Hole-in-the-Wall Beach
About
Hole-in-the-Wall is East Lyme’s town beach in Niantic, a short curve of pale sand on Niantic Bay a couple of minutes’ walk from the shops and restaurants of Main Street. The name is literal: the only way onto the sand is a short pedestrian tunnel cut through the embankment that carries the railroad along the water.
A jetty keeps the swimming area calm, which makes it a favourite with families, and lifeguards cover the designated swim area in season. It is also the western end of the Niantic Bay Boardwalk, so the beach doubles as the start of one of the best easy walks on the Connecticut shoreline. Google reviewers give it 4.6 out of 5 across more than a thousand reviews.
Parking and passes
The beach lot is on Baptist Lane, off Main Street (Route 156). From Memorial Day to Labor Day a beach pass is required, sold at the beach by the day, with higher rates for non-residents and at weekends. Outside the summer season, parking is free, and the lot also serves the boardwalk year-round.
On hot summer weekends the lot fills early; Cini Memorial Park, at the boardwalk’s eastern end, is the other place to park and walk in.
On the beach
The beach is open from 8 a.m. to 8:30 p.m. There are restrooms, an outdoor shower tower and a bicycle repair stand, and beach wheelchairs (Mobi-Chairs) are available on request.
The town keeps a tidy list of rules: no alcohol or tobacco, no ball games or frisbees in the swim area, and only Coast Guard–approved flotation devices. Masks and fins are fine, snorkels are not. And don’t feed the gulls — they need no encouragement.
The Niantic Bay Boardwalk
From the beach the boardwalk runs about a mile east along the water to Cini Memorial Park, with benches, a fishing pier and open views across Niantic Bay to Long Island Sound. It is free, open around the clock, flat and fully accessible — good for a sunset walk even when the beach is closed.
The boardwalk has its own rules: no bikes, skateboards or scooters, and no dogs at any time of year (service animals excepted).
The quick take
Drawn from this listing's ratings, amenities, hours and how it stacks up against other parks in East Lyme.
What works
Consistently well reviewed
4.6 stars held across 1,021 reviews is not a fluke — people keep going back.
A genuine local landmark
1,021 reviews is the kind of number a place only reaches when the whole city knows it.
Open every day
The same hours all week (7:00 AM – 8:00 PM), so there is no schedule to memorise.
Works with kids
Flagged as family-friendly, which usually means room to run and somewhere for the adults to sit.
Restrooms on site
The difference between an hour here and a whole afternoon, especially with a group.
Worth knowing first
Popular enough to be busy
1,021 reviews cuts both ways. Weekend afternoons draw a crowd, so go early or go midweek if you want it quiet.
The only one of its kind here
We list no other parks in East Lyme, so there is no fallback close by if it disappoints.
Planning a visit
General guidance for parks, adjusted for what this listing records.
What to expect
Open lawns, paths and benches — the kind of place that works for a twenty-minute break or a whole afternoon, depending on what you bring with you.
A good fit for walkers, picnickers and anyone after a green pause from the surrounding blocks.
When to go
Mornings are the quietest stretch; the lawns fill up in the hours before sunset. The gates are open 7:00 AM – 8:00 PM.
What to bring
- Water
- A blanket or folding chair
- Sunscreen on clear days
Hours
- Monday: 7:00 AM – 8:00 PM
- Tuesday: 7:00 AM – 8:00 PM
- Wednesday: 7:00 AM – 8:00 PM
- Thursday: 7:00 AM – 8:00 PM
- Friday: 7:00 AM – 8:00 PM
- Saturday: 7:00 AM – 8:00 PM
- Sunday: 7:00 AM – 8:00 PM
Amenities
Featured in
Common questions about Hole-in-the-Wall Beach
Are dogs allowed at Hole-in-the-Wall Beach?
Not in summer. Dogs are banned from the beach from Memorial Day through Labor Day, and allowed under control the rest of the year. They are never allowed on the Niantic Bay Boardwalk, except service animals.
Do you have to pay to park at Hole-in-the-Wall Beach?
From Memorial Day to Labor Day a beach pass is required, sold at the beach by the day; residents pay less than non-residents. Parking is free the rest of the year.
Why is it called Hole-in-the-Wall?
You reach the sand through a short tunnel under the railroad embankment that runs along the shore, so you literally walk through a hole in the wall.
Are there lifeguards at Hole-in-the-Wall Beach?
Yes, in season, covering the designated swim area only. When they are off duty you swim at your own risk.
What is Hole In The Wall Beach?
Hole In The Wall Beach is a park in East Lyme, CT, at 4 Baptist Ln.
What are the opening hours at Hole In The Wall Beach?
Hole In The Wall Beach is open 7:00 AM – 8:00 PM every day of the week.
Are there restrooms at Hole In The Wall Beach?
Yes, restrooms are available at Hole In The Wall Beach.
Is there parking at Hole In The Wall Beach?
Parking options here include a free lot, a paid lot, free street parking and metered street parking.
Is Hole In The Wall Beach good for kids?
Yes — Hole In The Wall Beach is flagged as family-friendly.
How is Hole In The Wall Beach rated?
Hole In The Wall Beach holds 4.6 out of 5 stars from 1,021 Google reviews.
Written and reviewed by the AllParx team. Last reviewed . Ratings and hours come from Google.
Sources consulted: Town of East Lyme — Hole-in-the-Wall Beach, Connecticut Trail Finder — Niantic Bay Boardwalk.