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We moved here last fall, finally made it to a real beach this past weekend (not one with about a yard of sand and 100 people like one we went to in Guilford)... We live in Cheshire and drove to Ocean Beach Park...wasn't expecting to have to pay $18 just to park our car a mile away, but it was a nice enough beach with a boardwalk and everything.
We would love to visit some other ones...any suggestions?
We like Rocky Neck state park. The beach is decent and we are not huge "beach" people so some of us hang out on the beach and some stay in the picnic areas and BBQ. makes for a nice day. I enjoy it because the park is huge so you can walk all over and just not sit in the sand all day.
We moved here last fall, finally made it to a real beach this past weekend (not one with about a yard of sand and 100 people like one we went to in Guilford)... We live in Cheshire and drove to Ocean Beach Park...wasn't expecting to have to pay $18 just to park our car a mile away, but it was a nice enough beach with a boardwalk and everything.
We would love to visit some other ones...any suggestions?
You need to go into Rhode Island to get the truly ocean front beaches, rather than the Long Ilsand Sound beaches of Connecticut. They are about 30 minutes past Ocean Beach off of I-95.
I like Rocky Neck too because there are marsh and woodland trails and lots of walks that one can do if tired of the beach itself. Hammonassett has a nicer beach though, if that's all you're interested in.
Connecticut's gem of a beach: Waterford Town Beach in Waterford, CT. I'm probably going to slap myself for even mentioning it on this forum because it's so special and tucked away in anonymity. It's hard to find, and would deter the average beachgoer, but I'm telling you it is one-of-a-kind. The sand is silky smooth, and the water is clean and has decent waves for LIS. The best thing about WTB is that only Waterford residents really know about it (though it's open to everyone) and the beach is calm and relaxing, not clogged with tourists and fist-pumping guidos (). The cost to park is around $10 bucks for non-residents, and it is well worth it. I'm an avid beachgoer, and I'm telling you WTB is one of the best!
We moved here last fall, finally made it to a real beach this past weekend (not one with about a yard of sand and 100 people like one we went to in Guilford)... We live in Cheshire and drove to Ocean Beach Park...wasn't expecting to have to pay $18 just to park our car a mile away, but it was a nice enough beach with a boardwalk and everything.
We would love to visit some other ones...any suggestions?
I’ve been to that pathetic beach in Guilford (sorry Guilford)…it’s really one of the worst on the whole CT coast between New Haven and Rhode Island. I would agree with the above…Rhode Island is the way to go. I live close, so it’s easy for me to get to the South County beaches…but I know for folks up in northern/western CT it can be a hike…but it’s worth it. The beaches in Connecticut are nice, great to cool off, but eahhh. Hammonasset (exit 62 –I-95) is nice during the week when everyone is in work…but gets a bit crowed on weekends. The beach at Rocky Neck (exit 72 off I-95 ) is nice, awesome sugar white sand (best sand in CT/maybe upper East Coast). Ocean Beach Park in New London is nice too on weekdays when the crowds are smaller (they have a great nature trail). Your right, the Boardwalk is nice...it reminds me of the NJ shore before it became rough.
Rhode Island is really is really where it starts…that’s where Long island disappears ….and you face the open sea. Exit 92 is Westerly (Misquamicut State Beach) which is nice during the week …and is not too bad on some weekends. Westerly is your typical no frills East Coast beach town. East Matunck State Beach along US 1 is nice too, but alot less places to eat/things to do.…and then you hit Scarbrough State Beach in Narragansett. Narragansett is the overall best beach town in CT/RI in my view. In my travels along East/West Coast beaches…Narragansett/Scarbough SB has a real beach vibe (there are families, singles, surfers, students, old people …etc) and unlike some of the urban shorelines like NJ/CA…it’s not wild and dangerous with some of the bad things the beach can bring (fighting/drunks/massive crowds). Rather fun and little crazy at times…but Narragansett has places to sit, eat, relax, stroll, the people are friendly, laid back, and let you be…there is none of that ruff NJ/CA urban vibe here.
As far as waves…just a word of caution…Rhode Island and Connecticut are separated by the Grand Canyon in terms of waves and undertow, rip currents…etc. On days with an on-shore wind (southerly) the waves in Rhode Island can easily knock down kids/old people. Also, the rip currents are very strong when there is a hurricane offshore. This can be an issue, as late summer is when the surf is the warmest -and hurricanes start passing out east in the ocean. Sadly, every other year a few swimmers/surfers are killed/lost in the heavy surf...and not just when there is a storm offshore. Just sitting on the beach reading, I have pulled out several people over the years (two not breathing) who got in trouble. Life Guards can't be everywhere. So watch the kids/old people (and yourself). On the other hand…the surfers on the East Coast live for hurricanes – lol. Here are some scenes from Rhode Island last year when Hurricane Bill passed about 300 miles offshore:
Thanks everyone!
Actually, funny you should all mention RI to me...we have been told this many times! We have family coming the 2nd week in July and we told them we MUST visit a RI beach, so as long as we have good weather the time they are here, we are def. driving there and visiting one.
We were gonna try Rocky Neck this weekend if the weather is nice, so good to hear good things about that, and I have now saved the info for the secret Waterford Town Beach to look into as well.
Ithere is none of that ruff NJ/CA urban vibe here.
Me & the homies sure love Cape May & Its "ruff urban vibe". All those "gangsta" Victorian B&B's, "ghetto" antique shops & "hood" bike rental places. We discuss drug transactions over brunch, throw gang signs in front of the Lighthouse & generally "keep it real" when we're in Cape Mizzle.
Word up son...................
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). The cost to park is around $10 bucks for non-residents, and it is well worth it. I'm an avid beachgoer, and I'm telling you WTB is one of the best! 
to look into as well.
