Connecticut, USA

Things to do in Connecticut

Connecticut was such an amazing experience. I honestly had no idea what to expect, but it surprised me with all of it's beauty. The hiking trails were easily accessible, and the food was so good. We went to visit my sister, and I don't regret going one bit. I know for a fact that I want to return and see more! 

Saturday

We started off our road trip by heading to Sandy Hook, CT. We picked up some food along the way from Familia Bleeker Street Pizza. The restaurant was very well maintained and had lots of seating, with unique décor. The mozzarella sticks were so good and did not last very long as we devoured them so quickly. 

We took the food to-go and headed to Aquila's Nest Vinyards. The property is located in a beautiful area and has the most amazing views! They have both indoor and outdoor seating with beautiful fountains and plenty of seating. They offer wine by the glass, bottle, or in a flight option which was my favorite. Anything with the word flight in it and im sold! They even have wine slushies! Even though they also sell food on site, I loved that they allow guests to bring their own food on property - so many people were celebrating birthdays and bridal showers. The location is family friendly and allows furry friends too. It was the perfect place to spend the afternoon enjoying some great wine with great views and catching up with my sisters. I really enjoyed myself at the winery. 

Inside, they were about to start a karaoke night, but it was getting late and we still had to unpack, so we headed out and did not get to experience it, but it looked like it was alot of fun! 

Thank you Aquila's Nest Vinyards for having us! Your wine was really good, and your location is beautiful! We hope to return in the future! 

Sunday

We decided to be spontaneous for the day and hopped on the train to New York City for a quick day trip from Connecticut.  

Monday

We started our morning off with the best thing ever - coffee flights from The Roasted Bean! The flights were so good and had a variety of types of coffee which I loved. Those who know me well, know that I am a huge coffee fanatic and thrive off of coffee. However, the flight was much bigger than I thought it would be, so it ended up being a lot more coffee than we could drink, and had to take the rest to-go. I think the flights are meant to be shared, oops!  

With all our energy, we were able to hike at the Kent Falls State Park. The park has plenty of parking and is free to Connecticut residents. Even though we are from out of state, they have an easy payment option online. The restrooms were clean, and anyone can easily access the waterfall as it is at the paved part of the beginning of the park. 

We then started the hike. The entrance is located on the right side of the waterfall and is clearly marked. This part of the hike is not as easily accessible as there are many steps, but there are decks that allow you to view the waterfall from the top. The trail runs along the river and gives you access to get into the water. As we went really early in the morning, it was not hot enough to get in, but on a hot summer day I am sure people go in, so bring your water shoes! We then went towards the yellow trail but got lost, so we headed back and turned left into the red trail, which was the correct one because it led us back to the parking lot eventually. Don't make the same mistake we did - Red=yes, Yellow=NO! The trail is completely shaded and allows dogs on leashes. I highly recommend it! 

We wanted to go to the Hidden Valley Preserve to see the beautiful suspense Bridge but were so mesmerized by the state park's beauty that I completely forgot about it. I guess we will just have to go back to Connecticut to check it out next time! 

We stopped by the Stamford Town Center to run a few errands but was impressed because the mall was HUGE! I believe it was about 6 stories tall (but don't quote me on that). The bad news is that you have to pay to park anywhere you go, even Target…which was new to me. I recommend downloading the Parkmobile App right away when you get there because you’ll be using it a lot. The good news is that parking is really cheap. We walked around a bit to explore the city and thought it was so cute! There were tons of random ducks on the street corners and each of them were decorated different, it was fun to look around for them. After grocery shopping and dinner, we were exhausted so we called it a night.

Tuesday

This was my favorite day of the trip! We started off our day with some coffee from a beautiful cafe called Turning Point Coffee Roasters @ Urby. (Make sure you go to the one located at 1 Greyrock Pl. - they have two locations in the same city) It was part of the apartment complex, but it was seriously the most beautiful coffee shop I had ever been to in my whole life! No joke. They have a huge bird cage in which you can enjoy your latte. They also have plenty of seating and it kind of reminded me of a library from a college campus because they had outlets and lamps for people to plug in their devices. The best part was the fact that the café was smothered in real plants EVERYWHERE, it felt like you were in lush jungle. 

We then headed out for our second adventure of the day. The Connecticut Audubon Society Costal Center has a stairway on the outside that has a beautiful view of the water. If you go inside, they have an education center for the little ones and you can view the marsh with their telescopes, which my son would have LOVED. They even have a live bird watching camera which I though was so cool. You can check it out HERE. The best part is that it is free (donations are suggested). The costal center has direct access to one of the most unique beaches I had ever been to called Milford Point Beach. It was a day full of uniqueness for sure! 

Milford Point beach was completely covered in seashells, it made you feel so bad for walking on them, but it was the only way to get to the water. It was such a beautiful experience. There was section of the beach that had a small peninsula. The rocks formed a beautiful walkway and allowed you to feel as if you were walking on water. We sat there and took in the sounds and views before the water started closing in on us, so we decided to head out before we got stuck at sea.

