The recent cool and weather aside, it’s officially summer! Time to get out and enjoy our state’s wonderful parks and beaches and take advantage of TOR.
You know what TOD is, right? Transit Oriented Development … building homes and offices near mass transit facilities. Well, I’m going to suggest you think about TOR… Transit Oriented Recreation.
Did you know you can travel to many state parks and beaches by train and a connecting bus shuttle? Details on this year’s program are still to come, but CDOT and DEEP have partnered since 2021 to offer ParkConneCT from Memorial Day through Labor Day.
In years past, beach and park shuttles meeting in-coming trains have been free on weekends and holidays, taking you to places like Sleeping Giant State Park in Hamden or Hammonasset Beach State Park in Madison.
While many state parks close their gates on weekends when their parking lots are full of cars, the shuttle buses can still deliver you to Mother Nature without the hassles.
The state’s modest marketing efforts to attract tourists seem to be working as the number of visitors was up 2% last year. Officials say tourism brings Connecticut $18.5 billion each year … more than what’s seen in Maine, which bills itself as “Vacationland”.
And it’s clearly our beaches that are a main draw. Who needs to endure I-95 when you can take the train to visit …
Sherwood Island State Park in Westport: Just take Metro-North to Westport Station and grab the Sherwood Island Shuttle from the station to the park to enjoy swimming, picnicking and great views of LI Sound.
Silver Sands State Park in Milford: Metro-North gets you to Milford Station where a walk or bike ride to the beach presents newly refurbished boardwalks, pristine beaches and bird-watching spots.
Bluff Point State Park in Groton: Take Shore Line East or Amtrak to New London Station, then grab the SEAT (Southeast Area Transit) Rte. 11 bus to the beach where you can enjoy walks along the coast, biking and fishing.
Beyond TOR, how about TOE … Transit Oriented Entertainment?
You wouldn’t think of driving to NYC to see a Knicks or Rangers game. You’d take the train, right? Well, you can take Metro-North directly to Yankee Stadium too. Or to Bridgeport to see Ringo Starr at the Hartford HealthCare Amphitheater … also walking distance from Amtrak and the Port Jeff Ferry.
Going to see a play at The Shubert in New Haven or Andrea Bocelli at the XL Center in Hartford? Ditch the car and try mass transit.
And if you’re a railfan, visit the Essex Steam Train & Riverboat by training to Old Saybrook and hopping into a cab for the quick ride back into history.
If you’re city-bound, check out Metro-North’s “MTA Away” packages—train and event tickets, often at a discount—for venues both in NYC and the ‘burbs. You can go star gazing or catch an outdoor concert in Forest Hills without a car.
Whatever your destination for summer fun, think twice before enduring the traffic and maybe consider taking mass transit.
Editor’s Notes: i) Jim Cameron is the founder of the Commuter Action Group and advocates for Connecticut rail riders. He writes a weekly column called ‘Talking Transportation,’ which is published by a number of publications in the state.
ii) ”Talking Transportation” recently won first place in the general column/commentary category in the Connecticut Society of Professional Journalists Excellence in Journalism Contest.