Connecticut State Route 169 Byway

State: Connecticut
Length: 32 miles / 51.5 km
Time to Allow: 45-60 minutes without stopping, or one full day with stops at museums and other points of interest.

On the Connecticut State Route 169 Byway, enjoy a short 32-mile road full of New England charm. You can drive the route in as little as an hour, but to fully enjoy the area, take a couple of days. Wind through history filled downs with colonial homes, churches, and much more reflecting the full beauty New England has to offer. Visit in the fall for gorgeous views of yellow, orange, and tread trees along with fields filled with rocks and boulders left from glaciers.

The route runs close to the border of Massachusetts and Rhode Island, making it easy to extend your trip to several amazing places, including the coast. Begin the byway in Lisbon, working your way up toward the state line. Here you can visit Hopeville Pond State Park and visit the Norwichtown Historic Cemetery. Stay in town at the Branch Place Bed and Breakfast or one of several hotels nearby.

Lisbon offers several vineyards and the Slater Memorial Museum for those looking for a leisurely afternoon. Grab some breakfast at Just Breakfast and Things before continuing on your trip. Next, move along the Quinebaug River toward Canterbury. Here you can stop at the historical site and home of Prudence Crandall or visit a bison farm. Grab some local fare for lunch or an ice cream cone at a little drive-up place appropriately named Canterbury Cones.

Continue on to the Finnish American Heritage Hall and the Cleaveland cemetery, along with the birthplace of Moses Cleaveland. Finally, in Brooklyn, check out the Quinebaug Lake State Park Scenic Reserve to enjoy a day on the water with a boat launch, fishing, and swimming. Along the way, take some time to stop at local farm stands and antique stores like Scranton’s Antiques shop, with a myriad of treasures ready to be found.

From here, check out the New England Center for Arts, visit several churches and try some nice food at the Golden Lamb Buttery Restaurant. Moving north, you will find the Mashamoquet Brook State Park as you head to Pomfret. You can also find the Airline State Park trail and several vineyards. The town forgoes chain hotels and offers a string of gorgeous inns instead ready to offer a full New England experience. The town also offers some incredible ice cream options like the Vanilla Bean Cafe. For a healthy lunch with a German flair, check out Elizabeth’s Farmhouse.

Woodstock is the main attraction of this byway just a few miles away from the Massachusetts border. Everyone needs to visit the Roseland Cottage historical site as its built-in Gothic Revival style and was the summer home for Henry and Lucy Bown. Take a tour of this pink house for a small fee. At night take a balloon ride at Voyager Balloons or a play at the Loos Center for the Arts. Stay in town another day to enjoy antiquing and a meal at one of several inns. From here, you can go almost anywhere in New England in just a few hours and extend your trip.

More Connecticut Byways

You can check out additional Byways in Connecticut by clicking on the list of byways below, or by going to the Connecticut Byways home section. To find even more of scenic byways in the United States, visit our scenic byways map.