THINGS TO DO

If you’re making a weekend of it, here are a few of our favourite places around Connecticut.

All driving times below are approximate and measured from downtown Essex .

DOWNTOWN ESSEX

Main Street
One of the prettiest small-town main streets in Connecticut, with local shops and cafés.

Griswold Inn
One of the oldest continuously operating inns in the United States (dating back to 1776). Worth stopping in for lunch or a drink in the Tap Room. They have live music on Fridays.

Drift
Right on the Connecticut River with beautiful sunset views. Great seafood and a nice spot for dinner.

Olive Oyl’s
Nice for breakfast or a quick lunch.

EAT & DRINK

Liv’s Shack, Old Saybrook
10 minutes
Our favourite lobster roll around. Also a great shrimp roll and other casual seafood.

The Place, Guilford
30 minutes
Everything is cooked over open charcoal pits outdoors. Order the baked clams and corn on the cob.
Don’t forget, it’s BYOB.

Lenny’s Indian Head Inn, Branford
35 minutes
A classic Connecticut seafood restaurant right on the water. Great fried seafood, chowder, and lobster.

Sally’s Apizza, New Haven
45 minutes
This is my favourite pizza in New Haven. You really can’t go wrong with Sally’s, Pepe’s, Modern, or Zuppardi’s, but if I had to choose just one, I’d pick Sally’s. (Maria’s opinion)

Fair Haven Oyster Co., New Haven
45 minutes
A great place for oysters and seafood by the water. Perfect for an early dinner.

Arethusa Farm Dairy, New Haven
45 minutes
Our favourite ice cream in New Haven.

Florence Griswold Museum, Old Lyme
10 minutes
A lovely museum dedicated to American Impressionism, set in a beautiful historic house and gardens.

Gillette Castle State Park
15 minutes
A unique stone castle overlooking the Connecticut River. Getting there includes a short ferry ride, which is part of the fun.

Book Barn, Niantic
20 minutes
A really fun used bookstore with books spread across several buildings and little paths between them. There are goats wandering around too, so it could be a nice stop if you’re travelling with kids.

Hammonasset Beach State Park
30 minutes
Connecticut’s largest beach and one of our favourite places in the state. Great for a swim or a walk, and the hotdogs at the food stand at Meigs Point are very good.

Yale Center for British Art, New Haven
45 minutes
One of our favourite museums. Admission is free.

Beinecke Rare Book & Manuscript Library, New Haven
45 minutes
One of Yale’s most beautiful buildings.
There’s also the Noguchi sculpture garden and a Calder sculpture just outside.

TOWNS NEARBY

Old Saybrook
10 minutes
A charming shoreline town with shops, restaurants, and a nice Main Street to explore.

Mystic
30 minutes
One of Connecticut’s most popular seaside towns, with great restaurants and small shops.

Stonington‍ ‍
40 minutes
A smaller, quieter coastal village that feels a little more hidden than Mystic. There’s a nice dock where you can jump in the water, and the downtown is beautiful. (Maria's favourite)
Noah’s is a great place for lunch.

New Haven
45 minutes
If you have a full day, it’s well worth exploring. Walk around Yale’s campus, visit a museum or two (The Yale Art Gallery is also great) and grab some pizza.