Madison CT Authors’ Day, RJ Julia’s, bookfest, 1st Nov. Sat., 203-243-3959/800-74-READS, www.rjjulia.com • Allis-Bushnell House & Museum, unusual corner fireplaces & orig. paneling, now home of Mad. Hist. Soc., 7/4-Labor Day, W, F, S 1-4, 245-4567 • Madison Gallery, contemporary artists, painting, sculpture, photography, outdoor sculpture, summer only T-Sun. 11-4, 245-7899 • Front Parlour at the British Shoppe, tearoom w/robust lunches of British food, lunch M-Sat. 11:30-1:30, www.thebritishshoppe.com • Lenny & Joe’s Fish Tale Restaurant, best fried clams around + lobster rolls, daily 11-9, F & Sat. 11-10, 669-0767, also in Westbrook • Madison Sculpture Mile, guided walking tour • visitors’ ctr. Town green, Mem. Day-Col. Day (sculpture tour booklet) • CT Coastal Birding Trail at Hammonasset, nature walks
Manchester Fire Museum, mid-April-mid-Nov., 649-9436 • Cheney Museum, 643-5588 • New England Jukebox & Amusements, 646-1533 • Anna’s Pizza Restaurant, 569‑3118 • Manchester Art Association • Little Theater of Manchester
Mansfield Ballard Institute and Museum of Puppetry • Connecticut State Museum of Natural History • Gurleyville Grist Mill, Chaffeeville Rd., mid-May to mid-Oct., Sun. 1-5, 429-9023 • William Benton Museum of Art, 245 Glenbrook Rd., T-S 10-4:30, S&S, 1-4:30
Meriden Ted’s Restaurant, best burgers (steamed), esp. a “trilby” (w/mustard and onions) and special chocolate shakes, scary décor, excellent food, M-Sat. 11:30-9:30, 203-237-6660 for hours • Daffodil festival, 500,000 daffys, craft show & fair, etc., May
Middlebury Golden Age of Trucking Museum, 1101 Southford Rd., Th. to Sat., 8-4, $8
Middlefield Lyman Orchards & Apple Barrel
Middletown Wesleyan Potters Exhibit & Sale, late Nov.-mid-Dec., juried crafts
Milford Milford: Buttonwood Tree • Connecticut Audubon Coastal Center, Sat. a.m. bird walks • Charles Island, nature preserve, 14 acres, accessible by low-tide sandbar • Hotchkiss Memorial footbridge, crosses harbor, waterfalls underneath • CT Audubon Coastal Center on barrier beach near salt marsh, multi-decked obs. tower • Meet the Artists/Artisans festival, 200 artisans, spring & fall, on the Green • Milford Oyster Festival, 3rd Sat. Aug., crafts fair on Green, etc. $ Devon: Annual Sandcastle Contest at Walnut Beach • Rainbow Gardens (restaurant), 117 N. Broad St., 203-878-2500
Monroe *Dr. Mike’s (ice cream), esp. chocolate lace IC, Sun.-Th. 12-5, F & Sat. 12-11 (less in winter), 203-792-4388 (Bethel phone), also in Bethel
Montville The Dinosaur Place Morris Lakeside: Lorenz Studios, glassblower/sculptor, ethereal works of art, call ahead, 567-4280 • Bantam Baking Co., hearth-baked bread, T-Sat. 8:30-5:30, 567-2737 • Goosebore Drive-In, Bantam—seasonal; burgers. fr. clams,, 11-8:30 p.m., 860 567-9356
Morris Lakeside: Lorenz Studios, glassblower/sculptor, ethereal works of art, call ahead, 567-4280 • Bantam Baking Co., hearth-baked bread, T-Sat. 8:30-5:30, 567-2737 • Goosebore Drive-In, Bantam—seasonal; burgers. fr. clams,, 11-8:30 p.m., 860 567-9356
Naugatuck
Newington Giovanni’s Bakery and Pastry Shop
Newtown Second Company Governor’s Horse Guards, barn tours, summer practice Apr.-Oct., W 7 p.m., 203-426-9046 • Weir Farm, an American Impressionist, self-guided trail, Apr.-Nov. 8:30-5 daily, Dec.-Mar. 8:30-5, M-F, 203-843-1896 • *Leo’s, gigantic, no-frills breakfast or brunch, low prices, esp. waffle topped w/rice pudding
New Britain Cracovia (Polish restaurant), 223-4443 • Avery’s Beverages and bottling works tour, 224-0830 • Repertory Theatre of New Britain
New Canaan Handwright Gallery & Framing • Silvermine Guild Arts Center, contemporary artists, crafts, jewelry • New Canaan Nature Center, trails, exhibits, animals, greenhouse, bird & butterfly perennial gardens, herbs, wildflowers, arboretum, etc. • Town Players of New Canaan • Silvermine Summer Music Series, 4 concerts, June-Aug. Fri. eves.
