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shore12 - Can I ask why you are moving down to the shore when you have friends and family in the Hartford area? If you want a vibrant place to live, why not just consider West Hartford. It has one of the most vibrant downtowns in the state and it is close to where you are now. It just does not have a beach.
I do agree with Stylo on Milford having a lot. I would suggest that you visit it first. Traffic in Milford is tough particularly Route 1 and I-95. If you are not use to that it could be difficult to adjust to. Jay
Why not try the Niantic area of Connecticut on the Eastern Connecticut shore, east of Old Saybrook. Travel to Avon is an easy ride up Route 9 thru Hartford and to Providence it is an easy ride up I-95, except on summer Fridays and returns on Sundays, when you will take I-395 to Route 6. Niantic offers cleaner water, almost ocean! And it is 35 minutes from Misquamicut. Nice homes and a small but nice to visit beach street.
mr2448 - Thanks. Niantic never occurred to me, and I don't know anything about it. What else can you tell me? I'm looking for someplace I can keep busy, and when my kids visit, keep them happy, too.
You'll get a lot more house for your buck in Niantic than you would in Guilford.
Enough stuff to keep the kids happy I would think. Beautiful town beach, marinas and Rocky Neck State Park, a Long Island Sound , huge state park. Very walkable downtown, with all the basic local shopping you could want in town. Crystal Mall, the regional enclosed mall, is 5 minutes away in the town of Waterford.
In the New London and Waterord area just to the east of Niantic and minutes away, is the state Harkness Memorial Park ( on the Sound) & The Eugene O'Neil Theater. In the city of New London is the Garde Arts Center, the Hygienic, an art gallery ( always something going on there. ). New London has a small restaurant/ bar scene and can be lively at night,along with some outdoor dining in the summertime
Also in New London is Ocean Beach State Park, also on the Sound, which has an amusement park in it. New London also has a large hospital complex.
Old Lyme , adjacent to the west of Niantic has a summer art colony, with shows and exhibits and the Griswold Art Museum has something going on year round. Mystic, with its shops and activities is just a 15 minute drive or less from Niantic and of course, both casinos are nearby if you want to see a show ( or gamble)
Niantic is the southern section of the town of East Lyme. The whole town is very attractive . The Niantic area is more built up, while the northern part to town is more country. It's a lovely town , pleasant and safe and you wouldn't go wrong to consider it.
You'll get a lot more house for your buck in Niantic than you would in Guilford.
Enough stuff to keep the kids happy I would think. Beautiful town beach, marinas and Rocky Neck State Park, a Long Island Sound , huge state park. Very walkable downtown, with all the basic local shopping you could want in town. Crystal Mall, the regional enclosed mall, is 5 minutes away in the town of Waterford.
In the New London and Waterord area just to the east of Niantic and minutes away, is the state Harkness Memorial Park ( on the Sound) & The Eugene O'Neil Theater. In the city of New London is the Garde Arts Center, the Hygienic, an art gallery ( always something going on there. ). New London has a small restaurant/ bar scene and can be lively at night,along with some outdoor dining in the summertime
Also in New London is Ocean Beach State Park, also on the Sound, which has an amusement park in it. New London also has a large hospital complex.
Old Lyme , adjacent to the west of Niantic has a summer art colony, with shows and exhibits and the Griswold Art Museum has something going on year round. Mystic, with its shops and activities is just a 15 minute drive or less from Niantic and of course, both casinos are nearby if you want to see a show ( or gamble)
Niantic is the southern section of the town of East Lyme. The whole town is very attractive . The Niantic area is more built up, while the northern part to town is more country. It's a lovely town , pleasant and safe and you wouldn't go wrong to consider it.
Can't offer much more than Willow Wind. Plenty of good restaurants and summer theatre nearby. It is less expensive than Old Saybrook. Pretty centrally located to New Haven, Hartford and Providence. Old Saybrook and New London provide New England Regional train service access. Both Bradley and T.F. Green are easily accessible. Sometimes this board gets too focused on west of the New Haven area(which includes Guilford and Madison) as the perfect Connecticut location to live. The Eastern Ct. Shore has many opportunities.
What is there to do for college students in Branford/Guilford? Besides go to New Haven. Genuinely curious as I haven't seen it. I guess there is more in Branford.
Let's just say that the art and joy of entertaining friends at home is not lost on the youth of these towns As well, there are strong cultural values (not to say they are necessarily lacking elsewhere) around music, film, books, art, etc. Add to that the options for boating, fishing, camping, hiking, sports, community events, etc... The town rec departments are very active, also. And, FWIW, college kids also like to relax.
I was a single parent with two high-school/college age sons when i had a house in the Mystic/Stonington area, and they loved it. It's fairly close to Rhode Island beaches, and downtown Mystic attracts tons of young people. There's also a lively arts community in New London (see Hygienic Arts Show), plus two huge casinos, Mystic Seaport, Esker Point Beach, Westerly, Watch Hill, etc.
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As well, there are strong cultural values (not to say they are necessarily lacking elsewhere) around music, film, books, art, etc. Add to that the options for boating, fishing, camping, hiking, sports, community events, etc... The town rec departments are very active, also. And, FWIW, college kids also like to relax.
