Happy Monday! We didn’t get any snow this weekend in Greenwich, and honestly, I’m kind of bummed! As much as I dislike winter, I was looking forward to playing in the snow with Ranger. Oh well!
I can’t believe I’ve been home all of January! This might be the first month in a year that I haven’t traveled, that is, aside from an impromptu day trip last week up to Watch Hill, RI. With my friend Fran in town, I talked her into/dragged her along (just kidding, she was up for the adventure!) on a road trip up to The Ocean House RI, which I’ve been wanting to visit for soooo long! I’m a huge fan of visiting places off season because I’m not a fan of crowds, so in my mind this was the perfect time to take this trip.
We moseyed our way up the Connecticut coat making stops at Mystic, CT and Stonington, CT along the way. I’d highly recommend doing this to make the drive more enjoyable!

Mystic, CT

We pulled into the quaint, coastal town of Mystic, CT with an appetite for pizza, but not just any pizza, Mystic Pizza! Of course we had to stop in this famous pizzeria and try a slice! Their pizza is actually really good! I especially loved their thicker, chewy crust. Fran and I split a slice, not wanting to ruin our appetite for lunch at The Ocean House.
After our stop at Mystic Pizza, which is located at the far end of Main Street, we made our way towards the bridge and window shopped along the way. Most of the stores were open and most had great New Year’s sales going on!

Fran and I peeked inside The Whaler’s Inn— a super charming boutique hotel in the heart of downtown Mystic! What a great overnight option if you’re looking to extend your day-trip to an overnight!
A must-stop-in store in downtown Mystic is Mystic Knotwork! I bought. my Grandma her birthday present here- a handmade sailors knot trivet, which is made right in their store in Mystic! I love that we stumbled upon this gem and I was able to get my Grandma such a special gift for her birthday! Check them out here!

Stonington, CT

Only 10 minutes or so from Mystic, Stonington is a really small town with a ton of charm! We didn’t spend much time here, we just kind of drove through the town and made a few stops along the way. Our first stop was at the historic home of Nathaniel B. Palmer. Did you know he’s the guy who discovered Antarctica?! How cool! Ironically, his home is closed for the winter season, so we didn’t get to tour it, but we still stopped by to check it out.

Afterwards, we grabbed hot cocoa at Indulge Coffee & Sandwich Co before making our way to Watch Hill. I’d love to go back and spend some more time in Stonington though, they’re apparently known for antique shops and you know how much I love antiquing!
At the top of my list for my next visit is Stonington Vineyard and Saltwater Farm Vineyard! Who wants to come?!

Watch Hill, RI

Watch Hill, our final destination on our coastal CT road trip, didn’t disappoint. Our 20-minute drive from Stonington to The Ocean House took us through scenic northern CT towns and into Westerly, RI. After doing one lap around the tip of Watch Hill we circled back to The Ocean House. Valet parking was surprisingly affordable! I think it was $3 for the day.

Not surprisingly, we were one of maybe 4 tables seated for lunch. The place was empty! No complaints on our end though because we were seated on the enclosed porch right by the window, overlooking the beach. It’s not everyday you get to have lunch with that spectacular of a view!
Fran and I ended up ordering the same thing and loved it- a vegetable panini with their seasonal soup. I’m not sure what we enjoyed more though, the view, the food, or listening to the conversation going on at the table next to ours! Let’s just say, it was pretty risqué and hilarious!
After lunch we made our way down to the beach, walked around the property, and popped back into the lobby to warm up before driving home.
I couldn’t have imagined a more fun and relaxing day! Now I’m just itching to get back to The Ocean House for an overnight when it’s a little warmer out!

Would you ever consider doing an off-season day-trip up to Northern CT and Rhode Island? Hopefully our road trip inspired you and/or sparked some other ideas for fun little trips to do!