OT: Any good CT beach suggestions?

[Lucelab113]

I am going to have a lot of time on my hands this summer and am unfamiliar with many of the CT beaches. I was hoping for some suggestions. My 2 biggest things would be parking and some space to socially distance. I have been to Crescent Beach and McCook in Niantic (relatives live there) and the Madison Beach Club with a friend. Was hoping to try some good new ones! Any help and guidance would be appreciated!

 

[irsh4242]

Pen field and Jennings in Fairfield spacious. Also Sherwood Island in Westport is pretty good too

 

[CTBballfan243]

I am going to have a lot of time on my hands this summer and am unfamiliar with many of the CT beaches. I was hoping for some suggestions. My 2 biggest things would be parking and some space to socially distance. I have been to Crescent Beach and McCook in Niantic (relatives live there) and the Madison Beach Club with a friend. Was hoping to try some good new ones! Any help and guidance would be appreciated!

Drive a little further and go into Rhode Island. Westerly Area. Also, consider taking the ferry (with your bike) over to Block Island for the day.

 

[CL82]

Drive a little further and go into Rhode Island. Westerly Area. Also, consider taking the ferry (with your bike) over to Block Island for the day.

Congratulations, you win the daily "Most Boneyard Answer" award for the day.

(FWIW, those are good out of state answers.)

 

[soxfan23]

Most of the more scenic and less crowded beaches in CT are restricted to town/city residents or are private.

 

[CTexpatinFL]

I didn't find Block Island streets or car traffic friendly to bikers. We also went to a restaurant on Block Island, and while waiting for our food, we were listening to the piano player and an old "resident" most have been 100 years old, told us to move to the other side of the room because we shouldn't be listening to the music. Block Island will never see me again.
Go to any of the CT state beaches instead, stay away from the towns, they charge too much to park and the police have speed traps that the locals know about and the out of town folks don't. Old Lyme or East Lyme, I forget.

 

[HuskyPhan]

I just have to take a moment to defend Block Island. I live on a beautiful beach in CT but it doesn't compare to the beaches of Block Island. Since 1975 I have probably been to Block Island about 75 times and can tell you that it is super biker friendly which is great because a bike is the best way to get around the island. The amazing beaches on the southside of the island will be practically empty even in July and August!! I can't comment on the bar scene there because that is not what I do when I hit the island but the vibe on the island is always wonderful and the nature opportunities are endless If you don't like crowds avoid the summer weekends.

 

[Steelerone]

You might be better off trying some of the lakes at the State Parks. Less crowed and a lot cheaper. The best beach areas in Ct. are privately owned and that is not going to change. If you do find a beach and you spot a boat with a guy named "Quint" on it, don't go in the water.

 

[Fairfield Fan]

Do yourself a favor. Skip the beach this summer. Stay alive.

Just checked the national map on NY Times website. Seems that Fairfield County has the second highest new infection rate in the entire New England area. And highest, it appears, in the NY metro area as well. While virtually all counties in the NY suburbs have seen sharp declines in infections, Fairfield County is still double-digits to 100,000 population (11.4 per 100,000 population). That's higher than NYC, higher by far then northern New Jersey. I see only one county in Massachusetts with a higher current infection rate.

Not sure what's going on. CT has seen declines in new infections, but not by that much.

So stay away from crowded beaches this summer, and stay alive.

Seriously.

 

[hoopsfan22]

Towns in Connecticut can't stop non-residents from using its beaches and parks. Supreme Court ruled on that 20 years ago when Greenwich tried to stop someone from Stamford from accessing Greenwich Point Park. On a hot day you'll see that parking lot loaded with NY license plates.

 

[CTBballfan243]

View attachment 54807

Congratulations, you win the daily "Most Boneyard Answer" award for the day.

(FWIW, those are good out of state answers.)

The person asked for "GOOD" beaches. I couldn't come up with any good public beaches in Connecticut so I improvised and provided an alternate "better" suggestion.

