With many COVID-19 restrictions being lifted at beaches in the region, a busy summer season is expected.
Local beach operators and officials are gearing up to welcome more visitors this summer and reopen some amenities, from amusement rides to concession stands. While many beaches are easing residency restrictions and stricter capacity limits put in place last summer, some restrictions remain in place and vary by beach.
Pre-season pass sales at Ocean Beach Park in New London have been brisk. People are anxious, park manager Dave Sugrue said.
City of Groton Mayor Keith Hedrick said he s looking forward to a return to normal at Eastern Point Beach.
Drivers will hit the roads with a vengeance Memorial Day weekend as Connecticut emerges from its coronavirus slump Christine Dempsey, Hartford Courant
Like coiled springs ready to be sprung, some 1.7 million New Englanders are getting ready to travel this Memorial Day weekend, the AAA says 60% more than last year when COVID-19 restrictions kept them home.
Most will travel by car despite a steep rise in the price of gas, said Amy Parmenter, a spokeswoman for AAA of Greater Hartford.
Some 116,000 New England residents will fly to their holiday destinations, an increase of almost 590% over last year, but 25% less than the number that flew in 2019. Parmenter said. Only about 2,000 New Englanders will travel by bus, rail or cruise ship.