[Seattle's Best 28]

I love to drive around on my days off and look at new things, houses, barns, trees, VIEWS! Can anyone recommend a nice drive in CT? I dont mean the Meritt parkway. I mean small, two lanes through small towns. I have family coming in from WA, this is their first time to CT. We want to take a nice drive through the hills and find a nice luncheon spot.

Thank you ALL!

[KH02]

Well Collinsville (part of Canton) is a nice quaint town and a nice drive. You can park the car and walk along the paved River trail that is literally RIGHT on the water it's beautiful there.
They also have the Collinsville Bakery Co right near that walk and its fresh breads and goodies smell SOO good that you HAVE to stop when you walk by.
Collinsville Bakery
There is also a small restaurant across the street from that with a cute little back porch over a brook to eat in thats called the Crown and Hammer Pub.
I'd definitely recommend that town for a nice drive and walk.
There are never ALOT of people there either so it's very relaxing.
http://www.visitcollinsville.com/

[JViello]

Originally Posted by Seattle's Best 28

I love to drive around on my days off and look at new things, houses, barns, trees, VIEWS! Can anyone recommend a nice drive in CT? I dont mean the Meritt parkway. I mean small, two lanes through small towns. I have family coming in from WA, this is their first time to CT. We want to take a nice drive through the hills and find a nice luncheon spot.

Thank you ALL!

Well, growing up in Waterbury and spending my days bombing around the NW hills with my sports cars and bikes I can recommend a great route and place to get lunch.

Head up RT8 and get off Exit 38 in Thomaston.

Go left off the exit to go back under the highway, and then left on 109.

Stay on 109 as goes through Black Rock State Park and it will curve and roll through the Morris reseviors with beautiful scenery. (If you want to really take a side jaunt, after you pass between the lower res and the dam of the upper [you can't miss it, the road takes a hard left through the middle] there will be a dirt road on the right side a few hundred feet up. If you follow the dirt road about a mile you end up at the other end of the resevior with a gorgeous backdrop of a grass meadow heading down to the water. You can then turn back and go to 109.)

At the intersection of 109 and 63, go right on 63 towards litchfield.

On the way towards Litchfield you will pass White Flower Farm...they are a HUGE flower grower and you can walk through the gardens etc as the bulbs should be beaming around now.


http://www.whiteflowerfarm.com/the-s...ower-farm.html

Once in the center of Litchfield, you can stop in Litchfield and take the standard classi white church picture everyone does.



Keep on 63 north to the center of Goshen and go around the rotory and go left on Rt4.



RT4 will pass the Action Wildlife Foundation where they have exotic rescues and such. You and can stop and even do a "car tour" if you so feel like it. It's a neat place.

http://www.actionwildlife.org

Rt 4 will go through the Mowhawk state forest as well. (Hint: When you get into the state forest, look for the park entrance on the left. It's a paved road about 1/2 mile in that has a scenic overlook where you can see the mountain ranges and all the way into upstate NY.)



continue down the hill on RT4 and at the bottom there will be an intersection. Go straight across and that now becomes RT128

Follow RT128 all the way into West Cornwall. West Cornwall has a covered bridge, a small downtown area with a handmade furniture store you can browse around in (Ingersoll) and a nice mom and pop restaurant for a lunch break.

This is the restaurant and "downtown" along with the covered bridge.





Now from there, you have a few options. If you are curious you can stop by the victorian lady of race tracks. Limerock.



If you wish to see it, cross the covered bridge and go rigth on RT7 North and left on RT112.

If not, a recommended route is to go left on RT 7 South. That will take you along the Housatonic River and Housatonic state forest - it's a gorgeous drive.

Continue on and you will pass Kent falls on your left (You can stop and visit but there is a small fee) and if you keep on going you will be in the village of Kent. Stunning is about all you can say about Kent. Like being in a Bavarian Village.

Kent Chamber of Commerce - Kent Connecticut

After you are finished in Kent, keep on RT 7 and go left on RT341 just past downtown.

341 will Tee into RT202. Go left on RT202 and that will bring you back to Litchfield.

Continue straight through DT litchfield and bear right on RT 118 and then take a right on RT254 RT254 passes some classic New England farms and has breathtaking views.

(Hint on RT254 if you go right on Richards road [crap it might be blakeslee road I can't remember, they are close to each other] about 300 feet down on the right someone built a working dutch windmill. It's kind of cool to see)



Continue on RT254 and at the "end" go rt (It will still be RT254 but it's a tee intersection)

Continue on and you will be back where you got off on RT 8.

That is a veeerrry nice day trip. Trust me, I've spent my entire life bombing around those roads and taking family etc up there.

Good luck!

[KH02]

Geez JV way to show up my post!!!

[JViello]

Originally Posted by KH02

Geez JV way to show up my post!!!

