• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content

Connecticut Day Trips

Traveling the globe from my home base in beatuful Connecticut

Saturday Farmers Market in Washington Depot CT

Washington, Connecticut: The Town That Inspired Gilmore Girls [Itinerary]

December 31, 2019 By Elizabeth Larkin Leave a Comment

Some days, you just gotta get in your car and drive to a new town and see the sights. Washington, Connecticut is a really good town to drive to. It’s got a rustic-chic vibe with its mix of locals and weekenders from New York City. There are rolling hills, sprawling farms, and very nice restaurants to eat and drink in.

Washington Connecticut Day Trip

Bryan Memorial Town Hall in Washington CT

You can park your car at the Hickory Stick bookshop and spend an hour or two wandering it’s little “downtown” area. There’s the bookshop, Marty’s Cafe for coffee, some clothing stores and on Saturdays in the spring, summer and fall, a small farmers market.

Washington is famously the setting for the TV show show “Gilmore Girls” and while it doesn’t exactly resemble Stars Hollow, it does have all the trappings of small town life: lots of community activities, a folksy vibe, and tons to do (see my list below). As I say in my Gilmore Girls Guide to Connecticut (coming soon!), Washington is way more rural and outdoorsy than Stars Hollow.

Saturday Farmers Market in Washington Depot CT

The point of traveling to a town like Washington is to just be there, to soak up the small-town atmosphere.

Park at the Byran Memorial Town Hall. There’s a farmers market on Saturday mornings in the spring, summer and fall where you can stock up on local produce. Then hit Marty’s Cafe for a coffee before browsing the Hickory Stick Bookshop. There are other small retailers to dip into as well.

The day I visited I spent about an hour checking out the scene in town before wandering down route 47 towards the intersections of Kirby Road, Whykeham Road, and Parsanoge Lane.

There’ll you’ll find another little town center but this one looks like time forgot it. The buildings are still well kept and blindingly white, but there’s one lonely store and what looks to be an old town square.

I parked my car on a side street ear the intersection, grabbed my camera and roamed the area. There you’ll find the The First Congregational Church, the Gunn Memorial Library and the Gunn Historical Museum.  I didn’t see many people, but there was a fairly regular flow of vintage cars out for a weekend drive.

From there I continued North on Route 47 (enter Hopkins Vineyard into your GPS or Google Maps app) and enjoyed some of the most beautiful scenery Connecticut has to offer: rolling hills, gentleman’s farms and finally, a view of Lake Waramaug on the approach to Warren and the winery.

This would be a beautiful day trip year-round.

PLACES TO VISIT IN WASHINGTON, CONNECTICUT:

Averill Hill Farm
250 Calhoun St.
Washington, CT 06794

For apple picking, pumpkin picking, pizza, apple cider and apple cider doughnuts.

Hollister House Garden
300 Nettleton Hollow Rd
Washington, CT 06793

The Institute For American Indian Studies
Curtis Rd
Washington, CT 06793

Mayflower Spa
118 Woodbury Rd (Route 47)
Washington, CT 06793

I am DYING to try this place. I plan to organize a day trip there with my girlfriends this winter

Gunn Historical Museum
5 Wykeham Rd
Washington, CT 06793

Hidden Valley Preserve
198 Bee Brook Rd
Washington Depot, CT 06794

PLACES TO EAT IN WASHINGTON, CONNECTICUT

The White Horse Country Pub
258 New Milford Turnpike
New Preston, CT 06777

British Pub Food in the Litchfield Hills.

GW Tavern
20 Bee Brook Rd
Washington Depot, CT 06794

The Pantry
5 Titus Rd
Washington Depot, CT 06794

Norimaki
4 Green Hill Rd
Washington, CT 06793

A local Favorite.

