The best place to wait out a major hurricane, freak snow storm, or other natural catastrophe is–by far–a city. Mike and I remained blithely unaware of the doom inflicted on Greater Hartford for a full 24 hours after 2011’s “Snocktober” storm because we were in Hartford.
That Saturday night we walked to the Half Door for dinner and saw a band, later on watched movies at home, and the next morning got coffee at Tisane without incident. It wasn’t until we left the city that we noticed anything had gone awry. So with another October “perfect storm” bearing down on us, my advice is: move to a city where you can walk everywhere.
If you can’t move, a rural, enchanting, all-inclusive spa may be your next best bet. There’s a page on this site where readers can suggest places for me to visit. Many people email me with suggestions for hotels with spas like the Mayflower, Essex Day Spa, Norwich Inn, Interlaken, and by far the most popular, the Winvian in Morris, Connecticut. I’m wholeheartedly approve of these suggestions, and I will get to them someday, but currently, the Connecticut Day Trips budget does not allow for the necessary research on these spa-inns.
That’s not going to stop me from imagining what I’d do for the day if I were staying in one of these famous inns, nor did it stop me from doing a drive by on Winvian the other night after a day trip in the Litchfield area. Winvian is and all-inclusive inn with it’s own spa, restaurant, farm, and cottages to frolic in, but for the intrepid guest who wants a break from all of that champagne, spa treatments, gourmet food, and natural beauty of the inn’s grounds, here’s what I’d do with a day in the area.
Things to Do Near Winvian in Morris
Litchfield County has a great deal to offer: wineries, the outdoors adventures, and the fine dining experiences. Here are my picks:
Make Your Own Picnic in Bantam
The would be a fantastic way to spend a late morning or early afternoon before heading off to either a winery, a hike, or a walk around town in Litchfield. The Bantam Bread Co. and Arethusa’s Dairy produce some of the best to-go food in Litchfield County. If you do any fine dining in the region, chances are you’ll be enjoying some of their goods, so stop by and build your own picnic.
Haight-Brown is one of the best wineries to visit during colder months due to their large, inviting tasting room. The tasting room has a large bar to sidle up to, fireplaces to gather around, and a beautiful view of the rolling hills of Litchfield County.
Spend an Afternoon Shopping in New Preston
If you have the coin to stay at Winvian, then I’ve got a perfect little hamlet you can shop till you drop in. New Preston has a high-end kitchen supply store, a high-end antique store, and a high-end baby clothing store. Plus, it’s gorgeous. If you’ve visited the Winvian in the hopes of finding a charming little town, you will find the landscape of New Preston ideal.
This is one of those pretty places that really sticks with you. It’s just a farm and a farm stand, but it has such a nice vibe and is in the middle of such a picturesque area, it’s worth the drive by.
Morris is part of Litchfield County. Find more things to see, eat and visit in Litchfield County, Connecticut.
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