Sherwood Island State Park

Connecticut's first state park — beach, fields, and picnic areas

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📍 Westport, CT Verified

4.7 (2,100 Google)

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Sprawling coastal state park in Westport with a beach, picnic pavilions, and wide open fields. Easy walking, excellent facilities, and beautiful Sound views.

Grandparent-Friendly Details

Walk-in

Walk-ins welcome

Accessibility

Wheelchair & stroller accessible

Parking

Easy parking

Noise level

Quiet

Outdoor seating

Covered / shaded

Typical visit

~2 hours

Best age range

Ages 0+

Fun Things to Do Here

Ideas to make the most of your visit to Sherwood Island State Park

Beach Olympics

3-legged race, longest seaglass find, best sandcastle, who finds the prettiest shell — make up the events as you go.

Wave Counting

Pick a spot and count waves for 2 minutes. First to 30 wins. More competitive than it sounds.

Message in the Sand

Each person writes or draws something in wet sand before the tide takes it. Take a photo before it goes.

Shell Sorting

Collect 10 shells. Sort by color, then size, then texture. Decide together which one gets to come home.

Tide Pool Bingo

Spot a crab, something with spots, something that moves, a tiny fish, and one thing you can't identify.

Free printable: Beach Day Scavenger Hunt

Download

Budget & Insider Tips

Grandparent Money Tips

• Most public beaches are free — the parking fee is the real cost. Arrive before 9am to beat both the crowds and the lot attendant at many state beaches.
• Pack everything: sunscreen, snacks, water, towels. Beach vendor prices are 2–3x normal. A soda on the sand shouldn't cost $6.
• Connecticut and New York both have state beaches open to all visitors — often cheaper than town beaches that require a resident sticker.

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