Meet Rocky Neck
Three trips were made to Rocky Neck in 2021. The first was a rain out but the other two were awesome. The park and the entire Niantic area has a lot to offer. This page combines information from all three visits.
Rocky Neck State Park is a public recreation area located in the town of East Lyme, Connecticut, United States. The park is situated on the Long Island Sound and covers an area of 710 acres. It features a crescent-shaped sandy beach, picnic areas, train watching, diverse trail systems, and salt marsh viewing platforms that make it ideal for families. The park also offers 160 campsites in both open and wooded settings, with additional facilities such as restrooms, food concessions, group picnic pavilions, picnic tables, drinking water, paved and gravel parking, and pay telephones . The park is open from 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM every day of the week .
The Campground
The camping here is some of the best I’ve experienced for tent camping. I was happy to pitch my tent into real earth and not a gravel based landscaped tent site as you find at private campgrounds. That’s great for campers but not so great for a tent.
Lots of wide open space here on the campground. Nice green meadow like fields. Sites are well organized and the facilities are good.
The best part of this state park camping is that you are basically on the beach. It’s less than a mile away. I was in the water by 8:00am each morning. It’s a very nice bike ride to the beach through the salt marsh wildlife habitat.
Biking
Connecticut has got hills and more so than the other New England states. I didn’t expect that. If you go inland even 1/2 mile you’ll run into hills. You’re either going up or down a hill. There are some nice shoreline stretches though that make it worthwhile. The roads in the area are rather tight for bike riding. Often there is no room on the shoulder to ride. I’m not used to that but apparently the local bike riders are because they are out there. I use the RideWithGPS.com website and app to plan my rides. I was able to find a route that was off the main roads based on saved rides other cyclists had shared on the site.
There’s a few other rides I have saved on my RidewithGPS account and you can find if interested. You can access them with a free account. A particularly good one is to New London from Niantic.
Learn how to get a free account with RidewithGPS and find my saved rides as well as how to access the Summer of 100 Beaches YouTube channel. Click this link to the Information and Resources page.
Niantic
I found Niantic, CT to be a hidden gem of a New England seaside town. Niantic, CT is a charming coastal village. It is situated within the town of East Lyme, and its picturesque setting along Long Island Sound makes it a popular destination for tourists and residents alike.
The village also has a quaint downtown area with shops, restaurants, and cafes, making it a pleasant place to stroll and explore. Overall, Niantic is a peaceful and picturesque coastal community that offers a relaxed atmosphere and natural beauty to both residents and visitors.
Beaches
There’s no shortage of beaches in the area. From New London traveling along the shore west back past the park to the area of the Connecticut River. Niantic is known for its beautiful beaches, such as McCook’s Beach and Hole-in-the-Wall Beach, where visitors can enjoy swimming, sunbathing, and scenic ocean views. The Niantic Bay Boardwalk offers a scenic route for walkers along the waterfront.
Rocky Neck State Park beach is very pleasant. It’s “groomed” and cleaned in the early morning. It can get very crowded. Very crowded. To the point where they close the park. The beach is narrow and can’t hold that large of a crowd. I was told that the 4th of July weekend was the peak. Still…try to avoid weekends, get there early, go for a bike ride, and then return to finish out the day with a refreshing swim.
There’s a couple of other beaches nearby that I stopped by. One is White Sands Beach. It’s “semi-private”. If you’re not a Connecticut resident there’s no parking during beach season. Also, there’s two private association beaches on either side of the town beach. I found that confusing. Of course, since I’m on a bike, I go where I want.
Hawks Nest Beach Resort is nearby as well. This is a resort area that rents cottages at what seems to be a reasonable rate. When I was there the beach was crowded and seemed on the small side. It’s for resort folks so I guess they enjoy it. Not for me.
Food
You’ll have to drive a bit to get to restaurants. I generally go straight into Niantic. There’s quite a number of options there. There’s good “beach food” at Skipper’s.
The restaurants are quite good. Giuliano’s is a great bakery and excellent for breakfast.
Mystic Seaport
Mystic Seaport is an outstanding rainy day option. You can spend a half day there. It’s located in Mystic, CT which is a picturesque New England seacoast village. Lots to do there.