Unexpected Adventures in Chester, Connecticut

Today’s day trip itinerary is brought to you by the letter “U” and the number “2” (any other sesame street fans out there?). “U” is for unpredictable… or also unplanned. I had spent time planning the day for our most recent adventure and despite my best intentions, the day went awry at two key time points. The first unplanned change happened at approximately 2 a.m. the day OF our planned adventure while I was feeding my newborn and most definitely not supposed to be on my phone (because hello, once I start searching and scrolling, I stay on the phone well past the 10 minutes he’s up eating…and also if you know me, you know I study human milk feeding and maternal sleep…). 

While looking up some last-minute information on the farm I had planned to visit (Deep River Farms) I realized that they had closed in January 2021 so I began scrambling to find somewhere else we could go so my boys would get to see some promised farm animals (we are pretty big into animals in this house, so we try to find fun ways to see new creatures on most adventures). The second change occurred during our adventure when I realized the hiking trail I had wanted to explore, and the entire reason I planned this trip was more north than I realized and because of the other change, it would not make sense to backtrack our steps when we already had an appointment at the new farm. So… with these two changes, I bring you this week’s day trip inspiration that turned out pretty fun despite the unpredictable last-minute changes. 

Stop 1: We had some morning household chores to complete (aka my husband had to move 7 tons of gravel into our backyard) so instead of starting off with coffee and donuts like I originally wanted, we began our adventure at lunchtime. Our first stop was Two Wrasslin Cats in East Haddam, CT. I have been here quite a few times and their food and coffee have never disappointed me. We chose some sandwiches to go, but in warmer weather, they have a nice outside space in the back where you can sit. Pre-pandemic their inside space was also very quaint and often had live music. If you start your adventure in the morning you can change up your order and grab some delicious hot drinks and a variety of baked goods. (**Note, our phone internet service [verizon] did not work at all in this area, so make sure you know where you’re going ahead of time if you’re relying on your phone to search!)

Stop 2:  We brought our sandwiches for a riverside picnic to the Chester-Hadlyme Ferry (West Side Landing). We drove over the bridge by the Goodspeed opera house but realized after it would have been fun to take the ferry over from the Hadlyme launch (same side of the river as Two Wrasslin Cats). The current rate is $5/car weekdays and $6/car on weekends but check their site before going to confirm. The West Side landing has a nice picnic area with tables overlooking the river. The weather was unexpectedly cold and very breezy, so we opted to stay in the car and stare longingly at the river while hoping for the return of summer weather. (We are a boating family, so we look forward to days spent exploring the waters of the Connecticut River and Long Island Sound).

Stop 3: While eating lunch I “quickly” (internet service wasn’t great, but at least existed here) planned a new hiking destination after realizing my original location was not going to work. We settled for a loop trail at the Pattaconk Reservoir in the Cockaponsett State Forest. After a week of warm(ish) weather here in Connecticut’s early spring, we were kind of shocked by the wind chill, and our newborn most definitely did not enjoy the wind in his face, even facing my chest in the Boba carrier. Before hiking the boys checked out the waterfall on the reservoir while watching some people fish, and then we headed out on the blue/red trail which circles the reservoir. We were tight on time before our farm visit, so we opted to do an “out and back” along the trail. If you wanted to go the whole way around, take the red/blue trail and then switch over to the yellow/blue trail. See the map here. Despite the shorter distance than we originally planned, we did enjoy the trail and the boys loved all the rocks and downed trees they could run along and balance on. There is a section that separates from the reservoir to get over a stream, and this area is pretty with the running water and rocky landscape, but do be aware that there is no “bridge” over the stream, so you’ll be hopping rocks to continue on the trail. Overall the trail section that we went on was pretty rocky and flat, and we hope to explore the whole trail someday soon. If you go when it is warm out, the area by the lake also has grills and a grassy field that would be fun to picnic in. Next time we return we will probably bring our inflatable kayak as well (this is the one we have had for a few years and have enjoyed) 

Stop 4: Our last stop of the day was Chakana Sky Alpacas in Chester, CT. The farm is open by appointment only, and it was really easy to request a private visit through their Facebook page. We weren’t sure what to expect, but the boys loved feeding the alpacas and Farmer Bill answered all of the questions we threw at him about alpacas. After feeding the alpacas we went out into the pasture and learned a little more about the animals. Once we finished our informal tour we stopped by the farm barn to see the alpaca products (hats, socks, scarves, etc.). The visit is free, but you can make a donation and/or purchase something in the store to support the farm. Be sure to check out their website for information on planned events that might be happening (have you ever heard of “Alpaca yoga”?).   

So, as any parent can relate, today’s adventure had a set plan and at the end of the day we ended up with almost an entirely new one.. but we had fun exploring the area and learning about alpacas. The kids even enjoyed feeding them in the private setting, which is something they’ve been hesitant about before at larger farms. Anyway, the whole point of this blog is to help others avoid the errors I’ve made in my own planning so that getting out and about has one less barrier. I hope you enjoy this itinerary and let me know in the comments and/or on social media if you have ever been to these places or what you think of them when you do venture out!