1. Wolf’S Den Family Campground
City: East Haddam, CT
Category: Accommodations
Telephone: (860) 873-9681
Address: 256 Town St. (Route 82)
Description: The Gustine family owns the Wolf Den Family Campground, and when they say “family” they mean you, them, and everyone who stays at this charming place. They have 205 grassy tent and RV sites available from Apr to Oct, with seasonal and weeklong options to save you money. They also have trailer rentals in case you don’t want to stay in a tent. Nightly the trailers are $$, but if you get them by the week, they are $. Like all the best family campgrounds, the Wolf Den includes tons of amenities: an Olympic-size pool, a camp store, firewood, ice, picnic tables, fireplaces, a laundry room, flush toilets, hot showers, a game room, miniature golf, tennis courts, a fishing pond, and a swimming pond. And, yes, they have Wi-Fi access at the rec hall. Now that’s camping.
2. Gelston House
City: East Haddam, CT
Category: Restaurants
Telephone: (860) 873-1411
Address: 8 Main St.
Description: Set in an 1853 Italianate Victorian building right next to the Goodspeed Opera House, this formal dining experience has touches of Italian, French, and New American cuisines, with twists on classics like fire-grilled oysters and lobster shepherd’s pie. They change their menu seasonally, and have a prix-fixe menu that is a good bargain. It’s a great choice for before or after going to a play next door, and a pre-theater prix-fixe dinner is available. The view of the river is fantastic, and in the summer season you should dine on the patio. There are also 4 guest rooms upstairs (not wheelchair accessible, $$$) that you can collapse into after a busy day exploring Middlesex County or a big meal after the theater.
3. Gillette Castle
City: East Haddam, CT
Category: Tours & Attractions
Telephone: (860) 526-2336
Address: 67 River Rd.
Insider Pick:
Description: This “folly” mansion is one of the greatest sights of Connecticut. High above the Connecticut River and commanding a beautiful prospect, the unusual fieldstone castle was built by actor William Gillette, famous for his portrayal of Sherlock Holmes (he was the man who wore the deerstalker hat, which never made an appearance in the books). The inside of the house is no less remarkable than its fairy-tale appearance outside. Everything is custom-built, and the tastes of Gillette are strange and wonderful. Built-in couches and bookshelves you may have seen before, but there are touches throughout that will first have you scratching your head, and later thinking how much sense they made. The light switches alone are worth an examination. You have never been in a house like this, nor ever will be again. Take a walk around the grounds on paths that cross stone-arched and wooden-trestle bridges, investigate the spooky train tunnel, and visit the pond, which is absolutely stuffed full of plate-size frogs. Who knows? Maybe one is a prince.
4. Devil’S Hopyard State Park
City: East Haddam, CT
Category: Tours & Attractions
Telephone: (860) 873-8566
Address: 366 Hopyard Rd.
Description: No one is actually sure how this park got its name, but it could be that a local man named Dibble owned a hopyard in the area, and his name changed through usage over the centuries. The Eightmile River drops 60 feet down some large steps, known at Chapman Falls, and at the bottom there are some interesting cylindrical pothole formations that could have been thought to be the Devil’s hoofprints. Whatever the case, today this is one of the most popular parks in the area, featuring some great loop trails that take hikers through groves of mountain laurel, blueberries, and witch hazel on the west side, and up to some good views of the valley from the east (on a short trail just off the orange trail). On the green trail there are some large pegmatite boulders, and the river is full of brook trout and is just the right size to fish easily. There are also 21 open campsites here, all in a row above the falls. The falls are just off Hopyard Road near the north end of the park, in case you just want to see this natural wonder.
5. Fox Hopyard
City: East Haddam, CT
Category: Tours & Attractions
Telephone: (860) 434-6644
Address: 1 Hopyard Rd.
Description: The Fox Hopyard has membership options, but also has public access for the rest of us, and this Roger Rulewich–designed course in East Haddam will make you glad about that. The course is par 71, at 7,000 yards from the back tees, and includes water, woods, and wetland features. The clubhouse is unique, set on a rock ledge with open decks that view some of the holes. The golf shop has everything you’ll need, and there is a practice facility to get your rusted moves tuned up. The On the Rocks restaurant serves classic American dishes; try the Stonington sea scallops, either fried or sautéed. There’s a dinner and golf special, too. Although this is a public course in some ways, there is a dress code, so no logo T-shirts, tank tops, gym shorts, cutoffs, blue jeans, or crazy shoes. Make a reservation in advance if you’re coming here to join the huge list of celebrities and golf legends who have played Fox Hopyard.
6. Goodspeed Opera House
City: East Haddam, CT
Category: Tours & Attractions
Telephone: (860) 873-8668
Address: 6 Main St.
Insider Pick:
Description: The huge wedding cake of the Goodspeed Opera House opened in 1877, the largest wooden structure ever built along the Connecticut River. It went under in 1920, but was saved in 1963 and now houses Broadway musicals and other plays. The prices are reasonable, and you’ll see families waiting for performances on the lawns overlooking the river every weekend. There are usually three musicals every Apr to Dec season at the Goodspeed, with classics like Camelot and Showboat as well as new productions. Goodspeed also runs the smaller Norma Terris Theatre in nearby Chester, where they develop new musicals and actors. You can also take tours of the opera house’s workings, usually on Sat and Mon, but call to make sure. The steel swing bridge leading across the river to the opera house is the longest such structure in the country.