<p>I live in Litchfield County. I’ll send you a PM.</p>
<p>Take route 6 west out of Plainville, to route 8 where you will head north on route 8. I would suggest you take route 8 to the route 118 exit which should be marked Litchfield/Harwinton. You want to head west on 118 toward Litchfield. Just stay on that road…you will arrive in the cute little town of Litchfield. </p>
<p>You can go straight on route 202 (west and south) to new Milford, turn north in route 7. Stay on route 7 north all the way to Canaan. You want to stop at the covered bridge in Cornwall. Continue on route 7 to Canaan where you will intersect route 44. Turn right (east) onto route 44 in Canaan, and head east through Norfolk and Winsted.</p>
<p>In Winsted, you will pick up route 8 south, and take it to route 6 east towards Plainville.</p>
<p>It’s about a 3 hour drive…without the stops. </p>
<p>Good places to stop are New Milford, Kent, West Cornwall at the bridge, Norfolk (great pub in their little shopping area on the left). </p>
<p>Oops…if you need to go back to the airport…instead of getting on route 8 south on your way back…stay on 44 through Winsted to 219 in the center of new Hartford. Turn left on 219. Follow the signs to Bradley. Where 179 intersects 219, make sure you turn right and stay on 219. Take that to a T intersection which is route 20. Turn right in route 20 and follow it to the signs to the airport.</p>
<p>Thumper1 put together a nice route. Lots of scenery, very pretty. If the leaves have turned, you will see leaves, along with older to pre-revolutionary homes, historic town greens, farms, a real, still in use antique covered bridge, the Housatonic River, and the town of Winsted.</p>
<p>Oops…you will be coming from Plantsville/Southington area. In that case…amble your way over to route 8 north somehow. </p>
<p>Oh, the thought of seeing an antique covered bridge makes me giddy! Tell me more about the exact location of the covered bridge, want to make sure we stop and get some photos.</p>
<p>The covered bridge is in West Cornwall, I believe…it’s a cute little village area.</p>
<p><a href=“West Cornwall Covered Bridge - Wikipedia”>http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/West_Cornwall_Covered_Bridge</a></p>
<p>Thumper’s route is just about perfect. The only change I would suggest is to eliminate route 8 and take Route 6 to 109 and then to 63 north. That approach to Litchfield will be a little more historic as you will then travel past a number of typical early New England homes as well as the Tapping Reeve House and Lawschool. [url=<a href="https://■■■■■■/maps/UOa4Y]Here’s[/url">https://■■■■■■/maps/UOa4Y]Here’s[/url</a>] a new map of the route. And, you’ll drive right over the West Cornwall covered bridge.</p>
<p>I also concur with the suggestion that you plan to arrive at your rental car drop-off around 5pm. We’ve never arrived more than an hour ahead of flight-time and I would guess that Sunday late afternoon will not be an issue at security.</p>
<p>A couple of years ago we attended a wedding Columbus Day weekend. Church and reception were both along Rt 169, which runs N–S in the eastern part of CT. The foliage and scenery were GORGEOUS. I believe the area is promoted as the ‘last green valley’, as it is one of the few large undeveloped areas in CT.</p>
<p>Archie, I thought of that route too. The OP is coming from Plantsville, not Plainville. She will be nearer to rt 8 than 6, I think. </p>
<p>It will be a pretty drive. Even the stretch of route 8 is a pretty road. It’s a highway…but not a congested one, and most of the route is actually pretty.</p>
<p>Go up route 7 to WEST Cornwall (not Cornwall Bridge) and turn right – takes you right over the covered bridge. Once upon a time there were some lovely restaurants right there in the little West Cornwall village. Once upon a time is 30-35 years ago. Who knows what’s there now!</p>
<p>(Edited: just checked Trip Advisor. Sounds like there is a cute sort of cafe with outdoor tables overlooking the river and the bridge. It gets mixed reviews. I might stop for ice cream!)</p>
<p>As an FYI. lat night I drove most of the length of route 8…from my house to Bridgeport and back. North of Waterbury, (and even south in some parts), you will be driving through a tree filled river valley. Trees to the left, right, and in front of you in the distance. It’s not like driving through downtown Boston. Chicago or L.A. It’s a scenic rural highway. </p>
<p>So even that part of your drive will be a nice one.</p>
