On memory alone this place scores a 5! Yes it is somewhat dirty with tons of goose crap. But I…read morebasically spent years 2-16 coming here all the time. The little play area of the park was so cool when I was 2-5. Then it was the lake I loved swimming in and where I learned how to swim (6-8). My mom would always yell to me not to go past my waist but I did any way. The trick is to go in almost to the waist and dive forward and go under and then swim back to waist length depth. She never knew, or, she probably did and figured she would let me think I was being clever. A little older I remember throwing my ninja turtle(s) into the "deep end" and trying to find them. So yah, if anyone finds him send me a message. When I was a little older I jumped off the docks and eventually, rode my bike off of it too (dumb "tweens"). There were always the basketball courts though those are in sad shape and when I was younger, the scary older boys looked imposing. Around the same time my friend and I would ride our bikes* to Rogers lake and/or kayak. Finally, from about 14-16 or 17 or so, I did crew and those are my last memories. I think I purposely flipped my boat deep in the water the last time I ever went on the lake. *Watch your bikes. Don't do what I did and "hide" it by some bush near the lake. Some good for nothing low life scum stole my Grey Gary Fisher bike and I never got it back, obviously (cops don't care). I wish karma strikes this loser back in whatever way is deemed appropriate by those who dole it out (perhaps some low life can steal his/her childs bike). Other than bike stealing low life losers, I suspect it was someone with the first name E, this is a safe place.

Came by with the family a few weeks ago. Parking was easy since it was a week day. The beach was…read moreclean and bathrooms as well. We had fun and sat by the sand.

Not crowded clean CLEAR WATER leashed dog friendly soft sand…read moreThere was a wedding on the premises CT license plates are free

It's $75 on the weekends (if you're not a town resident) and $50 during the week. I think the cost…read moreis that ridiculously high to keep people away. The sand isn't combed and there's many broken shells in the water. Okay I get it, it's nature. One of the 5 year olds got a shard of shell in his heel playing/running on the sand to give you perspective. We were there for a party at the small pavilion so thankfully we didn't have to pay. Beautiful scenery and gentle waves. Splash pad was out of service. They have 3 playscapes that are pretty nice.

Always beautiful, quiet, and serene- great place for children with a wonderful playground.read more

Not sure if this is the same owner but our host Kevin, was outstanding! We stayed here for the full…read moremonth of May with our 37ft Fifthwheel. Site 10 offers 30amp and water hookups. There is a septic service that comes every 2 weeks. We genuinely loved our stay with our beloved dog. Neighbors were quiet and friendly. There is a beautiful beach with gorgeous views of the lake. Our host also owns the AirBnb on the same lot which looks amazing!

From the owner: Waterfront Monthly-Seasonal-Year Round…read moreCampsite Rentals Cottage Rentals Park Model Rentals Trailer Rentals

The Seaside State Park is quite a unique place as it hosts the infamous and now abandoned Seaside…read moreSanatorium, a building that was commissioned in the 1930 when tuberculosis was a major affliction. One of the treatments for this disease was fresh air, so many of these sanatoriums were built around the coast and around lakes, copying a trend that had taken over European lands. Over time it was discovered that fresh air not only helped tuberculosis but all types of diseases, particularly mental illnesses like depression and anxiety. As tuberculosis became a controlled ailment, the Seaside became a host to more people with mental illnesses as well as the elderly. Supposedly, during this period of the Seaside as a psychiatric ward, many irregularities took place and the consequence resulted in patient's deaths. I have no proof of this but that is how the story goes. All this information is found on the Connecticut .org websites. Arriving to this "haunted" and "damned" place, as many publicize it, is a unique experience. I parked in a lot with an abandoned garden house next to it, making even the parking area spooky. The building sits at the distance, and some people jog around or walk their dogs. The peculiar feeling of being watched is pervasive though, even though there aren't many people around. I walked the garden, walked a covered bridge that is very spooky, touched a water well that has dried up, walked by the beach and over a wall that protects the shore from erosion. I stayed on the paved path as much as possible because I felt that a certain order needed to be followed, even if there are no signs that say "Keep off the grass". One lap around this property is more than enough. I started on the left, and exited on the right. Once I exited, I didn't look back because I felt that I was being watched from behind the boarded windows. I was not interested in seeing a ghost looking at me or waving goodbye from the broken glass window... Spooky as it may seem, this is a beautiful place, the building is gorgeous, the view is amazing. If you are looking for serenity, this is a good place for it. The views of the Connecticut coast are amazing as well. I was very happy to have visited this active site in Waterford. This place is also known as The Seaside Sanatorium.

Four stars because it was pretty and the old asylum was a sight to see. The parking area is…read moreneedlessly far away from the building, under some shady trees. There are actual paved spaces that must have once been parking sports (maybe one a low budget basketball court) that would bring you closer and prevent walking exposed to the boiling summer sun. I cannot speak to any actual walking trails, but the dogs that were playing seemed to be having a great time. The old building is gated off, understandable, but you can tell from the outside it was made in an older era where aesthetics meant something and it wasn't all about saving a penny.

Kurt is the coolest player in the game. Good guy, solid…read morefamily man, always gotten honest opinions, options and work out of him. Godspeed.

