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I don’t know about you, but one of my favorite things to do on the hottest days of summer is hit the beach! Going to the beach is fun, relaxing, and refreshing, and it’s a great way to get away from work and stress.
Although summer on the Long Island Sound isn’t usually known as a hotspot destination, the clean beaches in New London, Connecticut, will give you that quintessential New England coastal feel.
With fun boardwalks, beautiful nature areas, and sandy shorelines, pick one of these beaches in New London County for your next fun day in the sun.
The Best Beaches in New London County, Connecticut
Know Before You Go: Established in 2018, Connecticut’s Passport to Parks Program gives any resident with Connecticut license plates free parking in all state parks. This means many of the best beaches in Connecticut are entirely free to access for state residents, since they’re located within Connecticut state parks.
Soundview Beach
- Location: Old Lyme, Connecticut
- Website
Heading from west to east along the Connecticut shoreline, Soundview Beach is the first beach in New London county you need to check out. This sandy beach in Old Lyme is open to all as one of the oldest public beaches in the United States (according to local legend.)
The beach itself is small but stunning, with clean white sand along only 100 feet of the Long Island sound.
The best part about the area? You can walk to tons of shops and restaurants from the beach. Bars like Kokomo’s and The Pavilion, excellent New England seafood like Lenny’s on the Beach, and Vecchitto’s Italian Ice to cool you down after a long day in the sun. Even fun activities like Carousel Shop are all within walking distance to Soundview Beach.
Since there’s limited parking and it fills up fast, and there isn’t a ton of parking in the surrounding area, it’s best to get to the beach early to enjoy a full day in the sun.
Rocky Neck State Park
- Location: East Lyme, Connecticut
- Website
Rocky Neck State Park is a fantastic place to spend quality time outside. With over a mile of pristine coastline on the Long Island Sound, you can lounge on the clean, family-oriented sandy beach for hours.
In addition to the beach, there are hiking trails through the wooded areas, plenty of places to cast your lines for saltwater fishing, and a campground if you’re interested in camping in the park.
And since this beach in East Lyme is a Connecticut state park, entry is free for all state residents. There’s tons of parking, with free restrooms for you to use between the lots and the beach entrance.
Niantic Beach
- Location: Niantic, Connecticut
- Website
Who doesn’t love a big, beautiful boardwalk? You need to walk under the overpass from the parking lot to access the Niantic Bay Boardwalk and Beach.
There aren’t many conventional boardwalk attractions here, but it’s a great place to walk along the water and enjoy the view.
Once you walk in, you’ll be met with Niantic Beach to enjoy. But if you keep walking along the boardwalk, you can access Hole In The Wall Beach and McCook’s Beach a little further away.
Pleasure Beach
- Location: Waterford, Connecticut
- Website
You’ll enjoy beautiful views at Pleasure Beach in Waterford. This private beach enjoys 100 feet of coastline on the Long Island Sound that opens into Jordan’s Cove.
The quiet, peaceful beach has clean white sand, a boat launch, and a lifeguard on duty during the summer months.
To get there, you need to drive down several residential streets. But you’ll find a large parking lot once you arrive.
Since Pleasure Beach is a private beach, you’ll need to apply for membership and pay an annual fee for beach and boat access privileges.
Waterford Beach Park
- Location: Waterford, Connecticut
- Website
Waterford Beach Park is home to a quarter mile of sandy beach and tidal marsh in Waterford, Connecticut.
It’s a bit of a walk from the parking lots to the beach, but it’s worth it for the clean, beautiful shoreline. The beach park, whose entrance is across from the Eugene O’Neill Theater Center, has hiking trails, a picnic area, and town tennis and volleyball courts nearby.
Its incredible, intact sand dune system makes Waterford Beach Park unique from all the New London beaches. It’s one of the state’s best-preserved sand dune and saltmarsh areas, where you can sometimes find piping plover nests.
Since it’s a town beach, you need to purchase beach stickers from the town hall in person or online for both local and out-of-town residents. Or, daily parking passes can be purchased at the entry gate.
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Ocean Beach Park
- Location: New London, Connecticut
- Website
As one of the best beaches in New London county, although you need to pay an entry fee, Ocean Beach Park is a public beach that’s well worth the price of admission.
