FRIDAY
You’ve arrived in Kent. After driving over the iconic covered bridge onto Route 7, meander alongside the Housatonic River and land in the center of town.
5:00 pm: Stop for a hot chocolate or cappuccino at 45 ON MAIN by the railroad tracks. This shop is an explosion of fun. They not only have a tremendous selection of chocolates made on site, but also a trove of packaged candies from Norway, Sweden, Britain and Asia and brands that you haven't seen since you were a kid; candy necklaces, giant swirly lollipops. Willy Wonka would approve. Breathe in the rich smells and feel yourself loosening up!
6:30 pm: Dinner: KINGSLEY TAVERN a Kent-rooted, family-run business that makes you feel at home. The beef cows and veggies are raised here. Sit on the porch, order the pork belly Saigon sandwich with kimchi and enjoy it with one of their signature cocktails. or... choose FIFE N’ DRUM. They make a Caesar Salad table-side that keeps people coming back. Started by Dolph Tremont as a piano bar, this long-time Kent fixture is now run by his daughter and usually has live music on Friday nights. It has been a meeting place for creative types for decades. Sit at the bar and sing along with the locals.
8:00 pm: Stay at one of THE KENT COLLECTION newly renovated properties, The Victorian, a beautifully modernized gingerbread confection with a dreamy front porch , Train Car, a bucket list fantasy stay in a restored baggage car parked right by the tracks or Bunk House if you have a crowd, where you can roast marshmallows in the fire pit or use the provided bikes to cruise through town.
SATURDAY
9:00 am: Have breakfast at WILSON'S. They make their own bread and that means killer breakfast sandwiches. Lox on an eggy jalapeno-cheddar bagel, yes, please! Sit on one of the rocking chairs out front and enjoy the sights and sounds of small town living.
10:00 pm: Explore Main Street, Kent. Check out the shops offering local artisan work, gifts and clothing in the welcoming village atmosphere. Duck into the charming HOUSE OF BOOKS and pick up a book on the Appalachian Trail that passes through town. This wonderful bookstore is one of the last independent bookstores left in Connecticut. Peruse some of the staff picks. They have hand-written personal reviews tagged to the book displays. Next door is a delightful tiny market called WOODFORD'S that sells local produce and baked goods. Just a few paces down the sidewalk is HERON SHOP where one can find pottery, stylish kitchenware, artisan clothing, and a delightful children’s nook. A great gift spot.
11:00 am: RT FACTS DESIGN AND ANTIQUES has been a secret source for interior designers for over 30 years. What draws them is the 7,000 sq foot museum-like showroom with soaring ceilings, the quirky, interesting antiques paired with sleek contemporary pieces, designed and made right in Kent. This location has the “wow” factor. Sit in the oversized marble throne chair and gaze up at the big polished steel mobile floating above. Kids love the seek-and-find challenge sheets. Come on the Second Saturday May-September for the charming KENT FLOWER MARKET on the front steps.
11:30 am: Want to poke around some beautiful galleries? Kent has been known for art since Jacque Kaplan opened his Paris-Kent-New York Gallery in 1984. KENISE BARNES, CRAVEN CONTEMPORARY, CAROL COREY FINE ART , FOTODIARY , are all in the Kent Barns near RT Facts. The acclaimed MORRISON GALLERY is just north on Main Street. And it will blow your mind. That's it in the big black windowless box just across the railroad tracks.
12:30 pm: KENT FALLS. Cross the little covered footbridge over the stream and take in the pounding sound and wonderland view of the falls, especially during the spring run-off. Hike up the rustic woodland staircase that winds around the falls offering key overlooks.
Kent Falls
1:30pm Have a quick lunch on the porch of CORNWALL MARKET
2:00 Rent Electric Bikes from COVERED BRIDGE BIKE in Cornwall and wind your way up the Housatonic River past the magical and theatrical shop of MICHAEL TRAPP to Falls Village and Back. It is so peaceful. Virtually no cars, hawks, geese, ducks, a kayaker or two paddling by. Bliss.
3:00 While in Falls Village, duck into Bunny Williams' shop 100 MAIN where everything is crafted by local artisans. Tuck some cute napkins in your bike basket. Then pop over to MARCHE a beautifully curated kitchen shop in an old bank filled with vintage cast iron cookware, dishes and serving pieces. A visual jewel box!
7:00 pm: Dinner at PINK HOUSE in Cornwall and sit on the patio and have a local smash burger with special fries and steelhead crudo while you listen to the frogs (peepers) emerge singing their evening symphony.
SUNDAY
9:00 am : On your way through WASHINGTON DEPOT, stop at JUDY BLACK PARK , a postage stamp-size park on your left and admire the 46′ long “Currents”, a river sculpture in granite by MARK MENNIN. You will want to stop and lay in the ripples and run your palms along the smooth, hand-polished, undulating surface.
9:30 am: MARTY'S. Washington Depot is considered the chic hamlet and Marty's is a swishy breakfast place where you can get palmiers, galette and other French treats along with your matcha latte. It's the meeting place. If your breakfast goes long, walk across the parking lot and visit GEORGE HOME, another antique and home goods shop with a great look.
10:00 am: Drive around LAKE WARAMAUG. This drive is imperative in the fall for “leaf-peepers”, the local term for visitors that come to town for the beautiful fall foliage. Start and end on the north side of the lake , then park near the beach, walk across the street and hike up the Waramaug's Trail to THE PINACLE for a spectacular view of the lake from a rocky outcropping on top.
11:30 am: Explore the shops in New Preston. PRIVET HOUSE for home goods and really beautiful brushes of every variety. Look across the street for a path that winds up the hill to find a little secret, RIVERSONG ANTIQUES. PERGOLA is a boutique of unusual plants and gifts for the horticulturally-inclined. PLAIN GOODS has great brands of cozy sweaters. Don't miss ELIESH VAN BREEMS, a dreamy antique shop that specializes in Scandinavian antiques. From the bottom of the hill, look back at the waterfall that spills from the heights of town above.
12:30 pm: Overlooking Lake Waramaug is the HOPKINS INN VINEYARD & WINERY. The farm-turned-vineyard has been in the family for 225 years. Sit high on the patio and enjoy an amazing lunch with a German flair. Make a mental note to come stay here for a getaway weekend next summer and tour the vineyard.
2:00 pm: Save room for a sweet treat and drive past Mount Tom Pond to the town of Bantam and ARETHUSA FARM (owned by the founders of Manolo Blahnik shoes) where they are scooping freshly-churned, premium ice cream. (fave: coconut with dark chocolate chunks). They sell cheeses and other products fresh from the farm, a stone’s throw away. Take a peek into the back room and see the gleaming tanks where the milk is being processed. We always marvel at how clean and shiny it is! If this were in NYC, the line would always be around the block, but you are in Bantam, population: 763.
2:30 pm: BANTAM BREAD. Just down the hill is Bantam Bread. Get the light and crispy-edged buttermilk biscuits to eat with your Arethusa cheese when you are back at your desk on Monday. Buy some store-made granola to take home and some fresh dog cookies for your buddy.
3:00 pm: If you still have time and want a beautiful, level walk to work off that ice cream, visit WHITE MEMORIAL CONSERVATION CENTER. You can drive through, but get out to walk the popular Little Pond Boardwalk Trail, it is a birder's paradise.
