I stopped by Silver Sands State Park with my husband and some friends when we were driving down the Connecticut coast over the Fourth of July weekend. The park is almost 300 acres of beach, dunes, salt marsh, and woods. You can beach, swim, fish, walk along the beach or boardwalks, birdwatch... (FYI: alcohol is prohibited, so this is a beach for families, relaxing, and no-alcohol fun.) It's free for in-state registered vehicles. If your car or rental car is not registered in Connecticut, it costs $22 on weekends or holidays and $15 on weekdays (or $112 for a season pass). We couldn't stay long (the downside of a roadtrip with a planned out itinerary), which was too bad, because the beach was very nice! Crowded, perhaps, but what beach isn't on a hot July day?! I could've stayed a while with an umbrella for shade, a book, and a picnic! A lovely public beach. read more

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We had a perfect seaside lunch at Frenchie's Coffee Bar - our serious lobster roll consumer said that this was the best she's ever had. The black bean burger was perfectly prepared to order They were super nice about making me a grilled cheese even though it wasn't on the menu. Staff were super cheerful and helpful and friendly, and we couldn't have asked for a better lunch stop on our coastline walk! read more

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This is a beautiful state park. There's lots of free parking you can park on the street, for free too. It's quiet and laid back. You can enjoy the beach and the wildlife. No smoking allowed. There's a coffee shop there and you can also walk to an ice cream shop and more. read more

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Closed to swimming the day that Houdini and I were there. No lifeguards and found out later closed due to high bacteria content in the water. The "sand" is not like the Jersey shore or the Long Island beaches. More like ground seashells. Numerous people cloud bathing. We did like the trex boardwalk w numerous twist and turns. Pavilion w/I crawling distance (Houdini's usual pace). 2.5 stars read more

Silver Sands State Park - Hahahahaha - Parks Near Me

Beautiful views, but the sand had more shells and rocks than anticipated. Walking down to the water hurt my feet so badly and then there were a lot of shells and rocks in there too. read more

Silver Sands State Park is beautiful. My daughter and I came here to relax and just enjoy the atmosphere. To get to the beach you have to walk across a bridge but the views are beautiful. The only negative I would say is while walking the bridge, you will encounter a smell from the pools of sitting water. The beach is very relaxing but I would recommend wearing flip flops or swim shoes because the shells on the beach are uncomfortable to walk on. There is a concession stand to order food and the bathroom were pretty clean. Definitely a great beach day with my daughter. read more

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My family and I spent only a little bit of time on this beach. It's definitely one of the cleanest and prettiest in the area. It's also one of the most expensive for out-of-state parking. The walk from the parking areas was extreme. If you have anyone who might have an issue walking, be prepared. There did seem to be some bathroom facilities available, I believe closer to the parking but not inconvenient. Some picturesque views! If you walk to the sandbar at low tide, you have to time it very precisely. I also recommend to be ready for a walk. read more

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Beautiful day with a terrific crowd. Always peaceful, watching the boats around Charles Island. The parking was plentiful and easily accessible access to the beach. read more

Silver Sands State Park - Plenty of parking and it is free for Connecticut residents - Parks Near Me

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Silver Sands State Park is the beach that's the closest to my home. I was just here on Memorial Day, it seems like plenty of others had the same idea, since it was packed. For Connecticut Residents beach access is free, for non residents it is $15 on a weekday and $22 on the weekend. It was pretty windy on my most recent trip, and the tide was very low. It was much too cold to lay on my new towel in my new bathing suit to catch the sun. I enjoyed walking along the shore, or even along the middle of the beach, because there was no tide. This beach also has a small boardwalk, it's so clean and a great way to get moving if you prefer to do it off the beach. There's good amount of real bathrooms, not porta potties, for men, women and families. They also have showers and changing rooms. One thing that confuses me is that I've seen plenty of signs that say no dogs, yet I still see dogs in the water spring or summer. Despite the beach bring called Silver Sands, much of it is covered in these very sharp shells. I like to have my flip flops on when I'm walking anywhere around this beach. While this isn't my favorite beach, it's still a nice one. Depending on when you go the tide can be low or high, with summer quickly approaching I know I'll have plenty of opportunity to go for a nice swim and to catch the sun. read more