New Fairfield
New Hartford Kasulaitis Farm and Sugarhouse, 379-8787 • Jerram Winery, tastings
New Haven Yale Peabody Museum of Natural History, M-Sat. 10-5, Sun. 12-5, 203-432-5050 • New Haven Brewing, tour & sample, Sat. 10 on, call first, 203-772-2739 • Louis’ Lunch, birthplace of the hamburger, 203-562-5507 • Pepe’s Pizzeria Napoletana, best white clam pizza, M, W, Th. 4-10:30, F & S 11:30-midnight, Sun. 2:30-10:30, closed Aug., 203-865-5762 • Five-Mile Point Light, in park with nature trails and bird sanctuary, 1916 giant carousel, T-Sun. 11-6, Mem.-Lab. Day, 203-946-8005 • Marjolaine, bakery/coffee house, famous for pastries, T-F 7-6, Sat. 8-6, Sun. 8-3, 203-789-8589 International Arts and Ideas, June 14-28, performers & talks • City-Wide Open Studios, Oct. • Info centers: 1000 Chapel, 59 Elm, 149 Elm • Creative Arts Workshop, gallery & exhibitions, holiday crafts • Yale Univ. Collection of Musical Instruments, 800 instr, 16th-21st centuries, free Sun. aft. concerts • New Haven Crypt, FCC on the Green, tombstones from 1687, tours Apr.-Oct., Th. & Sat. 11-1 • IKEA • Celebration of American Crafts at Creative Arts Workshop, national fine crafts exhibition/sale, Nov.-Dec. • Fantasy of Lights, Lighthouse Park, spectacular holiday displays, mid-Nov.-early Jan.
New London Alva Gallery • Griffis Art Center • Hygienic Art Gallery • Lyman Allyn Museum of Art • Science Center of Eastern Connecticut • Sailfest, street and harbor festival w/tall ships, crafts, etc. • Boats, Books & Brushes w/Taste, largest literary, art, maritime & food festival w/author presentations, cooking demons., Sept. • Garde Arts Center • Conn. College Arboretum • Custom House Maritime Museum • Fort Trumbull State Park
New Milford The Egg & I Farm, sells eggs, bacon, sausage, hams, kielbasa, W-Sun. 11-5, 354-0820, www.nwvillage.com/porkfarm • The Silo, high-end everything-for-the-kitchen shop, known for celebrities shopping on Sundays, 10-5 exc. Jan.-Mar., 800-353-SILO • Elephant’s Trunk Flea Market, largest outdoor flea market in NE, Sundays 6-3, real trash & treasure, modest admission, 355-1448 • Gregory James Gallery • TheatreWorks; Clamp’s; white wood hut on Rt. 202, 11-2 p.m. & 5-8 p.m., burgers & summer favorites. Seasonal, no phone or website.
Norfolk Norfolk Chamber Music Festival • The Pub, 542-5716 • Nobody Eats the Parsley, herbs for sale, 542-5479 • Greenwood Gates (B&B), 542-5439 • Under Mountain Inn (B&B), 435-0242 • Hillside Gardens, 1780s farmhouse & stunning flower gardens, 5/1-9/15, 9-5, free garden tour, all-day summer workshops (res. only), 542-5345 • Manor House (inn), 542-5690
North Canaan East Canaan: Land of Nod Winery, hay wagon wine tours
North Haven CT Irish Festival, June • No. Haven Art Guild & Studio 27 Gallery
North Stonington Jonathan Edwards Winery
Norwalk SoNo Arts Celebration, 1st wknd. Aug., 203-866-7916 • Norwalk Oyster Festival, early Sept., 888-701-7785 • City Hall, largest collection of Depression murals in U.S., shows art of everyday life, free, M-F 9-5, 203-866-0202 • Maritime Center of Norwalk, part museum-part aquarium, boat-building, restaurant, 203-852-0700 • Sheffield Island Lighthouse, 1868, w/4 levels/10 rooms, outermost of 13 Norwalk islands, take ferry, daily late-June-Labor Day, weekends June & Sept., clambakes, Norwalk Seaport Assoc. 888-701-7785 (www.lib.utk.edu/lights/newengl.html) • Silvermine Tavern (+ inn), 200 years old, 6 dining rooms, traditional NE cooking, famous Th. eve buffet & Sun. brunch, 203-847-4558 • Lockwood-Mathews Mansion Museum, Victorian palace w/stenciled walls, inlaid woodwork, & skylit rotunda, guided or audio tours • SoNo Switch Tower Museum, 1890s tower, features Armstrong switch-lever machine, watch busy trains pass • Quester Gallery • Overton’s, 80 Seaview Ave., E. Norwalk, hamburgers, fish sand., fish dinners on big deck. Seasonal.
