Today’s day trip adventure is all about Niantic, CT! This little town has a huge piece of my heart. I grew up spending summers here with all of my cousins and siblings, it’s where I met my husband (when I was 16!) and where we got engaged. My parents continue to live here and all my siblings and nieces and nephews spend summer weekends together. There are so many fun things to do in the area and so many of my memories are filled with family love and quality time.
It’s impossible to fit all of the best parts of Niantic into a one day adventure because there is SO much to do here. So today is just “part 1” and I will continue to add future posts with other ideas for you to visit this amazing town. I hope today’s adventure shows you some of the beauty and quaintness of town and leaves you itching to come back for more fun!
Stop 1: On your way into town, make sure to stop by Flanders Donut and Bake Shop (they’re closed Sundays) and grab some donuts – they’re cash only so make sure you have some money on hand. They often make the list for the best donuts in CT- so if you’re in the area you should definitely try them out. They have a walk-in shop if you want to see the different options and also a drive through if you don’t want to unbuckle car seats and deal with that aspect of a quick stop.
Stop 2: Either enjoy the donuts in the car or bring them with you to downtown Niantic. The second stop will be the Niantic Boardwalk for a beautiful stroll overlooking the Niantic Bay with the potential to see trains up close and personal. You can bring strollers, but dogs are not allowed. The boardwalk is 1.1 miles long and you can park at Hole-In-the-Wall beach (GPS can use 4 Baptist Rd, Niantic, CT). There’s a public bathroom here and also a bike repair station that I’ve used to put extra air in stroller tires when needed. The boardwalk also runs along a beautiful stretch of beach in the bay, so as you’re walking you can take one of the staircases down to look for shells and sea glass.
Stop 3: After exploring the boardwalk be sure to check out the shops of Main Street, Niantic. There are some adorable clothing boutiques and thrift stores all with a nautical flair. There are also some great food options if you’re looking for anything from coffee to dinner. Cafe Sol and Giuliano’s Bakery are two of my favorites for coffee and quick eats.
Stop 4 & 5: If you’ve never visited the Book Barn, then you are missing out and this is a MUST do!! This iconic book store is anything but your typical used book shop. There are three locations in town, with Book Barn Downtown closest to where you are after the Boardwalk and Main Street Shops. Here you’ll find children’s books (many for $1!) and my kids love to choose a few books to bring home. After you visit the Downtown Book Barn, the main event really is The Main Barn (41 West Main Street, Niantic). This location is my favorite with multiple themed barns full of books of different topics and genres. There are also gardens, goats, and some wandering cats to look for around the property.
Stop 6: Before you head home, if you’re up for some ice cream there are quite a few in town but today I’ll recommend Gumdrops & Lollipops. This ice cream shop also has regular food and a candy store section for your sweet tooth. Every flavor of their ice cream I’ve had is delicious so it’s my favorite to recommend for people stopping by town. It’s also located right where you parked for the boardwalk and downtown, so you might consider stopping here between book barn locations if you don’t want to circle back into town.
Bonus Stops: if you’re looking for some more fun while you’re in the area, there’s a playground at Niantic Center School you can check out, as well as a playground and beach at McCook’s park. We haven’t been in a while because of the pandemic, but we also like the Niantic Children’s Museum. The kids like looking at their animals, the beehive, playing on the firetruck and boat, and the outside tree fort with zipline. It’s small but has enough to keep the kids busy for an hour or two.
I hope you make it to Niantic to explore all of the great things this little town has to offer – it certainly is one of my favorite places in Connecticut and I cannot wait to share more adventure ideas from there in the future! In the comments let me know what you think of these places when you go or what your favorite Niantic destination is if you’ve already been!
