A visit to beautiful and engaging Connecticut and Rhode Island Coast is an excellent option during these COVID times. Here are 10 superb things to do in this scenic region of New England.
Coastal Connecticut and Rhode Island met all of our conditions for a destination: (1) we could get there by car, thereby avoiding airplanes and airports; (2) we had not yet traveled there; (3) Connecticut and Rhode Island offered lots of outdoor activities; (4) they were respectful of COVID precautions; (5) both states allowed visitors from Virginia; (6) neither Connecticut nor Rhode Island would not be overrun with a lot of tourists; (7) both offered distinctive cuisine; and (8) scenic and filled with interesting things to do, both Connecticut and Rhode Island appealed to us. (Of course, after quarantining for 5 months, both of us were pretty much thrilled to go anywhere.). And, traveling there would work well with a weekend trip to a good friend’s beach house in Fire Island, NY.
So, after a fun-filled long weekend in enchanting Fire Island, we were off to Coastal Connecticut and Rhode Island for our new adventure during COVID.
Based on our 10-day jaunt through coastal Connecticut and Rhode Island, here are 10 things to do:
- Explore New Haven and Devour a Clam Pizza
- Pamper Yourself at the Inn at Harbor Hill Marina
- Savor Lobster Rolls at Abbott’s
- Visit the Mystic Seaport Museum
- Savor Mouthwatering Baked Goods in Historic Downtown Mystic
- Stroll Around Elegant Watch Hill
- Combine History, Water Views and a Delectable Snack in New London
- Visit the Unique Gillette Castle and State Park
- Bask in Beautiful Madison and Hammonasset Beach State Park
- Don’t Miss a Wood-Fired Meal at The Place in Guilford
1. Explore New Haven, Connecticut and Devour a Clam Pizza
Yale University
We visited New Haven, Connecticut only for a couple of hours and chiefly for 2 reasons: to see the campus of Yale University and to devour the renown New Haven Style Clam Pizza. Neither disappointed. The Yale campus is everything one expects from a prominent university – steadfast, distinguished, diverse – and most importantly, a lovely place to take a stroll and dream.
Clam Pizza
As for the clam pizza, for the most part it lived up to its hype. After researching “the best clam pizza in Connecticut,” we settled on ordering one from Zuppardi’s on Union Street in West Haven, a couple of miles from downtown New Haven. Zuppardi’s has been making “Apizzas” for 80-plus years (with good reason). Plus, it’s in a residential neighborhood with not much commercial activity (i.e., it felt local).
This being the era of COVID where eating inside is strictly verboten, we ordered our “Apizza” over the phone and waited outside in our car for about 15 minutes to pick it up. With our pizza in hand and our car filled with the marvelous aroma of freshly baked wood fired pizza, we drove to New Haven Green in the center of New Haven to savor our acquisition.
The Apizza was definitely thumbs up, although were we to order again, we’d make a slight modification. Zuppardi’s cooked the pizza perfectly, with a few charred bubbles of crust and a soft interior of luscious dough. A slight crunch when biting into the crust yielded a chewy dough, just firm enough and with a wonderfully soft yeasty, salt flavor. Definitely memorable. The clams were plump, juicy, flavorful and plentiful. The only thing missing was the cheese.
Cheese or No Cheese?
One can order a clam pizza with or without cheese. Even though we had requested it with cheese, our order came without it. (Apparently, more locals eat their clam Apizza without it.) Instead of waiting for another pizza, we decided to take the one in hand. Big mistake. The density and richness of cheese would have enhanced the flavors and textures of the clams and dough. In our opinion, it would have taken this Connecticut food experience to the next level.
New Haven Green
Dating back to 1638, New Haven Green is one of the oldest and best-known town greens in the country. Several gorgeous churches and other historic buildings surround it. It’s an elegant spot for a picnic lunch and worth a visit. In addition to its beauty and serenity, this is also a great place to witness Yale campus life, as many of the students socialize, gather for open-air studies, or just hang out.
After a couple of hours, we left New Haven determined to return post-COVID to explore all the great things that this modest size, historic town has to offer.
2. Pamper Yourself at the Inn at Harbor Hill Marina
Our research led us to book our stay at the Inn at Harbor Hill Marina in Niantic, Connecticut, a waterfront property located on Connecticut’s Long Island Sound. Its central location is ideal for exploring Connecticut’s coast, it is on the water overlooking its own marina, and it is newly refurbished. Plus, being significantly less expensive than comparable properties in or near Mystic, Connecticut, it offers an excellent value.
Another attraction is its size. This boutique B&B has just 16 rooms located in two different buildings. We stayed in the main building which houses only nine rooms, which meant fewer guests coming and going.
