This place is a disaster since the state made it free to enter. The crowds are loud obnoxious smokers that leave garbage everywhere. The sands are no longer clean but full of debris from the water. It used to be my favourite beach in New England. read more

We stayed here last week and it was a horrible camping experience. No one pays attention to the quiet hours & at 1:30 am I had to call the emergency line to complain about the music blasting from two campsites away. They really need maintenence to patrol nighttime activity. Fights were going on, drunk people, etc. I was surprised because it was very family oriented. There are few shaded spots and you are basically camping on top of one another. The spots are so close to each other. read more

I love camping here! We used to come at least once every summer to camp when I was growing up, and more just to go to the beach. There are some especially great sites if you know your way around and book in advance. The bathrooms are usually pretty clean - very bare bones, but clean. Long lines in the mornings though, but I think that's true of most campgrounds. The roads are great for biking, and there are some nice off road trails. The nature center is really fun, a good rainy day activity. The beach itself is huge, and a short walk or bike ride away from the campground. I don't particularly like that the sand is very gravelly, but it's okay. Lots of jellyfish at times, but in general, there's little to bother you when you are swimming. There are lots of families and kids - I made several friends when I was younger and camping here (and met my first boyfriend!). I love camping here - there's nothing better than falling asleep to the sound of the waves. For that matter, you can of course do the same thing laying on a blanket on the beach :) read more

This beach is huge! So many different areas to choose from. We found the perfect spot where I could enjoy the beach and my kids could fish. I would give it 5 stars but the sand had lots of sharp shells that hurt to walk on it. At least at the part we were on read more

I went there this summer.Never knew it was so extensive and terrific.Really a great place.

I can only comment on the beaches at Hammonasset, but from my experience this is one of the best beaches in southern CT.

STAY AWAY! Hammonasset robbed me and my friends. A year ago me and a group of friends went up to Ham and had a great time for a friends birthday, so much so that we thought we'd do it again. We booked four spots at twenty dollars a night. Come nightfall we were asked to keep quiet, so we hushed up a bit. Around ten, park rangers returned and demanded our silence. We went in our tents for the rest of the night and at one am I was talking to a park ranger in nothing but a towel because we were being too loud trying to go to bed, he then woke us up again at 1:30 am just to check up on us. We were being harassed by the park rangers, we played no music, and all sat around a communal fire, one that was very distanced from any other campsite since we had a whole four to plant ourselves in the middle of. Next morning the police came to kick us off the property, and since we were out before one they had just robbed the next two nights from us. At twenty dollars per night for a site for four nights, they collected 160 dollars and slapped us with a 75 dollar fine on top of that. Not to mention they charged the members of the campsite nine dollars entry fees though it was supposed to be free. I reported immediately to the camp office to request a refund and was literally laughed at and told I'd never receive any money. So, I filed a complaint and notice for reimbursement immediately through their head quarters in Hartford, and its been almost a week and I haven't heard back from them. Every time I call back they tell me to call tomorrow. While being removed off the property SEVERAL neighbors came to let us know we never bothered them and that they felt the action taken by the park was unjust. So thanks Ham for ruining a birthday, ruining my one vacation of the summer, and making sure I lost a whole lot of money doing so. THIS IS NOT THE PLACE FOR TEENAGERS. DO NOT VISIT HAM IF YOU PLAN ON HAVING FUN. THIS IS NOT THE PLACE. DO NOT GO HERE. BATHROOMS ARE DISGUSTING. CAMP OFFICIALS ARE NOT HELPFUL. I hope you read this review and decide to avoid this place because it is NOT worth your money. They are RUDE CROOKS. To make matters worse, the staff even lied to one of the others in my group who booked a site and told him they'd canceled his reservation just to get rid of him, and upon calling the head office it had actually turned out his site had been booked the entire time. Please, stay away from this place, what they have done is not right. Don't regret your trip as I now do. read more

This was not what I expected at all. Loud with generators running pretty much non stop. Kids on bikes....a lot of them refusing to move when you drive through. Rules are not enforced with the kids on bike after sunset. Beach was ok, but since you are in a bay the water is quite murky. The facilities at the beach were very nice though. read more

My friends and I planned a 3 night camping trip at Hammonasset for the end of July. We were supposed to stay Monday-Thursday yet we got forced to leave on Tuesday morning because we were talking past midnight. read more

We went twice on the weekend of August 4 and 5. One day low tide, calm water, one day high tide, nice waves. This is a great beach, clean, ample parking, great facilities. Besides what I think were a few jellyfish stings, the only con would be the $22 non-resident parking fee, which drops to $7 after 4pm on weekends. read more

Not the best. I despise this place. Campsites are generally small and it's not that natural. Many of the campsites are just grass area. Only some are trees and something more natural. Although there are activities. Bathrooms are decent (most of the time), but no soap unfortunately. It's very lazy of them to not provide soap I mean come on, why can't you provide any soap. It's a shame. Camp somewhere else. It sickens me people like this place. read more

went for a day trip this past weekend. beaches were overcrowded, i'm talking about 2-3 feet of space between you and other people. water was not clean at all, my wife ended up with irritated eyes for the next couple of days. read more

If it ever clears up, I'm going there once a week, as I always do. Crowded on weekends, but during the week, it's manageable, especially if you go to Meigs Point and walk away from the madding crowd a bit. read more

Stayed at their campground over for one night on 5/30 and whoever was doing rounds at night was rude as hell. She had a bad attitude and really rubbed me and my friends the wrong way. Probably never going back. The girl was heavy set with brown hair. Hope she gets yelled at. read more

