I dragged my husband out for the day, and took him to one of my favorite spots. I also had discovered that it was very close to a spot that I wanted to check out. That made it sound like a great day out. So, we didn't take public transport. It was Sunday, and as much as I would like to say it didn't matter; it did.
Most Connecticut public transportation doesn't run at all or at a greatly reduced level on weekends. It's the way of the world here. On weekdays, you can catch the train to Old Saybrook from New Haven and various connectors that run through there. It's not hard. Once in Old Saybrook, you can take the River Valley Transit buses around. They have local in Old Saybrook that go to my favorite spot. They also can take you to Old Lyme, but there are only a couple stops in that area and there is no train stop in that town.
Old Saybrook is very walkable. If you get yourself to Saybrook Point by bus, you'll find that you can navigate the area on foot if you like. You can also walk downtown with no trouble and enjoy the shops and good restaurants there. In Old Lyme the bus will drop you off at the marketplace with limited options, so unless you want to walk well over a mile to get to the attraction that I'm writing about, you may have to drive or catch an Uber or Taxi on Demand from the train station in Old Saybrook. Just how it is. Those options will cost around $12 one way.
Prices for the bus run from local daily fares of $3.50 for a day fare on local buses to around $5.00 for a long trip on a bus. From New Haven on the Train is $7.50 each way on the Shore Line East. Fares are less for students and seniors. Still a good deal for the day.
One note that is different from a lot of places I've been visiting on public transportation. Parking is free in the locations that I visited and will not impact your budget as it does in other locations. The only parking you would have to pay for is at the beaches which I didn't visit on this occasion anyway.
My first stop in this area is always Saybrook Point. The bus will bring you here and the area is very walkable. The point is most noted for the Saybrook Resort and Marina. This is a great place to spend a lot of money. They have beautiful rooms, a spa, the marina if you happen to have a boat as your transportation. If you want a unique experience, the resort does have a special room in the lighthouse they built at the marina. It's supposed to be a romantic experience, so check it out.
It's great, but that's never been why I've come here.
What I love about Saybrook Point is the view. It's at the mouth of the Connecticut where it empties into Long Island Sound. It's a beautiful spot where you can watch the boats go by, see the bridges and hang out. There's a lovely little mini golf there that I've played with my son a hundred times. My husband and I had a good time playing that day.
There's also a pavilion for any special events you may want to plan and a lot of open space along the water.
There's a marshland and a park. There's a park where the restaurant used to be before it was weakened and destroyed by bad weather. There's also remnants of a train yard and roundhouse. There's also a monument to the old fort.
Old Saybrook had a fort hundreds of years ago, and unlike most forts that I've visited along the shores in Connecticut, it saw some action at one point. The fort was most famously put to use during what's called the Pequot wars. That was a long time ago, and now the Mashantucket Pequots are the very people we all give our money to at Foxwoods Casino.
The area right at the point is delightful. There're even snacks available and drinks at the mini golf if you get hungry or thirsty. We spent quite a lot of time in that tiny area and enjoyed it a lot.
After our time at the point, we went around the corner to investigate a couple other things. Just around the corner and very walkable if you like to walk is the causeway that goes between points. There are lovely views from the causeway which has a walking path on one side. You can even fish in marked areas.
Once across the causeway, you'll find a very upscale neighborhood, complete with waterfront mansions and a golf course that I'm pretty sure is only for residents of that neighborhood. This happens in Connecticut, particularly along Long Island Sound. Waterfront property is very expensive in Connecticut.
But this neighborhood has a couple things worth messing with. First, there is a road that runs through the neighborhood that is public. That's good, because off the end of the point there are two lighthouses which are pretty and only viewable from afar on that road or by boat. The Saybrook Breakwater Light and Lynde Point Lighthouses are both historic. One sits on the breakwater and is inaccessible from land. Lynde Point is on private land and only viewable by zoom lens or boat.