LOL Not my intention at all. I just know that route and area well.

I tried to give as much detail as I could because when you're not from here taking family on a tour getting lost stinks! lol

Oh and there are also several wineries along the CT Wine trail via that route if you wish to stop for a tasting.

[Seattle's Best 28]

Thats exactly what I was looking for, wow, THANK YOU!! My mom and sister will appreciate it too!!!

[andthentherewere3]

I've been along several of those roads JV mentioned, it's definitely worth a drive-by. I'm going to look further into his suggestions myself.

[Uconn97]

well, not really a drive, but something my wife and i like to do is park in old wethersfield and just walk the streets to the cove. We've wandered into the cemetery to look at some of the old graves. There are tours of the Webb, Stevens and another old home. We usually grab a bite at Village pizza and visit comstock ferre and a few of the other small shops. Not a full day, but we can usually kill 2 to 3 hours there and have done so just about once or twice every year.

[Cambium]

Wow, lots of people going to love this thread (including me!)

One ride I went on, I've been dying to go back is Valley Forge Road. Look on the map for Valley Forge Road in Weston and just get lost there.

What a scene especially in Fall. But defeintly a nice ride anytime.

You're on this road in the middle of the woods and to the left and right are these giant hills. So you're driving down this valley parrelllel to a river. Very tranquil there.

[UnschoolerinCT]

Originally Posted by JViello

Well, growing up in Waterbury and spending my days bombing around the NW hills with my sports cars and bikes I can recommend a great route and place to get lunch.

Head up RT8 and get off Exit 38 in Thomaston.

Go left off the exit to go back under the highway, and then left on 109.

Stay on 109 as goes through Black Rock State Park and it will curve and roll through the Morris reseviors with beautiful scenery. (If you want to really take a side jaunt, after you pass between the lower res and the dam of the upper [you can't miss it, the road takes a hard left through the middle] there will be a dirt road on the right side a few hundred feet up. If you follow the dirt road about a mile you end up at the other end of the resevior with a gorgeous backdrop of a grass meadow heading down to the water. You can then turn back and go to 109.)

At the intersection of 109 and 63, go right on 63 towards litchfield.

On the way towards Litchfield you will pass White Flower Farm...they are a HUGE flower grower and you can walk through the gardens etc as the bulbs should be beaming around now.


Visit our display gardens and garden center in Litchfield, CT - White Flower Farm

Once in the center of Litchfield, you can stop in Litchfield and take the standard classi white church picture everyone does.



Keep on 63 north to the center of Goshen and go around the rotory and go left on Rt4.



RT4 will pass the Action Wildlife Foundation where they have exotic rescues and such. You and can stop and even do a "car tour" if you so feel like it. It's a neat place.

Action Wildlife

Rt 4 will go through the Mowhawk state forest as well. (Hint: When you get into the state forest, look for the park entrance on the left. It's a paved road about 1/2 mile in that has a scenic overlook where you can see the mountain ranges and all the way into upstate NY.)



continue down the hill on RT4 and at the bottom there will be an intersection. Go straight across and that now becomes RT128

Follow RT128 all the way into West Cornwall. West Cornwall has a covered bridge, a small downtown area with a handmade furniture store you can browse around in (Ingersoll) and a nice mom and pop restaurant for a lunch break.

This is the restaurant and "downtown" along with the covered bridge.





Now from there, you have a few options. If you are curious you can stop by the victorian lady of race tracks. Limerock.



If you wish to see it, cross the covered bridge and go rigth on RT7 North and left on RT112.

If not, a recommended route is to go left on RT 7 South. That will take you along the Housatonic River and Housatonic state forest - it's a gorgeous drive.

Continue on and you will pass Kent falls on your left (You can stop and visit but there is a small fee) and if you keep on going you will be in the village of Kent. Stunning is about all you can say about Kent. Like being in a Bavarian Village.

Kent Chamber of Commerce - Kent Connecticut

After you are finished in Kent, keep on RT 7 and go left on RT341 just past downtown.

341 will Tee into RT202. Go left on RT202 and that will bring you back to Litchfield.

Continue straight through DT litchfield and bear right on RT 118 and then take a right on RT254 RT254 passes some classic New England farms and has breathtaking views.

(Hint on RT254 if you go right on Richards road [crap it might be blakeslee road I can't remember, they are close to each other] about 300 feet down on the right someone built a working dutch windmill. It's kind of cool to see)



Continue on RT254 and at the "end" go rt (It will still be RT254 but it's a tee intersection)

Continue on and you will be back where you got off on RT 8.

That is a veeerrry nice day trip. Trust me, I've spent my entire life bombing around those roads and taking family etc up there.

Good luck!

Thanks, JViello, for posting this lovely route for a scenic day trip through northwest CT. This route is so beautiful.