1. The Woodward House
City: Bethlehem, CT
Category: Restaurants
Telephone: (203) 266-6902
Address: 4 The Green
Description: This remote area of farmlands and forest offers some of the most pleasant driving in the state, and you couldn’t have a better destination than the Woodward House. This fine-dining restaurant in a 1740 saltbox on Bethlehem Green is consistently recognized for its decor and service. Inside, the wainscoting and original handmade beams and nails will take you back to colonial times in Connecticut. After being known as the Bird Tavern in the 1700s, the building itself went through various hands, having lives as a post office and an Underground Railroad stop. The dinners are traditional fare with a nice twist, like the sweet spring pea risotto or roasted baby beets in an avocado puree. Note that the Woodward only serves dinner from 5 to 9 p.m. and requires business casual attire. If you get the chance to go upstairs, check out the 12-foot barrel ceiling in the ballroom.
2. Bellamy-Ferriday House And Garden
City: Bethlehem, CT
Category: Tours & Attractions
Telephone: (203) 266-7596
Address: 9 Main St. North
Description: This 1754 homestead with its wonderful art and lilac-haunted gardens makes a great tour from May to Oct. The house was added to in 1767 and again in the 1790s, and a formal garden was added in the early 20th century by Caroline Ferriday, an actress and philanthropist involved in the civil rights movement. The gardens connect to 2 miles of trails run by the Bethlehem Land Trust called the Bellamy Preserve, with the entrance a few yards away on Munger Lane. At the far end of the preserve (just take the center trail to its conclusion) is the quaint Old Bethlehem Cemetery, and you’ll see old orchards and meadows along the way. The Bellamy-Ferriday House also runs painting workshops at the house throughout the summer, and you could not have a better subject to try your brush on.