By this time we were hungry, so we headed for lunch at Divina Modern Italian. The restaurant is attached to the hotel and has beautiful décor, I loved it. There is plenty of seating and they even had a large section towards the back of the restaurant in which you could celebrate with a big party. They have a large selection of wines, drinks, and a full bar. The staff were so kind and to say the Gnocchi was delicious is an understatement. We both loved it, it was so so good! This is the perfect place to come for a nice date night or to celebrate a birthday with your partner. 

Thank you Divina Modern Italian for having us! We are extremely grateful, and still dream of your food to this day. We hope to return soon! 

After lunch, we felt so relaxed and a little tired from the time difference on the east coast, so we decided to go back and get some rest so that we can have energy for the rest of the day. 

We got ready and headed out to explore more of downtown. We started our night off with some dinner at Hudson Social. The weather was nice and warm that afternoon so we decided to eat outside for a change, even though the inside of the restaurant was really nice too. Their drinks were so good and they had THE BEST Steamed Main Mussels ever! They were so delicious - my poor sister kept having to fight us so that we would stop taking from her plate. We just couldn't help ourselves as they were THAT good. For dessert we shared a Creme Brule that was really good too. Overall we had a great time and really enjoyed our time there. 

On Friday and Saturday nights, the restaurant turns into a nightclub which is so fun! We need to come back to check it out. 

Thank you Hudson Social for having us! We had such a great time and are thankful we got to try your delicious food. 

With happy hearts and full stomachs we headed over to watch The Little Mermaid movie at the theater. It was so nice and relaxing with their reclining seats. 

Wednesday

On our last day on the trip, we were debating to try either Lorca Coffee or Winfield Street Coffee. We ended up picking Winfield, and I am so glad we did because it ended up being the most delicious coffee of the trip in my opinion! The shop is attached to the Ferguson Public Library and has both indoor and outdoor seating. Their décor is very creative, as they used tons of books to make beautiful wall art. 

After our caffeine fix, headed over for a nice walk at the Bartlett Arboretum and Gardens. The location is very stroller friendly has plants from all over the world. It was less than a 30 minute drive outside of town but it made you feel like you were in the middle of the mountains with so many trees! The gardens are free to visit and clearly marked with plenty of parking space. There are also hiking trails people can take. We did a short one that led us to a small bridge and a pretty river. 

We then headed over to hike at the Mianus River park. (I know the name is kind of funny). The park is just outside of town and has designated parking. It is such a nice place to walk with your dog as it is clearly paved and shaded. It was not as stroller friendly as the Bartlett Arboretum, but I still truly believe that it is great for the little ones. I loved being able to hear the water and the rustling of the leaves in the wind. 

It quickly became lunch time so we headed over to Bartaco. I loved it! It was a great atmosphere and located in the heart of downtown, but had a parking structure nearby so parking was not an issue. We tried their Tequila flight and fish tacos which were so good! They also had the most delicious Tres Leches dessert. Even though it was lunch time on a week day, the location was packed! I could totally see why, their food was good and it is the perfect place to grab lunch with friends or worker because you can order the food and pay online without having to ask for the tab or asking the waiter to split the bill. It's so convenient! They also have a card on the table that you can put up if you need your waiter. It removed the awkward waving or having to wait for them to walk by. I thought it was cute that they offer free stickers or matches to their guests, it’s such a nice touch. 

Thank you Bartaco for having us! I really wish we had a Bartaco here in Orange County, CA! I know it would be such a great hit! 

It then was time for us to say goodbye to connecticut and hello to the airport. I was so sad to go but we left with such beautful memories. I enjoyed my visit and hope to return soon. I hope you get to visit one day too! 

Itinerary for Connecticut

Saturday

• Familia Bleeker Street Pizza
• Aquila's Nest Vineyard
• Check into Airbnb

Sunday (Day trip to NYC)

• See The Vessel
• Brunch at Cantina Rooftop
• Explore the Sunday Farmer's market near Times Square
• People watch at Times Square
• Lunch at Mono+Mono
• Drinks at Nubeluz
• Drinks at Thyme Bar (Speakeasy)
• Dinner at Luke's Lobster in Grand Central Station

Monday

• Coffee Flights at The Roasted Bean
• Hike Kent Falls State Park
• See bridge at Hidden Valley Preserve
• Dinner and explore the Stamford Town Center 

Tuesday

• Coffee at Turning Point Coffee Roasters @Urby
• Explore the Connecticut Audubon Society Costal Center
• Milford Point Beach
• Lunch at Divina Modern Italian
• Dinner at Hudson Social
• Movie night in Downtown

Wednesday

• Check out of airbnb
• Coffee at Winfield Coffee Roasters
• Walk around Bartlett Arboretum and Gardens
• Hike Mianus River Park
• Lunch at Bartaco
• Head home

-Out of Office.

With love, Erica

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