Lighthouse Point Park Carousel

Sabrina from the New Haven Municipality was our point of contact for wedding at the Lighthouse Point Carousel and she was absolutely incredible. She was so knowledgeable and supportive of the ideas we had for how we wanted to set up our ceremony and indoor seating area. Everything on our day went incredibly smoothly because of her. The venue itself was beautiful and at night looked and felt like a dream. The star of the show is definitely the carousel. At night it's stunning, and everybody was so happy to hear we were able to ride it throughout the evening. I 100% recommend doing any wedding, birthday, graduation ceremony, etc here. With Sabrina, you are in great hands. Thank you, Sabrina!

It was a blustery October morning. There was a walkathon benefiting BenHaven by JBSports. We walked the route, ate some pizza, met some people and rode the carousel. A fantastic morning all in all

Just attended a wedding here and it was beautiful. Lots of room and a picture perfect view. There is no air conditioner or fan and it was a very warm night with no breeze so it was dreadfully hot but everything else was amazing.

Went for the Christmas light display. It was ok for small children. The ride took about 15 minutes and they had holiday music and advertising playing on a radio station for you to listen to. It would be nice to have somewhere to stop and take pictures with the family.

Attended a wedding here. Staff were helpful, vendors knew where everything went, rates were great AND there was an operating carousel for wedding guests following a beachfront ceremony. The only drawback was that there were a lot of people coming into the venue to look and ask questions which distracted a bit from the wedding. Otherwise I highly recommend the carousel, lighthouse, and park as a great event venue.

The carousel is great!! It's a nice standard carousel in the building within the park. And it's only $.50 per person per ride. I think it has a ride every 20 minutes or so. It was fun, even for adults. The room was quite hot and muggy though, but wasn't as bad when it was going around in the circle. Definitely recommend this, especially for . $.50.

Great park. Working Carousel. Beautiful sunset

I wish I could put zero stars but there’s no such option, unfortunately. I made an appointment to view the venue. Sabrina came to speak with us about the venue. She was extremely rude and disrespectful. There was another couple there who had already booked and were only viewing the place because they were in town. They had no appointment. Sabrina spent half an hour talking to them and gave us not even 5 minutes from our appointment that we had booked. Sabrina was very unwelcoming. We are trying to find our venue, it’s a very special day for us. Her vibe and attitude were just off putting. We asked her simple questions. One was whether we can change the lights and her response “nope you get what you see, don’t know what you are expecting but it is what it is”. We then asked her if the carousel was working or would be working on the day of the wedding. She was like “let’s hope so, if there’s a hurricane we will take you to city hall what’s your issue?” Are you kidding me? So rude and unprofessional. We went there to actually book the place but with how rude she was,  absolutely not. We will be looking elsewhere for sure. She sounded extremely racist as well because we spoke also a different language. Please stay away from this place and save yourself from this bad energy and rudeness.

Lighthouse Point Park is a public park and beach that opened in New Haven, Connecticut in 1925. It is located in the Morris Cove section of New Haven. The most notable feature is Five Mile Point Light: a historic lighthouse that was built in 1847. It was deactivated in 1877 when the offshore Southwest Ledge Light replaced it for navigation. In 1904, the Lighthouse Point Improvement Company acquired the old lighthouse and the surrounding 75 acres. They developed the area into an elaborate amusement park with a midway, a boardwalk, bath houses, and picnic groves. A beautiful carousel built by the Murphy Brothers Carousel Company in 1905 was purchased and erected at the park in 1916. It features 69 horses, a camel and two chariots. The City of New Haven purchased the park in 1924 and it opened to the public the following year. The New England Hurricane of 1938 caused a lot of damage to the park and all of the amusement buildings were demolished by the 1950s. The lighthouse and carousel both still remain and both have been restored. In recent years, the city has added a new playground and splash pad. I have visited Lighthouse Point Park more times than I can count. My parents took me numerous times when I was growing up. I loved riding on the carousel; in fact, it was the first carousel that I ever rode on. My wife and I heard that the city added a new playground and splash pad in recent years, so we decided to take our two boys. They loved exploring the grounds. First they cooled off in the splash pad. Afterwards they dried off and went and played on the new pirate-themed playscape. My older son especially enjoyed pretending that he was a buccaneer firing a cannon at an enemy ship. We tried to take a ride or two on the beautiful carousel, but alas it was closed because we visited on a weekday. It's open from Memorial Day through Labor Day but only on Saturdays, Sundays, and Holidays. Best of all, rides only cost 50¢! We all had a fun time at Lighthouse Point Park and will definitely make a point to return when the carousel is operating.

$30 parking fee for out of state cars, $25 for in-state. Have never seen such high price for a public park parking. We arrived an hour before park's closing time of 8pm, were instructed to leave by 7:45pm. The park itself has some beautiful sight. The lighthouse stands tall in the corner. There's some beach area next to it. The park has a shed and some BBQ grills. We saw lots of people doing family picnic there. Walking along the ocean water is soothing, but the parking fee still hurts :P

Today was finally beach weather. After weeks of cloudy, rainy weather people were smiling ear to ear. The sun was shining brightly , the gentle breeze was refreshing, the spectacular sky and the ocean were exquisite beautiful shades of blue. For almost 73 years light beams from the lighthouse at Lighthouse Point welcomed ships.

This is a beautiful location to watch the sun set. It costs $30 for out of state cars to get in, unless you are a veteran -- it is free for veterans! I don't think I would have paid $30 to just watch the sun set, but if I was spending more time there I might, but probably not. There was a wedding reception taking place while we were there.

This is a beautiful, quiet park in CT. Lots of sailboats and a beautiful view of a lighthouse. Play area for kids and a bit of a paved trail for walking near the water.

Such a staple thing to do when visiting the New Haven area. The beach is small but it's a nice walk around the park and we happened to get a look at this horseshoe crab. The lighthouse outlet part is cool to walk out on and take a nice scenic pitcher

Very tranquil park. The smell of ocean water and calming sound of the waves is so peaceful. This was my first time visiting and I was fortunate to catch a few photos after sunset. I plan to visit in the day to truly take in the scenery and amenities. Using the coin operated binoculars to see the city sky scape was dreamlike. This is a must visit if you are in the New Haven area.

My friends and I went to Lighthouse Point Park in New Haven to celebrate Memorial Day. We were the first car in line at 6AM to get there right when the park opened. Residents of New Haven get discounted parking. There is plenty of picnic space as well as outdoor grills available for use. It honestly wasn't as crowded as we anticipated for a holiday. We walked along the beach, had a cookout (we had hotdogs, macaroni salad, chicken burgers, fruit, and other snacks), and even took a ride on the carousel. It is fifty cents a ride. It was a great way to enjoy the warm weather, there's even a waterpark area and a playground perfect for families with children. I had a fantastic Memorial Day with great company here.

This was my first time ever visiting New Haven and I was curious about what the beaches of New England looked like in comparison to the ones in Florida. I thought the park was nice and lends itself to getting some really beautiful nature photographs. There was a large group of people doing some bird watching and it seems the park is well known for that. There are lots of picnic tables scattered throughout the area as well as BBQ pits. Restrooms were closed during our visit but they do have a couple of port-o-potties around. For me personally this is one of those parks where you go to once and there's no real reason to come back again as we were pretty much done seeing everything that the park offered in less than 2 hours but keep in mind we came in October and it was chilly. We did not have to pay for parking.

This place was awesome. We came on a Thursday morning when the weather wasn't too hot and we're able to get in for free. We walked the whole park and took advantage of the open bathrooms while taking lots of pictures. Definitely would come again!

Absolutely loved my visit here. I never knew about this park until recently when I was browsing on social media. The park is maintained well and it was not heavily crowded when we were there. The walk down the water front was so peaceful and definitely one of the most serene places I've been too. This is my new favorite get away location.

This place was great. I came here on a weekend, when there were lots of bbqs, a wedding and lots of visitors. I liked this park because there were trails on the water and the lighthouse. The $20 parking fee was a little outrageous, and definitely wasn't worth it, however. I would come back, and park nearby again.

Beautiful park with ample parking and lots of benches and tables for your friends and family to gather around and enjoy a sunny day either at the grass or on the beach. There was a parking fee when I came here during the summer. There are accessible bathrooms here as well.

We had a great time today at lighthouse point park. My company picnic was at the far end by the lighthouse. We had a food truck and an ice cream truck as well. What a great time we had today.

Not that great but good for evening walk along the shore... First, you have to pay for your car.The water is great and refreshing, Beach is clean. The water is filled to the brim with seaweed of all species, so not sure it is good for the swim or not. Park also has a cool splash park where kids can run under a flower or a cobra that squirts cold water. Small but a decent beach.

Just beautiful. Easy enough to drive to, parking is ample, and no amount of pictures will do the view justice.

Parking costs $30 for out of state people. What a nice way to rip off people!!! Surrounding places have no free parking as they require parking permit. And in business terms, this is a great opportunity to rip off people since there is high demand of parking and low supply. Anyways, I was able to find free parking somewhere far and I had to walk to this park for some time This park seems ok. It has a nice walk; a nice place for BBQ; a playground for children; a light house; and others

I'm from out of state, so I paid $30 for my vehicle. I believe it's free in-state. It's run by the city of New Haven, but not well. Bathroom looked & smelled clean, but not updated for decades. Picnic sites had random trash, even early morning, but beach had been cleaned. Beach are was small, don't expect to go on any long walks or hikes. In short, if you're from out of state, save your money & stay away. There's LOTS of better, less expensive options around New Haven

No swings here anymore?!?!?! This park has it all, small boardwalks, small picnic area, small rock climb, small lighthouse, small kids park, small water park, all scattered around along the shoreline, 10 fishermen can hang out here at the same time all claiming their own rocks to sit/stand upon, while we claimed our own picnic table, fun little walk!

As a tourist you can skip this one. If you're a local looking for a picnic spot maybe do some grilling - great. The lighthouse itself needs a paint job and park around it looks a little neglected. When we were there the ocean smelled like a fishing village was nearby only I didn't see any fishing boats.

Lighthouse Point Park is a great place to unwind. The lighthouse is a great attraction, and, so it the carousal. Nice beach areas to relax, many enjoy fishing, or, just hang around. Overall, a nice place to visit.

This was a lovely area that we just happened to stumble upon accidentally. The boardwalk and beach area were nice, clean, and smattered with people enjoying the last of the warm days before winter. The lighthouse itself was lovely; old, weathered, and as noble as they come. Off to the side of the beach there are some really lovely walking trails through the tall brush and reeds and it was amazing. Plenty of good exercise, lovely flowers, quiet and calm, and we will definitely be back!

Beautiful park. Kinda sucks that we just wanted to go for sunset and had to pay $25. The pics were beautiful though.

My little girls and I had such a great time here!! A beach, with not one but two lighthouses (one in the far distance to the left of the water), a carousel for .25 a ride (open only on the weekends), picnic areas, a snack shop, a splash pad and a playground close to the city. Very neat. There were lifeguards on duty and we felt very safe. Water was fairly shallow for awhile right off shore. The sand is a little rocky, but good shell hunting by the water and lighthouse! No drinks were allowed in the splash pad area. They were very strict with this rule. Different types of water hoses which was great for my little one who doesn't like the water stream very hard. Some kids were playing rough the day we were there, keep and eye on your kids and you're fine. I thought it was so neat to see the girls sliding down the slide with a lighthouse in the background. How cool?! Bring a blanket and picnic! They sell some food in the snack shop but it closes before the park does. Gripes would be that the snack shop closed and lifeguard left before the park closed. They did make everyone get out of the water before they left and were very firm on this however, I don't understand why they couldn't schedule someone for another hour or so until the park closed for the night. It wasn't a huge deal for us personally juts a note. We dried off and watched a fantastic sunset which was definitely worth staying for!! The other gripe would be a lot of the lower shower heads for cleaning off your feet weren't working. I'm not going to complain about the price to get in like others did ($30 for out of state) because the guy at the booth must have liked me and only charged me $10. Plus, it's to help pay for the employees etc and $30 to entertain your kids for an entire day is a bargain these days. If you're looking for crystal clear water and white sparkling beaches, no this isn't the place. If your looking for a super fun day with your kids, take a visit! We had an absolute ball. I would come back again!

I came here in late March, so the weather was still chilly, dreary, and windy. I think this park is probably a much more cheerful and fun place in the summer. There is a large green area that would be perfect for fun summer activities, a building with a carousel in it that looks like it would make for a great event/reception location, along with a small beach (that had collected a lot of trash and shells). The water looks decently clean, but this is likely not a swimmable beach since it appears fairly rocky an the water is likely cold for most of the year. You get some nice views of New Haven, along with some tranquil bay/water views as well. I feel like I visited at an inopportune time, and am looking forward to coming back in the summer!

Don't bother if you're from out of state. And the security referred us to nearby fort hale park which was atrocious! Awful experience... I'm sure it's nice if you can get in... poor understanding of COVID.

Pros: carousel, splash pad, good sand Cons: bathrooms, snack stand Beware if you have kids no flotation devices allowed. Includes kids swimmys

A nice park located on the southeast side of New Haven. It has a decent beach with life guards but the water isn't exactly the cleanest to swim in. Being so close to New Haven harbor definitely has a detrimental effect on water quality. The park has a lot of beautiful old trees scattered around to sit under if you get tired of the beach, a playground for kids and a place to buy junk food. It gets pretty crowded in the summer but always seems pretty quiet compared to many other beaches. The park has a beautiful carousel built in the 1920's that is in fantastic condition and still operates. Of course Lighthouse Park has a lighthouse. It was built in 1847 and is almost 100 feet tall. It originally had a fourth order Fresnel lens but I'm not sure where the lens is now. There also is another lighthouse that can be seen off shore. Southwest light was built in 1877 but is never open to the public and can only be approached by boat. The last time I went the parking for non residents was 10 dollars a car but people can walk or bike in for free. Occasionally parking can be found on near by side streets if you don't mind walking a bit.

I came here for a wedding sometime ago, and thought it was a pretty scenic location for the event. Fortunately, I didn't have to pay for parking. The park was really quiet that day. The ceremony was at the base of the lighthouse, which made for a nice background. There was some grass area at the base, and the beach was just to the right of the ceremony. Over to the left was the carousel and hall. The carousel was a nice touch and the pretty hall inside lends itself for a solid wedding reception. The only thing is that if you're trying to look for your car at dusk, bring your flashlight. It's really dark in some of the parking areas.

Perfect place for family's or even a jog on the sand. Beautiful sight anyway you turn.

I love the outdoors, and I love outdoor spaces near the water, so it's no surprise that Lighthouse Point Park is one of my new favorite places. On a recent weekend I wanted to find some new places to enjoy the coastline without venturing too far from New Haven. I had heard someone mention Lighthouse Point Park in a conversation, so I set out to discover the place for myself. Driving from Downtown New Haven, you may wind along the water as you approach the park. It gives you a new appreciation for the wide harbor that attracted the first settlers to the New Haven area. You'll finally reach Lighthouse Point Park, and even though you can look across and see the downtown New Haven skyline, it feels like you're a world away. A carousel, picnic shelter, and wide expanse of beach give a summertime feeling, even when the weather is freezing. It was probably in the teens on the day that I visited, but with the sun shining bright, I could imagine myself returning once the weather was nicer and really enjoying a day there. Despite the cold weather, I wasn't the only person out on that day. An amateur photographer was capturing the moment, and several people were walking their dogs in the snow. No matter the season, Lighthouse Point Park is a great destination for when you need to get away from it all without even leaving town.

we were here during a holiday weekend so of course it was packed with people. we were concerned about parking but because we came in the later part of the day, we found a spot. it was a little bit of a walk to the water but the terrain is not difficult even for the grand parents we had with us. it was really nice and peaceful by the water. we did notice that there seemed to not be enough tables for the number of families that can come here on holidays so be ready to bring your own. not a lot of shaded areas too, especially by the water.

Hi there.. Took the pooch here, today. She loved it, small fenced in area..must have been for Bocci..was perfect for her. We played fetch and didn't have to worry about her running off. Plenty of nice friendly people to chat with.. such a variety, children, fisherman/women, people watchers oh and a few panhandlers. Otherwise a nice little spot to just chill. Do not forget your repellent..lots and lots of bugs.

I came here for my cousins wedding, and this is a beautiful location for such an event. The lighthouse adds that extra bit of something that you need in your background, in addition to the Long Island Sound and the locals fishing and swimming in the surf. A good photographer can just photo-shop them out, right? The reception was held on site in the carousel building, and yes, we got to ride the carousel at the end of the night, which is great for a bunch of people who've just been eating and drinking at an open bar / buffet. Parking was free for us because we arrived by shuttle bus, and were delivered back to our hotel later that day, again for free. I'll probably never come back, because I live in SC, but this one event was a great experience at the park, and I'm sure others would have just as much fun as we did (minus the lack of air conditioning in the reception / carousel building).

They charge $25 just to enter if your car isn't registered for new haven. It's pretty bad not to make Parks accessible for all.

Meh. $30 for out of state cars!?!?! $10 for others?? They say its free for residents but what if you're a resident with an out of state car? No thank you. Park on a street nearby. $30 makes you think that this is a huge magical park with pristine beautiful beaches. While it's a GREAT place for kids (There were lots of fun things to do for children, even swing sets on the beach itself!), I do not think this park is worth the amount of parking they charge people. The beach area itself is small and the area that you are allowed to swim in is even smaller. The water is filled to the brim with seaweed of all species. I feel like it would be hard to swim underwater. I feel like you would just end up either eating seaweed and be blinded constantly by giant pieces of seaweed sticking to your face. It was cool and all seeing all the aquatic plant life but it doesn't make for the best swim. Perhaps I visited on a particularly seaweedy day. My boyfriend said he went to the restroom and found a big pile of feces lying on the middle of the floor. Gross. The lockers though are only 25 cents which is nice. There is a lot of grassy space though for picnicing and lounging around. Many people take advantage of this and have barbecues. There is a cool lighthouse too. It's nice having a beach this close to home but this place isn't the greatest for swimming. It is a nice place however for kids.

I just love this park. When I visit I love to take the grand kids here. There is so much to do and they love the splash pad. One complaint that I have is people not following the rules and ruining the day for other families. The splash pad has a sign in full view...no chairs or food allowed. But there are people who think they are special and don't have to follow the rules. I was there last week when some moron got into an arguement with a park employee who had asked this person several times to take the food and chairs out side the gate. But no, the police had to come and they shut the water off for a while. Later on the moron was back...he should be banned from the place if that is possible.

This is a cool park. You can bring dogs year round, just not to the beach during the summer/warmer months. Many people picnic and there are really amazing views. You will notice that there are all types at the park and the beach has mostly kids swimming, although there are tons of adults in beachwear lounging. They also have a cool splash park where kids can run under a flower or a cobra that squirts cold water. The old-fashioned storage area where they house the carousel is really beautiful, especially when decorated by a nice wedding or event planner-- they generally have private events on a regular basis. The biggest downside to this park for hikers or dog owner- TICKS. I wish that New Haven would spray for them. If you are on the beach, you are probably fine, but don't lay in the grass or promenade in the woods around the area--unless you intend to thoroughly check you or your loved ones (two and four legged) over before you go home.

Growing in CT this was always a nice place to visit. Came down to New Haven on this beautiful day to chill and get some seafood and decided to come to Lighthouse Point Park and boy was I gut punched when I arrived. First was the cost $25/$35 for the day (Resident/Nonresident) fees!!! Really, after a pause I was going to bite the bullet and pay the $25. Pulled up to the gate and the dude says $35 because vehicle has out of state plates !! Vehicle is a rental car so I showed my CT drivers license and he said "doesn't matter" WTH?!?? Are you kidding me!! Needless to say, I turned around and left, it's the principal of the matter. Wanted to enjoy the lighthouse and views...oh well

I have only recently begun to really explore and enjoy Lighthouse Point Park, and as a resident of New Haven for the last 18 or so months, I must say: I have been missing out. Whether it's the wide-open area for barbecues, or the kid-friendly water area, or the absolutely stunning carousel, there really is something for everybody here. The beach itself is mostly unremarkable, though it's pretty popular with people of all types. You'll see families from all kinds of backgrounds, younger folks hanging out, and everything in between. The water is great and refreshing, though there can be some intensely rocky surfaces under the water, so you might want to bring some water shoes. There's also a rock pier which is pretty fun to walk out on (I'm not sure if there's another word for it, I just looked it up and can't find anything, which I'm mostly telling you now so you know that I am educated enough to want to impress you, but too stupid to do so). The park itself is rather huge and I believe they have pavilion rentals, though you could easily bring your own grill and canopy and have a great time here. The carousel is also absolutely gorgeous. I don't know what the rates are, but if I had children, I would force them to ride it and take pictures until they were crying and DCF had to get involved. But the pictures would be adorable! Please note, if you do not live in New Haven, they charge a pretty unreasonable fee for cars ($20.00 per day, I believe) which would significantly alter my perception of the park. That being said, I live in Gun Wavin' New Haven and am reviewing this as a beach I don't have to pay to go to, so suck it, Out-Of-Towners!

