It’s hard to do Labor Day without spending some time outside. Hammonasset Beach State Park remains a hot spot for beachgoers looking to catch some rays.
“Just trying to spend some time with family, it’s one of the last beach days, last nice beach days so trying to get it in, you know,” Jeremy Perry from Moosup said.
He was taking in some late summer sun on a spectacular Labor Day.
“This is my first time being here since being back in Connecticut,” he said.
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Since moving home about two years ago, he said he has been impressed by the beaches and the park. Plenty of people were out with him, including some we met who are fortunate enough to live close by.
“It’s actually not that busy today,” Debra Longyear, who lives in Madison, said.
She and her husband Jim come down to the beach daily for a walk, and Jim takes some time to relax close to the water. They said they were expecting a larger crowd Monday.
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“It’s not as busy as it normally is on a weekend, any time of the summer,” Jim said.
The parking lots still had some space in the early afternoon, but those already in were in full holiday form.
“People that are here are having a good time, you can smell the food,” Jim said.
The smell of that food was likely coming from the Nguyen family, who were grilling nearby.
“We had to come here early to get a space, the pavilion,” Vanessa Nguyen said.
They showed up early at the state park to ensure they could land an undercover spot. Not that they would need protection from rain with the gorgeous weather, but it provided relief from the sun as they rolled food off the grill.
Surf and turf was on the menu and, of course, classic burgers and hot dogs. Nguyen's cousin said he planned to down burgers, all before hitting the water.
“Probably later this afternoon, we are going to go, especially now that the sun is up and its getting warmer,” she said.
The family could take Perry’s spot beachside. He was on his way out when we caught up with him. He said he had plans for the evening before a return to normal on Tuesday.
“Going to go cook some fish I caught this morning and enjoy my day off until it's back to work,” Perry said.
Just off the beach, a steady flow of campers were being towed out of their campsite Monday. People packing up and hitting the road for home ahead of major holiday travel.
Some though were sticking around beyond the holiday.
“This is what we call our happy place at the end of the season,” Roger Bell of Burlington, Massachusetts, said.
He and his wife have called Hammonasset home around Labor Day for the past 11 years.
“We have always lucked out this particular time of year, we have always had a good weather,” he said.
They lucked out again Monday. As people packed up for home, they got to relax.
“We stay a little longer than everyone, so we go to the beach and there is nobody there,” Bell said.
For those heading out like the Henri family, there was time for a few extra laps around the campsite on bikes and scooters while parents packed.
The kids shared memories of adventures sailing with their great-grandpa, time spent on the beach and chasing some buried treasure.
“We went to the beach, and metal detected, we found a lot of coins,” Brian Henri said.
Campers said whether the weekend was action packed or on the relaxing side, many were already booking their spots for next year.
“This place is in high demand, it's hard to get in sometimes,” Bell said.
He said he’ll be back in June. Back to enjoying life along Long Island Sound.
“This is just completely warm and wonderful to hang out, and we keep meeting more friends while were here, everyone is friendly,” Bell said.
