1. Elyse Harney Real Estate
City: Salisbury, CT
Category: Relocation
Telephone: (860) 435-2200
Address: 11 E. Main St.
Description: There are offices in Salisbury, Norfolk, Riverton, and New Preston.
2. Chaiwalla
City: Salisbury, CT
Category: Restaurants
Telephone: (860) 435-9758
Address: 1 Main St.
Description: Great for brunch, lunch, or just tea, Chaiwalla is an easy stop in the heart of Main Street in Salisbury. The tearoom is cozy and beautifully decorated with signature antique pieces providing a relaxing charm. Pastries and pies under glass domes on the sideboard invite the eye and tell the stomach to leave room for dessert. The menu is simple, and the emphasis is on homemade quality. Enjoy tomato pie and eggs Benedict for brunch. The real draw is the loose-brewed tea, and the selection is vast. Enjoy your pot of Darjeeling or Chai, which simmers in its pot over a candle as you chat with friends or enjoy the newspaper or a book. You might run into a hiker taking a break from the Appalachian Trail, which crosses Main Street nearby.
3. Bear Mountain
City: Salisbury, CT
Category: Tours & Attractions
Telephone: (860) 485-0226
Insider Pick:
Description: The highest peak in Connecticut is not exactly the Matterhorn. But the views from the giant, 20-foot-high cairn of stones on top (built in 1885) are fantastic, and this is the hiking gateway to the entire Taconic Range. Park on the side of Route 41 (Undermountain Road) just north of Salisbury and hike up the Undermountain Trail until you reach the white blazes of the Appalachian Trail. South is the Lion’s Head, a promontory with another great view. In the spring, look for lady slippers. North of Bear Mountain’s peak, just steps across the border in Massachusetts, is Sage’s Ravine, full of old-growth trees. The Appalachian Mountain Club maintains a cabin on the west side of the mountain, and it is available by reservation to members and nonmembers (www.ct-amc.org/nwcamp). It’s probably the most isolated spot to spend a night in Connecticut.
4. Salisbury Ski Jump
City: Salisbury, CT
Category: Tours & Attractions
Telephone: (860) 435-0019
Address: 80 Indian Cave Rd.
Description: Built in 1926, the Satre Ski Hill is the site of the oldest ski-jumping program in the nation. Today the wooden 55-meter jump has been replaced with a 65-meter steel jump and tower, built with money from more than 500 donors, raised by volunteers. It is the site of the United States Eastern Ski Jumping Championships, and with the snowmaking technology now available, you can see people jumping here throughout the winter, even for the Junior Olympics. At other times of the year, the Salisbury Winter Sports Association runs other events, like a pig roast, a hot chocolate social, and a golf tournament. And for those of you 6 and older who would like to learn how, they run a ski-jumping school here every winter. If that sounds like fun, you are braver than I am.
5. Twin Lakes
City: Salisbury, CT
Category: Tours & Attractions
Telephone: (860) 424-3000
Address: 254 Twin Lakes Rd.
Description: Set in the far northwest corner of the state, the Twin Lakes in Salisbury is a great fishing destination, with huge brown trout hiding at the bottom of the lake. Go to O’Hara’s Landing Marina, where you can launch your own boat, or use one of their canoe, pontoon boat, or powerboat rentals. Fishing, waterskiing, or the now-popular water-tubing are fun options, but you can’t rent that equipment, so bring it yourself or buy it at the shop. The marina also has a restaurant open in the summer, serving breakfast and lunch.