Town of Clinton Small Boat Ramp
    Town of Clinton Small Boat Ramp

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    Hammonasset Beach State Park - parks - Updated May 2026

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