Our family's summer home was at Meig's Point (sp?) and our Grandparents stayed at Willard's Island at Hammonasset for over a decade during the 1950's. Mr. Bunker was the park ranger there...so we affectionately called it Bunker Hill. We would pack up our home for the summer and live in a no-frills small trailer. With no electricity, we used gas lamps and had to go get ice blocks for refrigeration. Going to the beach every day, exploring, breaking rocks on the pier to find garnets, collecting shells, picking up copper scraps in our little beach pails (the beach was once a practice bombing site) and took swimming lessons until I got my Senior Life Saving Badge (try that in the Atlantic Ocean!). Our Moms were part of an aquatic swim 'dance' team. We made life long friends at our campsites...each year requesting sites together and became extended family to each other...still visiting today...40 years later! We'll never forget the cold showers, the out -house potties....movies in the pavilion on Saturday nights, an annual costume parade for all of the children, my birthday parties in the middle of August for family reunion...and the 4th of July celebrations. We survived 1 tropical storm Carol in 1954 and 2 major hurricanes in 1955, August 13th, Connie & Diane, August 18th that arrived without warning...no radar or weather forecasting then....oh the good ole' days. We will be returning this summer 2012 for a family reunion..this is a Connecticut treasure. Sincere Regards, Dolly T. Gulfport, Florida read more

There is virtually nowhere else in CT I want to be than Hammo! I walk my dog there regularly and it's beyond beautiful. I love it!

This Park is an absolute gem, one of the best in Connecticut! I love this place and love spending time here in the summer. The east beach/meigs Point area is my personal favorite part of the park. The new Meigs Point Nature Center is fantastic! They have touch tanks and all sorts of information about the different species of fish, crabs, and birds etc.. There is an osprey cam watching the osprey and its nest, which is neat. Very friendly staff at the nature center as well! There are several hiking trails going through the far end of the park. The Butterly garden is very nice. One of my favorite spots in Meigs Point itself. There is a trail leading up to an observation platform overlooking the Long Island Sound. The coastline in this area is full of large rocks, boulders, and very interesting seashells. The park has three beaches, east, west, and middle. It's got miles of open beachfront. East beach is the most popular and fills up fast. West beach got all new bathhouses and a new concession stand since I was last here. There are also new picnic tables. The beach itself was clean and the water was clear. There is a new bike path going through the entire length of the park. The path is paved and is very nice. I love how you can now bike through the park on the path! The wild roses along the path are gorgeous. There are areas for fishing and a public boat ramp. There is a huge campground located here too. This park is excellent for birding, especially in the meigs Point area. I've seen multiple different types of shorebirds and seagulls here. There are multiple viewing platforms over the various marshes. You can really see lots of different animals here if you look closely. There is something for everyone here. This is a jewel in the CT State Park system. Highly recommended! 5 stars read more

went to this largest (in CT.)2 mile coastline state park beach on a weekend in july and was not disappointed at all..paying the $22 entrance fee for an out of towner like me was absolutely worth it .the East beach where we went to was fairly packed of people but it had ample parking space and a bldg. pavilion which had a ramped walkway up with picnic tables and spacious separate restrooms/showers (no hot water) and dressing rooms-I am impressed compared to other public beaches in the area -it was clean and decent and there was no smell. the only sore point was that it only had 1 food concession stand inside which sold few options (hotdogs and burgers only). it was crummy pricey beach food. .word of advice--BYOF or go to the other 2 beaches (west beach and meig's point which probably have better food choices).it had some vending machines for icecream and beverages . lo and behold-you have the sand and the beach next to this pavilion! the sand was a little rocky with small shells but who cares? I just love the sea too much to be picky on the sand-prickly or not. just wear flip flops though for protection. I enjoyed sunbathing here with my beach umbrella and blankets. the water was too cold for me (as I'm used to warm tropical weather in southeast asia Phils.) but it's ok- the Long island sound waters barely have waves-very calm and placid much to my liking. I also like the little details (there was a water shower by the side of the bldg.) to clean your body off the sand if you're from the beach and want to go up the pavilion. the people were not loud and were fairly friendly.there's no maddening crowd here that you see in nearby popular beaches. will definitely come back again!!!! read more

As a toddler, my family camped for the summer at Hammonasset first at Cedar Knoll, then Dowd's point and for many years on Willard's Island. Meigs point used to be the campers beach and the main pavillion was wood and at the end of the beach where camping is now. Four years ago I took my son and his family down to the beach and we camped for 10 days. Many things had changed but the simplicity and beauty of being there had not. When we camped as kids, we had an outhouse and a "honey wagon" that came and emptied the outhouse buckets. We had no power, no phone,etc. We used kerosene lamps. We had a cold water faucet shared by 4 adjoining lots. Willard's Island was wonderful. Even last year I could still sort of tell where our old lot had been and going to the creek, even though it too had changed, brought back fond memories of crabbing off the now non-existent dock. The house that is now a nature center was occupied by Mr. Bunker who oversaw the camp. Each day he would walk past each campsite and call your last name to which you answered with the number of people who were at the campsite the previous night. We had movies and dances at the "little pavillion" which has been rebuilt but resembles the old one. All of Meigs Point and Willard's Island was campsites. We had a small booth that we had to stop at to show our residency pass. Our mail was delivered there as well, so everyday one of us would go down to the booth and ask for our mail. It was the best 15 years of my life. The changes over the years have made it more tourist friendly, more environmentally friendly, it's good I guess. But I am sorry that they turned "my" campsite into a bird sanctuary. The sounds and the smells are the same and the feeling of peace and serenity that it still gives me is the same too. I was blessed to have had such a wonderful experience to have been able to camp "in the old days". My kids are now hooked too. read more