Fall in Connecticut…
September is just around the corner and now is a great time to start planning your New England day trips and weekend escapes. Today, I am sharing my five favorite fall Connecticut towns & regions to visit in this most cherished and charming New England season. As a Connecticut resident, we have spent our weekends here exploring our state in all the seasons. Here are some stand-out places to visit in The Nutmeg State this fall.
Mystic Country
Mystic, Connecticut is a beautiful place to visit in the fall. From cider donuts to a foliage cruise on the river, here are my favorite fall stops in this coastal region.
Stay: The Whaler’s Inn
Do: B.F. Clydes Cider Mill for apple slushies and cider donuts, Whittle’s Willow Spring Farm for pumpkin picking and their autumnal market, Mystic River Cruises for a fall foliage river cruise in an antique boat
Eat: Sift Bakery, Via Emilia, Shipwright’s Daughter, S&P Oyster, Red 36
Farmington Valley
The Farmington River Valley with its bucolic roads and historic towns is a fall must in my opinion. One of my favorite places in October.
Stay: The Farmington Inn
Do: Visit Hillstead Museum and walk the grounds, get your fall harvest at The Pickin’ Patch in nearby Avon, visit the petting zoo at Flemig Farm, head over to Simsbury for wine and produce at Rosedale Farms.
Eat: Millwright’s Restaurant & Tavern, Piccolo Arancio
Old Wethersfield & Glastonbury
Old Wethersfield is our hometown and it is really special in the fall. From Scarecrows Along Main to Webb-Deane-Stevens Museum’s Witches and Tombstones Tours, it’s a fun one to add for a day trip. Neighboring Glastonbury is full of orchards, farms, and farm stands too.
Stay: Silas W. Robbins Inn
Do: Shop the harvest and get a pumpkin latte at Heirloom Market, Graveyard Ghost Tours with The Webb Museum, pick up pumpkins and apple fritters at The Old Cider Mill, go apple-picking at Belltown Hill Orchards and shop their great market.
Eat: Heirloom Market, The Charles, Lucky Lou’s Bar & Grill, Saluyita, Ken’s Corner, Two Hopewell Bistro & Tavern
Litchfield Hills
A drive through Connecticut’s Litchfield Hills is a fall must when the colors arrive. Quaint towns abound and there are some great stops along the way as you meander these country roads. Kent, Washington, Litchfield and Cornwall are personal favorites for leaf-peeping.
Stay: Mayflower Inn & Spa
Do: Hogan’s Cider Mill for hard cider and fall harvest, hike Kent Falls State Park, apple picking at Averill Farm, ice cream and cheeses from Arethusa Farm Dairy, drive to Cornwall for leaf-peeping and to see the Cornwall Covered Bridge, Thorncrest Farm for chocolates.
Eat: Mayflower Inn, Arethusa Al Tavolo, GW Tavern
*Just to note: I’ll be updating my Litchfield Hills guide with a visit and stay this October. More soon!
Historic Essex
Essex, Connecticut is a personal favorite and in the fall it’s one of the prettiest Main Streets in my opinion. Love the shopping here too.
Stay: The Griswold Inn
Do: Shop Main Street, indulge in chocolates and cookies at Truffle Shots, take a fall foliage ride aboard the Essex Steam Train & Riverboat, tour Gillette Castle & State Park
Eat: Fireside dining at The Griswold Inn, Savour Cafe, Grano Arso, Noah’s 36
Pin & Save
These are some of my personal fall favorites in Connecticut. I’ll be sharing more of these places this year with guides for each region/town.