1. Water Street Cafe
City: Stonington, CT
Category: Restaurants
Telephone: (860) 535-2122
Address: 143 Water St.
Description: A terrible fire in 1997 forced the owners of this cafe to relocate, but it didn’t stop them from continuing to make great food. They’ve been at this charming yellow-and-blue-fronted location in the village since 2002, and continue to mix French, Asian, and American influences into their exciting but approachable contemporary cuisine. The menu changes, but expect things like hanger steak in red wine and blue cheese sauce or duck with scallops and mushrooms. Along with lighter fare like burgers and Yankee barbecue pork, they also have a fine oyster bar, where you can get quite a selection of different oysters, including French Kiss oysters from Connecticut. Pair them with nearby Stonington Vineyard’s Chardonnay or local Cottrell Brewing Co. ale.
2. Grand And Water Antiques
City: Stonington, CT
Category: Shopping
Telephone: (860) 535-2249
Address: 145 Water St.
Description: Billing itself as “antiques with a modern twist,” Grand and Water is a pleasant shop full of reasonably priced items. One thing you’ll find in abundance is formal mahogany furniture and accessories from the 19th and early 20th centuries, but you will also see china, silverware, and lithographs. Some of the antique furniture has been given new upholstery, and the owner Deborah Norman includes for sale modern lamps and other accessories that match the decor, thus the “modern twist.” Unlike some antiques stores, this is a place to actually shop to decorate and furnish your home. Also unlike some other antiques stores, Grand and Water is open year-round, Mon through Sat 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Sun noon to 4 p.m.
3. Captain Nathaniel B. Palmer House
City: Stonington, CT
Category: Tours & Attractions
Telephone: (860) 535-8445
Address: 06378
Description: At the age of 20, Captain Nathaniel Palmer was the Yankee skipper who discovered Antarctica, and “Palmer Land” on modern maps of the southern continent stands as a monument to his 15,000-mile voyage in 1820. He also designed some of the fastest and largest clippers ever, and when he retired to his home of Stonington, built this 1853 villa, now a National Historic Landmark. From its octagonal cupola, you can see the sea in all directions. You can take tours of the house, and view the exhibits of the Stonington Historical Society inside. The gardens out back are well kept, and you should walk down to the salt marsh for encounters with birds and blackberries. Your admission fee lets you see the Old Lighthouse Museum in the village, and you should certainly stop by.
4. Old Lighthouse Museum
City: Stonington, CT
Category: Tours & Attractions
Telephone: (860) 535-1440
Address: 7 Water St.
Description: In some ways, all of Stonington is a museum, and walking the streets once trod by whalers and sailors from around the world has its own reward. However, the lighthouse at the end of the peninsular island, built in 1823, deserves special mention. Since 1927 this lighthouse has been the museum for the town’s historical society. There are 6 rooms of exhibits, all of which explore the rich history of the town and region. One of the exhibits is a display of Stonington pottery, from 1780 to 1834, all fired from a specific type of grayish clay. However, the most popular activity is climbing the iron steps to the top, where you can see views in all directions. The museum is open daily May through Oct, and on weekends in Apr and Nov. Your admission fee lets you see the Captain Nathaniel Palmer House just outside the village, and you should certainly stop there, too.
5. Saltwater Farm Vineyard
City: Stonington, CT
Category: Tours & Attractions
Telephone: (860) 415-9072
Address: 349 Elm St.
Insider Pick:
Description: Set on a peninsula in a bay next to Stonington Village (a minute by car), Saltwater Farm Vineyard used to be an airport, and if you’d like to land your plane there, you still can (but no drinking and flying, please). The tasting room is in the old airplane hangar, beautifully remodeled into one of the most stunning banquet facilities in the state. Weddings are booked years in advance here. Sit on the porch overlooking the Sound and sip the appley Sauvignon Blanc or rich, smoky Cabernet Franc. This is also a great spot for bird watching when the tasting room is open from Apr to Nov; don’t miss the osprey nests to your right as you drive in. Stroll the vineyard and watch kayakers paddle these secluded coves and salt marshes, or better yet, paddle them yourselves.
6. Stonington Vineyards
City: Stonington, CT
Category: Tours & Attractions
Telephone: (860) 535-1222
Address: 523 Taugwonk Rd.
Description: With the ocean and its moderating breezes just miles away, Stonington Vineyards’ 58 acres are ideal for grape growing. Add expert winemaker Mike McAndrew, and the result is some of the best wines in the state. The vineyard has been in operation since the mid-1980s and specializes in Burgundian-style wines. Try two versions of Chardonnay, one fermented and barreled in oak, the other in steel, to experience why this grape is so versatile. The latter, Sheer Chardonnay, is comparable to the best versions of French Chablis, with mineral notes characteristic of the limestone terroir. Seaport White and Triad Rose are two delightful blends, and Stonington’s version of Cabernet Franc shows why the coast’s cooler temperatures, long growing season, and moderate winters suit this grape. The tasting room and facilities are housed in a long white structure, and the grounds are a popular choice for weddings. The winery is open year-round and easily accessible off I-95. Daily winery tours offer a glimpse of the state-of-the-art machinery and introduce visitors to the techniques behind their great wines.
7. Pequot Golf Club
City: Stonington, CT
Category: Tours & Attractions
Telephone: (860) 535-1898
Address: 127 Wheeler Rd.
Description: Designed in 1958 by Wendell Ross, this classic semiprivate Connecticut course offers 5,903 yards from the longest tees and has a slope rating of 118. The course seems “traditional” today, but that doesn’t make its deceptively straight holes and “simple” greens any less fun. They offer packages with local hotels like the Whaler’s Inn, and eat-and-golf packages with the restaurant, and they have a pro shop and rental clubs. The Pequot’s golf course also has undulating greens that will challenge your short game for sure. Jack Nicklaus set the official club record here in 1966, at 65 strokes. See if you can beat him.