Firstly, buying experience was good and I have no complaints…read more Secondly, I can concede that I could have taken my boat and trailer and left. I obviously was under no obligation to sell. I my option they saw someone in a tight spot and capitalized on it. Good business move absolutely, good customer service and honesty.... Not at all. Bought a new trailer from Diamon Marine in Feb 2026 for $4,300 for a boat I already owned. Ended up needing to sell both the trailer and boat in May 2026 (4 months later). Mark quoted me $3,000 for the trailer and $2,000 for the boat for a total of $5,000. Drove the boat & trailer 3hrs to the shop. They looked at it in the lot and started saying the boat was in worse shape than photos/ videos I sent. Fair enough I'm no expert and something is only worth what another will pay for it. The real kick in the pants is when they offered $2,500 for the boat and trailer combo. Even if I was gifting the boat to them for free why did the trailer deprecate 500 bucks? The trailer is 4 months old and is now only worth 53% of its original value? That makes no sense, if they said they didn't want the boat and only wanted to buy the trailer for $3,000 that would have been ok. I'm just confused how a boat in "rougher shape" reduces the price of a practically brand new trailer. They got a 500 dollar discount on the trailer and a free boat. I could/ should have taken my boat and trailer and left but I was in a tight spot and also didn't want to tow both back 3hrs with no sale. Again, buying experience was no complaints. But I wouldn't advise anyone sell boats/ trailers to them just shady practice. Reminded me of the stereotypical used car salesmen.

Cedars swamps and…read morecrappers Great Cedar Conservation Area is a 320 acre swamp with several miles of hiking trails. It is home to the largest collection of Atlantic White Cedar trees in the state as well as the largest individual White Cedar trees. It's a flat and very easy hike as long as you go in the cold weather. This is a real swamp so the flies and mosquitoes are extremely numerous and will tear you to pieces if you are brave or foolish enough to go in the spring or early summer. Not a lot of interesting rocks or terrain, the trees and plants are the attraction. Some beautiful cedars and some cool ferns closer to the ground, this swamp is a tree lover and botanist's dream I notice some old fences and what looked like an old foundation but what really caught my old was a cool old outhouse with an interesting sign. Not sure who put the sign up or exactly where the venerable old crapper originally came from but I certainly didn't have the courage to open the door to see what what inside. The Great Cedar area is a pleasant little hike that is for people that like to go slow and look, listen and smell. Swamps are beautiful places to hike in the winter but just make sure you don't go when the hordes of insects are masters of the terrain.

Very easy hikes and a beautiful and strangely interesting stroll in the woods. The trails surround…read morearound a few small lakes that make wonderful stopping off points. The Conservation Area wraps around the Hay House property, The Hay House is constructed entirely of hay bales. It is private property but you are invited to see the Stuba Buddhist shrine that sites in the front of the property by the parking lot. The "crapper" is the private loo for the Hay House. Kinda misleading since it is sitting right there on the trail.

It's a great place for kids ,and they can learn about the dinosaur world…read more And established the different way of them living together.

Expensive, uninspired, and corporate. As of May 2026, admission prices are $34 for children and $31…read morefor adults on weekends. Everything here is designed to offer the lowest quality possible while taking as much money as they can from your wallet. Do yourself a favor and visit Wells Dinosaur Haven instead (free).

Gillette Castle is a historic home and museum that was built in East Haddam, Connecticut in 1919…read more It was the home of the late American stage actor and playwright William Gillette. He is most well-known for portraying the famous literary character Sherlock Holmes: a role he assumed more than 1,300 times on stage, once in a silent film, and twice on the radio. Gillette's use of the deerstalker cap and calabash pipe became enduring symbols of the character. He had planned to build a retirement home in Long Island, but changed his mind when he saw the Seven Sisters cliffs while traversing the Connecticut River in his houseboat, Aunt Polly. He chose this location for his "castle", which he designed himself and dubbed "Seventh Sister". Taking nearly five years to complete, the 14,000-sq-ft castle featured a 3-story-plus-tower and 24 rooms. Gillette also built a 3-mile-long narrow gauge railroad around the property, which he was particularly fond of. Notable celebrities of the early 20th century visited the home, including Albert Einstein, Helen Hayes, and Charlie Chaplin. Gillette passed away in 1937 at the age of 83. The State of Connecticut purchased the property in 1943 and dubbed it "Gillette Castle". Today the residence and surrounding park receive 350,000 visitors annually. Every holiday season, the Friends of Gillette Castle volunteer organization decorate the castle and the grounds with festive Christmas decorations. Visitors can tour the massive home in all of its holiday splendor. My family and I loved exploring the interior of the castle. The gorgeous rooms are even more beautiful with all of the Christmas trees, wreaths, ornaments, nutcrackers and other various holiday accents. Of course, there were quite a few Sherlock Holmes artifacts scattered around as well. Mrs. Claus was also in attendance distributing cups of hot apple cider to visitors. We also really liked seeing the miniature locomotives at the Visitors' Center: some of the only remaining relics of Mr. Gillette's cherished miniature railroad.

Beautiful drive here this morning from Hartford to East Haddam, CT. It's late in the autumnal…read moreseason but still plenty of fall foliage in yellows oranges and reds to admire. We unfortunately could not visit the visitor's center or the inside of the castle because they are closed after early October for redecorating the interior for the winter holiday season. We explored the grounds along two nicely up-kept trails down to the Connecticut River's edge, with more deciduous trees as well as evergreens giving beautiful shade. It must be gorgeous when it snows here. If you're visiting there are several pretty areas with benches, perfect for a picnic.