This island is only 45 minutes from NYC and is the perfect, summer island getaway…or overnight camping trip! There are 4 “public” beaches in Greenwich, CT. Greenwich Point Beach (i.e. Tod’s Point), Byram Beach, Island Beach (also known as Little Captain Island), and Great Captain Island. The latter 2 are only accessible by ferry from the bottom of Greenwich Avenue and you can even camp on the island’s overnight…yep, you heard that right! I use the word “public” in quotations because they are technically private beaches for Greenwich residents, but guests and non-residents can buy day passes and/or parking passes online and join residents during the summer. They’re open to the public during the winter without a pass. For the purpose of this article, I’ll be focusing on the 17.2 acre Great Captain Island.
How to Get to Great Captain Island in Greenwich, CT from New York City
Getting to Great Captain Island from New York City could not be any easier. You don’t even need a car. That’s why so many people who work in New York live in Greenwich, CT, also known as the “Gateway to New England.” It’s the first CT town after New York and is a short 42 – 55 minute commute from Grand Central (depending on if you’re taking a peak or off-peak train). The Metro North Railroad takes you from Grand Central straight to Greenwich. The train drops you off at the bottom of Greenwich Avenue and you’re a 5-10 min walk from the Arch Street Dock where you hop on the ferry to Great Captain Island. Your escape could not get any easier. Just remember to purchase tickets in advance, more on that below.
History Behind Great Captain Island
Like all great islands, Great Captain Island has a lot of tales and history to go alongside it. Legend has it, Great Captain island got it’s name because Captain Kidd buried gold and silver treasure on the island…no one has ever discovered it because it’s buried near the tide line on the southwestern tip. The more likely story is that the island is named after Captain Daniel Patrick, Greenwich’s first military commander in the early 17th century.
In 1829, the first lighthouse was built for $3,00 with a 5-room keeper’s house. Ever since the lighthouse has been maintained and is currently occupied by a family who serves as the lightkeepers.
During the prohibition, the island was used to dilute smuggled liquor before bringing it to the mainland.
In the 1920s, it was a private beach and casino. Could you imagine! A casino on an island in the Long Island sound? It would make a killing today. And when you wanted some entertainment, you could go to Island Beach nearby and enjoy the amusement park…haha. However, the casino mysteriously burned down in 1947 to never return.
Access, Hours, Where & How to Buy Day Passes
Parking for the islands is available across from Arch Street. In order to access the islands, you need to buy a single entry park and ferry ticket for anyone age 5 and up. You can order both at the dock, but you risk showing up and there being no availability. I recommend you pre-purchase the $10 – $13 single entry ticket before showing up to the ferry dock. You can purchase the ferry tickets in person at the Arch Street Ferry Dock at the bottom of Greenwich Avenue, where the ferry departs from. The ferry runs from the second Saturday in June through mid-September. Tickets are required for the islands and are sold online Monday through Friday from 9AM – 5PM. You can find the ferry schedule here. On weekdays, the ferry runs every hour, while on weekends every half hour 10AM – 7PM.
Island Beach is accessible by Island Beach and Indian Harbor Ferries and Great Captain Island is accessible by the Islander II Ferry.
Cruise to Nowhere
If you don’t want to stop at a beach, you can do the 2-hour $20 Cruise to Nowhere for 2 hours that takes you around the islands. Those usually take place on Wednesday’s rom 5-7PM, but occasionally also happen on a Friday or Saturday. Check the schedule!
The Ride to Great Captain Island
The ride to Great Captain Island has to be one of my favorite things to do in all of Greenwich. From the ferry, you can see the Greenwich marina, sail by the Delamar and the beautiful Indian Harbor Yacht Club, and most importantly cruise by some of the stunning houses (or more precisely – Mansions) of Belle Haven. You’ll also cruise by Island Beach (the other island with a concession stand) on the way there. The one on the tip even has a replica of the Brooklyn Bridge as it’s one private boating dock. The houses are stunning to see.
The Beach
Unlike Island Beach, Great Captain Island isn’t as equipped as an island. It doesn’t have a concession stand, a lifeguard, and all the bells and whistles Island Beach has. It’s more rustic, more Robinson Crusoe-style with just a few picnic tables, grills, restrooms, a swimming area and a beautiful crescent-shaped beach. Most people use the island to anchor their boats near shore and just float around the area, so you’ll find it has heavy boat traffic, unlike Island Beach. From the beach, you can see the Manhattan skyline. In fact, in the picture above, that shiny light in the distance is the sun gleaning off the One WTC.
Great Captain Island is also a bird sanctuary where white egrets, herons, osprey, and other bird species rest and nest in high numbers. In fact, the Connecticut Audubon Society cited it as one of the state’s 26 “important bird areas.” There’s a trail on the island that allows you to explore the nature preserve area.
Recommendation
Wear beach shoes. This isn’t your typical Caribbean soft sand beach. It has plenty of rocks and if you don’t have tough callusy feet like me, you’ll need a pair of water shoes or beach shoes for the sand.
Beach Concessions, Picnic Area & Charcoal Grills
Bring food, water and snacks, because there is no concession stand on the island! If you’d like, you can bring your own coal and griling food and materials, grill on one of the public grills available and enjoy a nice lunch on one of the picnic tables in the grassy, shaded, park area.
Dixieland Jazz Band Concert
You can enjoy a 2 hour jazz cruise from 4PM – 6PM aboard the ferry twice a year in Greenwich, CT. The Dixieland Jazz Band Concert will take place Sunday, July 14, and Sunday, August 11, 2024.
Camp Overnight…
One of the coolest things you can do on Great Captain Island is camp overnight, if you’re the camping in a tent type of person! I’m unfortunately not. I’m more of a glamper. Greenwich residents can overnight on the island from mid-June to mid-September. You can only book one evening per season and set-up from 7:30PM to 9AM the next morning, but need to submit a camping permit application. You’re usually charged a rental fee of $60 plus a cost per participant of $21 p/person with a max. 25 people. Reservations open in February and book up fast, so if you’re interested, I’d look into it sooner rather than later. The tickets include camping, ferry, and parking.
Can you anchor or dock your boats around the area?
You can anchor your boat next to Great Captain Island, but you cannot dock it. The dock is reserved exclusively for the public ferry. You can swim or float to the shoreline from your boat if you’d like, but most of the time people stay on their vessels.
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