South County has great parks for outdoor activities year-round

This is a neat example of an urban park of the Victorian period. Beautiful walking paths, pond and fountain, dwarf conifers, day lilies, trees and shrubs. Some live entertainment, like outdoor Shakespeare performances, in summer. Breathtaking from spring to fall.
Hours: Open year-round, dawn to 11 p.m.

This large (3,100 acres) and very popular state park is ideal for camping in woodlands. The park includes Watchaug Pond. Amenities at this park include a beach for freshwater swimming, and boat lauch for boating and fishing, campgrounds with fireplaces, drinking water, and toilets. The campground may fill early on summer weekends. - Campground Map (PDF) - Picnic Area Map (PDF)

Interesting and beautiful park on Ninigret Pond, which is a salt-water tidal pond protected from the ocean by a long barrier beach. The park also includes freshwater pond with a beach for swimming, and lifeguards on duty in summer. The park has a playground, ball fields, basketball courts, a nature center and small observatory, restrooms, tennis courts, and a one-mile bicycle trail.
Fishing is done on the back side of the pond. A pavilion is available for rent, and it has grills, picnic tables, electricity, water, and bathrooms. Festivals, like the annual Charlestown Seafood Festivals, are held here seasonally. There is a Frisbee disc golf course on the back side of the park. Open year-round, 8 a.m. to sunset