1. Norwich Inn And Spa
City: Norwich, CT
Category: Accommodations
Address: 06360
Insider Pick:
Description: Built in 1929 by the city, this Georgian-style inn had fallen into disrepair when it was rescued by spa developer Edward Safdie, and is now one of the best resorts in the state. The inn has 65 rooms and 60 villas. What is a villa? Well, they have studio or duplex condominium units with full baths, galley kitchens, dining areas, and fireplaces. If you’re going to be staying here for a long time, using the inn as a base to explore New London County, these are great options. Along with the extensive spa, the inn has tennis courts, indoor and outdoor pools, hiking trails, and golf packages. The restaurant, Kensington’s, and the Ascot Pub ($$) serve delicious modern American fare. This is luxury living for those of us who might not want to stay in the casinos or along the shoreline.
2. William W. Backus Hospital
City: Norwich, CT
Category: Health Care
Telephone: (860) 889-8331
Address: 326 Washington St.
Description: Founded in 1893, the 213-bed William W. Backus Hospital, in alliance with the Backus Health Centers, which provide services in Colchester, Ledyard, Montville, and Plainfield, serves nearly a quarter million people in the eastern part of the state. The facility offers the only trauma center east of the Connecticut River, and is the only hospital in the area with access to Hartford Hospital’s medical-transport LIFE STAR helicopters.
3. Norwich Bulletin
City: Norwich, CT
Category: Media
Telephone: (860) 887-9211
Address: 66 Franklin St.
Description: The Bulletin serves Norwich, Colchester, Hebron, and the surrounding towns in Windham and New London Counties.
4. Kensington’S
City: Norwich, CT
Category: Restaurants
Telephone: (860) 425-3630
Address: 607 W. Thames St.
Description: This restaurant at the Norwich Inn and Spa has a fantastic reputation for simple American food, done in a gourmet manner. In its impressive wine cellar full of choice vintages, Kensington’s also has a huge selection of Connecticut offerings from wineries like Priam, Taylor Brooke, Jonathan Edwards, and Stonington. They also try to use as many Connecticut-grown products in their meals as possible, and that loyalty to the local farmers ends up being a huge bonus to your palate. The gazpacho is made from Holmberg Orchards tomatoes, and the lemon baked cod is caught right off the Connecticut coast. Of course, they have other great stuff on their menu, too, like mushroom dumplings and four-grain polenta cake. For dessert, the Brie cheesecake or the chocolate ginseng decadence are delicious endings to your meal.
5. Leffingwell House
City: Norwich, CT
Category: Tours & Attractions
Telephone: (860) 889-9440
Address: 348 Washington St.
Description: The 1675 Leffingwell House in Norwich is one of the best examples of New England colonial architecture. The house served as an inn until it passed to Christopher Leffingwell, a rich merchant and industrialist who became an ardent patriot during the American Revolution. He used his business connections and skills to supply Washington’s army. Today the house is run by the Norwich Historical Society and is open on Sat from noon to 4 p.m., Apr through Oct. While you’re here, make sure to stop at the Indian Burial Grounds on Sachem Street, the last resting place of Uncas, the Mohegan chief who gave the colonists land for the settlement of Norwich.
6. Slater Museum
City: Norwich, CT
Category: Tours & Attractions
Telephone: (860) 887-2506
Address: 108 Crescent St.
Description: This beautiful brick Romanesque Revival building with its high pointed tower is located on the Norwich Free Academy campus, a combination private and public school in operation since 1854. The museum was dedicated in 1888, and contains not only Norwich history, but that of a wider world. You will find artwork from the 18th to the 20th centuries, 17th- to 19th-century European paintings, Native American objects, African and Pacific sculptures, and a stunning plaster-cast collection of the world’s greatest sculptures. The Vanderpoel Collection of Oriental Art, presented to the museum in 1935, contains many fine pieces from the Tokugawa period of Japanese art. This museum will surprise you with its breadth and scope, especially since many “insiders” don’t even know it exists.
7. Norwich Inn And Spa
City: Norwich, CT
Category: Tours & Attractions
Address: 607 W. Thames St.
Insider Pick:
Description: Amid oak trees and a reflecting pool, this full-service spa at the Norwich Inn has an astonishing 32 treatment rooms, as well as a health club that includes indoor and outdoor pools. They offer facials, waxing, body wraps, body polishing, and, of course, massages. The milk and honey masque gets rave reviews. You can get the spa accessories, lotions, and herbal remedies in the boutique attached to the spa. There is also a full-service hair salon attached to the spa, and, of course, you can stay overnight at the luxurious inn. The Norwich has been called the best day spa in Connecticut for the last 10 years by Connecticut Magazine, and you should visit and find out why.
8. Connecticut Tigers At Dodd Stadium
City: Norwich, CT
Category: Tours & Attractions
Telephone: (860) 887-7962
Address: 14 Stott Ave.
Description: This minor-league affiliate of the Detroit Tigers plays at the 6,000-seat Senator Dodd Stadium, and players that have passed through the organization include Bernie Williams, Jorge Posada, Andy Pettitte, and Don Mattingly. There are fun promotional giveaways and special events at every game. You can also buy snack bar meal and ticket combos. And best of all, you can arrange for messages to be announced or posted on the scoreboard, from “Happy Birthday” to “Will you marry me?” Check out the Yard Bar and Grill on the suite level, or the Hole in the Wall Bar on the right field line, both of which provide a unique way to see the game.