 

[vtcwbuff]

Napatree in Westerly. Go during the week and it's relatively empty and parking is available. A two sided beach (it's on a long spit) you have a choice of windward or leeward. An added bonus - I heard the Olympic Tea Room is reopening.

 

[CL82]

The person asked for "GOOD" beaches. I couldn't come up with any good public beaches in Connecticut so I improvised and provided an alternate "better" suggestion.

They asked for good CT beaches. No worries though. I didn't disagree with what you posted, those are great beaches. It is funny how often people ask one thing on here and others answer something different. It just made me chuckle.

 

[tomcat]

If you're going to do the beach thing at all, which mayor may not be a smart thing, go to a real beach. Go to Rhode Island. I grew up going mostly to beaches in Connecticut. Rocky Point, Hammonassett. Been there, done that. When I got out of college, my first job was in Rhode Island, and in the summer, I practically lived at the beach. Misquamicut is oppressively crowded (maybe not now, but normally). Charlestown East Beach is heavenly. Up in Narragansett there is Scarborough, a teen hangout but a big, big beach with great surf. Between Scarborough up-coast and Charlestown down--coast there are a bunch of others, including a beach covered entirely with stones.

Connecticut beaches are on Long Island Sound, which is like a salt water lake. Rhode Island beaches are, more or less, on the Atlantic. There is a difference. Do not cheat yourself. Go to Rhode Island.

 

[JonathanXIV]

Towns in Connecticut can't stop non-residents from using its beaches and parks. Supreme Court ruled on that 20 years ago when Greenwich tried to stop someone from Stamford from accessing Greenwich Point Park. On a hot day you'll see that parking lot loaded with NY license plates.

Yet some of them have issued “emergency ordinances” limiting town beaches to residents.

 

[Fairfield Fan]

Towns in Connecticut can't stop non-residents from using its beaches and parks. Supreme Court ruled on that 20 years ago when Greenwich tried to stop someone from Stamford from accessing Greenwich Point Park. On a hot day you'll see that parking lot loaded with NY license plates.

Yes, but.... So if you go to Greenwich's Greenwich Point, you will be turned away, unless you have already purchased an expensive "parking permit." To purchase the permit, you need to go to a civic center; the booth at the entrance to the point won't sell you one.

Yes, you will eventually get in, but it will cost you in money and agro.

 

[Dokey]

I would stick with your couch.

 

[dvegas]

Robert Moses in Lawn Guyland. It's the ocean. Something Connecticut and Rhode Island beaches don't offer. Way better than Jones Beach for the 20 minute longer drive.

 

[JonathanXIV]

Yes, but.... So if you go to Greenwich's Greenwich Point, you will be turned away, unless you have already purchased an expensive "parking permit." To purchase the permit, you need to go to a civic center; the booth at the entrance to the point won't sell you one.

Yes, you will eventually get in, but it will cost you in money and agro.

Yes, that was the town’s response to the CT Supreme Court decision.

 

[FedupFred]

Hammomasset State Park.

 

[winlots]

You might want to try Ocean City, NJ....should be close enuf for government work.

 

[Ubobconn22]

Harkness Memorial State Park is my favorite, downside is swimming not allowed but beautiful gardens and grounds.

 

[CTexpatinFL]

Napatree Point is like a secret island. I tell other people to go there, give them detailed directions and they can never find the gate on the far right side to get into this park. N.P. has great history too, here is the wiki link; please click.

Napatree Point - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

Napatree in Westerly. Go during the week and it's relatively empty and parking is available. A two sided beach (it's on a long spit) you have a choice of windward or leeward. An added bonus - I heard the Olympic Tea Room is reopening.

 

[Waquoit]

Rocky Neck is a nice beach, I was there today. No waves is a minus admittedly.

 

[X conn]

I just misread it as Uconn bench suggestions.
Hammonasset. Rocky Neck.