1. Bart’S Drive-In
City: Windsor, CT
Category: Restaurants
Telephone: (860) 688-9035
Address: 55 Palisado Ave. (Route 159)
Description: Begun as a hot dog stand 60 years ago, this classic joint that looks like an old brick gas station now includes a counter that serves cold sandwiches and a grill. They have hamburgers, ice cream, chicken, and all the other dishes that are so often done poorly by chain restaurants, and so often done right by places like Bart’s. The milk shakes are excellent, and the whole belly clam roll is something that should be served in every restaurant in Connecticut. They have special events during the summer that include Family Nights, where you can compete in games like hula-hooping. Bart’s is famous for its service, so when you stop by, expect to be treated like family.
2. Oliver Ellsworth House
City: Windsor, CT
Category: Tours & Attractions
Telephone: (860) 688-8717
Address: 778 Palisado Ave.
Description: Oliver Ellsworth was one of five men who drafted the US Constitution, and served at George Washington’s request as the third chief justice of the Supreme Court. He was also Connecticut’s first senator, and the author of the Judiciary Act, which forms the basis of our current federal justice system. In other words, he was one of the founders of this country, and the fact that his homestead still exists here above the Connecticut River is a gift to us in this present day. Managed by the Connecticut DAR, the museum focuses on the early years of America, and how the everyday life of people at that time impacted law, and vice versa. It’s open Wed, Thurs, and Sat from noon to 4 p.m. and on the last Sun of each month from 1 to 4 p.m. In the words of Ellsworth himself, “I have visited several countries, and I like my own the best. I have been in all the States of the Union, and Connecticut is the best State; Windsor is the pleasantest town in the State of Connecticut and I have the pleasantest place in Windsor. I am content, perfectly content, to die on the banks of the Connecticut.”
3. Connecticut Valley Tobacco Museum And Northwest Park
City: Windsor, CT
Category: Tours & Attractions
Telephone: (860) 285-1888
Address: 135 Lang Rd.
Description: The tobacco here in the Connecticut valley is primarily used as wrappers, and has been used to wrap the world’s finest. The Luddy/Taylor Connecticut Valley Tobacco Museum includes a restored tobacco-curing barn, where authentic equipment shows the process of harvest and curing. Historical displays in the museum next door show the industry’s contribution to the region’s economy and culture. There are live animal exhibits in the Animal Barn and Nature Center, and a concert series is held from Sept to May. The 475 acres surrounding the museum, called Northwest Park, include 12 miles of trails through a variety of habitats that are great for mountain biking or for cross-country ski in the winter (www.northwestpark.org).
4. Shad Derby Festival
City: Windsor, CT
Category: Tours & Attractions
Telephone: (860) 688-5165
Address: 261 Broad St.
Description: Derby Day in Windsor is the high point of 2 weeks of festivities celebrating the arrival of this unusual fish. The shad is a bony (though plump) relation of the herring. They migrate north along the Connecticut River to spawn, and Windsor is one of their destinations. Sign up to fish the river or just come for the shad and festivities. There is a prize for the largest shad caught, and other events that vary, like a road race or a golf tournament. This is a town-wide festival, and Windsor’s Broad Street is usually packed with people and booths. If you get a chance to try these seasonal treats for dinner, don’t miss it, and for the more adventurous, their roe fried with bacon is a delicacy.