Our stay there was lovely. The rooms were spacious, modern, and nicely designed with a nautical theme. And, our view of the marina and harbor was superb, living up to the expectations set by the photos featured on the website.
The staff was extremely attentive and service was warm and gracious. As with most B&Bs, the Inn at Harbor Hill Marina’s standard breakfast buffet has disappeared and instead, guests order a full breakfast a la carte. There are plenty of tables socially distanced outside for guests to enjoy their first meal of the day. As an added bonus, you get to view the lively morning marina activities as boaters get their rigs ready to explore the water.
A Spot to Unwind
Also, the Inn is a great spot to wind down after an active day visiting the surrounding Connecticut coast. As happy hours are a thing of the past, the management leaves individual bottles of wine in guest rooms instead. This allowed us to turn the Inn’s garden into our little refuge, where we could sit on the Adirondack chairs and relax while sipping wine and watching the sunset’s reflection on the water.
We really enjoyed staying there and highly recommend it.
3. Savor Lobster Rolls at Abbott’s
One goal on our trip to Connecticut and Rhode Island was to sample as many lobster rolls as possible. We sampled a lot of them. And, we never tired of them. Often, a restaurant (especially if it were upscale) felt the need to add its mark to this New England classic by supplementing or changing ingredients. Totally unwarranted – – for there are few things so flawless as succulent chunks of plump lobster nestled in a soft, warm, slightly sweet bun dripping with melted butter.
Famous Abbott’s
Located in Noank, Connecticut, Abbott’s was our favorite place for lobster rolls. (I had read about Abbott’s in a number of places as the spot for an “authentic” New England lobster roll.) To get there, we drove through the charming streets of the village of Noank (listed as a historic district on the U.S. National Register of Historic Places) until we reached the water. Abbott’s is in a rambling structure with picnic tables in the back facing a marina and a dock that juts into the mouth of Connecticut’s Mystic River containing more tables. The line there was long, stretched even more so because of the social distancing between people. However, the atmosphere – – on the water, very old school, very coastal Connecticut, very time-honored, and very fun – – made up for the hour-wait to place our order.
Although It took a while to get our food, the weather was ideal and the view was peaceful, so we were content. Best of all, the food was tasty, plentiful, delicious, and fun – – exactly as it should be at a spot like this. Note that even though Abbott’s doesn’t sell alcoholic beverages, patrons are allowed to bring their own.
What to Order?
Typically, I’m not a huge fan of New England clam chowder because I don’t like the rich, warm base of cream and butter. However… drum roll please… Abbott’s version contains no cream or butter. Instead, it has a wonderfully rich clam broth with succulent pieces of clam, rounded off by small squares of potatoes. Delicious! And, to get our fill of the sea, we followed that with a dozen fresh, plump, briny oysters.
The evening’s highlight of course was Abbott’s luscious, mouth-watering lobster roll, filled with generous chunks of buttery lobster burrowed in a perfectly toasted hamburger roll (potato chips and coleslaw on the side). There is a good reason that Abbott’s has been around for over 70 years. It is a place we’d love to visit over and over again.
4. Visit the Mystic Seaport Museum
There is a lot to do in Mystic, Connecticut. And, while many of the attractions feel as if they are on the trodden tourist track (well, they are), there is still plenty to experience that is authentic and delightful.
A visit to the Mystic Seaport Museum was a highlight. Don’t miss it. Admittedly, we were a bit reluctant to visit the Seaport Museum because its website and brochures made it seem precious and uninteresting. Fortunately, our impression was wrong. The Museum is smart, engaging, and very special.
Founded in 1929, the “Museum” houses four National Historic Landmark vessels and covers 19 acres along the Mystic river, recreating a 19th century Connecticut coastal village, a working ship yard, exhibit halls, and state-of-the-art storage facilities. Indeed, the variety and depth of activities it sponsors are impressive and merit a good block of time to explore.
It is an outstanding introduction to Mystic and the history of New England’s shipping industry. Moreover, even though several exhibits were closed due to COVID restrictions, there was plenty to see and experience outdoors. This is a great Connecticut destination for everyone, adults and kids. As a matter of fact, we noticed the ongoing summer camps on the property with kids of different ages making the “Museum” their destination for the day. Highly recommended!
5. Savor Mouthwatering Baked Goods in Historic Downtown Mystic, Connecticut
Sift Bakery
Finding great food is a lifelong mission for us. In fact, whenever and wherever we come upon a place that produces something remarkable to eat, it has got to be noted. Sift Bakery is one of those spots. During our visit to historic downtown Mystic, Connecticut, we stopped there for lunch, after wandering up and down Main Street.
