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Coastal Connecticut: Sand, Scenery, and Fun on Long Island Sound!

Coastal Connecticut is filled with quaint little fishing villages that once served as ship building towns back in the boom days of the area. The whole area is one gigantic photo op, with stunningly beautiful scenery around every turn. The Long Island Sound is the backdrop, and funnels out into the Atlantic Ocean. This makes the region a haven for outdoors enthusiasts, sea farers, and anyone wishing to commune with Mother Nature. A day in coastal Connecticut can include fishing, swimming, sailing, beach combing, sight-seeing, hiking, canoeing, kayaking, and almost anything one can imagine by way of outdoor fun.

Coastal Connecticut has plenty of sand, surf, and sunshine for beach vacationers. One of the best beaches in the area is located in Hammonasset Beach State Park in Madison. This is the largest beach in Connecticut, and brings out sun worshippers in droves. The two-mile, white sandy beach is perfect for swimming, snorkeling, and surf fishing. Harvey's Beach in Old Saybrook is a smallish, well insulated beach with fewer visitors. Great for an afternoon picnic or nap, Harvey's is the perfect place to escape the madding crowds. Rocky Neck State Park, near Niantic, has an excellent beach as well as a vast salt marsh which shelters a variety of avian life that can be viewed from different points along the trails that meander through the park. Ocean Beach in New London has a beautiful crescent shaped beach and offers some of the best swimming in the region. The beach is flanked by a boardwalk, which offers excellent jogging or strolling opportunities.

More outdoor fun can be had in the state parks of the region. One of the most popular is Gillette Castle State Park in East Haddam. The centerpiece of the park is a mansion that was built for William Gillette, an actor famous for his portrayal of Sherlock Holmes. The park is set on the Connecticut River and features canoeing, fishing areas, short hiking trails and picnic spots. Chatfield Hollow State Park, near Killingworth, is a 375-acre wooded hollow, perfect for hiking and exploring, that contains interesting caves and rocky ledges. Visitors can also enjoy fishing and ice skating in the winter.

Picturesque towns and villages dot the landscape that makes up the Connecticut coastline. One of the most visited is the Mystic Seaport in Mystic. The town seems like a living museum, the streets lined with 19th century buildings, and the harbors filled with clipper ships that seem frozen in time. For something completely different, visit the New England Carousel Museum, which displays antique carousel art and miniature carousels. Another can't-miss spot is the Mystic Aquarium and Institute for Exploration. This research, recreational, and educational center has exhibits ranging from the discovery of Roman shipwrecks to seal rehabilitation. There is also an abundance of sea creatures, like dolphins and beluga whales, that will charm the socks off of children of all ages.

"The bigger the humbug, the better people will like it!" So said Phineas Taylor Barnum: showman, businessman, huckster. Some of Barnum's famous humbugs can be seen at the Barnum Museum in Bridgeport. The hodgepodge of artifacts include an Egyptian mummy, a hand-carved miniature 5-ring circus with over half a million pieces, and photographs relating to Tom Thumb, probably Barnum's most famous act. Some of the exhibits will make squeamish visitors' jaws drop, probably exactly what Barnum wanted.

Coastal Connecticut is a feast for the senses. Walk the streets of quaint seaside villages and pop in for some chowder. See the different "salt box" houses that get their name from the slanted top box used to store salt in Colonial times. Shop for antiques in Old Saybrook. Check out a new play at the Eugene O'Neill Theatre in Waterford. Visit the Submarine Force Library and Museum in Groton. However you spend your Coastal Connecticut vacation, you couldn't have made a better choice!

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  1. PURPLE BUTTON FACTORY
    OPENINGS FROM NOV 29- DEC 20 NEW YEARS EVE SPECIALS. BUDGET FRIENDLY — Property 141147

    Vacation House rental in Connecticut Shore area
    • House
    • 4 bedrooms , sleeps 8
    • 3 bathrooms
    • downtown, near the ocean
    • garden
    Free Nights!
    S P E C I A L    O F F E R
    Rates (shown in USD)
    $700 - $1600 per property per week

  2. Charming Cottage
    WEEKEND SPECIALS.ADVANCED BOOKINGS 25 PERCENT OFF — Property 135387

    Vacation Cottage rental in Old Saybrook area
    • Cottage
    • 2 bedrooms , sleeps 6
    • 1 bathroom
    • beach, downtown
    • garden
    Free Nights!
    S P E C I A L    O F F E R
    Rates (shown in USD)
    $700 - $1500 per property per week

  3. NATHANIEL CLARKE HOUSE
    WEEKEND SPECIALS..BOOK TWO NIGHTS GET ONE FREE — Property 179793

    Vacation House rental in Old Saybrook area
    • House
    • 5 bedrooms , sleeps 14
    • 2 bathrooms
    • beach, village
    • garden
    Free Nights!
    S P E C I A L    O F F E R
    Rates (shown in USD)

  4. Large Gracious and Elegant House in Beautiful Stonington, CT — Property 258052

    Vacation House rental in Stonington area
    • House
    • 5 bedrooms , sleeps 10
    • 3 bathrooms
    • 1 half bathroom
    • near the ocean, village
    • garden
    Rates (shown in USD)
    $900 - $1500 per property per week

  5. 2 Bedroom Beach House - 500 Feet from Private Beach — Property 152208

    Vacation House rental in Westbrook area
    • House
    • 2 bedrooms , sleeps 5
    • 1 bathroom
    • beach
    • air-conditioning
    Rates (shown in USD)

  6. Charming Beach Cottage
    Charming Beach Cottage sleeps 4 — Property 136984

    Vacation House rental in East Haven area
    • House
    • 2 bedrooms , sleeps 4
    • 1 bathroom
    • beach
    • air-conditioning
    Rates (shown in USD)
    $700 - $1000 per property per week

  7. Oceanfront Estate Stonington, CT. Mystic Area attractions. — Property 148901

    Vacation House rental in Stonington area
    • House
    • 5 bedrooms , sleeps 12
    • 4 bathrooms
    • near the ocean, waterfront
    • jacuzzi
    Rates (shown in USD)
    $1500 per property per week

  8. Completely Renovated Cottage, Attawan Beach at 8 Dart St, Niantic CT — Property 135827

    Vacation Cottage rental in Niantic area
    • Cottage
    • 3 bedrooms , sleeps 6
    • 3 bathrooms
    • beach, town
    • pets considered
    Rates (shown in USD)
    $625 - $2000 per property per week

  9. Updated/Charming beach house... 3 BR/2 Bath, walk to 2 private beaches — Property 163391

    Vacation House rental in Clinton area
    • House
    • 3 bedrooms , sleeps 7
    • 2 bathrooms
    • beach
    • air-conditioning
    Rates (shown in USD)
    $1650 per property per week

  10. Grand Victorian-Private Beach With Cabana Cresent Beach, Niantic — Property 194675

    Vacation House rental in Niantic area
    • House
    • 5 bedrooms , sleeps 14
    • 5 bathrooms
    • beach
    • air-conditioning
    Rates (shown in USD)

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