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A beautiful "park" that has both grassy meadowlands as well as a beach. People have picnic there, camp out with tents, as well as put a towel down on the sand. While it looks like a beachy area, I didn't see people actually swimming. There is an out of town fee for visitors that they collect by the car so be sure to grab some cash on your way here. Our car entry was $22. There are also no trash cans and dogs are not allowed in a lot of areas. On site parking once you've paid the car admission fee. read more

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The beach has lots of people again like before Covid19, so very nice to see! I've been taking lots of panoramic photos - included one here for your viewing pleasure. read more

Silver Sands State Park - Panorama taken from Concession Stand - Parks Near Me

Could be beautiful, but the metal pipes and concrete structures sticking out of the sand put a damper on things, not to mention the fact that the sand is more dirt and rocks than anything else. When the sun's out, you can see oil seeping out of the mud in the marsh, which is ... not something you want to see at the beach and the water you may want to swim in. So much potential, but since they changed it from the Milford dump to a state park, it's been neglected. read more

This is a beautiful state park beach on the CT coast. A boardwalk offers full access to the beach for all citizens. A recently completed comfort station and picnic area with outside tables is a nice amenity. The beach is sandy with lots of small rocks so beach shoes are recommended. read more

Silver Sands State Park - Charles Island is off shore - Parks Near Me

Off season, this is still a great beach! Beautiful shells, an island you can reach at low tide (but be quick if you didn't take the boat as it'll be a few hours till you can walk back. This beach alternates between soft gray sand and gravel with an array of shells throughout. If you like finding beach glass this may be the best spot to find it washing up, so enjoy now, but also beware in swim season. Off season at least, we've glimpsed gulls busy dropping quahogs, egrets tip-towing the marshes, hawks, vultures, and (lucky us!) piping plovers. It's an excellent place to escape to. You can bring your dog in the off season, but dogs (and bikes) aren't allowed on the boardwalk stretch. Stenciled parking signs by the beach house are dually labelled electric charging spots and handicapped spots, but the chargers aren't there yet. Hopefully soon this tiny patch of parking gets sorted out, but there appears to be plenty of parking all seasons. read more

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I want to start off my saying we went off season, a nice day in November. They have facilities but they were closed. I enjoyed waling on the boardwalk. The beach was nice, covered with shells in many areas. Even in the off season I saw many different birds, people fishing, fields of sea grass ready for exploration. I can imagine in the summer it is very busy. It's very picturesque. read more

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Beautiful beach.... Best walkway path if you dont want to just walk on sand the entire time. read more

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no taste in the dough for pizza. to think ingredients were delicious but dough terrible. might order again.

Nice quiet beach. It also has a snack bar that has burgers, fries, salads and ice cream bars with tables out of the sun. Restroom was very clean. Highly recommend water shoes as the beach has a lot of shells mixed in the sand and was uncomfortable to walk on. Serene setting. read more

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If you're a Connecticut resident then it's free to park. Beach is not really made for if you are looking to get into the water. The water is shallow and you really have to go far out to get waist deep. If you have young kids it's better since they can stand up without worrying about them in the water. Heads up, no life guards. Sand everywhere so helps if you just want to layout in the sun and have the kids build sand castles. Parts of the beach are rocky and dirty. You can go out to the island if the tide is low to uncover the sand barge to it. The best parts of this beach are the board walks. There are multiple areas to park at and you can walk miles on some nice boardwalk with mile markers. Which is what seems most people were doing. Overall, if I wasn't going to tan or get a run in this wouldn't be a beach I would visit. read more

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pretty and low key spot with lots of shells and tidepools, lots to explore. parking is steep ($22)

