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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

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Litchfield County

An Afternoon at Connecticut Valley Winery

August 28, 2012 by Elizabeth Larkin Leave a Comment

Connecticut Valley Winery in New Hartford, CT - 03

I hate to say this, because I’m such a big fan of the CT Wine Trail, but I really wasn’t a big fan of Connecticut Valley Winery. Maybe they were having a bad day, maybe I was having a bad day, but I found the ambiance a bit lacking, the wine sweet and the staff bored. So instead, I will focus on the random group of horses grazing in the field next to the winery, because they were awesome. [Read more…] about An Afternoon at Connecticut Valley Winery

Filed Under: Connecticut, Food + Drinks Tagged With: ct wine trail, good for groups, Litchfield County, New Hartford

A Mother & Daughter Day Trip to Woodbury, Connecticut

August 17, 2012 by Elizabeth Larkin 1 Comment

2012-07 Day trips to Woodbury, CT - 29

Woodbury, Connecticut has been on my list for a long time but it wasn’t until my mom said she wanted to do a day trip for her birthday that I started researching the area. I wanted a grown-up girls-day-out feel and Woodbury really delivered. We started with lunch at Carole Peck’s Good News Cafe, did some strolling around the Main Street (this is another town where you can park your car and walk to different attractions), visited the Glebe House Museum, and a flower shop. The one thing missing to cap off a perfect mother-daughter day trip was a glass of champagne, so I’ve added in a recommendation for a spot to do just that in nearby Middlebury, CT.

(Next time: I’ll hit Flander’s Nature Center for the outdoorsy-ness, and Dottie’s Diner for some famous doughnuts.)

[Read more…] about A Mother & Daughter Day Trip to Woodbury, Connecticut

Filed Under: Connecticut, Food + Drinks, Travel Tagged With: antiquing, Litchfield County, Preppy Connecticut, shopping, Woodbury

Day Trip | Sunset Meadows Vineyard

August 14, 2012 by Elizabeth Larkin 1 Comment

Sunset Meadows Vineyard in Goshen, CT - 1

Sunset Meadows Vineyard in Goshen, CT - 5

I was doing some winery research on Yelp and came across a glowing review that ended with, “I love this winery, I just wish it were closer.” I love that these wineries are *not* that close by. I live in Farmington, a town with many beautiful old houses, good places to eat and scenic beauty, but one of my favorite parts of time spent on the Connecticut Wine Trail is driving to the wineries. I get excited when I see ‘Connecticut Scenic Route’ signs, and I feel very lucky that I get to spend an afternoon (or a whole day) driving these back roads of Connecticut on the hunt for a glass of wine and a seat with a pretty view. [Read more…] about Day Trip | Sunset Meadows Vineyard

Filed Under: Connecticut, Food + Drinks, Travel Tagged With: ct wine trail, good for groups, Goshen, Litchfield County, romantic

Make-Your-Own Picnic Lunch in Bantam

August 7, 2012 by Elizabeth Larkin 3 Comments

Arethusa Dairy in Bantam, CT - 01

Bantam Bread Company in Bantam, CT - 05

I first discovered the Bantam Bread Company at the Hill-Stead Museum Farmer’s Market one Sunday morning when my mother insisted I try a “dirt bomb,” from their stand. A dirt bomb is basically a doughnut hole covered in sugar and cinnamon so there’s really nothing not to love about it (you can see a picture of my nephew enjoying one in this post on the Hill-Stead Farmer’s Market). I’m really more of a savory breakfast person than a sweet one, so when Mike and I visited their shop in Bantam earlier this summer we chose a freshly-baked loaf of bread instead and then headed across the street to Arethusa’s Dairy to find an accompaniment.  Arethusa’s sells fresh milk, ice cream, cheese, and butter from cows that are treated better than most beloved household pets (you can read all about how the dairy and farm were started in this New York Times article The Dairy Built on Stiletto Heels).

Park your car at one or the other and carefully cross the street–or as Mike calls it “frogger it”–to the other. This little stretch of road is really a foodie’s make-your-own-picnic dream spot. Here you will get some of the best bread and dairy products in Litchfield County, and they are the perfect accompaniment to wine tasting at one of the many vineyards in this area, a hike, or back at home after a day trip. Check out the trips page for ideas in the area. [Read more…] about Make-Your-Own Picnic Lunch in Bantam

Filed Under: Connecticut, Food + Drinks, Travel Tagged With: Bantam, Litchfield County, Litchfield Hills, romantic

Farmers Markets Near Norfolk, CT

August 4, 2012 by Elizabeth Larkin Leave a Comment

Sunflowers From the Market

Sunflowers From the Market

More farmers market goodness today. At this point, all of the  markets should be open – yay! Last time was an update on Danbury, this time we’re moving north to the Litchfield Hills. These are five farmers markets near Norfolk, Connecticut.

Litchfield Hills Farmers Market
Litchfield Community Center
Woodruff Lane
Litchfield, CT 06759
Saturdays, 10:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m.

New Hartford Farmers Market
Rt. 44 and Church Street
New Hartford, CT 06057
Fridays, 4:00 p.m. – 7:00 p.m.

