Top 10 Reasons to Summer in Connecticut’s Litchfield Hills
Northwestern Connecticut’s Litchfield Hills make one of the Northeast’s finest summer escapes, well-endowed with scenic beauty, pastoral tranquility, and plenty of charming culture and fascinating history woven into the whole affair. You won’t find a better luxury perch within this region than Winvian Farm.
It’s perfectly acceptable to simply relax in our beautiful resort spread during your stay—you’ll have our own ample slice of Litchfield Hills scenery as your playground. But if you’re hankering for a more active summer vacation, you certainly won’t be lacking for things to do. Here are 10 of the top reasons to visit our corner of New England this summer!
(10) White Memorial Conservation Center
Take a deep dive into the natural history of the Litchfield Hills at the White Memorial Conservation Center, just a hop, skip, and a jump from Winvian Farm on the 4,000 historic, rolling acres of the White Memorial Foundation lands. From the interpretive exhibits and activities at the Conservation Center to the extensive trails through native habitats—including the route up to the top of Apple Hill for its panoramas—this is a wonderful destination any time of year, summer very much included.
(9) Dining
The Litchfield Hills tempt with a passel of wonderful dining destinations, including Arethusa a Tavola, Community Table, and our very own Restaurant at Winvian Farm, which puts seed-to-table dishes celebrating summer’s bounty on your plate.
You’ll be hard-pressed to find a more exuberantly lovely spot for a summer walkabout than our neighbor White Flower Farm, the sprawling flowerbeds of which are a feast for the senses this time of year.
(7) Lime Rock Park
Even though the prevailing pace of things in the Litchfield Hills is on the relaxed and serene side of the spectrum, that doesn’t mean you can’t crank up the thrills here. The famous 1.5-mile track at Lime Rock Park hosts a busy road-racing schedule, including the IMSA Northeast Grand Prix July 19th and 20th plus the vintage action at the Historic Festival, celebrating its 37th anniversary August 30thand 31st.
(6) Art Appreciation
Fantastic art’s on display at galleries and museums in the Litchfield Hills, including the Washington Art Association & Gallery in Washington Depot, and right here at Winvian Farm, where our cottages and other resort buildings come richly ornamented with the work of diverse artists.
Some impressively long-running agricultural fairs help define summer and fall in the Litchfield Hills, and with a home base at Winvian Farm you’re nicely situated to soak up their timeless pleasures.
(4) Music
Summer has a mighty fine soundtrack in our neck of the woods, what with esteemed local concert series and events such as the Norfolk Chamber Music Festival and the Litchfield Jazz Festival on tap.
(3) Swimming Holes
It doesn’t get much more summery than a lazy afternoon at a woodsy swimming hole, now does it? From Riga Falls to Lake Waramaug, our greater Litchfield Hills neighborhood boasts plenty of great spots for cooling off.
(2) Summer Libations
You’ll work up a thirst amid all the sightseeing, hiking, gallery-hopping, and fair- and festival-going you’ll be doing on a summer getaway to Winvian Farm, but fear not: Besides the top-quality beverages you can enjoy at our restaurant, you’ll also have the enticements of the Connecticut Wine Trail and the Litchfield Distillery to explore.
(1) Stargazing
The warm nights of summer are ideal for taking in the grand celestial show overhead. The dark skies of the Litchfield Hills make quite the star-studded (literally) firmament to explore, whether you’re enjoying it from the grounds of Winvian Farm or attending one of the monthly public star parties held by the Litchfield Hills Amateur Astronomy Club.