Finally went on a family outing to Silver Sands this past weekend. We didn't bring chairs or swim gear as we really just wanted to walk around and we weren't disappointed. It's a beautiful stretch of beach with a sand bar that allows you to walk across to an island when it's not covered in water. We walked part of it that was uncovered and the children had such a good time searching for shells. We were able to take them over to the snack bar for ice cream treats when they needed a break. The next day they were asking to visit again. Hoping we can get back again soon. read more

Great scenery! Very cool that you are able to access the island at low tide by walking across the sand bar. At the time of writing this, the bath house has not opened yet but it looks good. read more

Nice state park with new board walk and new facility. Easy parking and a 2.2 mile round trip to walnut beach. read more

Silver Sands State Park - Beach area board walk behind. - Parks Near Me

What a gem! Most of the parks in the area have a fee attached but this one was free. There are beautiful trails and during low tide, there is a cool island. If you get stuck there after high tide, you either have to swim back or wait for the tide to go out again. The only caution is that there are no bathroom facilities beyond the parking lot. Definitely a MUST visit if you are in the area! read more

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This is mainly a beach for walking on the board walk, playing on the sand. The water isn't like the beaches in New Jersey or RI. They have horseshoe crabs in the water some people even fish there. There is only one concession stand which is small. Nearby there are lots of nice places to eat in Milford. If you want to go to a nice beach in CT you have to go far up to ocean beach park, beaches closer to RI. read more

This is an awesome beach. Nice clean bath room/changing rooms. They have a snack bar. The lifeguards are always on it and keeping a watch for every one safe!! read more

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Very pretty boardwalk and some decent scenery. Connecticut beaches really aren't anything special, and the Sound is gross. Although it's pretty, it's pretty underwhelming. Also watch out for tics... read more

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Staff is kind and helpful. Bathrooms are clean but there are no showers. The beach is rocky and shelly but as look as you have shoes you're good! The views are stunning and the boardwalk is great for a beachside walk :) read more

I love this park/beach. It's absolutely beautiful and the sand really seems like silver sand, haha. There's adequate parking but one of the parking lots is a walk from the nicer part of the beach where you can swim and tan. There's not that many waves so you'll feel safe. I went very far into the water and I was still able to touch the ground. It's also pretty quiet and peaceful here. I felt like I was actually able to relax coming here with my boyfriend. There's a mini island you could walk to and look around a bit. However, you can only walk there when it's low tide. When it's high-tide, the pathway is covered. Try not to get stuck! You won't though since you'll clearly see the pathway when it's low tide. read more

Silver Sands State Park - Pathway to the island - Parks Near Me

I came here on a Saturday morning and there was plenty of parking available. The beach wasn't too busy and there was plenty of space for people to lay out. I noticed there was a decent amount of garbage in the sand however. Despite that it was very pretty and the boardwalk made for a nice walk. There aren't any showers or restrooms, so important for anyone who is looking to have those! read more

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Great beach and board walk. Very relaxing day to take a stroll and soak in the sites. read more

Silver Sands State Park - Parks Near Me

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This park has a really great boardwalk that follows the beach and connects to a pier. Great spot for walking. Some paths that go into the woods a bit too. Great views, and a neat little island (haha don't get caught out there by the tide!) It's unfortunately that like NO ONE follows the rules on the signs about not having pets on the beach nor on the boardwalk. read more

LOVE Silver Sands!!! Its a Connecticut Beach so let's get some expectations in check before I continue with my review. Connecticut Beach Characteristics Long Island Sound (not pristine Caribbean waters or big waves like the Atlantic ocean) - -CHECK Sand extras- Tan colored, soft sand with shells, sea weed, mussels, oyster shells and small moss covered rocks are present closer to the water- CHECK Cool Breeze- Even in 90 degree weather you can get a cool breeze - CHECK No Boardwalks- CHECK Rest rooms are most likely port-o-potties- CHECK Rocky shorelines that you can climb- CHECK Now that we know the kind of beaches we are reviewing, Silver Sands is by far one of the best beaches in Connecticut. Its quiet, peaceful and lacks the large crowds that Hammonsett or the Lighthouse may attract. There's free parking and a cute boardwalk like path (no shops, just a wooded path) that you can walk along the beach. In low tide, you can walk the rocky path across to the island that's not far from the sure. All and all this beach is great place to lay out, tan, eat a snack, take you kids and relax and enjoy a picturesque view of the southern Connecticut shoreline. The beach is well maintained. The park rangers come by at sunset to let you know they are closing the park. Its really cute how they come up to each person or group of people to let you know. I like the personal touch! Great beach and a real local spot to hang out! read more

