
OK OK, all of you Groton haters can take a breath. Whether or not you see this duty station as “rotten,” (we have a blog post for that), my husband and I like to make “bucket lists” for every place we live. Before we PCS and say goodbye to New England, I wanted to compile a list of my favorite things and what I would suggest to anyone who lands here.
So whether you’ve been stationed here for years or perhaps Groton is on the horizon, here’s a list to save for a “salty” day:
FOOD & DRINK
- Try lobster rolls at Captain Scott’s Lobster Dock, Abbots, Ford’s and Costello’s Clam Shack (maybe more?) and declare your favorite
- Eat the fried chicken dinner from Jealous Monk (only available on Wednesdays)
- Order all of the soft pretzels and dips from The Malted Barley in Westerly, then determine your favorite combo
- Go to Mystic Pizza, at least once so you can say you did
- Have a glamorous date night at Oyster Club
- Try the gin and tonics at Shipwright’s Daughter, all named after seaport tall ships
- During the fall try the cider donuts and hot cider from B.F. Clyde’s Cider Mill
- Have dinner at Paul’s Pasta Shop, a Groton instutiton
- Eat all the carbs at Sift Bake Shop, and have a cocktail at their (seasonal) rooftop bar
- Try all the donuts in town – Deviant Donuts, Young Buns Doughnuts, Flanders Donuts & Bake Shop
- Day trip to New Haven for the pizza, all the pizza
- Enjoy a cocktail on the outdoor patio at Red 36
- Go wine tasting at nearby wineries, including Maugle Sierra Vineyards, Stonington Vineyards, Saltwater Farm Vineyard, Jonathan Edwards Winery, Preston Ridge Vineyard, to name a few.
- If you’re a big wino, check out the CT Wine Trail
- Taste local beers at Beer’d Brewing Co., Outer Light Brewing, Tox Brewing Company, Barley Head Brewing, Bank & Bridge, Niantic Public House & Brewery, Epicure Brewing, Grey Sail Brewing and more
- Eat ice cream from Mystic Drawbridge Island Cream while you walk across the Mystic Drawbridge
THINGS TO DO
- Go hiking at Bluff Point State Park, and other nearby trails like Lantern Hill, Haley Farm State Park, Devil’s Hopyard State Park
- Take the ferry to Block Island for the day
- Check out all the shops and seasonal events at Olde Mistick Village
- Go to Mystic Aquarium and Mystic Seaport Museum
- Stroll through the Stonington Borough
- Pick-your-own fruit at Holmberg Orchards and do their wine maze in the fall
- Walk the Niantic Boardwalk
- If you have kids, take advantage of the Niantic Children’s Museum and Busy Bee’s Play Hive, or KidsPlay Museum in Torrington, CT
- Poke around local indpendent bookstores: Bank Square Books in Mystic, Savoy Bookstore & Cafe in Westerly and Book Barn in Niantic
- Go to Napatree Point in the shoulder season (dog-friendly!) and walk the beach until you find the abandoned military fort
- Attend the “Sunflowers for Wishes” festival at Buttonwood Farm (and wait in line for the ice cream, it’s worth it we promise)
- Walk around Yale and Brown campuses
- Grab dinner and see a show at Mohegan Sun or Foxwoods
- Go to NYC at least once
- Spend a long weekend in Boston
- Go to Cape Cod during the shoulder seasons
- Venture up to Maine and Acadia National Park
- Go visit Salem, Massachutes during October
- Take a day trip to Newport, Rhode Island: tour the mansions, hike the Cliff Walk, and take the scenic route on Ocean Drive
What did I miss? Comment below!
We lived in Groton for 4 years and I never want to go back. We did almost everything on this list but no, it’s not the place for me.
Totally fair! It’s great you explored while you were there and tried to make the most of it. Hope you’re enjoying your current spot more!