We bought a day pass since I myself am not an east Lyme resident but the higher cost I felt was worth it. Sure you could go to Rocky Neck, but the crowd there can often get on my nerves. No loud music, out of control children, suffocating suntan fumes here! Much cleaner bathroom facilities, powdery sand gets raked in the morning, and parking is right next to the sand. Also a nice playground and picnic areas up on the bluff overlooking the bay.
Do like this beach as well as Hole-in-the-Wall, it's a quaint beach also never overly noisy great new parking lot and bathrooms. Beach is clean.
The best part about McCook's beach is how close the parking is to the actual beach. No lugging equipment from a long way. The park itself is open to all the public and has wide lawns, playground equipment and is very shady and relaxing.
A small park, that packs a lot. A swimming beach, a secluded natural beach, walking path, 4 playscapes, field, shade trees, great views, nearby boardwalk. Did I miss anything?With so much to do, you can not go wrong! Enjoy the summer breeze, watch a bay, scout for birds, wait for a train to pass, so much!What else can I say? Just check it out for yourself. A great place for friends to hang out, or kids to play!
very small, rocky, lots of seaweed in water and on beach, dirty beach doesn't look like they rake it out at all.....
This is a very nice local beach, close to a very cute downtown area in Niantic with lots of good places to eat. There is a large grassy park and a nice playground attached to the beach, and the view of Long Island sound is beautiful! Over the grassy hill is another little beach and a nice boardwalk. Very New England and cute!
Liked everything about this beach. Has a very nice overview of the ocean and beach. There was a playground, picnic areas and sandy beach. Fun day!
One would think that if noone is at the guard house that it is okay to go to the beach, but apparently at this beach you still have to pay. Don't know how if there is noone to take the money. Looked like a nice place the few minutes I was there.
This park is located right on the beach, you can walk from the parking lot right into the beach to the right or the rest of the park to the left which has a great view of the shore line.
Reviewing the reviews, it seems people are not fully aware sometimes of:(1)This is a town beach and park for the residents of East Lyme (i.e Fanders + Niantic villages). State law allows anyone access to all town beaches but you may have to pay more if from out of town, From Memorial Day through Labor Day the booth at the entrance is manned. One needs a pass on the vehicle or day tickets. A season pass is $35 per vehicle for East Lyme residents. The beach is not big by any means, not like Rocky Neck State Park just a couple of exits south on I-95. One can go up the hill to the children's park with swings, slides etc. Also a great spot to fly a kite, picnic. There is access to the hole-in-the-wall beach from here and going on to the Boardwalk (under repair currently). There are restroom facilities and a hot dog/hamburger kiosk open during the summer season. TIP: go on a weekday and avoid the crowds