The sandwiches were outstanding (luscious chicken salad on a perfectly baked croissant and a succulent croque-monsieur that melted in your mouth). And, the French-style pastries that we tried were unusual and beautiful. Our lemon meringue croissant consisted of light sweet meringue on top of a crispy circular croissant filled with rich, tart lemon custard. Moreover, the French macaroons were light, flavorful and melted in your mouth – – everything you’d expect from one that is well made. Perfection.
The line of customers may seem long but it moves pretty quickly. And, while everyone observes social distancing while standing in line, the bakery has installed acrylic dividers as an additional protection so that people don’t stand next to each other. There are also a good number of tables available in their outdoor patio.
A Walk on Main Street
Once you have satisfied your palate, walk down Mystic’s Main Street to check out the Mystic River Bascule Drawbridge. Built in 1922, with an unusual system that allows the structure to be operated based on counterweights, this bridge connects the west and east ends of the street where most of Mystic’s shops and restaurants are located. After walking through the intricate architectural marvel, you can walk along the river promenade and catch a great view of the bridge’s profile.
6. Stroll Around Elegant Watch Hill, Rhode Island
Elegant, authentic, and posh without being pretentious, Rhode Island’s Watch Hill stands out. This quaint coastal village in the town of Westerly is on the most southwestern point of Rhode Island. It is very close to the border with Connecticut and sits on a small peninsula right in the Block Island Sound. With good reason, its historic district is listed on the U.S. National Register of Historic Places.
Historically, this area of Rhode Island has been popular with wealthy families who did not consider themselves to be as flashy as those families that opted for the opulence of Newport. Instead, they built Victorian-style cottages along the peninsula, making Watch Hill a more casual and secluded summer colony. As you drive on Watch Hill Road towards the village, veer onto the windy side streets and take in the beauty and wealth of the neighborhood and its cottages.
The Watch Hill Lighthouse
Once in Watch Hill, it’s worth a walk to the Watch Hill Lighthouse. Even though your GPS may direct you to drive there (as ours did), the Watch Hill Point area is not accessible by automobiles. Only residents can drive onto this area. The narrow streets eventually lead onto a pedestrian access way. While the lighthouse itself may not be that impressive up close, the view of the water, rock formations, sea birds, beach, and sprawling cottages is worth your promenade. Definitely a “Kodak” moment and, a great place to contemplate the old seafaring days.
The Beach
Watch Hill Beach is lovely. Even though it’s accessible to the public, there is a cover charge to enter the beach. The nearby commercial strip offers an abundance of interesting independent shops and restaurants in an ideal setting. The area is extremely picturesque with boats moored at the Watch Hill Yacht Club marina.
Another beautiful landmark is the stately Ocean House, the 1860 luxurious Relais and Châteaux property. It’s worth taking a walk around its property and checking out the perfectly manicured lawn where guests sometimes put on a game of croquet. Even if you are not staying at the hotel, you can stroll through the main floor and relax on the outside deck rocking chairs and admire the view.
Other Attractions
Other top attractions in the area include the Trustom Pond National Wildlife Refuge, magnificent views from Napatree Point, an abundance of gorgeous beach “houses”, and the unique Flying Horse Carousel (still operating since 1883), a National Historic Landmark. The ride on the brightly painted hand-carved wooden horses, suspended from a center frame, is for kids only.
This should make for a great day – – or better yet, a weekend – – that is fun-filled, idyllic, and feels very exclusive. It was misty and foggy during our visit, so we can only imagine how magical Watch Hill, Rhode Island is with a gorgeous sunny weather. We will be returning for sure.
7. Combine History, Water Views and a Delectable Snack in New London, Connecticut
Because it has the best deep-water harbor in Long Island Sound, New London, Connecticut became a base of American naval operations during the Revolutionary War. After surviving raids and having much of it burned to the ground in 1781, New London became a prominent Connecticut whaling seaport. To this day, New London is home to the United States Coast Guard Academy and a Coast Guard Station. Moreover, New London Harbor is home to the Coast Guard Cutter Chinook and the Coast Guard’s tall ship “Eagle”.
We arrived in the ferry building in the historic district of New London from Orient Point, Long Island, NY, by way of the Cross-Sound Ferry. If you are driving, the city can be easily accessed from Interstate 95. Reminiscent of Connecticut’s long-forgotten prosperous whaling days, New London’s historic district has some noteworthy buildings, unique boutiques, and art galleries – definitely worth exploring. In addition, he downtown area has murals and sculptures that deserve to be checked out. The area seemed quiet for a mid-week afternoon, probably a COVID impact, and felt secure to walk around while maintaining proper social distance.