Silver Sands State Park - Island near Silver Sands! You can walk there in low tide. - Parks Near Me

Went for a stroll with the parental units today... a nice boardwalk, quiet even though it was crowded. Benches for resting and stopping to enjoy the water. Free parking which was super! The walk is well maintained. Don't recommend walking to Charles Island unless you absolutely, positively know the tides schedule and even then it is risky. Stay on land and take some pics. read more

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I've been to a lot of beaches and I love it here. it's the closest ocean to me however I love it because it's so serene. I can just sit back, close my eyes and just breathe in the sea breeze that if filled with minerals. so soothing to the soul. Another thing I enjoy is the scenery that is in constant motion and forever changing. Whether or not you see the boats moving by, children making sand castles, someone beachcombing or fishing there's always something interesting going on. I find it so interesting that near the breechway the tides come in from opposite directions and meet in the center. That's got to be something unique. A lot of people like to walk out to visit visit Charles Island. They have lifeguards there that are very attentive and let you know when the tide is coming in so you dont get stuck on the island. There's really not much to see on the island however it's a nice walk to and from. The only thing is that it does have some whirlpools at times. A very clean beach also. My apologies if this is too long. read more

They renovated the boardwalk, it's nice, but do something with the beach sand please. The beach has lots of broken shells and Little rocks. If you are not being careful, it's very easy to get cut. It's not a kids friendly place for sure. And the park ranger who shut down the beach entry on 8/23/20 is mean and nasty. read more

Beach is my favorite place. Found this place nearby to visit. One of the lovely beach in the vicinity. There is an island which can be visited during low tide, we can see the tide time table online if you wish to go to Island.however we missed it and couldn't visit. It is lil Rockey beach so better to wear water friendly shoes.you can walk along the beautiful shore which is spread for few miles.there are board walks available. If you wish you can swim here, do fishing, boating, enjoy your picnic, play, have a great finfilled day. In the eve it was very cold here(month of July)so Better to Carry sweat shirts along with you. The only biggest problem I found was washroom issue, there were few washroom facility but all of them were very dirty, almost I vomited looking at them. :( read more

The best beach that I have found in CT so far. The beach is nice, clean and certainly cleaner than other CT beaches, and it is not overcrowded. It is relatively quiet and calm. There is a bordwalk along the shore which connects to Walnut Beach in Milford (about 1.5 miles long) During low tide, people can walk to Charles Island, which is a really cool and unique experience. There are bike trails hidden inside the park area. The beach park area also has picnic tables. The boardwalk is a along walk to get to the actual sand and beach, but well worth it. There is ample parking in the parking lot, and it is all free. The visitors and frequenters are nice, and respectful. There are no public restrooms or places to purchase food from here. Overall a clean, comfortable, fun, calm and nice beach experience. read more

Pretty pleased this park was so close to our hotel as it was winter, but we had a small window of sunshine to take a nice walk as a family. We had a blast looking for sea glass and found the trash to be a nice searching place for it. We found all sorts of colors and sizes of glass - some were legit trash and a little too pointy for my comfort, but it was still nice to be outside and enjoying the area together as a family. The walking area said "no pets" so we left our pup in the car, yet saw lots of dogs being walked so perhaps that is a seasonal thing? read more

Always would come for a run here. Not too much foot traffic. Kept my mind clear, and the beach was great. I miss you Milford. read more

Silver Sands State Park - Parks Near Me