6 scenic routes for a weekend drive in Connecticut

Connecticut is home to beautiful forests, rolling hills and sprawling coastline. For fans of scenic views and relaxing afternoon drives, we’ve got the weekend planned for you.

Here are six drives to take the long way home and enjoy the sights and sounds of Connecticut.

Connecticut Coast

This route takes drivers from New Haven to Stonington along coastal paths with views of the water and marshlands. Drivers can visit New Haven, Branford, Guildford, Madison, Westbrook, Old Saybrook, Old

Lyme, Niantic, Mysitc and Stonington.

Attractions along the way include Lighthouse Point Park, views of the Thimble Islands, Hammonasset Beach State Park, Hammonasset Nature Area Preserve, the Katharine Hepburn Cultural Arts Center, Saybrook Point Resort & Marina, to the Florence Griswold Museum, through Rocky Neck State Park, Mystic Seaport, Mystic Aquarium and Olde Mistick Village.

Find the full route at visitconnecticut.com/state/scenic-drives

Route 169

This 36-mile drive runs from Norwichtown to East Woodstock, through woodlands and farmsteads with views of rivers and green hills through the Quinebaug and Shetucket Rivers Valley National Heritage Corridor.

Stops include Mashamoquet Brook State Park and the town of Pomfret.

Find the full route at visitconnecticut.com/state/scenic-drives

Colchester and Salmon River State Park

This 17-mile route begins and ends in Colchester with scenic views through Salmon River State Park. The state park features plenty of hiking opportunities and picnic areas, and nearby attractions such as Priam Vineyards and Cato Corner Farm offer options for food and drink.

Find the full route at yourmechanic.com/article/top-10scenic-drives-in-connecticut

Connecticut River Loop

Take a full loop around part of the Connecticut River via CT-9 S and CT-156 W. The route passes through Essex and Old Lyme, where visitors can enjoy attractions such as Gillette Castle State Park, the Florence Griswold Museum, Essex Indoor Golf Center and the Connecticut River Museum.

Find the full route at yourmechanic.com/article/top-10scenic-drives-in-connecticut

Merritt Parkway

Start in Milford and end in Greenwich with this 41-mile drive down the Merritt Parkway. The highway’s unique Art Deco-style bridges were designed by George L. Dunkelberger in the 1930s and each one is a unique piece of art.

The highway is lined with forest areas, with thick green foliage in the summer and orange, red and yellow leaves in the fall.

Find the full route at yourmechanic.com/article/top-10scenic-drives-in-connecticut

Connecticut Barns Trail

This trail leads explorers along rural roads for views of, well, barns. There are seven routes to choose from that feature sites open to the public, including working farms with farm stands, orchards, wineries, historic areas and more.

The seven trails are: The Northwest Hills, Fairfield County and the Western Shore, New Haven and the Shoreline, the Connecticut River Valley South, the Connecticut River Valley North, Thames River Valley and New London County, and the Quiet Corner of Northeast Connecticut.

Find the seven trails at connecticutbarns.org/barns-trail