Lighthouse Point Park

My little girls and I had such a great time here! A beach, with not one but two lighthouses (one in the far distance to the left of the water), a carousel for .25 a ride (open only on the weekends), picnic areas, a snack shop, a splash pad and a playground close to the city. Very neat.
There were lifeguards on duty and we felt very safe. Water was fairly shallow for awhile right off shore. The sand is a tiny bit rocky, but good shell hunting by the water and lighthouse!
No drinks were allowed in the splash pad area. They were very strict with this rule. Different types of water hoses which was great for my little one who doesn’t like the water stream very hard. Some kids were playing rough the day we were there, keep and eye on your kids and you’re fine.
I thought it was so neat to see the girls sliding down the slide with a lighthouse in the background. How cool?!
Bring a blanket and picnic! They sell some food in the snack shop but it closes before the park does.
Gripes would be that the snack shop closed and lifeguard left before the park closed. They did make everyone get out of the water before they left and were very firm on this however, I don’t understand why they couldn’t schedule someone for another hour or so until the park closed for the night. It wasn’t a huge deal for us personally, just a note. We dried off and watched a fantastic sunset which was definitely worth staying for!
The other gripe would be a lot of the lower shower heads for cleaning off your feet weren’t working.
I’m not going to complain about the price to get in like others did ($ 30 for out of state) because the guy at the booth must have liked me and only charged me $ 10. Plus, it’s to help pay for the employees and expenses and really? $ 30 to entertain your kids for an ENTIRE day is a bargain these days! Sold!
If you’re looking for crystal clear water, white sparkling beaches, with cabana boys, no this isn’t the place. If your looking for a super fun day watching your kiddos bounce from water to splash pad to playground to shell hunting, and end it with a forgo use sunset, definitely take a visit! We had an absolute ball! I would definitely come back again! I wish we had a place like this closer in fact. Love the multi entertainment factor!

People giving it a bad review are blind. Let them go elsewhere with their gross judgments. Its a lovely park with beach, fields and woods, flowers, even wild berries, and i don’t notice it covered in trash. Two points i dislike are the wasteful water park area and the boarded off pier. I can’t imagine the gallons of water wasted in the splash fountains. A pool would be better or just the beach water. Also a couple benches can use replacing, but its a very relaxing place.

Definitely not where I’d go to spend my day at the beach but we came here for a stroll one evening and thought it was charming and peaceful. The lighthouse and carousel are pretty especially around dusk. I didn’t notice garbage everywhere like previous posts but we also went off-​season so I’m not sure what the place is like on a busy summer day. I’ll go back again when I’m in the area and need some fresh air.

Absolute shithole. Trash everywhere. There are nicer beaches in the surrounding areas. I don’t know how this place has ANY good reviews.

We were in from NYC and decided to try the park. We were told that out-​of-​state cars had to pay $ 30.00 to get in. Seriously?! Are the park officials in CT insane. Another park wanted $ 22.00. How unfriendly can you get to tourists – screw your parks if we’re not welcome as a reasonable price.

It’s a beach in New Haven. The sound is gross, now you mix the sound with New Haven you’re certainly not getting anything to brag about. Not well maintained, the crowd is mostly New Havens finest, the parking lot is littered with broken glass — I could only imagine what’s in the sand. I wouldn’t go here at all, ever unless for a wedding.
Stars earned for a beautiful wedding venue & scenery. They also do a yearly winter holiday drive about thing during the holidays which is cheesy but cute & it’s tradition. The volunteers do a great job setting it up.

Very disappointing. I was expecting a decent beach after the reading the reviews on here. However, I will never waste my time coming back.
I’ll start with the restrooms/​changing area. When I walked into the men’s room, I was certain I was in the wrong spot because the inside reeked of urine and the building looked condemned. I went back outside and asked one of the lifeguards for directions — they told me I was in the right place. The walls were falling apart, the urine reeked so bad that I gagged and the place was all around vile and filthy.
The beach was small, dirty and it looked like no one had maintained it in ages. The sidewalks, benches and lights were old and falling apart. The carousel looked nice but was closed for electrical problems.
In all, felt more like a 3^rd world country than a US city park. The only bright spot was the nice views of New Haven harbor and some sailboats passing by.
Don’t waste your time.

If you are from out of state, forget it! An outrageous 30.00 parking fee for a small beach, and not much else except picnic grounds and a splash area for the kids. Probably great for locals, but not for tourists.