Fort Trumbull
A short drive away is Fort Trumbull State Park, another beautiful site on the edge of the Thames River. Its rolling grassy hills are picturesque and provide great water views, making this location a terrific destination for a picnic. Best yet, the grounds are open year-round and there are no parking or admission fees. In addition to having exhibits, the Visitor Center also offers guided tours. However, the Center was closed during our visit due to the pandemic.
The current masonry structure (the third) was built from 1839 – 1852. The military constructed the fortification for the defense of the New London Harbor as part of a group of 42 forts used to protect the United States’ coast. Fort Trumbull has five sides and four bastions and is unique due to the Egyptian Revival details incorporated into its architectural design. And, the harbor view from the top, as you walk around the fort, is magnificent.
Fred’s Shanty
For a quick Connecticut “foodie” experience, make sure to stop off at Fred’s Shanty. Open from March to October, this seasonal shack is next to the marina at Greens Harbor. This is a very popular place and it has been serving local New Londoners since 1972. Although this casual spot serves chowder, fried fish, hot dogs, hamburgers and ice cream, the stand out on its menu is its lobster roll.
We really enjoyed the piled morsels of lobster and melted butter on a long fresh bun. As noted earlier we set a goal of trying as many lobster rolls along the way and we were very happy we made it here.
8. Visit the Unique Gillette Castle and State Park
This one is unforgettable. A bizarre combination of styles (medieval, gothic, Victorian, Arts and Crafts, and Fred Flintstone), the Gillette Castle in East Haddam, built between 1914 to 1917, will leave you astonished as to how and why something so eccentric could have been built. This is truly a “what were they thinking” moment.
William Gillette, an actor best known for portraying Sherlock Homes on stage in the early 20th Century, designed the entire “Castle” including its unique façade covered horizontally in field stone. Lots of oddities (e.g., secret doors, hidden rooms and passageways, unique carvings, mirrors used for spying) flow through the house, adding to its mystery and allure. There, with his 17 cats, Gillette would entertain prominent figures of the day (Albert Einstein, Helen Hayes, Charlie Chaplin), perhaps even taking them on his 3-mile-long narrow-gauge railroad with its elaborate system of switches, trestles, bridges, turnouts, and a tunnel.
With its striking view of the Connecticut River, the grounds are spectacular and ideal for an afternoon of hiking or picnicking. Unsurprisingly, Mr. Gillette was a bit of a mystery himself. Sadly, his young wife died only after 4 years of marriage. He never remarried and didn’t have any children. The State of Connecticut purchased the Castle for just under $40,000 in 1943 even though it cost approximately $1.1 million to build it. The National Register of Historic Places added it to its roster n 1986. Quirky – yes. Crazy – yes. Boring – no way.
9. Bask in Beautiful Madison, Connecticut and Hammonasset Beach State Park
Of all the beaches we visited, Hammonasset Beach was by far the most memorable. It is stunning. Connecticut’s largest shoreline park offers two miles of gorgeous beach to sun and surf, plus some fantastic opportunities to scroll along its boardwalk nestled in its dunes. The park is enormous and marvelous – clean, well preserved, and has great changing facilities and bathrooms. It has plenty of picnic areas and parking areas.
Moreover, Hammonasset is located in Madison, Connecticut, a charming, town of 20,000, settled in 1641. The Connecticut Coast has an abundance of exceptional towns to experience New England hospitality and atmosphere – Essex, Old Saybrook, Stonington, Milford, Niantic. Madison stands right there with the others. It offers an attractive town center with smart shops and dining options, great public art, and plenty of New England ambiance.
10. Don’t Miss a Wood Fired Meal at The Place in Guilford, Connecticut
Some spots are so much fun and feel so unique and special that you can’t help getting excited just thinking about your experience there. The Place Restaurant in Guilford, Connecticut is one of them. Warning: The Place is not for everyone. But, for those of us who go for this type of thing, we whole-heartedly endorsed it.
The restaurant is unpretentious, unquestionably cool and completely outdoors with one tented area. Its main element is a huge, glorious central wood fire grill which looks almost makeshift. The grill fires up luscious clams, lobster, corn, fish, vegetables, chicken, and steaks. Guests sit at tables made out of bright red wood tops surrounded by tree stumps used as seats. There is plenty of social distancing here.
More seasoned customers bring tablecloths, side dishes, decorations, and alcoholic beverages to upgrade their dining experience (you should too). Its specialty is “roast clams special”, wood grilled littleneck clams dressed with cocktail sauce. Distinctive and pleasing, the clams offer a mixture of the sea and char in every bite. Everything we ordered tasted fresh and perfectly wood fired. If you have never tried a wood fired grilled lobster, this is where you should do so. Casual, spontaneous and so much fun, the Place felt like a true Coastal Connecticut experience. Don’t miss it.