Marty’s Cafe
4 Green Hill Rd #1
Washington Depot, CT 06793

The Washington Pizza House
13 River Rd
Washington Depot, CT 06794

  • About
  • Connecticut
    • CT Wine Trail
    • Farmers Markets
    • Kid-Friendly
    • Going Solo
    • Good for Groups
    • Historic
    • Outdoorsy
    • Pet Friendly
    • Preppy
    • Romantic
  • Caribbean
  • Travel
    • Europe
    • Connecticut
    • Florida
    • Massachusetts
      • Boston
    • New York
    • North Carolina
    • Texas
    • Vermont
    • Washingon, DC

Connecticut

Washington, Connecticut: The Town That Inspired Gilmore Girls [Itinerary]

December 31, 2019 by Elizabeth Larkin Leave a Comment

Saturday Farmers Market in Washington Depot CT

Some days, you just gotta get in your car and drive to a new town and see the sights. Washington, Connecticut is a really good town to drive to. It’s got a rustic-chic vibe with its mix of locals and weekenders from New York City. There are rolling hills, sprawling farms, and very nice restaurants to eat and drink in.

Washington Connecticut Day Trip

Bryan Memorial Town Hall in Washington CT

You can park your car at the Hickory Stick bookshop and spend an hour or two wandering it’s little “downtown” area. There’s the bookshop, Marty’s Cafe for coffee, some clothing stores and on Saturdays in the spring, summer and fall, a small farmers market.

Washington is famously the setting for the TV show show “Gilmore Girls” and while it doesn’t exactly resemble Stars Hollow, it does have all the trappings of small town life: lots of community activities, a folksy vibe, and tons to do (see my list below). As I say in my Gilmore Girls Guide to Connecticut (coming soon!), Washington is way more rural and outdoorsy than Stars Hollow.

Saturday Farmers Market in Washington Depot CT

The point of traveling to a town like Washington is to just be there, to soak up the small-town atmosphere.

Park at the Byran Memorial Town Hall. There’s a farmers market on Saturday mornings in the spring, summer and fall where you can stock up on local produce. Then hit Marty’s Cafe for a coffee before browsing the Hickory Stick Bookshop. There are other small retailers to dip into as well.

The day I visited I spent about an hour checking out the scene in town before wandering down route 47 towards the intersections of Kirby Road, Whykeham Road, and Parsanoge Lane.

There’ll you’ll find another little town center but this one looks like time forgot it. The buildings are still well kept and blindingly white, but there’s one lonely store and what looks to be an old town square.

I parked my car on a side street ear the intersection, grabbed my camera and roamed the area. There you’ll find the The First Congregational Church, the Gunn Memorial Library and the Gunn Historical Museum.  I didn’t see many people, but there was a fairly regular flow of vintage cars out for a weekend drive.

From there I continued North on Route 47 (enter Hopkins Vineyard into your GPS or Google Maps app) and enjoyed some of the most beautiful scenery Connecticut has to offer: rolling hills, gentleman’s farms and finally, a view of Lake Waramaug on the approach to Warren and the winery.

This would be a beautiful day trip year-round.

PLACES TO VISIT IN WASHINGTON, CONNECTICUT:

Averill Hill Farm
250 Calhoun St.
Washington, CT 06794

For apple picking, pumpkin picking, pizza, apple cider and apple cider doughnuts.

Hollister House Garden
300 Nettleton Hollow Rd
Washington, CT 06793

The Institute For American Indian Studies
Curtis Rd
Washington, CT 06793

Mayflower Spa
118 Woodbury Rd (Route 47)
Washington, CT 06793

I am DYING to try this place. I plan to organize a day trip there with my girlfriends this winter

Gunn Historical Museum
5 Wykeham Rd
Washington, CT 06793

Hidden Valley Preserve
198 Bee Brook Rd
Washington Depot, CT 06794

PLACES TO EAT IN WASHINGTON, CONNECTICUT

The White Horse Country Pub
258 New Milford Turnpike
New Preston, CT 06777

British Pub Food in the Litchfield Hills.

GW Tavern
20 Bee Brook Rd
Washington Depot, CT 06794

The Pantry
5 Titus Rd
Washington Depot, CT 06794

Norimaki
4 Green Hill Rd
Washington, CT 06793

A local Favorite.

