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Hammonasset Beach State Park, Madison, CT

Photo: rickpilot_2000, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons. Cropped and resized.

Sport & OutdoorFamily FavoriteOutdoor Adventure

Hammonasset Beach State Park

1288 Boston Post Rd · Madison, CT

Why you should go…

Hammonasset is Connecticut's largest shoreline park, with two miles of sandy beach on Long Island Sound. You can swim, fish, bike, picnic and walk three trails that run from 1.1 to 3.4 miles. Meigs Point Nature Center has a saltwater touch tank and live turtles, snakes, crabs and fish. The campground has 558 sites, including eight rustic cabins, and parking is free for Connecticut-registered vehicles while out-of-state vehicles pay a daily fee.

  • #beach
  • #state park
  • #camping
  • #swimming
  • #nature center

Good to know

General sport & outdoor guidance

Habits that pay off across this whole category, not rules for this one venue. Always check the official site for the specifics.

  • Weather calls the shots

    Check the forecast the morning of and keep an indoor backup in your pocket for the day it turns.

  • Shoes, water, sun cover

    The three things that decide whether you last the whole outing or cut it short after an hour.

  • Parking and launches fill early

    On a nice weekend, lots and trailheads are often full by mid-morning.

  • Daylight shrinks in shoulder season

    Spring and fall visits need an earlier start than the same trip in July.

What's around here?

The closest stops to Hammonasset Beach State Park, ordered by straight-line distance. A few more like it, plus some different kinds of fun so you can build a full day.

  • Attractions
    Family Favorite

    Guilford Fairgrounds

    Under $25

    Home of the annual Guilford Fair, a Connecticut agricultural fair with livestock, exhibits, rides and food each September.

    6.4 mi awaySwitch it up: Attractions

  • Tours
    Family Favorite

    Essex Steam Train & Riverboat

    $25–$50

    Ride a vintage steam train through the lower Connecticut River Valley, then board a riverboat for a cruise.

    10 mi awaySwitch it up: Tours

  • Museums
    History Buff

    Connecticut River Museum

    Under $25

    A maritime history museum on the Essex, CT waterfront with a working replica of the first combat submarine.

    11 mi awaySwitch it up: Museums

  • Sport & Outdoor
    Outdoor Adventure

    TreeTrails Adventures Mystic

    $50+

    Treetop zipline and aerial adventure park on 50 wooded acres near Mystic, Connecticut.

    32 mi awayMore like this

  • Sport & Outdoor
    Outdoor Adventure

    Denison Pequotsepos Nature Center

    Under $25

    A nature preserve near Mystic with miles of trails and live-animal exhibits.

    32 mi awayMore like this

  • Sport & Outdoor
    Family Favorite

    Misquamicut State Beach

    Under $25

    Swim and sunbathe on a lifeguarded Atlantic barrier beach with a pavilion, showers and snack stand.

    39 mi awayMore like this