Lighthouse Park is a 5 minute walk from my house … Truly a «GEM» of a relaxing spot… Just hoping the folks who come to visit clean up after them selves… I’ve seen residents of New Haven and non residents throw trash on the ground … Plenty of trash can located all over … Come visit enjoy the beautiful park … Just clean before you go … It makes it easier for the park crew to maintain !!!

Whenever in the New Haven/​East Haven Area lighthouse point has become a definite stop for my boyfriend and I. I am NOT a daytime lay out at the beach hot wether girl, but I enjoy coming off season & walking the property. It’s just so relaxing & calm (considering it’s right in the city pretty much). It’s a beautiful view (you can see new haven pretty good on a clear day). It’s pretty well kept (the lighthouse itself could use some TLC) but besides that so much beautiful beach to walk along & enjoy. If in the area should def stop by for a stroll :)

I love the outdoors, and I love outdoor spaces near the water, so it’s no surprise that Lighthouse Point Park is one of my new favorite places.
On a recent weekend I wanted to find some new places to enjoy the coastline without venturing too far from New Haven. I had heard someone mention Lighthouse Point Park in a conversation, so I set out to discover the place for myself.
Driving from Downtown New Haven, you may wind along the water as you approach the park. It gives you a new appreciation for the wide harbor that attracted the first settlers to the New Haven area. You’ll finally reach Lighthouse Point Park, and even though you can look across and see the downtown New Haven skyline, it feels like you’re a world away.
A carousel, picnic shelter, and wide expanse of beach give a summertime feeling, even when the weather is freezing. It was probably in the teens on the day that I visited, but with the sun shining bright, I could imagine myself returning once the weather was nicer and really enjoying a day there. Despite the cold weather, I wasn’t the only person out on that day. An amateur photographer was capturing the moment, and several people were walking their dogs in the snow.
No matter the season, Lighthouse Point Park is a great destination for when you need to get away from it all without even leaving town.

I came here for a wedding sometime ago, and thought it was a pretty scenic location for the event. Fortunately, I didn’t have to pay for parking. The park was really quiet that day.
The ceremony was at the base of the lighthouse, which made for a nice background. There was some grass area at the base, and the beach was just to the right of the ceremony. Over to the left was the carousel and hall. The carousel was a nice touch and the pretty hall inside lends itself for a solid wedding reception.
The only thing is that if you’re trying to look for your car at dusk, bring your flashlight. It’s really dark in some of the parking areas.

This is a wonderful beach for children. There are splash pads, swings, and Ferris wheel rides are two dollars.
Have your car registration ready if you live in New Haven. It costs twenty dollars if you don’t live in New Haven.

This is a cool park. You can bring dogs year round, just not to the beach during the summer/​warmer months. Many people picnic and there are really amazing views.
You will notice that there are all types at the park and the beach has mostly kids swimming, although there are tons of adults in beachwear lounging. They also have a cool splash park where kids can run under a flower or a cobra that squirts cold water.
The old-​fashioned storage area where they house the carousel is really beautiful, especially when decorated by a nice wedding or event planner– they generally have private events on a regular basis.
The biggest downside to this park for hikers or dog owner– TICKS. I wish that New Haven would spray for them. If you are on the beach, you are probably fine, but don’t lay in the grass or promenade in the woods around the area – unless you intend to thoroughly check you or your loved ones (two and four legged) over before you go home.

Hate that they charge to enter the park if your car isn’t registered in New Haven, but love the wide open space, beachfront, grills and view of the ocean.

I live about a mile and a half away from Lighthouse Point, and I’m getting married there next year, so I may be a bit biased! But I like this place a lot. It does suck that they charge such a high entry fee for cars with out-​of-​town registrations, but I think that’s only because they want to keep this park accessible to New Haven residents since it’s the only real beach in the city. I’m sure it also has something to do with car taxes. But overall, this is one of New Haven’s gems and we residents are lucky to have free access to it.
Small but decent beach, with GREAT swimming at high tide and so-​so swimming at low tide, plus TONS of open green space which actually is often more crowded than the beach itself. Recently, the state released a water quality report and the quality at Lighthouse Point was pretty decent, and better than at the West Haven & Milford Beaches. Not much worse than Hammonasset. Even on a busy day, you can find a good spot on the beach, especially if you go over to the harbor side where almost no one sits. Practically deserted (and no entrance fee!) in the off-​season, so it’s even lovelier. Great playground & water area for kids. Lovely sunset!
Don’t miss stopping by East Shore Park, off of Woodward, on your way over to Lighthouse — another underused gem in New Haven, awesome spot to take a stroll or play some frisbee!