<p>Adding also, if you feel strapped for time and don’t want to drive all the way to Cornwall…you can stop in the beautiful village of Litchfield. Get lunch, and stroll around the green there. You could continue south on 202 to Bantam. It’s just another cute little town…and then head back.</p>
<p>The first route suggested will take longer but does include scenic route 7, and scenic route 44. (The section from Canaan to Norfolk in particular is lovely).</p>
<p>If you end up spending time in and around Hartford itself, Mark Twain’s house is well worth a trip. (He lived next door to Harriet Beecher Stowe, btw.) And the art museum, the Atheneum, is also good. </p>
<p>Pretty much any side road in CT is over hills because the state is crumpled up. It’s beautiful almost anywhere. I used to say it would be the size of Wyoming if it were ironed flat. </p>
<p>Too bad you won’t have any weekday time. There is a fabulous exhibit of Katherine Hepburn clothing and costumes at the CT Historical Museum on Asylum. Not open Sunday or Monday.</p>
<p>Oops…exhibit ends September 15. Well…maybe someone else can benefit!</p>
<p>Thumper1 - do your directions take OP over the Saville Dam? That’s one of my all-time favorite views coming home from Route 8…especially in the fall. Maybe just take a quick left turn from 219 to go take a peek</p>
<p>No Justamom. Because there are just too many twists and turns going that way. I agree, it’s beautiful, but at that point they will be heading towards Bradley, and there are less turns taking 219 out of the center of NH.</p>
<p>But to the OP…if you want to know what we are talking about…</p>
<p>When you take that left from 44 to 219 in the center of New Hartford, you will be on a twisty road. On the left, at some point, you will see the lower reservoir. As you come up the hill, you will proceed straight, but another road will come in from the left…you do not have a stop sign. They do. Anyway…if you want to see this gorgeous reservoir, and the Saville Dam, take a left turn (the road is a fork so it will be quite the left)…and the dam is right there. The upper reservoir will be in your right and the lower on your left. It’s very pretty.</p>
<p>Then just turn around and go back on 219 towards the airport.</p>
<p>Just noticed that the terminal B at BDL is being demolished.</p>
<p>Our families have flied in and out of terminal B more than a dozen times because AA is our default airline due to its hub being close to where we lived. I also noticed SouthWest Airline is the #1 airline at BDL.</p>
<p>In our nest of woods (actually where we used to live), wild animals like deers may jump in front of your car on a rural road. Is this a concern while driving on a road in CT or New England in general? In one suburban area next to our neighborhood, in some season, deers will be roaming on the roads where many upscale houses (e.g., those houses next to a gulf course) are located. In one year, the city needs to have some program to relocate the deers from the residential areas close to the city to some rural area.</p>
<p>MCAT…terminal B has not been used at all for several years. It has been slated for demolition for a long while. I’m glad to see they are finally getting it done.</p>
<p>Deer are around here, and yes are seen on the roads. But really, it’s not common to hear about the deer causing issues for drivers. More often, the deer gets hurt. An FYI…if one crosses the road, you are likely to see more, so slow down.</p>
<p>In my opinion, the turkeys and squirrels are a bigger issue when I’m driving.</p>
<p>OP here again…we are counting down the days to our family wedding in CT, and I have one more area you great folks can give your opinion on. </p>
<p>The hotel in Southington, CT has a breakfast bar for Saturday morning, and my sister (MOB) says there is no place close to get a quick lunch. She is willing to order box lunches, or get a bunch of subs and chips, etc. for the immediate family at the hotel. (The wedding is at 2:30, with a dinner at the reception.)</p>
<p>Ideas for inexpensive places that one of us could drive to and pick up food, or maybe a place that would deliver to Homewood Suites? Price is the most important factor, followed by convenience. We don’t really care about top quality, although I am not willing to eat at McDonalds. Grocery store sub sandwiches would be fine with me.</p>
<p>Pepper Pot Restaurant
9 Center Street, Southington, CT 06489
860 621 9192Website MenuImprove this listing
Exterior
Texas (?) French toast w/strawberries & whipped cream
House omelet w/potatoes & toast
Texas (?) French toast w/strawberries</p>