Between New York And New Haven Lies A New England Town With Winding Roads And Rural Beauty

Wilton, Connecticut, could be the poster child for a quintessential New England town with its historic homes, winding roads, rural beauty, and strong sense of community. Although it is not an oceanfront Connecticut city like seaside Westport with its cute downtown, Wilton is a gem. Founded in 1640, Wilton broke from another town, Norwalk, in 1802, and now has a population of 18,500. Through the centuries, Wilton has preserved its bucolic character and architectural heritage. Nearly 1,000 acres are protected from development and available to all for hiking, fishing, and horseback riding. Its active historical society strives to connect residents to the town's past. Whether you drive to and then through Wilton via the picturesque Merritt Parkway, which is a National Scenic Byway, or taking a meandering route along Wilton's back roads like Nod Hill Road, which was voted by real estate site Agent Advice as one of America's top streets to live on, you will be surrounded by rural charm.

You would think that with this pastoral, small-town vibe, Wilton would be in the middle of nowhere, but it's not. It's actually a commuter community situated between New York and New Haven. Wilton is an one and a quarter hours from New York City and one hour from New Haven. It's accessible via the Merritt Parkway and I-95 Highway, as well as by a commuter train, the Metro-North Railroad — and parking is free at both of the town's train stations. If you're flying, Tweed New Haven Airport is about an hour away, and Bradley International Airport is an hour and a half.

Surprisingly voted the best U.S. state for hiking, Connecticut has more than 2,000 acres of hiking trails. There are many options for hiking in Wilton, starting with the Town Forest, where you'll find picturesque Sheep Falls and the orange trail which follows its creek. Explore wetlands from the safety of a boardwalk at the 149-acre Woodcock Nature Center, where you can also find hiking trails, live animals, and environmental activities. There's also a boardwalk trail over red maple wetlands at Leonard J. Bradley Park, and Belknap Preserve has wetlands as well as forest and pastures. There's even a 13.5-acre park in Wilton Center called Schenck's Island, which does, in fact, have an island that you can circumnavigate on a loop trail. It's on the Norwalk River, which is stocked with trout and open for fishing. Although its water access can't be compared to neighboring Fairfield and its five coastal beaches offering plenty of recreation, Wilton does have a beach — on a pond — where people can swim at Merwin Meadows, a 17-acre park right in Wilton Center. You'll need a pass to enter: Non-resident adults can buy a day pass for $17 at time of publication. 

If you're a serious hiker and want to challenge yourself to what will be the longest trail in Fairfield County, check out the Norwalk River Valley Trail. Beginning at the oceanfront Calf Pasture Beach in Norwalk, the 30-mile trail connects Wilton, Ridgefield, and Redding, and ends in Danbury's Rogers Park. The 6.2-mile stretch in Wilton includes a mix of boardwalks, town roads, and off-road trails. 

Wilton is home to the state's only site protected as part of America's national parks system, which is one of only a few such sites in the U.S. dedicated to the visual arts. Picturesque and woodsy Weir Farm National Historic Site was the residence of American Impressionist painter Julian Alden Weir, and you can stroll the grounds of the 60-acre property to see his studio, house, and gardens. If you have more time to visit the state's other cultural treasures, note that Weir Farm is a stop on Connecticut's world-class art trail. History lovers can explore the Wilton Historical Society Museum Complex with 18th- and 19th-century houses, barns, galleries, and a blacksmith shop. You could also learn about Wilton's agrarian heritage at Ambler Farm, a 22-acre community hub with farm animals, organic gardens, and educational programs. See exhibitions of locally created art at the GB Cultural Center, and theater productions at the Wilton Playshop. Two of the town's top-reviewed restaurants are Athithi Indian Cuisine and Bangkok Republic. One TripAdvisor reviewer wrote of the latter: "We couldn't stop talking about how good the food was."

For something really special, break out your credit card and make a reservation at Tavern at GrayBarns for posh dining. You could even stay overnight at GrayBarns' luxury inn, where rooms start at a few hundred dollars. Another hotel that gets high marks on TripAdvisor, The Watershed is a boutique property that offers a rooftop terrace and an Italian restaurant. It should be noted, however, that these two properties are actually in nearby Norwalk. Wilton doesn't currently have any hotels.