Autumn in New England is incomplete without a day of picking apples and lugging around pumpkins. As the air turned crisper and the leaves changed color, my husband and I set off for a day in the Lyman Orchards at Middlefield in Connecticut. Rolling meadows, miles of orchards, a corn maze and stretches of pumpkin patches greeted us the moment we stepped out of the car.
If you are planning a trip to Connecticut, chances are you won't think of visiting a town called Danbury, nestled in the western extreme of Fairfield County. But if you do, you may be in for a surprise. Close to Danbury's Main Street, is a 722-acre historic building and land preserve called the Tarrywile Park and Mansion. Unspoiled by tour buses and entry fees, it is a favorite with the locals. The only buses you may see are school buses packed with kids. Scavenger hunts and day hikes are the reason why it's so popular with local schools.
A cloudless sky in late summer calls for a day hike. But most of the popular hiking trails with great views need a lot of planning and packing. Since we didn't have time for either, my husband and I decided to drive down to a lesser known town in Connecticut to avail of the "shortest hike with the greatest view" - the hike up to Lion's Head in Salisbury.
When we think of New Haven, we think Yale. Not always. Close to the hallowed halls of Yale, tucked away in a corner of the city, we found the Lighthouse Point Park. It was an early fall afternoon when we drove through its entrance, and were told that after Labor Day, there was no parking charge for even out-of-towners like us and dogs were welcome anytime!
Sipping our morning coffee, we decided to set off down Route 7 in western Connecticut to see where the road leads us.
We cruised alongside sweeping meadows lined with rustic wooden fences, dotted with red barns when we saw a majestic stud farm. The horses were grazing contentedly, oblivious to the cars racing by on the highway. The outdoor cafes and the white churches lend a certain charm to the town of Kent. Historically, this town stands out as one of Connecticut's leading iron-producing towns for most of the 19th century.
For me, no trip to Boston is complete without a day trip to the small seaside town of Mystic, Connecticut. A quick one and one-half hour drive south on I-95 takes us straight into Mystic. It's also accessible by train in the same amount of time, as Amtrak (www.amtrak.com) offers a route from downtown Boston directly into the Mystic station. For those wanting to escape driving in Boston traffic, this is an effortless and relaxing way to go.
I was retuning back to my home in New England after a recent business trip in New Jersey. As I was driving up interstate 84 through Connecticut around dinner time, I noticed a billboard for Blue Colony Diner. I am a big fan of the diner and I often lament the fact that they are becoming harder to find in northern New England. The sign indicated that the diner was at exit 10, only a few miles from where I was. "Great", I thought, just in time for dinner!
The cynic in me used to think that if you've seen one aquarium, you've seen them all. However, after visiting the Mystic Aquarium and Institute for Exploration in Mystic, Connecticut, this is clearly not the case. True, there are plenty of standard glass cases filled with fish, but it's the unique exhibits and the focus on education that sets Mystic Aquarium apart from the rest.
Nestled on the hilly bank of the Thames River in Groton, Fort Griswold is home to Connecticut's only major Revolutionary War battle. Fort Griswold is known as one of the most well preserved forts in the country. It was here on September 6, 1781, that colonial Americans tragically lost the bloody battle against the British in the "Battle of Groton Heights". Fort Griswold is a Connecticut State Park, and a popular historical tourism destination.
In order to fully understand the historical significance of the Fort Griswold Battlefield, it's important to first know what happened there.
No trip to Connecticut is complete without a stop at Mystic Seaport Whether you're adding on to your Mystic Aquarium trip, enjoying the Rhode Island and Connecticut beaches, or looking for a looking for a one-of-a-kind seaside nautical museum, it's a place you don't want to miss. Mystic Seaport is a living museum that provides a snapshot of life on land and at sea in the 19th century. Called "The Museum of America and the Sea", Mystic Seaport is the largest maritime museum in the country and is celebrating it's 75th anniversary.
