Sip, swirl, swish, and savor your way to serenity at one of eastern Connecticut's fabulous wineries. Who knew that such good grapes could be grown in Connecticut's cold winters and hot summers -- not me, that is for sure! Connecticut is considered one of the fastest growing wine regions in the US, something the state's Tourism Department has taken full advantage of by creating a Connecticut Wine Trail.

Though I prefer beer to wine, over the past few visits back to Connecticut, I've had the chance to visit some of Connecticut's fine vineyards and wineries for tastings. There are certainly many more on my list that I'm dying to visit, but that will have to wait until a longer trip.

Wine Tastings in eastern Connecticut:

Maugle Sierra Vineyards, Ledyard

 

J, my sister, and I went to Maugle Sierra Vineyards for a wine tasting on a weekday afternoon right before Christmas. Despite it being the holidays, the hours were convenient and there was a steady flow of people coming in to purchase wines. In between helping customers, the kind bartender was knitting what looked to be a very nice Christmas gift. 

After checking things out, we headed up to the bar for our tasting. For a reasonable price of $12 per person, we were able to try six pre-selected wines including three whites, a rose, and two reds. I know its trendy, but I really don't like roses, and no surprise here since that was my least favorite of the bunch. Though I typically go for smoky or chocolatey reds, I actually preferred the Ledyard Sunset White, which had a surprisingly creamy taste to it. It was also a big hit at Christmas dinner.

 

Saltwater Farm Vineyard, Stonington

 

Though I was heavily pregnant when J and I visited for a tasting, Saltwater Farm Vineyard has to be my favorite of the two. I've written a full review here, but in short, the grounds were stunning and their 2013 Estate Merlot was really amazing with notes of smoke and clove. 

Before visiting, however, you should note that Saltwater Farm Vineyard is only open seasonally and will re-open on April 15. If you want to try Saltwater Farm's wines, they have recently opened the very Instagrammable M/Bar in downtown Mystic. I happened to pop by while I was in CT this past December to try a few things, but I can't say I was blown away by the food or coffee; it may be best to just stick to that merlot!

Where else to try?

Stonington Vineyard is number one on my list of places to try on our next visit to Connecticut. Their tastings are $12 per person and include six wines. Tours are also available.

Land of Nod Vineyards in East Canaan is also top on my list. 

If you happen to be in Connecticut but prefer beer, let me suggest These Guys Brewing Co. in Norwich. It's a bit pricey, but totally worth it!

Have you been to any vineyards in Connecticut? Would you think of Connecticut as wine country?

Over the past approximately 10-15 years, New London has become a hotspot for locals and those visiting southeastern Connecticut to eat out, bar hop, and enjoy both street art and art galleries. As a southeastern Connecticut native myself, I'd like to share my favorite spots and some cool hidden gems.

You might find yourself passing through New London if you are making your way from New York to Boston, or hopping on an Amtrak train at the New London Station, or grabbing a ferry to Fishers Island, NY or Block Island, RI.

If you want to start planning your trip now, head over to the new ISO Facebook community for budget travel tips and destination guides. 

What to do

The City of New London has commissioned pieces of street art that keep popping up all over the downtown. The pieces are representative of the diverse cultures, history, and love of the arts that the New London community contains. In addition to viewing the street art in New London, you can also enjoy a locally run art gallery, see a ballet or play at the local theater, or create your own masterpiece.

The Garde Arts Center: The Garde Arts Center is a historic institution of performance art. See a play, ballet, or film in this gorgeous theater, which was built in 1926.

Connecticut College: Connecticut College is a small liberal arts college that has excellent performing arts events all year round. You can search their events on their arts page.


Hygienic Art: The Hygienic Art Gallery was created in 1979 as an art festival held in a restaurant, which has since become an art gallery that shows fine art. Associated with the Hygienic Gallery is their art park, which is free to visit and open during the day and during gallery hours. The Hygienic Park also frequently has outdoor music events. Additionally, the Hygienic Art Gallery has been working with the City of New London to create murals to beautify the downtown -- check out their art walks!