If anyone besides me is a fan of lighthouses, you'll know I had to get out my zoom lens, interrupt the rich people's golf games and get some shots. Love it. It was the scavenger hunt portion of my trip. I got my pictures. The locals were actually very nice and we went on our way.
When we check out a new place, we normally make a stop at a local brewery. In Old Saybrook, we found Myrcene Ale company. This small brewery made really good beer. They had a variety of styles as well from IPA to Lager to Stout. They also had some various snacks, like pretzels for sale. It was a family place with lots of games and Lego building for the kids or adults; no judgement. When we were there they had live music that was nice. I must say that a lot of places with live music are very loud, but this guy was just right on the volume. We enjoyed our visit very much. I also learned that Amtrak has their own police. Once again, this place is right next to the train tracks and a short walk from the Old Saybrook station.
Last, but not least we visited my new discovery. New to me anyway. This also was the part that was not actually accessible by any public transportation. If you took the bus from Old Saybrook to the Old Lyme Marketplace and walked, it is only about a mile and a half, but that's up to the individual. The park is Ferry Landing State Park in Old Lyme.
I loved this place! It's inhabited by the DEP Marine Division. There's a marina and boat launch. There's a picnic area and park. It has beautiful views of the bridges, both the bridge over I-95 and the railroad bridge. You can see them both from the other side in Old Saybrook, but here you have a much better look.
I was interested in the railroad bridge. In this park, there's a boardwalk that passes right underneath it. You get a really good look at a unique bridge. Because it's at the mouth of the Connecticut River, many boats, both large and small must pass. The bridge over the highway is high, but the railroad bridge sits right above the water. The center section lifts up when necessary to let boats through. It's different and amazing.
The boardwalk has amazing views of the water and the shore. There are several fishing spots along the way and a marsh on the other side. I loved every minute of my visit and will be back. The locals hanging out on the boardwalk were delightful and I highly recommend this place.
We had a great time. We did stop to eat on the way home in Middletown. My husband wanted me to try a great spot there for eats.
I can say that this area has always been a go to for me from the moment I moved to Connecticut. Also in the area are Essex with all the shipping and boating historical museums and such, plus some really great ice cream options. There's also the Essex Steam Train and Riverboat tour which I've taken and love. Not far up Route 9 are Devil's Hopyard State Park and Gillette Castle State Park. There's a lot to see and do in the area.
So, if you're interested in seeing a relaxing part of Connecticut and enjoying a day outside with amazing views, come to Old Saybrook and Old Lyme and enjoy!
https://portal.ct.gov/dot/publictrans/bureau-of-public-transportation/local-bus-service?language=en_US
https://rivervalleytransit.com/
https://shorelineeast.com/
https://www.saybrook.com/
https://www.saybrook.com/stay/lighthouse-suite/
https://www.lighthousefriends.com/light.asp?ID=798
https://www.nelights.com/exploring/Connecticut/conn_saybrook_nhaven_lights.html#gsc.tab=0
https://www.lighthousefriends.com/light.asp?ID=797
https://www.myrceneale.com/
https://ctvisit.com/listings/fort-saybrook-monument-park
https://saybrookhistory.org/siege-battle-of-saybrook-fort-1636-1637/
https://www.patronicity.com/project/friends_of_north_cove_salt_marsh_habitat_restoration#!/
https://oldsaybrookct.myrec.com/info/facilities/details.aspx?FacilityID=11626
https://ctvisit.com/listings/saybrook-point-miniature-golf
https://ctvisit.com/listings/ferry-landing-state-park
https://www.cttrailfinder.com/trails/trail/ferry-landing-state-park
https://essexsteamtrain.com/
https://ctvisit.com/listings/town-essex?gad_source=1&gclid=Cj0KCQjwiOy1BhDCARIsADGvQnAwfLu7d7VVgirJ91jHntXHKVobSsuZEYoO0xMd-R52HU-Czu93UXMaAvQHEALw_wcB
https://ctparks.com/parks/devils-hopyard-state-park
https://ctparks.com/parks/gillette-castle-state-park
