Bethany, CT —
A Retreat Away from the Noise of the City

Dreaming about a retreat away from the noise of the city? Consider secluded, affordable, wooded Bethany--Connecticut’s best-kept secret. A sleepy, slow-moving place, surrounded by a rich cultural oasis, Bethany had been named by Connecticut Magazine as among the best small towns in Connecticut. Your neighbor might be a nurse, a professor, a business mogul, a carpenter, but all of them fiercely defend its 58% of undeveloped land and its sustainable agriculture. After all, the town motto is “Rural is Beautiful.” With a population of only 5,500, it was jokingly described as having as many horses as people and there is a Horse Commissioner, who manages the many events available for horse lovers. All this, only 80 miles from New York City and 45 miles from Stamford by car or train.

Relax on your deck overlooking the woods and watch the wild turkeys, woodpeckers, red cardinals, yellow finches, and butterflies. Take a leisurely stroll or quick drive to buy sustainably grown seasonal fruits and vegetables at Clover Nook farm, one of the oldest continuously operating family-owned and run farms in the state. Locals especially love their tasty heirloom tomatoes and sweet corn, freshly picked every day. The farm also raises its own lamb, pork and beef--all without hormones. Have a big breakfast at the family-friendly Country Corner Diner and then head to the small local flea market, open every Saturday from May to the end of October, where folks sell just about anything. Not far away is Intellectual treasures at Whitlock’s Book Barn, an antiquarian bookseller housed in two old barns set in a pasture. Selling rare old books, old maps and other ephemera Whitlock’s also has used books for under $5! The October Annual Harvest Festival is a fun family affair, with entertainment and great food. Meet neighbors by joining the Historical Society, Lion’s Club, Garden Club and the Democratic or Republican Town Committees, which host annual dinners, breakfasts, bake sales and blacksmith demos open to all.

"buy sustainably grown seasonal fruits and vegetables at Clover Nook farm, one of the oldest continuously operating family-owned and run farms in the state. "

For those who want a more active lifestyle, have a round of golf at the highly rated family-run 9-hole Woodhaven Country Club, where golf fees are reasonable and greens are “challenging but fair.” Hike the Naugatuck Forest Trail and then enjoy a swim in Veteran’s Memorial Park Lake during the summer. Hike nearby Sleeping Giant State Park and fish for trout in its streams. The trail up the mountain ends at a stone observation tower with a magnificent view all the way to Long Island Sound. You also can walk, skate, ski or bike portions of the 50-mile paved Farmington Canal Heritage Trail. Then head to family-run Drazen Orchards in nearby Cheshire, where the owners greet you with a smile and a hello, and you can pick 14 varieties of apples, as well as peaches, plums, pears and quince. (They also have great pies!).

Bethany may be a throwback to lazier by-gone days, but residents have world-class culture and food right nearby. New Haven, only 10 miles away, has some of the best theater on the East coast. See it first at The Long Wharf Theater, an internationally recognized leader in regional theater, which has launched 30 Broadway and Off-Broadway plays. The Schubert Theater has an illustrious history, premiering A Streetcar Named Desire with Marlon Brando, Teahouse of the August Moon with John Forsyth, My Fair Lady with Rex Harrison and Julie Andrews, and many more. The Schubert Theater offers performances of dance, cabaret, popular music and family entertainment.

"You also can walk, skate, ski or bike portions of the 50-mile paved Farmington Canal Heritage Trail. "

Also close by are Yale University’s world-class museums and art galleries—all open to the public and mostly free, great for a rainy day. The Yale Center for British Art has the largest collection of British art outside the United Kingdom See the Gutenberg Bible at the Beinecke Rare Book and Manuscript library. The Yale University Art Gallery has an “encyclopedic” collection of art, including works by Degas, van Gogh, Picasso, as well as early Italian paintings, vessels from Tang-dynasty China, masks from West Africa and much more. People of all ages can participate in classes with artists and curators throughout the year. The young and the young-at-heart will enjoy the Peabody Museum of Natural History, which boasts renowned collections that include fossils of our earliest dinosaurs.

After a busy day, head back to Bethany and relax.

"buy sustainably grown seasonal fruits and vegetables at Clover Nook farm, one of the oldest continuously operating family-owned and run farms in the state. "

"You also can walk, skate, ski or bike portions of the 50-mile paved Farmington Canal Heritage Trail. "

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