Frommer's New England by Leslie Brokaw

Author:Leslie Brokaw
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: FrommerMedia
Published: 2019-02-08T16:00:00+00:00

The Litchfield Hills

Woodbury: 89 miles NE of New York City, 142 miles SW of Boston. Litchfield: 106 miles NE of New York City, 135 miles SW of Boston.

When the Hamptons got too pricey, too visible, and too chichi back in the 1980s, financiers, CEOs, and celebs discovered the Litchfield Hills, arguably the most fetchingly rustic yet uber-sophisticated part of Connecticut.

The topography and, to an extent, the microculture of the region are defined by the river that runs through it, the Housatonic. Broad but not deep enough for vessels larger than canoes, it waters farms and forests along its course, provides opportunities for recreational angling and paddling trips, and, over the millennia, helped to shape these foothills, which merge in the north with the Massachusetts Berkshires.

Firehouses hold pancake-breakfast fundraisers; neighbors rally to each other’s aid; Appalachian Trail hikers wander through. That’s one side of these bucolic hills, less than 2 hours from Manhattan. Increasingly, the other side is fashioned by refugees from Brooklyn. These seekers of tranquility and relatively affordable real estate are buying up pre-Revolutionary saltboxes and Georgian Colonials on Litchfield County’s warren of back roads and bringing urban expectations with them. Agriculture thrives in new forms: This is a land of gourmet dairies, farmstead breweries, estate wineries, and the state’s best farm-to-table restaurants. Online businesses hum along in antique homes, barns, even a caboose. And, yes, it’s increasingly easy to find fancy coffee.

Consider the Litchfield Hills the best of two worlds: a place—in every season—to stretch your legs and still exercise your mind.

Essentials

Arriving

From New York City, follow the Hutchinson River Parkway to I-684 north to I-84 east, taking exit 7 onto Route 7 north. Continue on Route 7 for New Milford, Kent, West Cornwall, and Canaan. For Washington Depot, New Preston, and Litchfield, branch off at New Milford onto Route 202.

From Boston, take the Massachusetts Turnpike west to I-84. From I-84, just past Hartford, branch off onto Route 4 (for Litchfield) or Route 6 (for Woodbury).

Visitor Information

The useful 112-page Unwind getaway planner and map is produced by the Western Connecticut Visitors Bureau (www.litchfieldhills.com; 860/567-4506).

Exploring Woodbury

The chief distinction of this attractive town west of Waterbury is its over 35 high-end antiques stores. On sunny weekends, Route 6 is clogged with cars full of antiquers trolling for treasures. Yet Woodbury has other charms to recommend it: Significant Colonial history, a pair of pleasant town greens, and—surprising in this neck of the woods—paved walking trails along the main drag, Route 6, which offer locals and visitors an opportunity to stretch their legs while taking in white-steepled churches and other New England-y vistas.

The Litchfield Hills

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