The Pavilion — Restaurant in Old Lyme

I went for the first time to this beach yesterday with my 2 year old daughter. As anyone with a 2 year old knows, when your toddler has to go to the bathroom, it usually results in a mad dash to the bathroom. I went to the pavilion, where my friend and I were carded as I was holding my antsy daughter. The doorman looks at my daughter AFTER carding me (I am 29), points at her and says "she cannot come in here". I said that I just needed to bring her to the bathroom. He asked if she was 21, I said "no she is 2 and she has to use the bathroom". He proceeded to tell me to go use the Porta Potties in the back parking lot. I was appalled, my friend let him know that she would be buying food, in case that was the issue. He said no she cannot use the bathroom because she is not 21. I have never experienced anything like this before. We went to the restaurant next door, where they allowed me to let my daughter use the bathroom. I would never return to this beach for that reason, and will be sure that my fellow Mommy friends are aware, that if you are not 21 you must use the porta potties in the back...

Very limited parking at the Pavilion for $15. Town parking was $6+ hour. The police and park rangers are very visible at the beach. The surrounding area has gated off their streets. They are working hard to keep people out, which sets a bad vibe. The Pavilion charged $10 cover for a guy with a guitar and bongos. There is a large private beach area where you can drink their $10 drinks and buy their food to eat. They provide beach lounge chairs which are literally made of wood planks. You are laying on a piece of plywood with no cushion at one unchangeable angle. It's extremely uncomfortable. There are restrooms of course, but no outside showers or changing rooms. There is a beautiful young crowd that is very sociable and lots of eye candy. But at 6pm, the music changed to a guy singing rat pack tunes and playing a keyboard. So all the young crowd left. And you have to get your car out of the town lot by 7pm or get ticketed. For all of this, you get the Long Island Sound. Go a bit further to RI for...

My friends and I got 2 tickets. We were directed in a spot to park and then we paid 20$ to keep the car there while on the beach. Then the rangers gave them a ticket for parking in the “wrong spot” when we were directed to park there. THEN, we paid 10$ to get in and got a bracelet. We were told we could sit on the beach with drinks from the bar as everyone else was and got an okay from multiple staff. Then 3 rangers come up to us and give us ANOTHER TICKET for alcohol on the beach, while everyone else had an alcoholic beverage in their hand. We then tried to explain that we were told it was okay and that everyone else had a alcoholic beverage and they stated that the pavilion workers keep giving out false information but we will still have to pay the tickets and they will talk to them. The pavilion was fun, it was the RANGERS that ruined...