Rowayton: Rowayton Arts Center, changing exhibits, area artists
Norwich Spirit of Broadway Theater • Old Norwichtown Burial Ground, brochures for self-guided tours, 886-4683 • Slater Memorial Museum $ Yantic Falls
Old Lyme Cooley Gallery • The Florence Griswold Museum • Lyme Art Association • The Pinney Gallery • Fish Way • Watch Rock • Hallmark’s Drive-in, 113 Shore Rd., 99 years old, handmade ice cream, 11-10 p.m. daily. 860 434-1998
Old Saybrook
Orange Apple Festival, Oct.
Plainfield The Baker’s Dozen of Plainfield, 765 Norwich Rd., 564-9528 • Spinning Wheel Gift Shop, 159 Norwich Road, 564-6822 • Great Expectations, used books, antiques, collectibles, 20 Railroad Ave., 564-6289
Plymouth Lock Museum of America, June-Oct., T-Sun., 10-6, 589-6359
Pomfret Sharpe Hill Vineyard • Martha’s Herbary, garden tours • Wood ‘n Wings ‘n Things handcrafted wooden clocks, gemstone jewelry, stained glass, 363 Fay Rd., 974-3642 • Old Wood Workshop, antique flooring, custom harvest tables, vintage building mat’ls., 193 Hampton Rd., 974-3622 (oldwoodworkshop.com)
Preston B&B at Roseledge Herb Farm, 892-4739 • Hideaway Inn B&B, 888-477-9866/887-5059 • Brookside Café, 143 Route 2A, 889-5557 • Parke’s Place, 117 Rt. 12, 889-8450 • Amos Lake • Mohegan Sun • Uncasville: Jasper White’s Summer Shack (seafood and oyster bar) at Mohegan Sun)
Prospect
Putnam River Mills Heritage Trail • Theatre of Northeastern Connecticut (Bradley Playhouse) • Cargill Falls Mill, function & decorative arts, 52 Pomfret Rd., 428-3439 • Our Creative Corner, handcrafted items from area artists, 112 Main St., #2, 963-7674 (ourcreativecorner.com) • River Mills Heritage
Redding Putnam Memorial State Park, site of G. Washington’s 1778 winter encampment, w/museum & reconstructions • Highstead Arboretum, woods & meadows, tree & shrub collections, herbarium, lectures & guided walks by appt. • neat shops on Rt. 7
Ridgefield Louise McKeon Chamber Music Concert series • Aldrich Museum of Contemporary Art, esp. modern sculpture on lawn, gardens open all the time • unique downtown shops and restaurants • Ridgefield Playhouse • Gail’s Station House, cozy feel, *breakfast—skillet breakfasts, pancakes & muffins, breakfast M-F 6-3, Sat. 7-3, Sun. 8-3; lunch 12-3 daily; dinner Wed.-Sun. 5:30-9:30, 203-438-9775 • Elms Restaurant & Tavern, very expensive, American classics, reservations required, DR Wed.-Sun. 5-10, Tavern Wed.-Sun. 11:30-11, 203-438-9206 • Whistle Stop Muffin Co., in a RR station, sticky buns, scones, cinnamon rolls, Mem.-Labor Day, M-F 6-9, rest of year wkdays 8-6, S & S 8-9, 203-544-8139 • Ridgefield Theatre Barn
Rocky Hill Ferry Park Family Festival, Sept., 258-2772 • Dinosaur State Park, 529-8423
Salisbury Sweethaven Herb & Flower, 250 varieties of sweet herbs, F-Sun. 10-4, 824-5765
Scotland Scotland's Highland Festival, Oct. 12, 456-8627 • Scotland General Store, Rt. 14 in center of Scotland • Huntington Homestead Museum, May-Oct., 1st & 3rd Sat., 10:30-3:30 • Oak Haven Farm, pyo blueberries, 113 Khourie Rd., 456-3333 • Nathan Fuller House B&B, 147 Plains Rd.
