Last second, my boyfriend and I decided to go on a little adventure.
It was nice, because honestly we needed the getaway. I'd been traveling for work a lot, and he was busy studying for the CPA, so we wanted some quality time, just the two of us.
Since we knew this was going to be a short trip, we decided to stay somewhat close to home. We wanted to go somewhere neither of us had been before, so we chose Connecticut.
Originally, Vlad was thinking of visiting Hartford, but we wanted to really just kind of be in the middle of nowhere. We recently moved into Baltimore City, and since both of us have only ever lived in the suburbs, it's been a change for us to wake up to cars honking!
We looked up bed-and-breakfasts in Connecticut, and made our decision to visit Ivoryton based on the simple fact that we wanted to check out The Copper Beech Inn.
We got a late start to our journey up north, but we made time to stop at a local brewery along the way, Thimble Island Brewery.
We stopped in, grabbed some tasters, and talked to some locals. They were so friendly, and in line to grab beer we ended up striking up a fun conversation with some locals! I loved the atmosphere at the brewery - between the food truck. the beer and the people, I could have stayed there all night! But we had to be on our way: we had a bed and breakfast to check out! We were already going to be in after sundown, which meant there would be no day 1 hiking for us.
That's okay, we thought, because we are on vacation and we will go at our own pace. So we made dinner reservations at the restaurant at the Inn (another reason why we booked it), got ready, then went over to the main house.
It looked pleasant and inviting online, and then it was in-person! Complete with the typical New England wood-paneled walls and roaring fireplace, it was a welcome feeling to be cozy in the countryside.
The all-mighty wine list! They had a nice (but not overwhelming) amount of selections.
The next morning, we ate breakfast and headed to Gillette's Castle.
The trails surrounding the area are super easy, but have stunning views of the Connecticut River. The castle itself is interesting, even though we were only able to check out the views and the exterior. Definitely rough and rustic, and not like the castles you would find in Europe, but that adds a charm that can only be described as unique!
It was incredibly quiet, and even I was surprised that we didn't see more people on a national holiday. However, it gave Vlad and myself a chance to take a lot of photos.
After our hike, we went to America's OLDEST Inn!!
I know that might be super nerdy, but it is really cool that I can say I have eaten at The Griswold Inn. It has been operational since 1776. At dinner, I think I had the best sandwich I have EVER eaten. It was their Spice-Grilled Chicken Ciabatta with brie, sliced pear, arugula, maple-walnut aioli. Honestly, it was like eating autumn a blanket by the fire with a breeze and picnic. I also had a hot-buttered rum which was... a first! Sweet, delicious, and have a little bit of kick (you know, because of the alcohol ;)).
Inside the Griswold inn's restaurant.
The sandwich was AMAZING. 10/10 would recommend.
After dinner, we got Truffle Shots. No, they're non-alcoholic but just as delicious.
It's a family owned company that makes AMAZING ganache, and they're award-winning too! If you ever have the chance to check it out, their store is in Essex, CT. I So recommend it, especially for the sweet-tooth of the group ;) It's impossible not to fall in love with their unique and classic flavors, and they're all so smooth and silky and rich. Vlad and I split an Orange Bliss Truffle Shot, and we bought three more to take home! I don't take chocolate lightly, so it's 100% worth every penny!
Eating a Truffle Shot outside the store.
Connecticut was amazing: the weather was perfectly chilly for fall, but not freezing to make hiking a drag.
I always love spending QT with my cutie pie, and the backdrop of Ivoryton and Essex made it all the more special. If you ever get to check out the places I recommended, make sure you let me know your thoughts!
~Alexis