Marty’s Cafe
4 Green Hill Rd #1
Washington Depot, CT 06793

The Washington Pizza House
13 River Rd
Washington Depot, CT 06794

Filed Under: Connecticut Tagged With: gilmore girls, going solo, Litchfield County, Litchfield Hills, romantic

Heritage Hotel in Southbury, Connecticut: An Oasis in the Woods

July 12, 2018 by Elizabeth Larkin Leave a Comment

Southbury CT Hotel Review

When the Heritage Hotel in Southbury, Connecticut offered me the opportunity to come stay with them a few weeks ago, of course I said yes. I planned my trip for a Friday night and I invited a few of my friends along to meet me for dinner at the hotel. When my friends heard about all of the hotel’s amenities which include an outdoor pool, indoor pool, spa, golf course, tennis courts, and a newly-planted vineyard (yes, for real), they decided to book rooms as well so we could spend more time together and really experience the hotel. It ended up being the perfect mini-vacation: a friday night spent catching up with friends over dinner and drinks in the hotel’s Tavern and a hot Saturday spent chatting and relaxing by the pool. [Read more…] about Heritage Hotel in Southbury, Connecticut: An Oasis in the Woods

Filed Under: Connecticut

An Afternoon at Joseph Preli Farm and Vineyard

November 2, 2017 by Elizabeth Larkin Leave a Comment

When I think of a Connecticut winery experience, I think about sitting in an Adirondack chair at Saltwater Farm and looking out on the vineyard and the water beyond, or sitting on the deck at Sharpe Hill and smelling the wood burning stove of their award-winning restaurant. [Read more…] about An Afternoon at Joseph Preli Farm and Vineyard

Filed Under: Connecticut Tagged With: ct wine trail, Glastonbury, Greater Hartford, Hartford County, pet-friendly, romantic

Day Trip: A Haunted Park and a Backyard Farm and Winery

October 23, 2017 by Elizabeth Larkin Leave a Comment

Can you think of a better afternoon outing in October or November than a hike at a haunted state park followed by a trip to a backyard winery?

First up: Gay City State Park. To get there, you must to drive through quaint country roads in Hebron, Bolton and Glastonbury. Neither Mike nor I have spent much time in this part of the state and we were surprised by how “country” this area is with winding roads, open fields, and lots of farms. [Read more…] about Day Trip: A Haunted Park and a Backyard Farm and Winery

Filed Under: Connecticut Tagged With: ct wine trail, fall, hiking, kid-friendly, pet-friendly

Connecticut’s Dog Friendly Beaches

October 12, 2017 by Elizabeth Larkin Leave a Comment

Connecticut dog friendly beaches

Best dog beaches in connecticut

I wish I could bring my dog everywhere, so I’m on the hunt for Connecticut dog friendly beaches. All summer long I obsessed with bringing my dog Dottie to a dog friendly beach in Connecticut. I kept seeing people in other parts of the country frolicking with the dogs in the waves on Instagram and I was super jealous.

[Read more…] about Connecticut’s Dog Friendly Beaches

Filed Under: Connecticut Tagged With: Dottie the Dog, pet-friendly

The Lobster Pound in Guilford

May 10, 2017 by Elizabeth Larkin Leave a Comment

Conneticut Lobster Roll Trail

The Lobster Pound in Guilford in situated in a unique spot. It’s on a small dock over the water that overlooks marshes and jusssst a little further out is the Long Island Sound. The day we visited, they were setting up for a shower. How New England-y to have your shower on the water at a lobster shack? The rolls were lemony and buttery. Win and win.

IMG_2898
IMG_2907

IMG_2897
IMG_2903
IMG_2904
IMG_2908

The Lobster Pound in Guilford
505 Old Whitfield St
Guilford, CT 06437

PS: See my toasty, buttery guide to the entire Connecticut Lobster Roll Trail.

