Hammonasset in September [PHOTOS]

Now that Labor Day has passed and summer's winding down, it's the perfect time to visit , just down the road between Madison and Clinton, especially since there's no charge to get in between Labor Day and Memorial Day.

My husband and I decided to take advantage of the weather and the free admission, so last Monday we got in the car and drove along the scenic route instead of jumping onto I-95. The sun kept us nicely warm as we ate lunch at the giant Pavilion, but the sea breeze was brisk; it didn't seem to bother the seagulls, dragonflies and Monarch butterflies that floated all around us as we walked along the shoreline and the trails that snake around the far end near Meigs Point Nature Center.

We made some interesting discoveries: giant trees washed ashore (probably from a year ago when blew through here); a large medicine wheel and heart made from beach rocks; and quite a few plants - goldenrod, wild rose and honeysuckle - putting out their last blooms of the year.

It's quite an adventure, venturing out into the natural world, but well worth the effort. Just being there does a body good - and it's a healing place for the spirit as well.