Hammonasset Beach State Park

Connecticut


Though not off the beaten path by any means, the two full miles of flat, sandy beach at Hammonasset Beach State Park handily accommodate summer crowds. This is the ideal beach (the state's largest) at which to set up an umbrella chair, crack open a book and forget about the world. The surf is tame, making swimming superb. Restrooms and showering facilities are clean and ample, and a wooden boardwalk runs the length of the park.

Stroll all the way to Meigs Point at the tip of the peninsula and visit the Meigs Point Nature Center (open 10am to 4pm Tuesday to Saturday) before heading out on a trail that meanders through saltwater marshes for excellent birding (the local Audubon chapter has set up an Osprey cam here: https://menunkatuck.org).

Hammonasset is a Native American word for ‘where we dig holes in the ground,’ alluding to agricultural practices. These days it’s more likely to refer to the holes of tent stakes.


Lonely Planet's must-see attractions

Nearby Connecticut attractions

1. Bishop's Orchards Winery

7.36 MILES

Bishop's Orchards Winery has been serving shoreline communities with fresh produce since 1871. Much more than just a winery, Bishop's is also a pick-your…

3. Essex Art Association

10.65 MILES

The association hosts at least four different public shows during the high season and rents the space for other art showings the rest of the year. Located…

4. Essex Park

10.66 MILES

This beautiful shoreline park is centered on a gazebo and features an illustration explaining the 25 tree species lining the perimeter. You can launch…

5. Connecticut River Museum

10.79 MILES

Adjacent to Essex's Steamboat Dock, this museum's meticulously presented exhibits recount regional history and include a reproduction of the world's first…

6. Florence Griswold Museum

12.79 MILES

Florence Griswold's house, which her artist friends decorated with murals (often in lieu of paying rent), is now the Florence Griswold Museum. The 'home…

7. Gillette Castle

12.95 MILES

Built in 1919 by actor William Hooker Gillette, who made his fortune playing Sherlock Holmes, this gaudy, medieval-style 'castle' is an eccentric turreted…

8. Horton Point Lighthouse

13.53 MILES

Perhaps a poorer sister to the famous Montauk lighthouse, Horton Point was also commissioned by President Washington, but finally built 60 years later by…

  • placement: superzone
  • path: Destinations/POIs/superzone
  • possible size: [970, 250], [970, 90], [728, 90], [1, 1],
  • targeting:
    {
      "url": "usa/connecticut/connecticut-river-valley/attractions/hammonasset-beach-state-park/a/poi-sig/1112064/1324357",
      "destination": "Connecticut",
      "continent": "North-America",
      "country": "USA",
      "region": "Connecticut",
      "position": "superzone"
    }