1. Old Riverton Inn
City: Riverton, CT
Category: Accommodations
Telephone: (860) 379-8678
Address: 06065
Insider Pick:
Description: This early American inn fronts the road across from the Farmington River and was a former stagecoach stop on the Boston-Albany Turnpike. It has been giving “hospitality for the hungry, thirsty, and sleepy” since 1796. The inn and the current innkeepers, Mark and Pauline Telford, are unpretentious and friendly, and a night here won’t break your bank the way some in the Litchfield Hills will. The grindstone terrace is a wonderful addition, made of grindstones from Nova Scotia, used in nearby Collinsville to grind axes. The Hobby Horse Bar is full of fly-fishing memorabilia, a tribute to the inn’s most loyal customers. If you eat in the wonderful low-ceilinged restaurant, try the duck—it’s the chef’s specialty—and enjoy sitting in the old (and valuable) Hitchcock chairs. This has been voted the most romantic restaurant and inn in the area many times, and is truly one of the treasures of Connecticut.
2. Old Riverton Inn
City: Riverton, CT
Category: Restaurants
Telephone: (860) 379-8678
Address: 436 E. River Rd.
Insider Pick:
Description: Located along scenic Route 20 and within walking distance of the charming village center, the Old Riverton Inn is the quintessential early American establishment. The dining room, with its rustic wood beams and pillars, is found on the downstairs floor of the historic 1796 inn. The atmosphere is intimate and charming, and dishes will give you a sample of traditional fare. Enjoy the fireplace in cooler months and the bay windows’ ample light in the early evenings of summer. Favorites include duck, which is moist and rich, prepared with cherry chutney; the turkey dinner, with traditional fixings; and trout caught in the Farmington River just across the street. The chef usually prepares a pasta special, such as eggplant ravioli, and always uses fresh, local ingredients. The floor of the terrace room is built from old grindstones, and the room is available for small banquets and weddings. If you’re here fishing, they’ll fry your catch up for dinner.
3. Christmas In Riverton
City: Riverton, CT
Category: Tours & Attractions
Telephone: (860) 738-9958
Address: 06065
Description: Picture the quintessential image of New England charm and it’s likely you’ll find it in Riverton during the Christmas festival. Usually held during the first weekend in Dec, the event transforms the small village into a winter wonderland. While shops in the center of town are open all day, the real draw is nighttime, when luminaries line the street and visitors tour the establishments. Especially appealing is the Peter Greenwood Glassworks studio, located in the historic Union Church. Adults can sample wine and gourmet food, and kids of all ages can enjoy wagon rides and puppet shows, take a photo with Father Christmas, and wonder at ice sculptures. Stop at the Old Riverton Inn for dinner, then head up the street for Charles Dickens’s A Christmas Carol performed by the Riverton Theatre Group. Afterwards, you might mingle around a bonfire and watch sparks crisp into the winter sky.
4. Riverton Fishing Derby
City: Riverton, CT
Category: Tours & Attractions
Telephone: (860) 379-0811
Address: 06065
Description: This is a great introduction to one of the best rivers in the country, a National Wild and Scenic River winding through the heart of Connecticut. Unlike some derbies, there is no entry fee, and kids under 12 have a special designated area. The contest starts at 6 a.m., so you might want to lodge the night before in the Old Riverton Inn or a nearby motel. The Riverton Firehouse is the center of activity, so get the famous “fisherman’s breakfast” here, and walk the charming town. People waiting for their fishing family or friends can poke their heads into Peter Greenwood’s nationally famous glass-blowing studio (www.petergreenwood.com). Later in the day, take a hike in the Peoples State Forest or raft the river farther downstream at Satan’s Kingdom.