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Frankly, we never thought of Milford as much more than a small city and a stop along I-95. We certainly didn't think of it as a beach mecca.
But with a free day, we wanted to go beyond the usual Connecticut beach destinations—Hammonasset and Rocky Neck state parks. A colleague remembered going to the beach in Milford as a child.
We looked at the map and had our doubts. Halfway between New Haven and Bridgeport, Milford seems an unlikely spot for an attractive beach.
But from the moment we arrived at Silver Sands State Park, we were in for surprises. First of all, it was free. Yes, FREE. In a state where public beaches are scant and usually charge significant parking fees ($10 for a weekend day at Hammonasset and Rocky Neck), we almost couldn't believe we weren't greeted by a parking attendant at Silver Sands.
Instead, we found a lovely, long boardwalk crossing a reedy marsh teeming with birds. As we walked along the boardwalk, an impressively broad and long swath of beach opened before us. Work-a-day concerns fell away, as did our doubts about Milford. We expected the beach might have skyscrapers hovering nearby, but any signs of cities were too far off in the distance to notice. The beach was all sand, sky and Sound, with a bonus point of interest just offshore: Charles Island.
We had heard a bit about Charles Island—that at low tide, beachgoers can walk to it along what most call a sandbar but is actually a "tombolo": a spit that connects an island to shore. We had also read a bit about its history: that when the English settled Milford in 1639, it was called Milford Island but became known as Charles Island after Charles Deal bought it in 1657 and tried unsuccessfully to grow tobacco on it.
There is also speculation that Capt. William Kidd may have buried treasure on the island and cursed anyone who tried to dig it up. A Catholic religious retreat was opened on the island in the 1930s but closed. Its ruins remain.
All of this made the thought of exploring the island intriguing, but alas, it's closed to hikers this time of year because of nesting season for the herons and egrets. It will reopen in September.
(Should we return to hike the island, we also learned it is very important to pay attention to the tide schedule and set out an hour or two before dead-low tide. We were advised to start back from the island no later than dead-low tide and to bring a cellphone in case we somehow got stuck out there—as apparently happens a few times every year.)
With the day fairly chilly, we opted not to dive into the Sound but instead sat on the beach, absorbed the saltwater scene and watched some windsurfers.
Then, with hunger gnawing, we made our way into the center of Milford, where once again we were pleasantly surprised.
The town has a picturesque green and lots of shops and restaurants. We were directed down a hill to the harbor area, where Cancun Charlie's and a sign that says Panini Grill beckoned, along with an adorable ice-cream shop called Scooby Doo featuring original flavors such as Quicksand, which is vanilla ice cream with caramel swirl and Butterfinger pieces.
As we got back on I-95 east, we realized we would think differently about Milford when we passed it on the highway. And we'll come back again—hopefully for a tour of Charles Island.
For more information about Silver Sands State Park, Google the name of the park, or go to www.ct.gov/dep and then go to "outdoor recreation" and then "state parks and forests."
For a complete guide to past "daycations" around the region, visit www.courant.com/daycation.
To see video of a 'daycation' at Silver Sands State Park in Milford, visit www.courant.com/silversands
