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Inspiration

6 Connecticut Beach Getaways

By Kim Knox Beckius, updated by the Connecticut Office of Tourism

Albert Turner walked the entire Connecticut shoreline in 1914. His mission, as the first State Parks employee, was to identify Connecticut’s best spots for coastal recreation. You probably don’t have time to hunt that hard for beach-day bliss. So, this guide to saltwater adventures on Long Island Sound will help you choose the sandy expanse that’s right for you.

Planning how to get there? Choose a greener way to travel. See all the transportation options near you with the CTrides transit finder.

For free and easy transportation to Hammonasset Beach State Park, Fort Trumbull State Park, and Sherwood Island State Park check out ParkConneCT for more information. Need help planning your trip? Visit CTrides.com/transit for more details.

Plunge into Nature in Madison & Clinton

More than two miles of fine sand make Connecticut’s largest beach a natural magnet. Swim, sunbathe, collect seashells. Sling a hammock between two trees and snooze. Camp overnight and drift off while the surf sings you a lullaby. Your days at Hammonasset Beach State Park in Madison can be completely restful if you choose. But you’ll miss out on this 1,100-acre coastal refuge’s wild side. There are 460 acres of salt marsh within the park, inhabited by myriad plants, fish, birds and animals. The “Birds of Hammonasset” even have their own Facebook page, where you can learn to identify the sandpipers and cedar waxwings, great blue herons and glossy ibises you might spy on a hike or bike ride.

Lenny & Joe’s Fish Tale serves up the day’s fresh catch on the Madison shore. The town also has a Sculpture Mile to explore, and The Audubon Shop offers guided bird walks on the beach. If you immediately think of yoga poses when you hear “swan” or “eagle,” you’ll be happy to know Body Karma Studio in nearby Clinton regularly conducts yoga classes on Hammonasset Beach. When you’re ready to wind down after an active day, nature’s gifts can fill your glass and your plate at Chamard Vineyards’ farm-to-table bistro, also in Clinton.

Beach Hop Like a Local in Old Saybrook

Do you and your sweetheart long to live in a beach community? It’s time to stop dreaming and start pretending. The nonresident parking fee at town-owned Harvey’s Beach in Old Saybrook is a small price to pay for access to this pretty patch of sand. You could be content here all day just watching marsh grasses shiver in the breeze and savoring Connecticut-made Libby’s Italian Ice—available from the concession truck.

One of Connecticut’s oldest shoreline towns is ideal for romantic getaways. Walk hand-in-hand along Old Saybrook’s Main Street to browse specialty shops and linger over a great meal at any of the popular restaurants. Stop into Fromage Fine Foods for the makings of a memorable picnic: fresh-baked breads, pâtés, cured meats and more than 100 cheeses. Indulge in soothing treatments at Sanno Spa at the Saybrook Point Inn. And be on the lookout for the return of shows at The Kate, named for Old Saybrook’s most famous local: late film star Katharine Hepburn.

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