Sharon Sharon Audubon Center, 684 acres of woods, flower & herb gardens, many nature walks, some guided • Postscript consignment shop, very trendy clothes, M-Sat. 10-5, 364-0707
Shelton Jones Family Farm, Oct. corn maze, hayrides, PYO berries, Christmas tree maze Dec., 203-929-8425
Sherman White Silo Farm & Winery, known for blackberry sangria
Simsbury One-Way Fare, in RR station, 658-4477 • Simsbury 1820 House • Arts Exclusive Gallery • Works of Contemporary Impressionism, Catherine Elliott Gallery • Simsbury Light Opera Company; Trumpet Vine Café, 1606 Hopmeadow St. 658-2630 (see dining out folder for article)
Somers Somers Mountain Museum of Natural History and Primitive Technology
Southbury CL&P’s eagle observation area, late Dec.-Mar., W, S, & S, reservations required, 800-368-8954 (www.nucom/eagles/eagles.htm)
Southington Apple Harvest Festival, 1st 2 Oct. wknds., 628-8036 • Plantsville Station Antique Shops, 628-8918 • Dayle’s Antiques, 378-0290 • Coffee Bean, coffee shop extraordinaire, 628-5590
Stafford Stafford Motor Speedway
Stamford Whitney Museum of American Art at Champion, CT branch of NY museum, charming, lectures, guided tours, films, very educational, 5 free exhibits from NY museum, no perm. collection, T-Sat. 11-5, 203-358-7630 • *Stamford Cone, go inside a giant kaleidoscope, 46 feet tall, 204 stained glass panels, 9-6, 203-406-8800 • United House Wrecking Company, 5 acres of every possible kind of antique, very well organized, avoid wknds, M-Sat. 9:30-5:30, 203-348-5371 • Long Ridge Tavern, Amer. cuisine, exc. desserts, lunch T-Sat. 12-3, dinner T-Th., Sun. 5:30-10, F & Sat. 5:30-11, Sun. brunch 11:30-3, reservations advised on weekends, 203-329-7818 • Curtain Call • Pro Arte Singers • Stamford Theatre Works • Bartlett Arboretum & Gardens, 63 acres of woodlands/gardens, ecology trails, swamp walk, pond, greenhouse, guided tours • Rich Forum, Stamford Ctr. For the Arts, Broadway stage productions, dance
Sterling Ekonk Hill Turkey Farm, turkeys, eggs, honey, homestead cheese, pies, apples, turkey pies, 227 Ekonk Hill Rd., 564-0279
Stonington Stonington Vineyards
Stratford Stick-To-Your-Ribs Texas Barbecue, in old hamburger stand in rundown area, best barbecue ever, 203-377-1752 for hours • National Helicopter Museum, helicopter photos, docs, & models, Mem. Day-mid-Oct. • Garbage Museum, environmental-ed. Facility w/Trash-O-Saurus, enclosed skywalk overlooking recycling plant
Thomaston Cricket Hill Gardens, a wonderland of Chinese tree peonies, 100+ varieties, W-Sun. in growing season, 10-4, 283-1042 (http://www.treepeony.com/)
Thompson Chase Road Gallery, 59 Chase Rd., Thompson Hill, 923-3659 • Quintessential Gardens at Fort Hill Farms, 66 perennial gardens, educ. corn maze, lavender labyrinth, pyo berries, 260 Quaddick Rd., 923-3439
Torrington Warner Theatre • Hotchkiss-Fyler House, Victorian opulence • Burr Pond State Park, pleasant walks, 424-3200 • Skee’s Diner, 1920s-era diner in a train car, superb breakfasts, 496-0166 • Nodine’s Smokehouse, made to order sandwiches, 800-222-2059 (www.nodinesmokehouse.com/) • Sheik Diner, excellent hot dogs and chocolate shakes, 489-5576 • Burr Pond State Park
Union Bigelow Hollow State Park/Nipmuck State Forest • Breakneck Pond • Mashapaug Pond • Bush Meadow Farm (CT Vac. Guide p. 92)
Vernon New England Civil War Museum & Library
Wallingford Oakdale Theatre • Paul Mellon Arts Ctr., on Choate campus • Liberty Park, nature trail, goes to highest point in town, nice view of Quinn. River Valley • tag sale/crafters’ market, antiques, June • Gouvein Vineyards, scenic views, tastings
Warren
Washington New Preston: Hopkins Inn, Apr.-Dec. lunch & dinner, vineyard • Boulders Inn, year round, rest., dinner Nov.-May Th.-Sun., 800-6853 • delightful shops in village • The Birches Inn, on Lake Waramaug, beautiful dinner site, Th.-Mon. 5:30-9, reservations required, 868-1735 • Washington Art Association • Washington: Mayflower Inn, ultra-deluxe, excellent lunch or dinner in Tap Room • Hopkins Vineyard $ Hollister House Garden
