[wavehunter007]

Originally Posted by Catdancer

You're certainly entitled to your opinion but let's get the facts straight: Guilford's town beach. Jacob's beach, probably has more beach area than Branford's and Madison's town beaches put together. It's a nice place:

Guilford did not copy the Litchfield hills, if anything it was the other way around. Guilford was settled close to 100 years before anything in that area. Now - for fishing and boating, you have the Guilford docks, always a popular fishing spot and Chaffinch Island ( a truly beautiful peninsula park) which also has crabbing and a small beach. There's also the East River Preserve (which you have to access from Madison) but is in Guilford. There you can "put in" as well as crab and fish.

I'm sure there are a couple of other spots I'm forgetting but the point is: you're not painting a fair picture of the town. If those were your criteria, you might wanna visit again and rethink the place. When you go, if you're into salt marsh scenery, be sure to travel Rte 146 between Guilford and Branford for some of the best salt marsh views the state has to offer. And for hikers, Westwoods park is a real scenic treat:

Sorry - didn't mean to carry on like that. The town has a lot to offer and I just wanted to set the record straight.

You make some good points - but I think you might have missed my point:

If some consider the Connecticut coast “quintessential Connecticut” (and that is debatable)….. Guilford is anything but; the whole point of what makes an area “quintessential” has to do with what activities/lifestyle residents and travelers take part in that differentiates that area from another area (is it not “quintessential Colorado” to take part in some activity associated with the Rockies?). The look/feel of that environment is also what makes it different (and also very important);

Why do travelers head down to the coast? (any coast): They go to hit the beach…dine outdoors to enjoy the sun/warm weather….frequent seafood type restaurants (with a “coastal” atmosphere”)….. they fish off the dock/ pier …. drive along the coast and look at the water….walk the beach boardwalk…,etc. If the coast is "quintessential Connecticut” and these activities/lifestyle are associated with them – it’s unfair to call Guilford quintessential CT – it’s not even close! While many of the sights and sounds of the coast can be found in areas like Madison, Saybrook, the Lymes, Mystic, Groton/NL….almost none can in Guilford. There is just no “coastal feel” to Guilford. My point was not to say that Guilford copied the Litchfield Hills… only that the “Guilford look” is much more like the Litchfield Hills (or Vermont) than the quintessential Connecticut shoreline.

In terms of beaches…. It can be a bit misleading; Madison’s town beach is next to the largest public beach in Connecticut (Hammonasset). Jacob Beach is a measly 430 feet long Hammonasset –is 1.8 miles long (9500 feet). Of course the beach in Madison is open to travelers and residents of other towns… little Jacob in Guilford is not (Town only). The same theme of better and more public access to the coast (and better public beaches) extends eastward along the Connecticut coast through the Lymes, New London, Groton…etc. The same for access to fishing, mooring, boat ramps, pier…etc. Is there anywhere one can sit outdoors and eat seafood in Guilford and see the beach/ocean? Is there any public area that one can walk along the coast and see the water in Guilford? Any beach boardwalks in Guilford? Any piers to fish off in Guilford? In fact (and I might be wrong – I just don’t know), is there anywhere in Guilford that one can ride in their car and even see the water?

I don’t think you will find “quintessential coastal Connecticut” scenes like these in Guilford…while they are quite common from Madison eastward to Rhode Island. Which was my original point: I’m sure Guilford is a nice town – but it has none of the “quintessential coastal Ct” look and feel IMO:



Coastal outdoor dining in CT:




Coastal piers/beach boardwalks in Lyme/Madison/New London:









Coastal views on the water in East Lyme:

[Sgoldie]

My maternal grandfather's forebears came over on the ship with the Rev Henry Whitfield (oldest house in Ct) to found Guilford. My paternal grandfather's forbears founded New London, CT. (Other forebears founded Cape Cod, MA where there's a family museum and New Hampshire with a monument to him).

I felt right at home in Guilford, wish I could go back sometime when the museum is open.

[dinopuppy]

As one who intends to relocate to Connecticut in (I hope) the next 3-5 years this thread is very interesting to me. Every town I discover is so beautiful and has such a great feeling I want to go there.

[willow wind]

I haven't replied to this thread because I couldn't pick just one town. There are too many I like.

However, I do have to make comment on Wavehunter's query about Guilford. Guilford is interesting in that the coastal sections of Guilford are far to the south of the town Green. If you didn't look for them you might not find them. Unlike Clinton, Madison,Westbrook,Old Saybrook, Niantic where downtown is very,very close to the water, you've got to take a drive to find Guilford's water areas.

There is a public boat launch in Guilford on the tidal East River off Circle Beach Rd. The town docks on Old Whitfield St. are toward the bottom of Old Whitfield St. This is a marina area and you can fish there too. There are also two waterfront restaurants, one of which offers both indoor and outdoor dining with views .

Chaffinch Island Park on Chaffinch Island Rd. ( state owned) offers public access to sandy beach, strolling along the water & tidal areas, etc. This is not part of Jacob's Beach.

As far as viewing the water, the following areas are good for this: Seaside Ave, Circle Beach Rd., Mulberry Point Rd., Shell Beach, Little Harbor & Great Harbor areas, Indian Cove, Vineyard Ave. and the whole spectacular Sachems Head area. Sachems Head will rival the Fenwick area of Old Saybrook, but on a much larger scale for top of the market waterfront estates, many on large acreage.

[CTartist&musician]

Thanks for the awsome pictures wavehunter. There is a picture of a beach with lots of people. It has a really nice boardwalk and a blue pepsi umbrella is in the foreground.

What town/beach is that?

[Lalalally]

Putnam is another place on my must visit list. I've heard good things about the antique shops in the area, but is it also a quaint walkable town?