Filed Under: Connecticut, Food + Drinks Tagged With: CT Shoreline, Eastern Connecticut, good for groups, Guilford, Middlesex County, road food, summer

Halloween in Essex

October 26, 2016 by Elizabeth Larkin Leave a Comment

Halloween in Essex, Connecticut

IMG_2224IMG_2228
IMG_2225
IMG_2227IMG_2273
IMG_2243IMG_2234
IMG_2252IMG_2260
IMG_2231

Just checking out Halloween in the most quaint town ever.

Filed Under: Connecticut, Travel Tagged With: a good walk, CT Shoreline, Eastern Connecticut, Essex, Middlesex County, quainty quaintness, streetscapes

The Scarecrows of Essex

October 10, 2016 by Elizabeth Larkin Leave a Comment

Scarecrows of Essex Connecticut

IMG_2211IMG_2212

IMG_2213

IMG_2215

IMG_2216

IMG_2219

IMG_2230

IMG_2226

IMG_2229

IMG_2269

IMG_2259

IMG_2222

I think these scarecrows in Essex are pretty creepy but I guess the quaintest town ever has to toughen up it’s reputation a little bit. If you go for a stroll in Essex this month and next, you can view the scarecrows up close and personal.

Filed Under: Connecticut, Travel, Uncategorized Tagged With: CT Shoreline, Essex, halloween, Middlesex County

Fall Hike Through Penwood State Park — with Dogs!

September 20, 2016 by Elizabeth Larkin Leave a Comment

When I thought about adopting a dog, I always put “going on hikes together” in the pro column of my pro-con list. I hike most weekend mornings and bringing Dottie with me has elevated the experience. Dogs just love being out in nature and it’s fun to watch her sniff and wag her tail along the trail.

IMG_2369IMG_2320
IMG_2327

Penwood State Park in Bloomfield has to be one of the best places to take your dog hiking because practically everyone on the trails the day Dottie and I went (with our friend Moriah and her dog Fritz) had a furry friend with them. Below is an itinerary.

IMG_2363
IMG_2351IMG_2352
IMG_2356IMG_2361
IMG_2350IMG_2328
IMG_2336IMG_2342IMG_2338IMG_2347IMG_2348IMG_2345IMG_2376IMG_2377

Itinerary: Fall Hike at Penwood State Park with Dogs

This is a beautiful hour-plus long stroll around Penwood State Park and you could extend it by bringing a picnic (breakfast, brunch, lunch) there’s a  picnic area about halfway through the hike.

Penwood State Park
560 Simsbury Rd
Bloomfield, CT 06002

There’s plenty of parking and the hike is a loop do you can head off in either direction from the parking lot. I always start to the left.

Heublein Tower Trail
Talcot Mountain State Park
Summit Ridge Dr.
Simsbury, CT 06070

If you want to extend your time outdoors (and who doesn’t in beautiful fall weather?) the Heublein Tower Trail is right across the street.

Wade’s Vegetables
498 Simsbury Rd
Bloomfield, CT 06002

A good place to stop for local grassfed beef, veggies, pumpkins, mums and cider.

Filed Under: Connecticut, Travel Tagged With: a good walk, Bloomfield, Farmington Valley, going solo, good for groups, Hartford County, hiking, kid-friendly, outdoorsy, pet-friendly

Where to Go In Connecticut #1: Christmas in Connecticut with a side of Gilmore Girls

August 31, 2016 by Elizabeth Larkin Leave a Comment

where should i go in connecticut

Where should you go in Connecticut? Good question! When I started this blog back in 2011, I never thought I’d get emails from people all over the world asking for advice on where to go in Connecticut.

Chester Connecticut

[Read more…] about Where to Go In Connecticut #1: Christmas in Connecticut with a side of Gilmore Girls

Filed Under: Connecticut, Food + Drinks, Travel Tagged With: christmas in connecticut, gilmore girls, where to go in connecticut

  • Go to page 1
  • Go to page 2
  • Go to page 3
  • Interim pages omitted …
  • Go to page 15
  • Go to Next Page »

Copyright © 2021 · Foodie Pro & The Genesis Framework