Plan Your Visit

To plan a day at Sherwood Island State Park, pick your beach first: East Beach for the Nature Center and salt marsh, West Beach for the shaded picnic grove and disc golf. The park is open 8 a.m. to sunset, parking is free for Connecticut cars, and the entrance is straight off I-95 exit 18 in Westport. The snack bar is closed for 2026, so bring food and water.

When to Go

• Peak summer weekends: arrive by 9 a.m., or come after 4 p.m., when the out-of-state fee drops to $7 and the lots empty out.
• Weekdays, June and September: the sweet spot — warm water, space on the sand.
• Fall and spring: birds, empty beaches, free parking from November, and dogs on a leash from October 1.

Check weather, tides and the water quality report the morning you go.

Getting There

Take I-95 to exit 18 and follow the Sherwood Island Connector into the park. From the Merritt Parkway, use exit 41 or 42 and Routes 33 and 1. Full directions and the lots are on the parking page.

Which Beach?

• East Beach: Nature Center, salt marsh trail, open lawns for kites, the reservable picnic shelter and the model airplane field.
• West Beach: shaded picnic grove with tables and grills, forested paths and the 18-hole disc golf course.
• Sherwood Point: the 9/11 Living Memorial, between the two.

See the beach guide and the park map.

What to Bring

• Lunch, snacks and plenty of water (no snack bar in 2026)
• Beach chairs, umbrella, sunscreen
• Water shoes — DEEP warns of sharp shells and rocks
• A kite, a Frisbee or discs for disc golf
• Binoculars for the marsh
• A trash bag for when bins are full

Leave behind: alcohol (banned) and, from April 15 to September 30, the dog.

Accessibility

DEEP lists accessible parking, restrooms, picnic shelter and tables, the 9/11 Memorial and free beach surf chairs (first come, first served). The park is flat, and the mown paths and walkways are easy going.

A Half-Day Plan

1. Arrive at 8 or 9 a.m. and park at East Beach.
2. Swim and look for the red, white and black sand bands.
3. Walk the salt marsh nature trail to the viewing platform.
4. Visit the Nature Center (Wednesday to Sunday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.).

A Full-Day Plan

Add a picnic in the west-side grove, a round of disc golf, a stop at the memorial on Sherwood Point, and an evening walk on the beach before sunset. On the way out, see things to do in Westport.

Groups

Book the East Beach shelter (up to 64 people) from May 1 to September 30 through ReserveAmerica (pavilion and shelter). Buses seating 30 or more need a DEEP bus permit.

Off-Season Visits

Sherwood Island stays open all year, 8 a.m. to sunset, and the quiet months have their own appeal. From November through March, parking is free for every car, because the out-of-state fee runs only from April 1 to October 31. From October 1, leashed dogs are welcome, and the whole beach opens to anglers. Winter brings sea ducks to the Sound and a long, empty shoreline to walk. Dress for wind off the water, and check weather before you go: NOAA normals for nearby Bridgeport put January lows in the mid-20s.