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Voykit pocket guide · United States
New London, Connecticut
New London
Give New London one full day plus a night: waterfront and Custom House in the morning, Ocean Beach in the afternoon, Mystic or the casinos as a second day.
New London is a small maritime city on the Thames River, halfway between New Haven and Providence on the Northeast Corridor. Amtrak and Shore Line East stop at Union Station, so it works as a car-free overnight between New York and Boston. Two nights covers the city and one day trip; one night is enough if you only want the waterfront.
- Country
- United States
- Local name
- New London
- Best months
- May–Oct
- Avoid
- Jan–Feb (cold, some sights closed or weekend-only)
- Stay
- 1–2 nights
Checked 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change; anything marked (check) is not confirmed.
Essentials
- Currency
- USD
- Money
- Currency is the US dollar (USD, $). Cards and phone payments work almost everywhere; carry a little cash for tips and small vendors.
- Daily spend
- Budget $80–130 excl. bed · Mid $130–220 excl. bed · High $220+ excl. bed (estimate; check)
- SIM and data
- AT&T, Verizon and T-Mobile cover the country; prepaid SIMs at their stores and Walmart/Target (passport required), or an eSIM before you fly.
- Emergency
- Police, fire, ambulance 911 · Poison control 1-800-222-1222
- Plugs
- Types A, B · 120 V · 60 Hz · Chargers are dual-voltage; hair dryers and straighteners from 230 V countries need a converter.
- Tipping
- Sit-down restaurant: 18–22% of the pre-tax bill.; Bar: US$1–2 per drink or 20% of the tab.; Taxi / ride-hailing: 15–20%, in the app.; Hotel housekeeping: US$3–5 a night.; Porter / valet: US$2–5 per bag or car.; Tour guide: US$10–20 per person for a day tour.; Counter service / tablet prompts: Optional; 0–15%.
- Water
- Tap water is drinkable nearly everywhere; boil or treat water from streams in parks.
- Toilets
- Free public toilets are scarce in big cities; use cafés, department stores, libraries, stations. Rest areas on highways are free.
What things cost
| Item | Price |
|---|---|
| Coffee | $3–6 |
| Breakfast sandwich or diner plate | $10–18 |
| Lobster roll | $22–32 |
| Casual dinner, per person | $20–35 |
| Beer, draught in a bar | $7–9 |
| Taxi or rideshare, downtown to Ocean Beach | $12–18 |
| Museum entry | $5–12 |
Desk estimates, checked 2026-09; check locally.
Get in
By air
- PVD · T.F. Green, Warwick, Rhode Island
- About 1 h by car via I-95
- BDL · Bradley International, Windsor Locks
- About 1.5 h by car
- GON · Groton-New London Airport
- No scheduled airline service; charter and private only
Typical fares
- Amtrak New Haven → New London
- about $20 one way, 1 h (check)
- Shore Line East New Haven → New London
- cheaper than Amtrak, similar time (check)
- Cross Sound Ferry New London → Orient Point
- about $25 per person one way, 1 h 20 min (check)
- Taxi downtown → Ocean Beach Park
- $12–18
Get around
Downtown is walkable; everything else needs a car or taxi. SEAT buses cover the region but run thinly. Amtrak Northeast Regional and Shore Line East serve Union Station at 27 Water St, with buses and ferries at the same stop.
See and do
Known for
- Maritime history and the Custom House Maritime Museum
- United States Coast Guard Academy
- Ocean Beach Park
- Eugene O'Neill's Monte Cristo Cottage
- Cross Sound Ferry to Long Island
Day trips
| Where | How | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Mystic | Amtrak or Shore Line East to Mystic, about 15 min; or 15 min by car on I-95 | About 45 min |
| Groton | Car over the Gold Star Bridge, about 10 min | About 30 min |
| Ledyard (Foxwoods) | Car on Route 2, about 25 min; no useful bus | About 40 min |
| Old Lyme | Shore Line East to Old Saybrook, then taxi; or 25 min by car | About 1 h |
| Preston | Car on Route 12/2A, about 20 min | About 35 min |
| Storrs | Car on I-395 and Route 32, about 50 min | About 1 h 15 min |
Sleep
- Downtown / Bank Street
- Walk to Union Station, ferries, the Custom House and restaurants; the priciest and the only car-free option.
- North Frontage Road (I-95 exits)
- Chain motels with parking; 5–10 min drive from downtown, cheapest rates.
- Groton, across the Gold Star Bridge
- Often cheaper than downtown and 5–10 min by car from Bank Street; no walkable link.
Phrase card
| English | Say or show |
|---|---|
| Where is the train station? | Where is Union Station? |
| A table for two, please | Table for two, please |
| Can I pay by card? | Can I pay by card? |
| Is there parking here? | Is there parking here? |
Etiquette, safety and scams
Etiquette
- Greeting: Handshake and 'hi, how are you?' — reply 'good, thanks'; avoid: Treating the question as a real health enquiry
- Restaurants: Tip 18–22% and wait for the check; avoid: Leaving without tipping
- Personal space: Keep an arm's length in queues; avoid: Standing close to strangers
- Politics and religion: Listen more than you speak; avoid: Opening with hot-button topics
- Smoking: Smoke only in marked areas; avoid: Smoking near doors or in parks where banned
Scams and watch-outs
- Ocean Beach Park charges per car in summer and fills by mid-morning on hot weekends.
- Some small museums open only May–October or only Thursday–Sunday: check before you go.
- Cross Sound Ferry and Port Jefferson ferry crossings sell out on summer weekends: book ahead.
- Downtown is quiet after about 21:00; plan dinner before then.
New London is a small city with a normal US downtown risk profile: fine on Bank Street and State Street in daylight, more care after dark around the train station and the north end. Lock the car and leave nothing visible.
One and two days
No timed day plan for New London, Connecticut yet. Suggested stay: 1–2 nights. Build a day from the list below, mornings for the big sight.
- Maritime history and the Custom House Maritime Museum
- United States Coast Guard Academy
- Ocean Beach Park
- Eugene O'Neill's Monte Cristo Cottage
- Cross Sound Ferry to Long Island
Sources
Written by Voykit; facts cross-checked against these sources, last desk check 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change: check on the day.
- City of New London: newlondonct.gov/
- Wikivoyage: New London (Connecticut), revision 5293040 (CC BY-SA 4.0): en.wikivoyage.org/w/index.php?oldid=5293040
Pocket card
Cut along the border and keep it in your wallet. Show the local-script lines to a driver.
New London, ConnecticutNew London
To this address, please
To this address, please
My hotel (write the name and address in the local script)
- Police, fire, ambulance911
- Poison control1-800-222-1222
No embassies in New London; consulates-general are in New York and Boston.
Tipping is expected: 18–22% at sit-down restaurants, $1–2 a drink, 15–20% taxis.
Voykit · checked 2026-09
Printed from Voykit (/new-london-connecticut). Written by Voykit; checked 2026-09. Estimates only: confirm prices, hours and entry rules on the day.