Norfolk Farmers Market
Town Hall Lawn
19 Maple Avenue
Norfolk, CT 06058
Saturdays, 10:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m.
May 19 – October 13

Torrington Farmers Market
Staples Plaza
100 South Main St.
Torrington, CT
Tuesdays 3:00 p.m. – 6:00 p.m., Saturdays 10:00 a.m.-1:00 p.m.
June 2 – October 30

Winsted Farmers Market
1 Park Place
Winsted, CT 06098
Fridays, 4:00 p.m. – 7:00 p.m.
July 6 – September 14

Here, you can search my (slowly, slowly, growing) list of Connecticut Farmers Markets. Am I missing any? Leave a tip in the comments.

Filed Under: Connecticut, Food + Drinks, Travel Tagged With: farmers markets, good places, Litchfield County, Norfolk, shopping

Connecticut Days

July 14, 2012 by Elizabeth Larkin Leave a Comment

I took my mom, who is pictured below, looking like a stern-yet-chic Parisian, on a day trip to the Woodbury area for her birthday. Despite the humidity and the date (Friday the 13th) we had a great day that included salads at Carole Peck’s Good News Cafe, a tour of the Glebe House Museum, and a stop at Middlebury Consignment.

We followed that up with a dinner on the deck of steaks, olive-and-garlic bread, zucchini, a special prosecco-rosemary-vodka cocktail I discovered on Pinterest, and cupcakes courtesy of A Little Something Bakery in West Hartford. I’m treating outdoors dinners this summer as an excuse to prepare all of the recipes I’ve mindlessly pinned because even if they’re not great, you’re still eating outside, which seems to make up for it a bit.

More pictures and day trip ideas for the Woodbury, Connecticut area to follow.

Filed Under: Life Tagged With: Litchfield County

Summer Travel Plans

June 15, 2012 by Elizabeth Larkin Leave a Comment

Lobster Rolls in ConnecticutLobster Roll from Lenny& Joe’s Fish Tail in Westbrook

Back in March, I posted a to-do list for spring travel, and I ended up doing exactly one of the things, and skipping everything else I had listed. This summer I’m making another list, and I’m determined to stick to it.

Spend a leisurely weekend afternoon at Salt Water Farm Vineyard (already planned with Johnna from The Size of Connecticut!).

A foodies day trip to Litchfield County.

First visit to the Coventry Regional Farmer’s Market at the Nathan Hale Homestead. Honestly, I’ll probably try to hit as many farmers’ markets as possible.

Several trips to Connecticut beaches, lobster rolls mandatory.

My yearly dual trips to my favorite beach town in the world, Montauk, New York; once with my college friends, and once with my Mom for some mother-daughter bonding.

A day trip to hike, (hopefully) visit my friend Kristin, and show my boyfriend the French Church my ancestors built in New Paltz, New York.

Filed Under: Life Tagged With: Hartford County, Litchfield County, Middlesex County, New Haven County, New London County, Windham County

Postcard from the Painted Pony in Bethlehem, CT

May 22, 2012 by Elizabeth Larkin Leave a Comment

This is my favorite kind of restaurant. I stopped in because my mom and I were in the area visiting Abbey Regina Laudis, and asked a local for a lunch recommendation. This broccoli pesto pizza–heavy on the garlic–was such a flavorful, delicious surprise to find in this little town. Definitely worth the stop if you’re visiting Litchfield County.  [Read more…] about Postcard from the Painted Pony in Bethlehem, CT

Filed Under: Connecticut, Food + Drinks Tagged With: Bethlehem, Litchfield County, Naugatuck Valley

Five Good Places to Eat in Bethlehem, CT

May 17, 2012 by Elizabeth Larkin Leave a Comment

5 Good Places to Eat in Bethlehem, Connecticut

5 Good Places to Eat in Bethlehem, ConnecticutAn interactive map of places to eat in Bethlehem, CT

Bethlehem, Connecticut has it’s main tourist season the first three weeks in December when people from all over New England and New York visit this Litchfield County town to have their Christmas and holiday cards stamped: “Bethlehem Post Office.” You can read more about this in my post from December Christmas Day Trip to Bethlehem, CT.

But if you find yourself in or around the quaint town of Bethlehem any time of the year–like if you happen to be visiting Litchfield itself, or doing a drive-bay at Southfarms in Morris–these restaurants all have that local flavor we crave on day trips. [Read more…] about Five Good Places to Eat in Bethlehem, CT

Filed Under: Connecticut, Food + Drinks Tagged With: Bethlehem, good places, Litchfield County, Naugatuck Valley

5 Good Places to Eat in Woodbury

April 9, 2012 by Elizabeth Larkin Leave a Comment

5 good places to eat in Woodbury, CT

Interactive map of 5 Good Places to Eat in Woodbury, CT

Woodbury is the bottom anchor of Litchfield County, bordering Roxbury, Washington, and Middlebury, and it’s very close proximity to 84 makes is pretty accessible from other parts of the state.  What Woodbury is really known for is it’s antiques (you can read a great review/rundown of the area in Yankee Magazine), and I’m pretty sure the steady stream of out-of-staters coming through town have this trifecta in mind: shopping, New England quaintness, and some good eats when they head to Woodbury.

Any of the listed restaurants would be an excellent accompaniment to a day of antiquing.

[Read more…] about 5 Good Places to Eat in Woodbury

Filed Under: Connecticut, Food + Drinks Tagged With: good places, Litchfield County, Naugatuck Valley, Woodbury

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Connecticut Day Trips is a blog about travel and life in Connecticut, written and photographed by a native who moved away, moved back, and learned to love it: About/Contact

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

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 […]

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