Waterbury Mattatuck Museum, industrial museum & art gallery American masters, & Chas. Goodyear’s rubber desk, café • best Italian food: Bacco’s, 203-755-1173, and Faces, 203-753-1181 • Howland-Hughes Department Store, oldest free-standing dept. store in CT, old-fashioned service, CT crafts & manufactured goods, T.-Sat. 9:30-5:30, Th. to 8:30, 203-753-4121 • Uncle Willie’s, best BBQ, no frills, M-Sat. 11-8, 203-596-7677 • Railroad Museum of New England, 17-mi. ride May-Oct., 203-575-1931 • Timexpo Museum Tue.-Sat., 10-5, $6 • Mattatuck Astronomical Society Observatory • town plot section of the city ("center of the universe," JBellino) • city green at Christmas
Waterford Glory Charters • Harkness Memorial State Park • Eugene O'Neill Theater Center • Waterford Week, August 7-10
West Hartford Blue Back Square • Noah Webster Museum, Colonial life w/interpreters, 521-5362 • Quaker Diner, Park Rd., 232-5523, breakfast and lunch • Paesaggio Gallery • Fall At the Reservoir • Park Road Playhouse0033 $ The Counter, lunch & dinner, 50 Memorial Rd., http://www.thecounterburger.com/, 236-8400 • The Spot Eatery, 949 New Britain Ave., 953-0033
West Haven boardwalk, 3 mi. on shoreline, & restaurants • Savin Rock Festival, music-crafts-exhibits-kite flying, summer
Westbrook Lenny & Joe’s Fish Tale Restaurant, best fried clams around + lobster rolls, daily 11-9, F & Sat. 11-10, 203-245-7289, also in Madison
Weston The Nature Conservancy, hiking trails, arboretum
Westport downtown small quaint shops esp. American Handcrafts and Simon Pearce, glass artist • Coffee An’, world class doughnut shop, esp. cinnamon swirls, wkdays 7-5:30, Sat. 7-4, 203-228-3808 • Nature Center for Environmental Activities, good trails w/native plants display, 203-227-7253 for special program info, hands-on marine aquarium, M-Sat. 9- • Cotswold Inn (B&B), *breakfasts, 4 rooms, mod. $, 203-226-3766 • Earthplace the Nature Discovery Center, 62 acres, trails, sci. exhibits, bird/butterfly garden • Gilbertie’s Herb Gardens, largest East Coast grower, greenhouses, theme gardens, demos, lectures, workshops • Fine Arts Festival July 19-20, 2008
Wethersfield Webb-Deane-Stevens Museum, 3 restored homes • Francis-Buttolph-Williams-Hurlbut-Dunham houses
Willington Willington Antiques, 7 Glass Factory Rd., 429-6562
Wilton (Newtown?) Weir Farm Nat’l. Hist. Site, Impressionist painter J. Alden Weir, visitors’ center spec. events, guided tours • Wilton Playshop • Cannondale Village, historic village w/antiques, arts & crafts, restaurant • Georgetown: Olive Market gourmet shop & café
Winchester Kerosene Lamp Museum, 379-2612
Windham Windham Textile & History Museum, Saturdays, 456-2178, 1-4:00, $3.50 • Footbridge • CT Eastern Railroad Museum, 55 Bridge St., Rt. 32, 456-9999, May-Oct. Sat. & Sun. 10-4 • Garden on the Bridge • Windham Theatre Guild
Windsor Huntington House Museum • Windsor Diner
Woodbridge easy walking trail on Fitzgerald Property, 180 acres • Darling House, 1700s home & lg. quilt collection, open by appt. • West Rock Ridge State Park, can hike up from Darling House, breathtaking valley views, Judges Cave • Blue Check Deli, good home-cooked meals
Woodbury Mrs. White’s Tea Room, Mitford-style meals, excellent breakfasts & lunches, T-Sun. 9-4:30
Woodstock Woodstock Fair, Labor Day wknd. 928-3246 • Black Pond • Taylor Brooke Winery • Sawmill Pottery, working studio, 306 Rt. 169, 963-7807 • David Lussier Gallery of Fine Art, 283 Rt. 169, 928-5434, Th.-Sun., 12-5 • Sweet Evalina’s, 688 Rt. 169 betw. Joy & Child Hill Rds., 928-4029, daily 7-8 • Christmas Barn, 835 Rt. 169. 928-7652, July-Dec. • Cinnamon Tree Bakery, So. Woodstock