I have only recently begun to really explore and enjoy Lighthouse Point Park, and as a resident of New Haven for the last 18 or so months, I must say: I have been missing out.
Whether it’s the wide-​open area for barbecues, or the kid-​friendly water area, or the absolutely stunning carousel, there really is something for everybody here.
The beach itself is mostly unremarkable, though it’s pretty popular with people of all types. You’ll see families from all kinds of backgrounds, younger folks hanging out, and everything in between. The water is great and refreshing, though there can be some intensely rocky surfaces under the water, so you might want to bring some water shoes.
There’s also a rock pier which is pretty fun to walk out on (I’m not sure if there’s another word for it, I just looked it up and can’t find anything, which I’m mostly telling you now so you know that I am educated enough to want to impress you, but too stupid to do so).
The park itself is rather huge and I believe they have pavilion rentals, though you could easily bring your own grill and canopy and have a great time here.
The carousel is also absolutely gorgeous. I don’t know what the rates are, but if I had children, I would force them to ride it and take pictures until they were crying and DCF had to get involved. But the pictures would be adorable!
Please note, if you do not live in New Haven, they charge a pretty unreasonable fee for cars ($ 20.00 per day, I believe) which would significantly alter my perception of the park. That being said, I live in Gun Wavin’ New Haven and am reviewing this as a beach I don’t have to pay to go to, so suck it, Out-​Of-​Towners!

Meh.
$ 30 for out of state cars!!! $ 10 for others? They say its free for residents but what if you’re a resident with an out of state car?
No thank you. Park on a street nearby.
$ 30 makes you think that this is a huge magical park with pristine beautiful beaches. While it’s a GREAT place for kids (There were lots of fun things to do for children, even swing sets on the beach itself!), I do not think this park is worth the amount of parking they charge people.
The beach area itself is small and the area that you are allowed to swim in is even smaller. The water is filled to the brim with seaweed of all species. I feel like it would be hard to swim underwater. I feel like you would just end up either eating seaweed and be blinded constantly by giant pieces of seaweed sticking to your face. It was cool and all seeing all the aquatic plant life but it doesn’t make for the best swim. Perhaps I visited on a particularly seaweedy day.
My boyfriend said he went to the restroom and found a big pile of feces lying on the middle of the floor. Gross. The lockers though are only 25 cents which is nice.
There is a lot of grassy space though for picnicing and lounging around. Many people take advantage of this and have barbecues. There is a cool lighthouse too. It’s nice having a beach this close to home but this place isn’t the greatest for swimming. It is a nice place however for kids.

Carousel is unbeatable and worth the visit in and of itself, the sea glass hunting is amazing and in off season the beach is so solitary the bliss exudes from all your pores as you imagine how simple life was prior to route I-​95 ramming it’s way through the Northeast! Cleanliness is not great and I’m not sure I’d say it’s up to par with what it should be, especially with such a child-​centered environment. The playground offers plenty for kids with great views for parents in the wing, pavilions abound with some waterside and likely the best in the area but what most of all caught my attention (besides the obvious lighthouse) is the water «park» options for kids at the playground. That truly must be a blast for a hot Summer day.

A nice park located on the southeast side of New Haven. It has a decent beach with life guards but the water isn’t exactly the cleanest to swim in. Being so close to New Haven harbor definitely has a detrimental effect on water quality. The park has a lot of beautiful old trees scattered around to sit under if you get tired of the beach, a playground for kids and a place to buy junk food. It gets pretty crowded in the summer but always seems pretty quiet compared to many other beaches.
The park has a beautiful carousel built in the 1920’s that is in fantastic condition and still operates. Of course Lighthouse Park has a lighthouse. It was built in 1847 and is almost 100 feet tall. It originally had a fourth order Fresnel lens but I’m not sure where the lens is now. There also is another lighthouse that can be seen off shore. Southwest light was built in 1877 but is never open to the public and can only be approached by boat.
The last time I went the parking for non residents was 10 dollars a car but people can walk or bike in for free. Occasionally parking can be found on near by side streets if you don’t mind walking a bit.