The Drunken Palette: The Drunken Palette is an art class studio that offers both children and adult art parties. The knowledgeable and friendly teachers choose a piece that a Drunken Palette artists has previously created and they provide step by step instructions on how to recreate this painting. During the adult sessions they allow BYOB, which helps to bring out those creative juices. Just don' mix your paint brush cup with your wine! Learn about their painting nights and events on their webpage.


Street Art: Grab one of the street art maps at the Hygienic or at Muddy Waters Cafe and take yourself on a walking tour of the ever-changing artworks in downtown New London. Each time I'm back in the US (about every 6 mo) there are new pieces of artwork that really liven up the historic city.

Connecticut College Arboretum: The Connecticut College Arboretum is a 770 acre park that is open to the community. The arboretum has gorgeous collections of native plants and is a popular spot for engagement and wedding photos.

Old Town Mill: The Old Town Mill was built by John Winthrop, Jr. in 1650 to grind grain for the local community. The mill was destroyed by the Connecticut's number 1 historical villain Benedict Arnold during the Revolutionary War. The Old Town Mill was rebuilt shortly after the war and it was then used until the 20th century. The Old Town Mill is truly a hidden gem in New London as it is full of rich history, yet is located under 95 and near a low income housing development. Read more here.

 

New London Boardwalk: The New London Boardwalk is a popular fishing and walking area in downtown New London. Reach the piers and boardwalk by walking over the train tracks (check for trains first!!) near the station and go towards the water. There you'll find a walking path and several piers to stroll along. This provides great views of Groton.

 

Fort Trumbull: Fort Trumbull is another Revolutionary War site that was attacked by Benedict Arnold and much of New London was subsequently burned down. The current fort was built in 1839-1852 and the interior now features educational displays. Fishing is also allowed during the season (with the correct permits) and the grounds are nice for flying kites, eating lunch, or walking.
 

 

 

Ocean Beach: Ocean Beach is the nicest beach in the area and features lots of activities including beach volley ball nets, a playground, occasional concerts, and movie nights. It also has slides, some food stands, and an outdoor Olympic size pool that local swim teams (like my high school team) used in the summers.

Nathan Hale Schoolhouse: Most CT natives will be familiar with the state's local hero: Nathan Hale. This young, brave man earned his teaching degree from Yale at a very young age and taught for around a year and a half at two different schoolhouses in Connecticut. Then, he volunteered in the revolutionary war and was killed because he was working as a spy for the Continental Army. The former schoolhouse that he taught in is still located in New London and can be visited. The schoolhouse stands out among more modern architectural styles and oddly enough, a large parking garage (ramp for my Midwestern readers) stands nearly touching the schoolhouse. You can learn about visiting on their webpage.

Eating Out

New London's cultural diversity has created the prime locations of numerous, celebrated ethnic restaurants. Look no further than New London for excellent Northern Indian food and Greek food in southeastern Connecticut. Frozen sweet treats can be found at both the historical Michael's Dairy and the fairly new, but incredible, Berry's Ice Cream. You won't go hungry in New London.

Caffe NV: Caffe NV is a fantastic restaurant that serves authentic Greek cuisine. Their food and service can please even the pickiest diner. Because of this, Caffe NV is often very busy, so be sure to arrive early for seating. Also, don't skip dessert -- the Greek pastries are to die for. The owners also recently opened a take-out spot that has different food options and is also very popular.

Muddy Waters Cafe: Muddy Waters Cafe has become a community meeting place in downtown New London. At Muddy Waters you can enjoy freshly brewed coffee, egg sandwiches, and delicious pastries. I'm a huge fan of the grilled muffins. Muddy Waters Cafe has an array of mix-matched couches to linger with friends or catch up on work. Additionally, Muddy Waters boasts a huge outdoor patio that overlooks the train station, ferry dock, and boardwalk.

2 Wives Brick Oven Pizza: 2 Wives serves specialty pizza, paninis, salads, pasta, and desserts. To get more bang for your buck, 2 Wives has daily specials of buy one get one half off pizzas, buy one get one free salads, and family days -- be sure to check their website for the current offerings. They also serve gluten free, vegan, and vegetarian friendly dishes. I've been to 2 Wives countless times and always enjoy the casual atmosphere and great pizzas. I especially like their Panzanella Salad and Roasted Beet Salad.

