Travelogue: Discovering Delightful Connecticut – Part 2

At the end of my second day in Connecticut, I made contact with a wide swath of Hartford’s community and culture. I also saw centuries of history come alive across the state’s capitol city. As a bonus, I even bumped into a PR friend at the most unlikely places. 

You might say that my first impressions with this state was beyond favorable. I was absolutely having one fantastic and delightful time in a state I have never visited before.

I was far from finished with Connecticut. 

Friday began with breakfast at the hotel. My guest was a local automotive journalist and financial editor Keith Griffin, whom I’ve known for several years. He reminded me that we were at a Stellantis’ “What’s New” program at their Chelsea Proving Ground prior to Fiat Chrysler's merger with Groupe PSA. It was amazing to chat with people you see in passing in this business, only to catch up with everything in our lives. 

My departure from Hartford was an inviting one. The drive down Connecticut Highway 2 onto Interstate 395 in the Jeep Grand Cherokee 4xe was just as beautiful as all other drives across this state. My destination was Mystic, a tourism spot on Block Island Sound with the Atlantic Ocean and Long Island Sound nearby. 

My first stop was the Mystic Seaport Museum. While touristy, it is also educational. The village is a glimpse at what seafaring was like some 200 or more ago, when Mystic was the key port of call along the New England coast. You get to see how sails were made, ship parts repaired, and learn how to be a steward of the sea. 

For the one night in Mystic, I was welcomed at the Inn at Mystic by a representative from the Connecticut Office of Tourism and the hotel after my lunch at the nearby restaurant. We went over what I’ve experienced so far, as well what was after my stay in Mystic. They also suggested a few other places to explore in the state. I wished I had more time to dive deeper into New Haven, drive through their farm country, and even visit Lime Rock. 

The message was made clear: This state is a destination that needs to be visited. Not just to pass through or for business and family. 

Getting to and from the interview and the subsequent dinner with award-winning Executive Chef, Renee Touponce was challenged by a metal grated drawbridge. The traffic to and from both sides of the harbor was jammed packed. No worries, I was able to get to my appointments and reservations with plenty of time. 

My final dinner in Connecticut was at Touponce’s The Port of Call, which is truly an exploration in cuisines based at key ports of call around the world. Every dish presented were beyond expectations. The food, the service, even the jazz band…talk about a place that completely off the Richter Scale in terms of excellence! When you have one of their hot dogs, you will never look at one – or taste one – the same way again. 

The room at the Inn at Mystic was nice. A huge bed, a whirlpool tub, and a single leather chair in front of the television made things more at home. A mix pf classic and moder touches made my final night in Mystic well worth the stay. 

My final day was spent over in New London, where they celebrated LGBTQ+ Pride on the beach overlooking the Fishers Island Sound.  I met some people whom I ran into from Thursday’s Out Film CT event, as well as the friendly and vibrant people at OutCT – the organizers of New London Pride. I did my final interview for the series of stories to be published in the magazine, and got a nice, warm hug on my way “out the door.”

Someone should’ve warned me about the traffic on Saturday across Connecticut. It was very slow again on the beautiful Merritt Parkway coming out of New Haven and right next to Westchester County Airport. The Grand Cherokee 4xe arrived at its off-airport parking spot safely in one piece. Me? That’s to be determined…

Let me say that this media familiarization trip by the Connecticut Office of Tourism ranked at the top of any sort of trip in my career. Everywhere I went was met with friendly faces, positive vibes, and opened doors. In the interviews I conducted for the magazine, my subjects went above and beyond to tell their stories. Even with the bonus of meeting friends of mine – local or visiting – at the most unexpected places. 

Did I mention it was also a “delightful” time, as well? Perhaps, delightful might be a good description. How could I justify channelling Michael B. Jordan (from his Chase Sapphire credit card commercials) and Todd Plummer (LGBTQ+ travel and style writer) throughout this trip?

With that, I say “thank you” to everyone I met in Connecticut for making me welcome in the Constitution State – the fifth state of the Union. Maybe we will cross paths again?

It is worth repeating my advice when considering visiting Connecticut: Make it a destination. Don't just visit family or friends. Don't just pass through to get from New York to Boston – or vice versa. Make it a stop…then make several stops within the state. There's much more to see and do than just what I already described in these two parts.

That way you will have a delightful time in Connecticut.

DISCLAIMER: Vehicle provided by Stellantis North America. Travel arrangements and logistics provided by the Connecticut Office of Tourism

All photos by Randy Stern