Hole in the Wall Beach
Niantic, CT
Set inside Rocky Neck State Park, this small beach gets its name from a rock formation locals have been slipping through for generations. Connecticut's coastline is short and mostly private, which makes this quiet public stretch a genuine local favorite rather than a tourist stop.
A genuine local favorite inside Rocky Neck State Park rather than a tourist stop, the parking fee and early weekend lines are the only real friction.
How we score beachesRocky Neck State Park charges a parking fee in season. Go early on weekends to avoid a line at the gate.
Dogs are only permitted on the beach from the Tuesday after Labor Day through the Friday before Memorial Day, and are banned entirely during the summer season.
Long Island Sound warms faster than the open Atlantic, so this stretch of Connecticut coast often swims comfortably by late June. The season still runs the familiar New England window, tapering off fast after Labor Day.
More Atlantic Coast beaches
Coast Guard Beach
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A National Seashore beach backed by grassy dunes and a tidal marsh, with clean Atlantic surf and one of the Cape's most scenic approaches on foot from the parking area.
Surfside Beach
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Open Atlantic swell and a wide sandy shoreline about three miles from Nantucket town, popular with locals for its bodysurfing waves and quieter, less commercial feel.
Jones Beach State Park
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A classic Long Island beach with six and a half miles of shoreline, a landmark water tower, boardwalk, and a large outdoor amphitheater that hosts concerts through the summer.