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Travel Forum / Destinations / USA and Canada / July 2006Rural New England towns
In order to get some respite from the cities during my coming US visit, I was thinking of visiting a rural New England town on my way down from Boston to New York (travelling by Greyhound). I'm planning on spending a night and a day there before moving on. So far the two that have caught my eye are: Mystic, Connecticut Fairfield, Connecticut (Money magazine says this is the 9th best place to live in the World) Are these places worth a trip, or does anyone have any suggestions about other towns on route? Somewhere where accommodation will be both available and not too expensive is desirable. Matt > In order to get some respite from the cities during my coming US > visit, I was thinking of visiting a rural New England town on my way [quoted text clipped - 12 lines] > Somewhere where accommodation will be both available and not too > expensive is desirable. Mystic has a nice historic seaport museum. Fairfield doesn't have much of anything except big houses and the GE headquarters, which you won't be able to get into. Fairfield is a very nice town, but if you'll be on holiday (and on foot) Mystic will be the better choice, at least for number of things to do in a compact area. Downtown is reasonably quaint, and there is a drawbridge where you can watch the sailboats bunch up on their way to/from the sea. You can rent the film 'Mystic Pizza', in which Julia Roberts made her film debut, to see good views of the area. Mystic Seaport is a restored village (museum town) that is nice to visit. The Mystic Aquarium is right there, too, along with Bob Ballard's Institute for Exploration. (Ballard found the Titanic, along with many other wrecks, both ancient and modern). I believe there are tour boats on the river, and there used to be a schooner that did short trips on some days. The hotel chains are well represented in the area, and I'm sure there are B&B's all around as well, and restaurants of all kinds. This looks like a pretty good link: http://www.mystic.org/ Keith > In order to get some respite from the cities during my coming US > visit, I was thinking of visiting a rural New England town on my way [quoted text clipped - 14 lines] > > Matt >So far the two that have caught my eye are: > >Mystic, Connecticut >Fairfield, Connecticut (Money magazine says this is the 9th best place >to live in the World) Fairfield is not rural -- it's NYC commuter country. Mystic isn't really rural either -- it's New London commuter country, and that area is full of Navy activity and contractors.. If you want a rural town, you're going to have to get well away from I-95. If you just want something smaller than Boston and NYC that doesn't reflect the usual big-city values, you might consider Newport, RI. Despite the Navy presence, most people find it an intriguing place. Where else can you find numerous America's Cup yachts, the International Tennis Hall of Fame, the best 50-cent oysters you've ever eaten, a selection of incredible mansions to tour, and wild mongeese? -- Larry > In order to get some respite from the cities during my coming US > visit, I was thinking of visiting a rural New England town on my way [quoted text clipped - 14 lines] > > Matt My recommendation would be to do more research in Pennsylvania, where small town charm still exist in some areas. Not sure how this would work into your itinerary, though. >> In order to get some respite from the cities during my coming US >> visit, I was thinking of visiting a rural New England town on my way [quoted text clipped - 18 lines] >town charm still exist in some areas. Not sure how this would work into >your itinerary, though. Pennsylvania will have to be left for next time, as much as I would like to visit. Just can't fit it in this time unfortunately. Matt >>> In order to get some respite from the cities during my coming US >>> visit, I was thinking of visiting a rural New England town on my way [quoted text clipped - 14 lines] >>> >>> Matt Matt, I never thought to mention this, but you can go rural very easily from Boston, with a day trip by ferry to a town like Beverly on the North Shore. There are several small towns in the area that are basically suburbs, but where the local economy right on the coast is based on the sea, yet a mile inland it's agricultural. You'll be on a bus tour, so a ferry ride and a bicycle rental would probably be a nice diversion anyhow. Land around these towns is falling to sprawl at an alarming rate, but not nearly as fast as in other places. They are still quite rural, and in a genteel way. The T services much of the North Shore, too, so commuter train is an option if you don't like boats. Sadly, the large parts of New England that are indeed rural, are rural enough that you'll only get there by car. If you're looking for a real Robert Frost experience, then maybe you can come back one day and explore the back roads of Vermont, New Hampshire, Maine or New York. Rural is still possible in Connecticut and Rhode Island, but not marketed for that, so it's harder to find. If you're taking the bus from Boston to NY, then Mystic is the place to spend a day. Keith >Matt, I never thought to mention this, but you can go rural very easily from >Boston, with a day trip by ferry to a town like Beverly on the North Shore. [quoted text clipped - 14 lines] >possible in Connecticut and Rhode Island, but not marketed for that, so it's >harder to find. Cheers, Keith. During my next visit (probably in the far future), I will almost definitely opt for the car option, just so I can incorporate places like that. Matt >In order to get some respite from the cities during my coming US >visit, I was thinking of visiting a rural New England town on my way [quoted text clipped - 14 lines] > >Matt Mystic is nice but is a tourist area. Fairfield isn't a place to visit. There wouldn't be much to do. Litchfield is more rural although it's been discovered by a lot of New Yorkers. It's in northwestern CT. Mystic is a tourist trap. On the other hand, Stonington Borough is a small seaside village in the much larger town of Stonington (which also by the way includes half of Mystic - the other half of Mystic is in Groton, CT) which