Berry's Ice Cream & Candy Bar: Berry's Ice Cream and Candy Bar is a new find that isn't to be missed. I stopped into the shop on a Monday and was welcomed with their Milkshake Monday special -- buy one get one free milkshakes. I ordered the Thin Mint milkshake, made with chocolate milk -- at the recommendation of the woman working in the shop. It was absolutely delicious.

Northern Indian: Northern Indian makes delicious Indian food including curries, naan, tandoori, and other homestyle favorites. To get more bang for your buck, visit Northern Indian for lunch as they offer a buffet. Additionally, they are a vegan and vegetarian friendly restaurant -- just ask the knowledgeable staff if you have questions.

Fred's Shanty: Fred's Shanty is a casual outdoor restaurant where you line up to place your order for fresh seafood or other fried American fare. I'm a huge fan of the onion rings and pink lemonade, and everyone loves the fried seafood.

Michael's Dairy: Michael's Dairy is a local favorite standby in New London. Open since 1938 as a milk processing dairy, Michael's has stayed true to its roots and now makes and serves incredible ice cream. My favorite is the Caramel Chocolate Pretzel -- certainly as decadent as it sounds. Go find your favorite!

Other tips

New London, CT is a small city with a wide range of activities and is a great stop during a Connecticut or New England road trip. While downtown New London is best explored on foot (street parking is available throughout downtown), you'll need a car to access other parts of New London including Ocean Beach, the Old Town Mill, and Fort Trumbull. Keep in mind that several of the streets in New London are one-way only, so pay attention to signs and the direction that cars are parked on streets (cars parked on one way streets should be facing the direction of travel).

New London is a great stop as a break from a drive from Boston to New York (or vise versa) as well as a nice stop on a New England road trip. New London isn't huge, so you needn't spend more than one day.



Do you like visiting small cities? Have you noticed historical sites in unusual or unexpected places?

Ages ago, when I changed my blog's name to In Search Of, I mentioned that in search ofs are my dad's creation. Typically on Saturday mornings, my dad and I would head out to explore locally, often visiting restaurants and hardware stores. While back in Connecticut over the summer, I convinced my dad to take a Friday off of work and go on an in search of -- the destination and activity was his choice. He chose awesomely, because we spent the day in West Hartford, Connecticut with Baby ISO (and J and my sister) in tow.

If you are visiting West Hartford with a kid, start your day off at the very fun West Hartford's Children's Museum. Baby ISO wasn't quite walking at our time of visit, but there was still a ton for him to do and see. His highlight had to be either the room filled with massive, soft building blocks or the light room with colorful lights that could be rearranged.

The outdoor butterfly exhibit was also really neat, although I wasn't a fan of the indoor animal areas as the environments were not stimulating or natural enough for the animals. One other thing to note is that the prices are pretty expensive, so it is best to keep this in mind when planning your visit. You can find out more about the rates and hours on their website.

After the museum, we walked around West Hartford Center and Blue Black Square, where we ogled the window displays at Crate and Barrel and browsed the Green Teahouse. The Green Teahouse is an awesome shop selling loose leaf tea, teapots from Asia, and tea and bubble tea to go. Learn more on their website.

The most important find of the day was the fabulous cupcake shop called Nora Cupcake, which has a shocking 300 flavors (though not all at the same time). We ordered (if I remember correctly) the Mounds, Chocolate Peanut Butter Explosion, and Irish Car Bomb. Because that just wasn't enough sugar, we also ordered an insane "Gangsta Cookie," which is a cookie covered in chocolate and topped with caramel and gold dust. I'm dying to visit Nora Cupcake again, and luckily they have two other outlets in Connecticut and a cupcake truck.

If you want to start planning your trip now, head over to the new ISO Facebook community for budget travel tips and destination guides.


What else would you suggest to do in and around West Hartford?