This beach has everything! You can walk along the half-mile-long boardwalk and stop in at one of the restaurants for a meal. Lay out on the sandy beach before diving into the ocean. There’s even a nature trail and observatory deck for bird watching.
Suppose the beach isn’t enough for the kiddos. In that case, Ocean Beach Park has a playground area, an Olympic-sized pool with a water slide, a video arcade, and an 18-hole mini golf course. There are even classic carnival rides like a Carousel and a Scrambler. Enjoy a couple of rides before heading back to the sandy beach to laze away the rest of the day!
Ocean Beach Park has a complete summer schedule of events with concerts, movie nights, magic shows, fireworks, and other entertainment.
Greens Harbor Beach
- Location: New London, Connecticut
- Website
This next New London public beach isn’t on the Long Island Sound–it’s on the Thames River. Greens Harbor Beach is a sandy beach with a harbor area for boat docking. Although you’re on the river instead of at the foot of the Atlantic, it’s an excellent beach to spend some time in the summer.
The park is wheelchair accessible with restroom and sanitary facilities on-site, and lifeguards are on duty throughout the summer. While visiting the beach, you can check out the snack bar and eat at the picnic tables.
Greens Harbor Beach offers free street parking, and there’s no fee to access the beach either. Enjoy views of the Thames River as you lay out in the sand and enjoy your summer day.
Eastern Point Beach
- Location: Groton, Connecticut
- Website
Eastern Point Beach in Groton, Connecticut, is an excellent choice for families. The seafront offers shallow water depths for swimming and areas for a playground and picnic tables.
There are also lifeguards on duty throughout the summer, so you can stress a little less about your child’s swimming safety.
You can purchase seasonal parking stickers from the City of Groton or only pay for daily parking fees whenever you decide to go.
Bluff Point State Park
- Location: Groton, Connecticut
- Website
Found in Groton, Connecticut, between the Poquonnock River and Mumford Cove, Bluff Point Coastal Reserve and State Park has about 800 acres of fully preserved area along the Connecticut shoreline. Its protected status means that the wildlife will remain intact and free for us to enjoy.
The Connecticut state park is home to a barrier beach, with steep cliffs among the forested areas and tidal wetlands.
The park is home to over 200 bird species, making it a good spot for bird watchers. There are also dedicated horseback riding pathways, picnic spots, hiking trails, and sea and shellfishing places.
Esker Point Beach
- Location: Groton, Connecticut
- Website
This beautiful beach in New London county, offering 600 feet of glorious sandy coastline, comes alive in the summer.
This beach has nine beach volleyball courts, open restrooms with an outdoor shower area, and food concession stands selling snacks throughout the summer. You can munch on your snacks in the picnic area or enjoy them on the beach after your saltwater swim.
And on Thursday nights from June through August, hang out on the beach, and enjoy local bands and music acts performing sets on the sand. These family-friendly concerts are free, weather permitting. You can check out the Town of Groton Parks & Rec’s Facebook page for information on this year’s line-up and cancellation announcements due to weather.
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Williams Beach Park
- Location: Mystic, Connecticut
- Website
Visiting Williams Beach Park is one of the best things to do in Mystic, Connecticut!
As part of the Mystic YMCA, Williams Beach Park is the town’s sole public beach. Although there aren’t many beach amenities here, the sandy beach includes calm waves, a children’s playground, and free parking at the Y.
duBois Beach
- Location: Stonington, Connecticut
- Website
At duBois Beach in Stonington, you’ll find 265 feet of sandy shoreline. The beach is nice and clean, and they offer a pavilion on-site.
Although parking is limited and the beach does require an entry fee, the shallow waters and on-duty lifeguards throughout the summer months make the beach a perfect pick for families looking for a day in the sun.
Misquamicut State Beach
- Location: Westerly, Rhode Island
- Website
Suppose you’re searching for something a little different than these New London beaches. In that case, Misquamicut State Beach in Westerly, Rhode Island, is right across the state line.
Since it’s just outside the edge of the Long Island Sound, the beach offers soft sand and bigger waves, with its own boardwalk area. This beach is definitely one of my favorite summer activities in Rhode Island!
It doesn’t matter where in the world you live, there are always amazing beaches nearby. Which of these New London beaches in Connecticut will you be spending time this summer?
