Enjoy a Spring Weekend in Litchfield County, Connecticut
Few places do spring better than Litchfield County, Connecticut. Known as the "Secret Corner" (Litchfield County is the largest Connecticut county by area but smallest by population), this pocket of the Nutmeg State features winding country roads dotted with family farms and postcard-perfect villages where historic Main Streets and spring blooms abound.
Visitors to the area will find no shortage of things to do, from top-notch antiquing for interior-lovers to photo-worthy hikes for outdoor adventurers. It's also a must for gardening enthusiasts, especially in April and May, when daffodils, tulips, and more spring flowers are blooming and the area's renowned gardens reopen to visitors for the season. Food lovers will also find plenty of reasons to go, from sweet treats like small batch ice cream and chocolates made from the milk produced at local dairies to farm-to-table fine dining at The Restaurant at Winvian Farm and The Garden Room at Mayflower Inn & Spa.
Read on for ways to spend a spring weekend in Litchfield County, Connecticut and, if you need more trip inspiration, be sure to check out our guides to the best small towns in Connecticut and charming towns to visit across the USA.
Rise and Dine, Then Hit the Trail
Litchfield’s Meraki spices up the morning thanks to items like its porchetta breakfast sandwich with a local fried egg, house kimchi, and Sriracha aioli. Next, head to Kent and make the short trek to the cascades at Kent Falls State Park, which takes hikers across a red covered bridge and offers photo-worthy vantage points
Hunt for Treasures
Follow the Woodbury Antiques Trail for shops stocked with folk art, early-American furniture, and more vintage finds. (Don’t miss Mill House Antiques in an historic gristmill). If you're in town on a Saturday, be sure to also stop by the stalls at the Woodbury Antiques & Flea Market. In Litchfield, explore three floors of high-quality early Americana (like this stenciled 19th-century chair) at Jeffrey Tillou Antiques.
Take a Lunch Break
In Bantam, Arethusa Farm offers several food-lover’s favorites including Arethusa a mano’s grilled cheese sandwich, which features a melty trio of the farm’s cheeses. Across the street, Arethusa Farm Dairy fills waffle cones with scoops of their handcrafted ice-cream.
Stop and Smell the Flowers
April sees Kent’s Daffodil Days, when thousands bloom around town. Washington’s Hollister House Garden and Brush Hill Gardens are also awash in tulips, daffodils, and forget-me-nots. In Bethlehem, the 10-acre Bellamy-Ferriday House & Garden includes a formal parterre garden and the 18th-century home.
Shop for Souvenirs
Plain Goods, inside New Preston’s historic Pavilion Hall, offers a mix of new and vintage fashion and homewares, while Litchfield’s Milton Market, once the town blacksmith’s home, stocks handmade gifts and apothecary products. Don’t miss the sweets made from the milk of their farm’s cows at Thorncrest Farm & Milk House Chocolates in Goshen, and book lovers should be sure to stop into The Hickory Stick, a longtime Washington Depot seller featuring events with local authors.
Rest Easy
Check in to The White Hart on Salisbury’s village green, an 1806 farmhouse-turned-inn where days end with drinks on the porch and dinner at the award-winning restaurant.
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