Connecticut residents may have seen a lot of storms throughout the month of July, but picture perfect weather over the weekend drew record numbers for this summer to state beaches and parks.
On Sunday, 19 state parks reached capacity, according to the Department of Energy and Environmental Protection. Officials say this is part of a larger trend that started with the pandemic.
From splashing in water to sandy feet, life’s good at the beach.
“We’re kayaking every morning, we’re hanging at the beach. We’re eating lots of ice cream and grilled foods and all the good stuff,” Keetah Salazar-Thompson, of Washington, DC, said.
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Yet when too many wheels were in the sand Sunday, Hammonasset Beach State Park had to pull out a “Lot Full” sign at the parking lots and turn cars way.
“We avoided the beach on Sunday,” Salazar-Thompson said.
There were similar scenes at surrounding Connecticut beaches.
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“It was still pretty packed. We were waiting in line for like an hour, just to get in,” Maryleen Romero Biveros, of Willimantic, said.
DEEP says the state park closures on Sunday was double the number of closures as the Fourth of July.
“Really what we saw was the first truly beautiful weekend of the year,” Mason Trumble, DEEP deputy commissioner, said.
Trumble said the perfect combination of blue skies and sunshine, and sand and sea, drew New Englanders to the shore by the thousands.
“People definitely responded by coming out and enjoying the great outdoors here in Connecticut,” he said.
DEEP said it is not just the summer sun drawing out crowds, but also the lasting impact of more people heading outdoors due to the pandemic. Many who picked up a new sport or hobby during lockdown are likely still enjoying that outdoor activity today.
“Since the pandemic, we've seen a dramatic increase in use at our state parks and forests,” Trumble said. “We saw about 10 million annual visitors before the pandemic and since the pandemic, that number has increased to 17 million.”
Part of the reason DEEP has capacity limits at state parks, which are managed through parking, is to protect the pristine environment that draws visitors in the first place.
However, you don’t always need to drive to get a sun-kissed nose. DEEP is encouraging people to use their new public transportation program Park Connect, which launched in the wake of the pandemic, to access these outdoor spaces.
“The buses do run into our parks even when the park is closed,” Trumble said. “So we do have opportunities to visit the park through public transportation, even on those days when the parks are closed.”
On a quieter Tuesday at Hammonasset Beach State Park, beach lovers are taking summer crowds in waves.
“It’s just very calm,” Romero Biveros said. “Just a good vibe.”
