Madison Connecticut and the Hammonasset Beach State Park

Area Summary

Madison, CT is right off Interstate 95 and has all kinds of cute shops. Some small and others large  like Stop and Shop and Starbucks. It has all of your ‘normal’ needs with a fun New England vibe.

Campground(s) We Stayed

We stayed at Riverdale Farm Campsite in Clinton, CT. (full review) It’s a short 5-minute drive from the town of Madison and Hammonasset Beach State Park.

While we only stayed at the Riverdale Farm Campsite for two weeks in mid-April, we checked out a few fun stops along the way.

Things To Do

Hammonasset Beach State Park is located off exit 62 of interstate 95. It is Connecticut’s largest shoreline park with over 2 miles of beach.

Park activities and facilities include:

• Salt Water Swimming and Fishing
• Walking Trails
• Picnic Tables and Shelters (check the website or call for picnic shelter rentals)
• Camping (check the website or call as date restrictions apply)
• Bicycle Riding
• Carry-in Boating
• Nature Center Programs and Exhibits
• Boardwalk
• Car Top Boat Launch
• Concessions
• Bathrooms and Showers

Note – Fees apply for parking and camping. Call to check on season rates and click on the website above.

The Clinton Outlet Stores – in the shopping mood? The Clinton Outlets is a 10 minute drive from Madison and has tons of designer stores at wholesale prices. It’s a go to place to get your shopping done on a budget.

Places We Ate

Donahue’s … we came here a few times once for lunch with my Mom and her friend and the second time for dinner and live music. The restaurant was split into two areas one for the bar and live music and the second for a sit down dining experience.

For lunch we sat in the dining area and we both had their house burger. You can make it the way you like it, with a variety of cheeses and toppings to pick from. Excellent burgers cooked just the way we wanted; hit the spot!

For dinner we went back another day! We had steak and potatoes and the fried catfish special again both good and cooked very well. The bar was packed for the live music and the overall experience was fun and I would definitely recommend checking it out.

Clam Castle … is owned by same family as Donahue’s and located right next door. Speak to Chris or Patrick they will give you the rundown.

Moxie … we came here for dinner on a whim. We decided to grab a drink and an early dinner. To our surprise everyone in Madison likes to go out early! It was 6pm on a Friday and we tried to eat at Bar Bouchee but it was completely booked. The next street over we found Moxie a ‘New American Restaurant’. The atmosphere was fun with signs on the walls and a unique drink and beer selection. If you like beer try the Mother Plunker or if you are in the mood for a spicy cocktail try the Chupacabra but be careful because it is really spicy! We ate the Sun Raise Burger and the Thai Port BBQ. Both were delicious and if we are ever in Madison again we will be going back to Moxie.

Overall Opinion

Madison, CT is a quaint New England town that we enjoy to visit in April  before it gets really packed up with tourists. It’s more of a late spring and summer town as thats when the beach really heats up. The restaurants are fun and the food is great, but try and go out a little later as we found places are not as packed late and you might hit a few drink specials.

Would we Recommend?

We would absolutely recommend stopping in Madison, CT and at Hammonasset Beach State Park for some great food and some fun in the sun!