The best view of New London is to be had from the enormous Fort Trumbull, which has stood at the mouth of the Thames River since 1839. It was an integral part of the coastal defense system and an early home for the US Coast Guard Academy. Now winding walking paths, a fishing pier and fort tours make it a great place to take kids.
Fort Trumbull State Park
Lonely Planet's must-see attractions
6.83 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…
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12.89 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…
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29.18 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…
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10.47 MILES
Housed in a striking 1930s aluminum airport hangar, Saltwater Farm is one of the newest vineyards in Connecticut. Surrounded by tidal marshes and cooled…
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10.25 MILES
This community arts center hosts a weekend farmers market (10am to 1pm Saturday, October to May) and an artisan/vendor market (10am to 4pm Saturday and…
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Ninigret State Conservation Area
21.32 MILES
One of Rhode Island's most delightful swimming holes can be found in this conservation area, which features a massive lagoon bounded by barrier beaches…
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15.21 MILES
With good surf and close proximity to the Connecticut state line, Misquamicut draws huge crowds. It offers families low prices and convenient facilities…
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22.56 MILES
Visitors to the Montauk Lighthouse may not immediately notice a smaller 15ft structure at the eastern end of the park, where the 60ft cliffs fall off into…
Nearby attractions
1. Custom House Maritime Museum
0.56 MILES
Near the ferry terminal, this 1833 building is the oldest operating customhouse in the country, in addition to functioning as a museum. Its front door is…
0.63 MILES
Done up in a Greek Revival style replete with a sculpture garden, a mural plaza, fountains and a large performance area, this not-for-profit art space…
0.7 MILES
Part of a well-laid-out walking tour are two Hempsted Houses. The wood-framed older one (1678) is one of the oldest 17th-century houses in New England and…
0.83 MILES
Susette Kelo took on pharmaceutical giant Pfizer in 2000 when they tried to exercise eminent domain and tear down her little pink house. The case went all…
0.85 MILES
This cottage was the boyhood summer home of Eugene O'Neill, America's only Nobel Prize–winning playwright. Near Ocean Beach Park in the southern districts…
6. Fort Griswold Battlefield State Park
1.01 MILES
Fort Griswold Battlefield State Park is centered on a 134ft obelisk that marks the place where colonial troops were massacred by Benedict Arnold and the…
7. US Coast Guard Academy & Museum
1.92 MILES
Located in Waesche Hall on the grounds of the US Coast Guard Academy is this small, unattended museum. Plans are afoot for the first National Coast Guard…
2.04 MILES
This neoclassical building contains exhibits that span the 18th, 19th and 20th centuries, including impressive collections of early-American silver and…