Boardwalk leading to a beach.
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Coastal Connection

Coastal Connection

$65.00 USD
Sale Sold out

One trip is required per group.

* "PDF Instant Download" means the trip will be sent by email as a PDF document, and not by mail (the email is sent immediately after completing your purchase)

WHAT TO EXPECT

Feel the ocean breeze in your hair as you go from beaches and boardwalks to independent shops and eateries. There are a few unusual surprises in this trip that will keep you on your toes! This is a great trip to do from the New Haven and Hartford area.

Trip Highlights

  • Small town charm
  • A spooky abandoned seaside spot
  • Sandy beaches and boardwalks
  • Buy some books at a one-of-a-kind shop
  • A 19th Century mansion turned art gallery

AVAILABLE TO DEPART

This trip can be done from Wednesday - Sunday, Spring - Fall. We do not recommend traveling on a Monday or Tuesday, or during the Winter.

SUGGESTED FOR

  • Families with older kids
  • Couples
  • Girlfriend getaways
  • Beach bums
Pebbly beach with water.
Woman walking along path in a woodsy park.
Box of six donuts on a wooden table.
Photo of an iPhone screen showing a photo of the beach.
Woman at a bookstore.

Itinerary

STOP 1

Start your day in one of Connecticut's oldest towns full of picturesque spots and cafes. Drive time to the second stop is 15 minutes.

STOP 2

Time to stretch your legs on 2 miles of sand or paved paths with lookouts. We also recommend a fantastic art gallery or boardwalk trail if you don't want to get sandy! Drive time to the third stop is 20 minutes.

STOP 3

We'll be shocked if you don't come home with something from this one-of-a-kind book store. If you're hungry for lunch there's a great brewery or cafe in town. Drive time to the fourth stop is 20 minutes.

STOP 4

Choose from a Hollywood famous town, beachside bliss, a seasonal cider spot or an abandoned seaside spot.

Region

coastal-conneciton.png

Can depart from

New Haven Area, Hartford Area, Providence Area, Springfield, MA Area

Before you go

What You'll Need to Bring

  • Bug Spray
  • Camera
  • Cash
  • Walking Shoes
  • Water
  • Reusable Shopping Bags
  • Road Trip Snacks
  • Bathing Suit
  • Beach Towel

Additional Details

  • Dog-Friendly
  • Accessible
  • Kid-Friendly

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

We're here to help!

  • From New Haven, CT:

2 hours and 15 minutes / 117 miles

  • From Hartford, CT:

2 hours and 48 minutes / 152 miles

  • From Providence, RI:

3 hours and 15 minutes / 186 miles

  • From Springfield, MA:

3 hours and 36 minutes / 202 miles

  • From Worcester, MA:

3 hours and 52 minutes / 228 miles

  • From Boston, MA*:

4 hours and 53 minutes / 288 miles

  • From Yonkers, NY*:

4 hours and 27 minutes / 246 miles

*We recommend booking an overnight hotel if the driving distance is greater than 4 hours round-trip.

This trip can be done from Wednesday - Sunday, Spring - Fall.

We recommend leaving between 9:30 and 10:00 am if you’re in the New Haven Area. If you’re leaving from the Hartford Area, aim for 9:00 to 9:30 am.

This trip is pet-friendly! At every stop there will be at least one option for you to explore with your furry friend. Please be sure to keep your dog leashed at all times.

We recommended bringing up to 5 people on your surprise road trip.

If you're bringing a larger group, we highly recommend having one person in charge of booking reservations at restaurants and attractions in advance. Please see the previous page for a copy of the digital itinerary.

First Stop: No fee

Second Stop: Our featured stop is free to explore! One optional state park is free for CT registered vehicles. An optional art gallery is $10-12 per person.

Third Stop: Our featured stop is free to explore! One optional state park is free for CT registered vehicles.

Fourth Stop: Some options require entrance fees. We've provided many free alternatives.

*Please note: gas, tolls, and food may be additional costs.

After booking your trip, we'll send you a confirmation email with a few recommended accommodation options.

Customer Reviews

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A
Ashleigh
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Girls trip to CT

This trip was done by 4 ladies on a Sunday in July as part of a celebration of the year we all turn 40. We are not from CT, so there are a few things we did not know ahead of time about the area. There were a few stops we absolutely loved that were so unique. However, two of the stops include two separate incredibly busy spots, that shut down when parking capacity is reached. We got into the first one (at the second stop) and went to continue onto a similar location at thr 3rd stop only to find access blocked by police as it had reached capacity for the day. Had we known that it was possible for this to happen we would have spent our time differently at stop 2 and stayed longer to enjoy the beach. It would be helpful to either move the stops up, encourage people to plan to arrive in the region earlier than it currently does, or list a note on the trip about busy seasons and the possibility that the destination(s) may not be accessible due to capacity. Other than this blip which meant we didn’t get in the beach time we were looking forward to the trip was wonderful! We tried to seek out beach access elsewhere but were told by locals that the only other access is private and it was a $45 fee to access it which we were not interested in paying for an hour’s visit. We enjoyed the experience and picking our next destinations, and if we would’ve been aware that the park could close due to capacity we would’ve rated it 5*!