Stonington Coastal Accesses

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Recently I shared about coastal accesses in Mystic here and Noank/Groton here. In this blog I will feature those in Stonington. Stonington is another town that I frequent and enjoy all the shoreline views from there!

Here are some coastal accesses opened to the public to enjoy in Stonington, CT:

  • Stonington Point - past the Stonington lighthouse, this public parking lot is where many people come and sit to take in the views. During warmer months, people will walk along the rocks. There is a small grassy area with a few benches. DuBois beach is located here, during summer there is a fee to get in the beach.

  • Stonington Commons (Water St at Cannon Square) - this is one of my favorite pathways. If you walk towards the waterfront on the sidewalk from Stonington Commons sign. Turn left towards the white gazebo. The path will start there. Another point to enter/exit is the path across from Trumbull Street. Whenever I dine at Breakwater restaurant nearby for dinner, I walk on this path to see the sunset!

  • Wayland’s Wharf (Church Street) - there is a small parking lot here. A small park with a gazebo. This seems to be really popular spot for dogs! It is not far from the Stonington fishing docks.

  • Stonington Fishermen Dock - a small dock where you often see people fishing, there also is a memorial for lost fishermen. This is the best spot to watch the fishing vessels come back or leave. You can also walk through the dock as long you respect them, their equipments and vessels. There is a public parking lot on site.

  • Northwest St x Cross St (Stonington Small Boat Association) - there is a short path to an overlook area, there are benches where you can sit and enjoy the waterfront views.

  • Dodge Paddock / Beal Preserve - located at end of Wall St. There is a trail taking you through the marshes, meadow and along the coastline. If you enjoy oyster shells hunting, this is the ideal spot depending on the time! It is dog friendly too. There is a small parking lot right at the entrance to the preserve.

  • Barn Island - Located on the border of Pawcatuck/Stonington, there is a 5.1 mile loop trail through the tidal marshlands. Very popular spot for birdwatching and biking. Barn Island is over 1,000 acres so there is plenty to see! There are several parking spots. There is a large paved parking lot near the boat launch.




There are plenty more along Connecticut shoreline! You can look up via Google to see more coastal accesses in specific towns. A reminder to please respect the locals while exploring the coastal access points. I can’t imagine what I’d do without them! It’s a great way to enjoy the CT shoreline.