Griswold Inn

Connecticut

LoginSave

The 'Gris' is one of the country's oldest continually operating inns, Essex' physical and social centerpiece since 1776. The buffet-style Hunt Breakfast (11am to 1pm Sunday) is a tradition dating from the War of 1812, when British soldiers occupying Essex demanded to be fed. Two main buildings were refurbished and connected in 2017, eliminating walks between in inclement weather.

At other times, the expansive dining room remains a favorite place to enjoy traditional New England cuisine in a historic setting. In kinder weather, the new 2200-sq-ft bluestone patio is a nice place to wine and unwind. The historic taproom has free popcorn and live music.

Lonely Planet's must-see attractions

  • Yale Center for British Art

    Yale Center for British Art

    28.44 MILES

    Reopened in 2016 after extensive restoration, this fabulous gallery was architect Louis Kahn’s last commission and is the setting for the largest…

  • Exterior, Yale University Art Gallery, New Haven, Connecticut

    Yale University Art Gallery

    28.46 MILES

    This outstanding museum was architect Louis Kahn's first commission and houses the oldest university art collection in the country; it includes Vincent…

  • UNITED STATES - AUGUST 02: Wooden ship figureheads are featured at the Mystic Seaport Maritime Museum in Mystic, Connecticut (Photo by Carol M. Highsmith/Buyenlarge/Getty Images)

    Mystic Seaport Museum

    21.91 MILES

    More than a museum, Mystic Seaport is a re-creation of an entire New England whaling village spread over 17 acres of the former George Greenman & Co…

  • This decorative iron gate is the entrance to the Memorial Quadrangle on the campus of Yale University. The gate beneath Harkness Tower, crafted by Samuel Yellin, is the most ornate of his many works at Yale.

    Yale University

    28.17 MILES

    Each year, thousands of high-school students make pilgrimages to Yale, nursing dreams of attending the country's third-oldest university, which boasts…

  • Watch Hill

    Watch Hill

    28.03 MILES

    A 5-mile drive southwest of Westerly town center, you'll come to the cloistered community known as Watch Hill, where New York's rich and/or famous have…

  • Wölffer Estate

    Wölffer Estate

    28.63 MILES

    Stop by the graceful Tuscan-villa-style tasting room of Wölffer Estate, the whitewashed walls and massive wooden beams of which set the scene for cheese…

  • Shinn Estate

    Shinn Estate

    24.44 MILES

    This restored 1880s farmhouse and winery lures oenophiles in the know not only for its excellent, age-worthy wines often touted as Long Island's best …

  • Shore Line Trolley Museum

    Shore Line Trolley Museum

    25.32 MILES

    For a unique take on East Haven's shoreline, take a ride on this open-sided antique trolley – the oldest continuously running suburban trolley line in the…

View more attractions

Nearby Connecticut attractions

1. Connecticut River Museum

0.11 MILES

Adjacent to Essex's Steamboat Dock, this museum's meticulously presented exhibits recount regional history and include a reproduction of the world's first…

2. Essex Park

0.13 MILES

This beautiful shoreline park is centered on a gazebo and features an illustration explaining the 25 tree species lining the perimeter. You can launch…

3. Essex Art Association

0.27 MILES

The association hosts at least four different public shows during the high season and rents the space for other art showings the rest of the year. Located…

4. Florence Griswold Museum

3.48 MILES

Florence Griswold's house, which her artist friends decorated with murals (often in lieu of paying rent), is now the Florence Griswold Museum. The 'home…

5. Gillette Castle

5.44 MILES

Built in 1919 by actor William Hooker Gillette, who made his fortune playing Sherlock Holmes, this gaudy, medieval-style 'castle' is an eccentric turreted…

6. Nathan Hale Schoolhouse

8.14 MILES

Nathan Hale (1755–76) is famous for his (alleged) patriotic statement, 'I only regret that I have but one life to lose for my country,' as he was about to…

8. Devil's Hopyard State Park

8.89 MILES

Legend has it that the round holes in the park's beautiful, 60ft Chapman Falls were made by the Devil itself, but you can thank the state of Connecticut…