[Catdancer]

Wave - I'm not looking to argue for the sake of argument but almost all the town beaches in CT are for locals now, out of town residents can get in but they usually pay a decent price for the day and in some town, pay for parking too. I think we differ about the "look" of the town too. I notice that you've posted a few pictures of Niantic. Nice place but as a shoreline resident, I view those boardwalks and loads of "seaview" restaurants as tourist areas and not representative of the true Connecticut feel. Perhaps I'm tainted by years of dealing with tourist traffic every summer ........and speaking of Niantic in particular, if you turned that camera view around, you would be looking at a giant nuclear power plant. That spoils the whole town's look for me.

I won't touch on the finer points of Guilford again, Willow Wind did a fine job of that. I will second what she/he said about the water's influence not being readily noticeable there. Just like Branford and East Haven, you've got to travel another mile or two to get to the ocean. That's a good thing though, that's why the town has retained some of it's waterfront charm. It's not a tourist mecca by the water.

Down by the dock


Center of town


The Lobster Pound


Sunrise on the fleet


Got carried away again - but really - Isn't that just the prettiest little town?

I get what you're saying, if you come to the shore, you want the "full" experience" but some of the stuff you value in a shore town is the same stuff some long time residents dislike. I guess it's all a matter of perspective.

[Catdancer]

Originally Posted by CTartist&musician

Thanks for the awsome pictures wavehunter. There is a picture of a beach with lots of people. It has a really nice boardwalk and a blue pepsi umbrella is in the foreground.

What town/beach is that?

Just a guess - Ocean Beach in New London?

[wavehunter007]

Originally Posted by willow wind

However, I do have to make comment on Wavehunter's query about Guilford. Guilford is interesting in that the coastal sections of Guilford are far to the south of the town Green. If you didn't look for them you might not find them. Unlike Clinton, Madison,Westbrook,Old Saybrook, Niantic where downtown is very,very close to the water, you've got to take a drive to find Guilford's water areas.

There is a public boat launch in Guilford on the tidal East River off Circle Beach Rd. The town docks on Old Whitfield St. are toward the bottom of Old Whitfield St. This is a marina area and you can fish there too. There are also two waterfront restaurants, one of which offers both indoor and outdoor dining with views .

Chaffinch Island Park on Chaffinch Island Rd. ( state owned) offers public access to sandy beach, strolling along the water & tidal areas, etc. This is not part of Jacob's Beach.

As far as viewing the water, the following areas are good for this: Seaside Ave, Circle Beach Rd., Mulberry Point Rd., Shell Beach, Little Harbor & Great Harbor areas, Indian Cove, Vineyard Ave. and the whole spectacular Sachems Head area. Sachems Head will rival the Fenwick area of Old Saybrook, but on a much larger scale for top of the market waterfront estates, many on large acreage.

I live only a few towns east of Guilford, so I do know many of the areas your talking about. Sounds like you've only looked at map and might have never actually been on these back roads:


Chaffinch Island Park? - Your kidding right? Chaffinch is a town park with ball fields and a tiny, boulder walled beach that is even smaller than little Jacob's. This beach - with no facilities, is about the width of two car lengths - lol. In this air photo you can see how large even tiny Jocob's Beach looks neat to Chaffinch Beach.:




REAL views of the water in Guilford can't really be found on these roads.

- Not only is Seaside Ave NOT directly on the water (there is a wide marsh in front)...but there is barley a glimpse of the distant water (between houses) on this short street than ends at Town only Jacob's Beach.

- Circle Beach Road is in Madison (not Guilford). Even so, this is another narrow dead end road with little more than a 2 sec view between houses.

- There is no view of the water anywhere on Mulberry Point Road.

- Shell Beach, Little Harbour, and Great Harbor are narrow residential roads with barley a view between the houses on the water.

- As for Sachems Head area...it IS spectacular - and PRIVATE. The few narrow roads that snake through the hilly areas (again with the same brief "between the houses" view of the distant water). Yes Vineyard Road is right along the water - all 50 feet of it. All of these streets are lead to NOWHERE. Not only does one have to drive way out of the way to these rural roads , but there is nothing here for the traveler - no place to eat, no place to park, no pier/boardwalk, no public beach...etc, nothing. I hardly think a traveler(or even potential resident) would go way off route 1 to these find these rural roads with poor (or no) views of the water.

My point is there is nothing in Guilford (nothing even close) to this: A major roadway right along the coast with places and things for the traveler (and even residents) to see and do:

Originally Posted by Catdancer

Wave - I'm not looking to argue for the sake of argument but almost all the town beaches in CT are for locals now,



.

...and that's my whole point. There is little reason for anyone to stop in Guilford for a shoreline experience it seems; Private beaches, private roads, private clubs...etc. While nice, it's not what I think the typical traveler is looking for. Also, as a resident of the coast, I LIKE the vibe of the summer crowed - they bring the energy (and fun ) to an other wise dead state. With all the access the eastern coastal areas have from Madison eastward it is much more fun (and coastal) to be a part of. Guilford is nice, but it just has no real coastal/beach feel to it. Again, as you say it is perspective I guess.

[wavehunter007]

Originally Posted by CTartist&musician

Thanks for the awsome pictures wavehunter. There is a picture of a beach with lots of people. It has a really nice boardwalk and a blue pepsi umbrella is in the foreground.

What town/beach is that?

Yes, that's Ocean Beach New London:

Pound for pound the best beach park in Connecticut with huge public areas: Including a large beach, boardwalk, places to eat, public pool, water rides, concerts on the beach, volleyball tournaments, playgrounds, nature walks into beach preserve ..etc. This place is about as opposite of Guilford as one can get - lol: