Did you know there are 139 state forests and parks in the Nutmeg State? So much of our land has been deemed worthy of preservation, whether it’s due to historical significance or great beauty. One state park in Connecticut that fits both of those criteria is Harkness Memorial State Park. This 304-acre park has so much to offer visitors, from a stunning mansion and garden to a beach area that’s perfect for fishing. It’s an amazing spot that is so worthy of exploration.

Most of the acreage that makes up the park once served as a summer home for Edward Harkness, heir to an oil fortune, and his wife Mary. When Mary passed away in 1950, she left the property, named Eolia, to the state.
Keith/Google Maps
Tours of the 42-room mansion are offered seasonally on weekends. The park itself is open year-round.
Several formal gardens surround the mansion. Each has its own theme, including a rock garden that was designed to look like the Maine coastline.
Raymond Ellis/Google Maps
Eolia looks like something straight out of "The Great Gatsby." This type of coastal mansion was once very common amongst the New England wealthy.
The park is on Goshen Point. You'll find incredible views of the Long Island Sound.
Don & Susan Weller/Flickr
The park has a striking variety of landscapes, and there are tidal marshes here as well.
R Boed/Flickr

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The sandy, rocky beach is so quintessentially New England.
Mike Kalasnik/Flickr
As you can imagine, this preserve is a spectacular spot for bird-watching. The habitat serves as a nesting site for a variety of species of tern and
There are also plenty of open fields and green space here.
Mike Kalasnik/Flickr
The park features 60 buildings, including greenhouses and carriage houses. Fifteen of these are listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
Faina Gurevich/iStock/Getty Images Plus
This stunning park is one of the most beautiful places in Connecticut and will make you feel like you entered a fairy tale.
tivolatman/Flickr

For more information about this amazing state park in Connecticut, check out the Friends of Harkness Memorial Park website.

Have you ever been to Harkness Memorial Park? Share your experiences in the comments!

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Harkness Memorial State Park, 275 Great Neck Rd, Waterford, CT 06385, USA