is relatively uncrowded, with one inn to stay in - http://www.innatstonington.com/ - nice shops and restaurants, accessible waterfront, the only remaining active fishing fleet and lobster fleet in Connecticut, and lots of historic colonial houses. It is truly one of the nicest places to walk around in and explore in the North East. > In order to get some respite from the cities during my coming US > visit, I was thinking of visiting a rural New England town on my way [quoted text clipped - 14 lines] > > Matt > Mystic is a tourist trap. > On the other hand, Stonington Borough is a small seaside [quoted text clipped - 27 lines] >> >> Matt Replying to several posts: I suggested Mystic because it's actually on the bus route from Boston to NYC. I agree that Newport is nice, but it's hardly rural, and would necessitate a long diversion. Stonington is most emphatically NOT home to the last fishing and lobster fleet in Connecticut. I'm a boater in the area, and Stonington is the only village in CT on the Atlantic, whereas lobstering is an inshore trade, as is oystering. The entire coast of the state, FROM Stonington to the NY line is rife with lobstermen and oystermen. Blue Point Oysters are generally though of as the world's finest, and they are harvested off Norwalk, which is way down there by Fairfield. Mystic has attractions for tourists, but I'd never call it a tourist trap, not in a million years. The town is absolutely authentic, and tourist dollars help to keep it that way, but a trap? Not. People live there, in almost every building, in apartments above the businesses they run. "Olde Mystick Village" is a purpose-built tourist trap, but it's located out between highway ramps, and it won't fool anyone into believing it's not just an outdoor mall. The Seaport Museum and the Aquarium exist as educational facilities, and have for years. Ballard's Institute is there, and I only mentioned that for the sake of interest. The man has accomplished a lot in life, and to even think of him as a tourist attraction is bizarre. How many National Geographic issues have featured you? I know they've somehow managed to neglect me. To the OP. There are many more rural places on your route than Mystic, and you might enjoy any number of them for an hour or two, but in most you'll find yourself wandering along a very busy Rt 1 finding little of interest. If you're planning an overnight, then Mystic is good. A bigger city with an interesting downtown and harbor area is New London, and it's a very walkable town. The coast of Connecticut is dominated by commuter beach towns. Very nice if you can afford the beach place, but otherwise not very interesting, and also not very accessible. As for rural, it doesn't exist on the water side of I-95, but you'll find family farms a mile the other way, and a lifestyle that is only now changing after a few hundred years of disinterest. The new fight is against sprawl and eminent domain, so bone up if you plan to stay in the area, for that is the dominant conversation these days. > Stonington is most emphatically NOT home to the last fishing and lobster > fleet in Connecticut. I'm a boater in the area I am not a boater and rely on what I have read. I have walked all over Stonington Borough, and have enjoyed watching the fishing/loberstering boats going in and out, unloading catch, etc. > , and Stonington is the only > village in CT on the Atlantic, and that is what makes it so nice. One place to stay that I have seen, a few small restaurants, some small shops, a little general store, quiet town square, beautiful little library, not very crowded. > Mystic has attractions for tourists, but I'd never call it a tourist trap, Your opinion. But, Mystic's economy is overwhelmingly supported by tourism (aquarium, seaport, Mystic Pizza, hotel and motel chains galore, restaurants bars, etc., etc. It is crawling with tourists, overwhelmed by them. It is what the place is all about. > not in a million years. The town is absolutely authentic, and tourist > dollars help to keep it that way, but a trap? Not. Again, your opinion. OK, so it is a tourist "haven". Newport Rhode Island or Mystic Connecticut - though neither are rural small towns, but bustling seaport towns with a good tourist trade Both are definitely worth the trip, I can only speak personally about Newport - great coastal walk, historic mansions with great architecture and splendor, good food. > In order to get some respite from the cities during my coming US > visit, I was thinking of visiting a rural New England town on my way [quoted text clipped - 14 lines] > > Matt >Newport Rhode Island or Mystic Connecticut - though neither are rural >small towns, but bustling seaport towns with a good tourist trade > >Both are definitely worth the trip, I can only speak personally about >Newport - great coastal walk, historic mansions with great architecture >and splendor, good food. As always, thanks for the comments. I liked the sound of Newport, but alas, yet again I have been foiled by the great US public transportation system! It seems that neither Greyhound nor Amtrak offer ways down there from Boston. Obviously it's too far off the beaten track for them. So it may have to be Mystic. Anyone know if it will be possible to find a cheap motel in Mystic on the day of arrival? I'm trying to avoid making firm bookings wherever possible, to be as flexible as possible. Matt >>Newport Rhode Island or Mystic Connecticut - though neither are rural >>small towns, but bustling seaport towns with a good tourist trade [quoted text clipped - 9 lines] > Greyhound nor Amtrak offer ways down there from Boston. Obviously it's > too far off the beaten track for them. Bonananza bus have a service to Newport from NYC http://www.bonanzabus.com/ > So it may have to be Mystic. > > Anyone know if it will be possible to find a cheap motel in Mystic on > the day of arrival? Its possible but I'd book if I were you, its a popular area and if you are dependent on public transport you cant take the next option 10 miles away There's a comfort inn but thats a couple of miles away The econolodge is closer but its still a mile or so away. Most of the hotels in Mystic itself were rather upmarket as I recall Keith |
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