I love Lighthouse Park too. I love the way you're near the water, and it feels like the beach, but there's all these great shady spots to picnic or just laze around. So you can control just how much sun you want. I like how there's tons of people there, but enough space for everyone. If I were a kid, I would be obsessed with the Splash Pad. But I wish they had some bike racks. (And I hear in the local news that they got some! Hooray!)

This is a wonderful beach for children. There are splash pads, swings, and Ferris wheel rides are two dollars. Have your car registration ready if you live in New Haven. It costs twenty dollars if you don't live in New Haven.

I live about a mile and a half away from Lighthouse Point, and I'm getting married there next year, so I may be a bit biased! But I like this place a lot. It does suck that they charge such a high entry fee for cars with out-of-town registrations, but I think that's only because they want to keep this park accessible to New Haven residents since it's the only real beach in the city. I'm sure it also has something to do with car taxes. But overall, this is one of New Haven's gems and we residents are lucky to have free access to it. Small but decent beach, with GREAT swimming at high tide and so-so swimming at low tide, plus TONS of open green space which actually is often more crowded than the beach itself. Recently, the state released a water quality report and the quality at Lighthouse Point was pretty decent, and better than at the West Haven & Milford Beaches. Not much worse than Hammonasset. Even on a busy day, you can find a good spot on the beach, especially if you go over to the harbor side where almost no one sits. Practically deserted (and no entrance fee!) in the off-season, so it's even lovelier. Great playground & water area for kids. Lovely sunset!! Don't miss stopping by East Shore Park, off of Woodward, on your way over to Lighthouse - another underused gem in New Haven, awesome spot to take a stroll or play some frisbee!

$25 entry fee if you do not live in new haven proper The trash ,congestion and noise during the summer months are not worth the fee neighboring towns that could bring in additional revenue to the park if even at a discounted rate would be more realistic

Carousel is unbeatable and worth the visit in and of itself, the sea glass hunting is amazing and in off season the beach is so solitary the bliss exudes from all your pores as you imagine how simple life was prior to route I-95 ramming it's way through the Northeast! Cleanliness is not great and I'm not sure I'd say it's up to par with what it should be, especially with such a child-centered environment. The playground offers plenty for kids with great views for parents in the wing, pavilions abound with some waterside and likely the best in the area but what most of all caught my attention (besides the obvious lighthouse) is the water "park" options for kids at the playground. That truly must be a blast for a hot Summer day.

Not much to do, but the admission is exorbitant $25/car for non New Haven residents. Maybe if they charged less visitors would be more likely to come.

Getting ready for the holidays as the lights are already up. Still a beautiful time to come down and enjoy the shore. The boaters are out fishing in the sound.

Lighthouse Park is a 5 minute walk from my house ... Truly a "GEM" of a relaxing spot... Just hoping the folks who come to visit clean up after them selves... I've seen residents of New Haven and non residents throw trash on the ground ... Plenty of trash can located all over .... Come visit enjoy the beautiful park ... Just clean before you go ... It makes it easier for the park crew to maintain !!!!

Went for a trip with my 5 year old and husband to use our SUP board. The fee was $25 just to get in. That alone was crazy. Since there was no where to turn around we reluctantly paid. Completely LIED to us and said we could board and there was absolutely no safe area to launch out of. Literally made a 2 min loop, never getting out of our car. We asked for our money back and they REFUSED REFUND. Talk about MONEY HUNGRY employees. I even asked the man in charge "Charlie Brown" with a police officer present for our money back and he said No. DO NOT WASTE YOUR MONEY. It's cheaper to go 10 minutes down the road to a better beach Hammonassett for $16. It's cleaner, employees are friendlier and worth spending money at. Hope they can sleep at night knowing they rip people off. This is what gives New Haven a bad name.