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.

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!

Beautiful Campground with Spacious Sites!…read more We had a really nice camping experience at Rocky Neck State Park Campground. Arrival and check-in were very smooth. We actually decided to arrive a day earlier than our original reservation, and they were able to accommodate us as a walk-in and combine the extra night with our existing reservation, which made everything very easy. Firewood is available right outside the check-in area for about $7, and you get a pretty good-sized bundle. Our campsite was in the S section, and we really liked our spot. The sites are spacious with plenty of room for your setup, and each has a picnic table and fire ring. There are lots of beautiful trees throughout the campground, but keep in mind that you are not allowed to hang anything from them. One thing to know is that the campsites are fairly close together, so there isn't much privacy between neighboring sites. That was probably my least favorite part of the campground. However, the sites themselves are large enough that we never felt cramped. Our site was conveniently located near one of the bathroom and shower buildings (Seagull or Osprey, I can't remember which one), and the facilities were clean. There was also water nearby, which was very convenient for tent camping. The bathroom situation in the tent area could definitely use some improvement. The nearby pit toilets were closed during our stay, leaving portable toilets as the closest option. There is also a building near the tent camping area that looks like it could potentially be renovated into additional bathrooms or showers. Having working restroom and shower facilities closer to the tent sites would make a big difference, especially since the existing facilities can be a bit of a walk. Parking is another thing tent campers should be prepared for. Depending on your site, it can be a hike from the parking area to your campsite. If you're bringing a lot of camping gear and don't want to make multiple trips back and forth, I strongly recommend bringing a wagon! The campground itself is beautiful and very clean, and staff come through the area regularly. There is plenty of parking, and another big plus is that there is no additional campground charge for visitors. The other downside for us was the noise. Even after the 10 PM quiet time, there was still quite a bit of activity and noise from some campers. In the tent area, you can also hear cars traveling on the road behind the campground as well as the train when it passes. This may be more noticeable because Rocky Neck is a busy beach campground, but it's something to keep in mind if you're looking for a very peaceful and quiet camping experience. Overall, we had a wonderful stay. Rocky Neck State Park Campground is beautiful, clean, convenient, and offers spacious campsites. A little more privacy between sites, better enforcement of quiet hours, and improvements to the restroom and shower facilities near the tent camping area would make the experience even better.

Came here on a rainy dreery Tuesday and pretty much had the place to ourselves. We walked some of…read morethe trails by the big building that overlooked the water. They weren't too challenging, but you should def have sneakers on the rock overlook area. We walked the boardwalk where we found that the sound was flowing right under the boardwalk we were on under a tunnel. It was so cool and the water looked so clean. Certainly a far walk from the parking lot if you're going for a beach day, so I'd recommend bringing a wagon. Bathrooms were clean.

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.

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.

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.

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.

(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.

Parking is way too expensive at $40.00 better places to go in Connecticut hammonasset State Beach…read morecleaner bathrooms cheaper parking $20.00 I used to love going to Ocean Beach but it's way too expensive

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.

Private property and it looks like they would definitely shoot a trespasser. I didn't even try it…read more It is a pretty lighthouse and it's a bit of a bummer that you can't get close enough to it (from the land side) to avoid the overhead wires for a good photograph. Maybe there are other angles on public property but I couldn't find it. The New London Harbor Light is the oldest and the tallest lighthouse in Connecticut, 90 feet tall. This current structure was completed in 1801. [Review 18669 overall - 84 in Connecticut - 2191 of 2022.]

Neat little white light house. I love that it's perfect and white! Surrounded by private property,…read more'Do Not Enter' signs and 65+ race car drivers. There is no way to get close. It has about 8 floors in a spiral stair case. Even beaches nearby are for 'private use'. The light itself looks like many others. Neat photo on Long Island Sound! Rebel: 4

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.

Well, this beach has changed massively! My rating is based on teenage memories, childhood memories…read more Going there as a kid there was so much freedom and fun. We could have campfires on the beach and you could be on the beach 24/7. Parking was a breeze, but we always rented a cottage across from Corsino's .... best fried dough and calzones I've ever had... Ever! It was definitely a month of family, fun. Aunts, uncles, cousins, grandparents, parents, sisters, girlfriends, boyfriends, and friends! I see now it says carousel shop?? It used to be just an awesome carousel where you would grab a ring every time you went around and if you got the golden ring, you got a free ride. My cousin was able to grab the rings so quick she'd grab two with two different fingers on one hand. Of course, the boys running the carousel would give her free rides anyway lol. Jimmy Palumbo maybe ha ha ha ha ha ha not sure lol I think one of the boys was related to Mr. Scaliban who owned a row of cottages. Rooster was one I know we stayed in. I wonder if they're still there... The cottages. There was a huge arcade with lines and lines of pinball machines. There was also a place that made leather snap bracelets that you could put your name on. I have the one that my Memere wore ... It says Chickie on it. That's what my Pepere called her lol Even the cops were nice! I remember live music at the Ocean Spray right at the end of Hartford Avenue... Just past the best lemon ice with the squeeze cups, so you could get every last drop! We would dance and eat while our parents drank and sang! Sounds like it's a lot different now.