Country Time in Connecticut

FOLIAGE & LODGINGS PICKS

In business since 1776, the Griswold Inn in Essex has 31 cozy rooms arrayed with antiques and starting at just $132. Original Currier and Ives prints and maritime memorabilia cover the wood-paneled walls of its famed tap room, a relocated 1738 schoolhouse that plays host to live performances nightly--anything from sea shanties to jazz. There are multiple restaurants onsite, plus the May 2005 addition of a wine bar outfitted with over 100 bottles and a tapas menu (griswoldinn.com).

The historic seaside town of Essex (120 miles north of NYC and 35 miles south of Hartford, Conn.) has all the small-town New England charm--picket fences, Federal and Colonial architecture, scarce traffic lights, zero fast food chains--that a disenchanted urbanite could wish for (essex.com). While in the area, you can take an hour-long ride on the Essex Steam Train and Riverboat, which chugs and choo-choos along the Connecticut River, passing forests in their full foliage colors, picturesque towns and farms, wetlands home to numerous bird species, and Selden State Park. ($16 train, $24 train and boat; essexsteamtrain.com).

For an aquatic take on leaf peeping, hop aboard Foliage Cruises. Through Oct. 16, they run from Essex up the Connecticut River and provide a peek at Gillette Castle (weekends, 1 and 3 P.M., $15; ctriverexpeditions.org). Similar cruises are also offered by the Maritime Museum at Norwalk, which guides a journey through the Long Island Sound and a discussion of the science behind the fall color changes (weekends, 1 P.M., $20; maritimeaquarium.org).

The Danbury Comfort Suites have deluxe suites for just $99 per night, with complimentary breakfast (danburycomfortsuites.com). In Westbrook, the Angels Watch Inn B&B has rooms from $105 on Sun.-Thurs. evenings (angelswatchinn.com). And in New Milford, the historic Rachel Barton House Bed & Breakfast has rooms from $76 per night, and will toss in a free sunset cruise on Candlewood Lake in a pontoon with any stay of two nights or more this fall (bbhost.com/bartonhouse).

If you're feeling flush, the Inn at Harbor Hill Marina in Niantic has concocted an indulgent Wine and Dine Package that allows guests to enjoy both the scenic countryside and the production of its local vineyards. The comprehensive package covers a two-night stay; daily fireside, candelit breakfasts overlooking the marina and Niantic River; an $80 gift certificate for Frank's Gourmet Grille; a gift bag with wine glasses and a certificate for a wine tour and tasting at either Chamard Vineyards (chamard.com) or Jonathan Edwards Winery (jonathanedwardswinery.com); a complimentary bottle of wine during the wine tour; and a coupon for a complimentary gift from nearby Divine Wine Emporium (divinewineemporium.com). It runs $510/couple during the fall foliage high season and drops to $380/couple beginning Nov. 1 (innharborhill.com).

For fall foliage driving loops courtesy of the Connecticut Office of Tourism, visit tourism.state.ct.us/driving_loops/, and try dep.state.ct.us/updates/ for foliage updates state-wide.

HALLOWEEN HAPPENINGS

Connecticut has its fair share of Halloween haunts and festivities. The seemingly prim and proper Pettibone Tavern, hand-built in 1780 as a stagecoach stop in Simsbury, is rife with eerie tales of candles or fireplaces lighting themselves, furniture mysteriously being rearranged, and ghosts whispering. And just who are they? Contenders include the original owner Jonathon Pettibone Jr., killed during the Revolutionary War, or his relative Abigail, who was surprised in a tryst by her husband returning from a whaling trip (he made quick work of her and the lover with an axe). The Connecticut Paranormal Research Society will be on hand at the restaurant on Oct. 28th to share photos, video clips and findings from a recent investigation (pettibonetavern.com).

Since 1685, the ghost of John Randall has been known to pop up periodically at his former homestead in North Stonington, Randall's Ordinary Inn and Restaurant. Skeptics can take their chances this fall for just $199/night, with a full dinner for two, tax and tips included (randallsordinary.com).

An annual fright fest doubling as a Red Cross fundraiser, The Trail of Terror features 50 or so costumed characters roaming the streets of Wallingford on Friday and Saturday nights through October 30.

Also operating for a good cause (juvenile diabetes research), the Haunted Graveyard at the Lake Compounce Family Theme Park in Bristol is made up of six haunted houses, spooky trails, a foggy Forgotten Graveyard, and more (lakecompounce.com). The annual Corn Maze at Middlefield's Lyman Orchards--where you can pick your own fruit--supports the American Cancer Society (lymanorchards.com), while the UNICEF Pumpkin Festival at Jones Family Farms in Shelton lets local kids help their far-flung peers (tourism.state.ct.us/events).

The Trolley Pumpkin Patch in East Haven offers pumpkin carving and Shore Line trolley rides on Oct. 22-23 and Oct. 28-29 (bera.org). Similarly, in East Windsor, the Connecticut Trolley Museum provides unlimited rides on its vintage trolleys, a free pumpkin for each child, face painting, and more (ct-trolley.org/Patch/).

After Leaf Peeping in Maine and Leaf Peeping in Vermont, Connecticut wraps up our three-part look at fall in the Northeast!