The highlights from our time in southeast Connecticut include walking to a state park, touring the world’s first nuclear-powered submarine, and admiring amazing creatures.
Connecticut was our second-to-last stop on a much longer trip. Click the appropriate link to read posts about our previous stops in New York, Canada, Vermont, Maine, New Hampshire, Massachusetts, and Rhode Island.
Table of Contents
Where We Stayed
Niantic KOA
This campground offered a couple of cool things that not every campground does. First, look for the handout about the courtesy shuttle. There’s a shuttle that will take you to several beaches and local spots. You just need to give them 30 minutes notice. If you prefer to drive yourself, you can sign out a beach pass to waive the parking fee for three town beaches.
We also got a handout about a coin hunt. Apparently, they hide a number of large, metal coins throughout the campground. They can be traded in at the office for certain things (5-45 coins per item). We didn’t find any, but it seems like a fun thing for the kids to watch for.
On their website, “free weekday breakfast” and “electric vehicle charging” are listed under amenities in addition to the shuttle and parking pass. Those surprised me.
The campground pool is pretty nice. It’s a decent size and has a small spot that’s 12 inches deep before steps to the rest of the pool. Seems like a great spot to relax in the water without being all the way in the water.
The dog park is just ok. It’s small; for larger dogs, it’s really more useful for potty breaks than exercise. For exercise, I’d recommend Rocky Neck State Park, which is right across the street from the campground, so you can walk right over.
| Campground Name | Niantic KOA |
| Location | Niantic, CT |
| Dates | June 11-13, 2025 |
| Site Number | Site 143 |
| Site Surface | gravel parking with concrete patio, level |
| Hook-ups | Full hookups |
| Cost | $119.75 per night (including taxes and fees) |
| Water Pressure | 60-70 psi |
| Voltage | 122 V |
Our site is nice, but getting in was a bit tricky, first because you’re backing up a hill and second, because a rock and the patio furniture make the opening a little narrow. It was nice and level, so we didn’t need our red side-to-side leveling blocks.
The site has a patio, a table and chairs, and a grill (propane and charcoal). It was also very close to the pool and dog park.
What We Did
Rocky Neck State Park
Rocky Neck State Park is right across the street, literally. You can walk there from the campground. It’s worth noting that dogs are only allowed on the trails north of the train tracks.
Some of the views are pretty impressive.
We spotted this bird is a sizable nest, but it was too far away for me to identify it. Anyone have any ideas?
We walked about three miles in the park, but there are plenty of trails to choose from. It felt easy to get turned around or choose the wrong path, so we used AllTrails to make sure we were on the right route.
Beardsley Zoo
Connecticut’s Beardsley Zoo is the only AZA-accredited zoo in the state. It’s not a big zoo, but they had some interesting species.
If you’ve never seen a maned wolf standing up, I recommend you do a Google image search. I’ll take any sighting I can get, but our photos from this zoo do not do them justice.
Black-tailed prairie dogs are so cute! Their exhibit had a kids’ tunnel that popped up in the middle of the exhibit.
Here is an otter sleeping in a log.
And here is an otter playing with a rock. Watch closely and you’ll see him pushing it around underwater.
I’ve seen amur leopards like this one in several zoos,
but I think this is the first melanistic one I’ve ever seen.
Wildlife nerd alert! I’m going to geek out about spider monkey hands/feet. You’ve been warned.
When we got to the spider monkey exhibit, one was asleep on a platform near the viewing window. He (she?) was so close you can see the fingernails in this photo! I got a really good look at the hands and feet and was able to see the 4-fingered hand. (Their feet have 5 toes.)
When he woke up, it was even more apparent just how long their hands/feet are.
Eventually, they started moving around. The way they move around on those ropes with ease is so impressive. I really enjoyed watching this one use his (her?) prehensile tail as another arm/hand.
Fort Trumbull State Park and Museum
Fort Trumbull State Park is about a 20-minute drive from the Niantic KOA. It’s a popular spot for walking, and we saw several people out and about. There is very little shade around the fort, so this might be best as a fall or spring adventure. If you’re planning to visit with your furry friends, be aware that dogs aren’t allowed inside the fort.
After wandering around for a bit, Aiken, Corona, and I sat in the shade while Jesse went inside the museum. It’s good for Aiken to practice doing nothing. He hasn’t mastered the concept yet, but he’s getting better.
USS Nautilus and Submarine Force Museum
The USS Nautilus was the first nuclear-powered submarine. It is docked in Groton, Connecticut, with the Submarine Force Museum. If you’ve never toured a submarine, I recommend giving it a try. We’ve been to several, and I never expect to enjoy it, but I always do. Seeing the tight quarters and the equipment is fascinating. The steps are very steep, and the doorways are sometimes tricky to navigate, so it might not be the best idea for anyone with mobility issues or families traveling with really young kids. (I would not want to try those stairs while carrying a two-year-old.)
The museum portion is also interesting. I particularly enjoyed the model of the submarine. There are buttons that, when pressed, light up various rooms in the submarine.
They show a 45-minute movie in their theater that details the history of submarines. (It’s actually a lot more interesting than it sounds!)
The outside of the museum provides a really clever visual! There are two large black rings that show the diameter of the first submarine compared to the diameter of the USS Nautilus.
Where We Ate
Groton Townhouse Restaurant
This was an interesting place. It’s about 17 minutes from the campground. Inside, it felt a little like a Golden Corral.
I ordered the grilled chicken sandwich. Jesse got a burger. Overall, the food was ok, but not great. However, the prices were very reasonable. Our bill was $27.43 before tax and tip.
I’m not sure we’d come again, but if we do, I’l going to try the pancakes.
Blue Heron Creamery
At one point, we were craving milkshakes. We found a place called Blue Heron Creamery via Google Maps and decided to give it a try. We were surprised to find the ice cream shop was at the same place as the Noble gas station/convenience store.
There’s a walk-up window, so you don’t have to go into the convenience store (actually, I don’t think you can go in the convenience store to access the creamery), but you do park in the gas station parking lot.
I got a chocolate shake, and Jesse got a vanilla one, which led to another surprise: the price. Each milkshake was $10. While they weren’t bad milkshakes, I’d consider them average, definitely not a $10 milkshake.
More Photos
Happy travels!
