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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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Day Trip to the Ivoryton Playhouse in Ivoryton, CT

May 18, 2012 by Elizabeth Larkin 1 Comment

Ivoryton Playhouse in Ivoryton, CT - 06

Chances are, if you’re visiting the Ivoryton Playhouse in Ivoryton, CT, you’re there because you have tickets to a show, but you could also choose to show up three hours early and while away the extra time in this tiny little corner of the world. Ivoryton is actually part of Essex, and although it’s smaller, with less (famous) attractions, it has the same sense of charm that the main village of Essex exudes.

Day Trip to the Ivoryton Playhouse

Ivoryton Playhouse - 12

IvorytonPlayhouse in Ivoryton, CT

Summit Gallery in Ivoryton, CT

Ivoryton Playhouse - 03

DAY TRIP ITINERARY: Day trip to the Ivoryton Playhouse in Ivoryton, Connecticut
Each day trip itinerary includes the main event, plus suggestions — with names, addresses and maps — of places to eat, shop, or “notable neighbors” to check out while you’re in the area. There is baked-in flexibility to mix and match, or follow the itinerary to the letter. If you have suggestions, lemme know!

The Ivoryton Playhouse
103 Main Street
Ivortyon, CT 06442

SIGHTSEEING
You can park at the Playhouse, and begin your excursion down Main Street. All of these sightseeing suggestions are within walking distance of the both the Playhouse, and each other. First up:

Museum of the Fife & Drum
62 N. Main St.
Ivoryton, 06442

Then, enjoy a stop in one of my all-time favorite antique stores.

Gather
104 Main Street
Ivoryton, CT 06442

Take a stroll past the library (which will be closed–unless you’re there on a weekday–but it still has that quaintly-quaint quality worth the walk-by).

Ivoryton Library
106 Main Street
Ivoryton, CT 06442

Right around the corner is the Six Summit Gallery.

Six Summit Gallery
6 Summit Street
Ivoryton CT 06442

DINING
You can choose to either get back in your car and head to the Copper Beach Inn, or stay local for a more casual meal and hit up the Ivoryton Tavern or Aggies Village Restaurant.

Aggie’s Village Restaurant
Main Street
Ivoryton, CT 06442

Copper Beach Inn
46 Main Street
Ivoryton, CT 06442

Ivoryton Tavern Cafe
8 Summit Street
Ivoryton, Ct. 06442

NOTABLE NEIGHBORS
Additional travel, sightseeing, dining and shopping ideas near Essex, CT:

Essex Day Trip
Essex Steam Train
French Hen
Gather Antique Store
Griswold Inn
Olive Oyl’s0

Filed Under: Connecticut, Food + Drinks, Travel Tagged With: antiquing, art galleries, day trip, Eastern Connecticut, Essex, Ivoryton, Middlesex County, museums, shopping

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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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Saturday Farmers Market in Washington Depot CT

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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