Great Salt Marshes at Long Beach in Connecticut

Trip Overview

We went out to Big Meadows in Stratford, CT on a Saturday, it was damp and overcast most of the day and the wind was up a bit, enough for Kite Surfers who were on the Ocean side of the beach.

Big Meadows is a marshy inlet of the long Island Sound right between Stratford and Bridgeport CT. about a mile from the old pleasure beach which is now a burnt out hollow shell of what was once a beautiful vacation spot with homes and amusement park rides in the 1950's.

You can see video on you tube if you search Pleasure Beach, Bridgeport, CT. A lot of the homes and structures are now gone due to kids lighting them on fire.

The part we were in is really calm; like a lake with lots of marshy areas with little "trails" or cut offs going through the tall grass. Lots of birds: Plovers, Egrets, Great Blue Heron and Gulls, Sand crabs galore on the banks and not very many flies or bugs. Be sure to go during high tide so more of the area is accessible for paddling.
The area is right off of Stratford's "Long Beach".

Accommodations:

I didn't see any port-o-potties there, but during the summer, they used to have a couple.

Fees:

from Memorial Day to Labor Day there is a $10.00 parking fee but we were there on Aug 31st and the gate was open with none taking parking fees.

Directions:

From the East:

Take I-95 South to exit 30. Follow the signs to Sikorsky Memorial Airport. Drive through the Great Meadows salt marsh, passing the airport on the left. At the next stop sign, turn right onto Oak Bluff Avenue. At the foot of Oak Bluff Avenue, enter the beach access and parking area.

From the West:
Take I-95 North to exit 30. Take the ramp to Sikorsky Memorial Airport. Turn slight right onto Lordship Boulevard, follow for 0.9 miles. Turn right to stay on Lordship Boulevard, continue on Lordship Boulevard for 1.2 miles. Turn right onto Oak Bluff Avenue. At the foot of Oak Bluff Avenue, enter the beach access and parking area.

If you go, park as close to the end of the lot as you can, to get to the put in site, go over the boulders blocking the parking lot / road to pleasure beach, go up maybe 20 feet, go right and straight down to the water!