50 Reasons Why Groton Isn’t Rotten

Photo courtesy of Wikipedia, Victor-ny.

Every duty station is what you make of it, this we know. And in the submarine community, it doesn’t take long for nicknames and reputations to catch on. And when it comes to Groton, many refer to it as, for lack of a better word, rotten.

I did not have many expectations when we moved here, maybe none. We thought it was temporary, only six months of training, but of course the Navy had other plans. Fast forward two years and we are well into our sea tour, and I have come to find so much joy in Groton.

If I wanted to focus on the negative, I could think about the fact that I live 4,000 miles away from my immediate family and best friends. Or the fact that I hate humidity. Or the lack of public transportation, beaches for dogs or stroller-friendly parks.

But I choose to focus on the positive, the “little things” that add up to a great quality of life. I polled other Navy spouses, and below are 50 reasons to consider why Groton isn’t rotten. Enjoy!

Travel

  • Both NYC and Boston are easy train rides away
  • So many places within a 6ish hour drive for long weekend trips (Niagara Falls, Acadia National Park, Gettysburg, and others)
  • You can travel to anywhere in New England in a day (Newport, Cape Cod, Block Island, Martha’s Vineyard, etc.)
  • Cheaper international flights and easy connections from Hartford and Providence

Outdoors

  • There are gorgeous hiking areas around the state, here’s some close to home and others
  • Beach access- Watch Hill Beach in Westerly will always have my heart (also look out for Taylor Swift)
  • Nice beaches including in surrounding states (RI), here’s a great list
  • Connecticut is beautifully rural, with small towns and so many trees
  • Four seasons with moderate temperatures, occasional snow
  • Beautiful fall foliage
  • Kayaking on the Mystic River
  • Outdoor sculpture gallery at UConn at Avery Point
  • You can go from beaches and shoreline to mountains in 1.5 hours max

Things to Do


Food & Drink


General

  • Small town feel – everywhere you go, you know someone
  • Beautiful New England style homes
  • I’ve seen almost no homeless people and only a handful of panhandlers
  • Good school system
  • Strong job market for spouses
  • Not overcrowded
  • Cost of living is more affordable than other areas
  • Adopted kids in the state of CT get free state college tuition
  • No traffic
  • There is an enormous submarine community! There’s not many places do most people you run into have some semblance of an idea of what your spouse does which results in a wide variety of military discounts.
  • Submarine Car Wash on Route 12

For more details on Groton as a duty station, click here. Have you ever been stationed in Groton? What would you add to this list?

6 thoughts on “50 Reasons Why Groton Isn’t Rotten

  1. I found it funny that you don’t like the humidity, we are stationed in Guam! Otherwise this is a great list of positives; I loved being stationed there!

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