"When she's walking by the river and the railway line She…read morecan still hear him whisper Let's go down to the waterline" (Dire Straits) Fort Saybrook Monument Park, mild January weather, and the adjacent waterfront combined to give us a wonderful time in Old Saybrook. The Park has a boardwalk and quite a few historical displays on the development, early industry and railroad heritage of the Saybrook Colony. You'll see some displays dedicated to Dutch explorer Adrian Block, one of the earliest European visitors to the area. Another display covers the Peqot War of 1636-38 when colonists from the Massachusetts Bay, Plymouth, Saybrook colonies and allies from the Narragansett and Mohegan tribes joined forces to rout the Pequot tribe. As you head to the waterfront, there's a concrete path that takes you toward the marina and gorgeous Saybrook Point Resort. Check out the hand carved railroad tie poles along the marina! Walk in the other direction and you'll see a miniature golf course and a wood landing with some great photo opportunities to see some seagulls up close and personal, but be careful of the wood platform because some of the boards are missing and others are in disrepair and a state of failure. A boardwalk takes you over some marshland for nice photo opportunities and you can read about the fish and wildlife in the marsh. All in all, the Park and waterfront gave us a very enjoyable few hours to meander around, learn a few things, and enjoy the scenery.

Great park in Old Saybrook! Stopped by for a quick walk in the park with a friend and her baby. We…read moreloved the shady wooden pathway that looked over the marsh. We also loved the benches that overlook the water! My only complaint is I wish it were cleaner - lots of scattered trash all around, bummer!

This place is such a little treasure. This place is so well-maintained. It's stunning. There are so…read moremany different types of trees here and they are labeled so you can get an idea of what type of trees that you're looking at. There are several loops in this place that you can loop around different sections. The main loop is around the pond but there's other shoots so you can spend a couple hours here just wandering around checking out the different things. The trails are well maintained. You may get turned around a little only because there are so many loops but just keep your eye on the pond and you won't get lost. I recommend thisplace. It's very easy walk. My friend and I walked around for about an hour and a half half or so just taking in all of the scenery. We definitely plan to come back here in May or June when the mountain is at its peak because there is so much mountain Laurel here. I think that will be stunning at this time of year. I also want to come back in September October to watch the colors of the leaves change. The parking is off street parking. There are signs for two hour parking. I did not see any charged parking, but it looks like you can park on both sides of the roads up and down the street.

What a hidden gem! Wanted to take a walk along the water on a summer weekend day but finding a good…read morespot that allowed for social distancing was a challenge. Although the arboretum is not on the the sound, this place was perfect. Very quiet and incredibly expansive. I didn't do tons of exploring in here but it looks like there are plenty of paths to walk! The paths aren't paved but to be expected in this environment - very natural wooded area. If walking isn't what you are looking for there is space to spread out and have a picnic (no tables) overlooking some small ponds. This place is easily accessed from a Williams Street. Many of the addresses online have you enter through the gates on Monhegan Ave, you won't be able to access the arboretum here. Had to up on theto drive back out to the main road and drive to the other side of campus where you can access the arboretum. Easily found free 2-hour street parking. Not sure how easy it would be during the academic year but it wasn't an issue when I went but spots had definitely filled in by the time I got back to the car. Looking forward to coming back and this time more prepared to fully experience this wonderful spot!

A nice location, but i would say it's a park in name only. It's basically just a gazebo, small…read morestage, and some seats along a lake. It's a great spot in the heart of the city, but not what I consider a park. That said, it's nice relatively quiet, and a peaceful enough place.

I love the scenery at this marina... I have driven past it so many times enroute to Foxwoods,…read morefinally we decided to pull over and enjoy the beautiful day here instead. It's a small lil park off the main streets of the historical town of Norwich. It's known for its boat launch pad, running and walking trails. There's a gazebo and some picnic tables perfect for lunch and romantic walks with the view of the Thames and docked boats, also makes for perfect photo op... ah! just breathtaking.

Kingston and…read moreKingstown The small village of West Kingston used to be called Little Rest, which definitely was a cool name. But in the 19th century some wise arse decided to name it West Kingston. Not a bad name but considering the village of West Kingston is in the town of South Kingstown and there is a North Kingstown lurking nearby, things have been confused ever since. The West Kingston Park is quite nice, assuming you can find it, which is iffy for non local people because they usually end up looking for South Kingston or West Kingstown, neither of which exist. The park is very pleasant and has tennis and basketball courts and lots of picnic areas and places to walk. It's an easy bike ride to the Kingstown beaches and isn't to far from the campus of The University of Rhode Island. An old saying goes that everything in Rhode Island has three names and that frequently proves to be the case. It's a nice little park that is seldom crowded, even in the summer. Perhaps the reason is that nobody can figure out exactly where the park is.

Four stars because it was pretty and the old asylum was a sight to see. The parking area is…read moreneedlessly far away from the building, under some shady trees. There are actual paved spaces that must have once been parking sports (maybe one a low budget basketball court) that would bring you closer and prevent walking exposed to the boiling summer sun. I cannot speak to any actual walking trails, but the dogs that were playing seemed to be having a great time. The old building is gated off, understandable, but you can tell from the outside it was made in an older era where aesthetics meant something and it wasn't all about saving a penny.

The Seaside State Park is quite a unique place as it hosts the infamous and now abandoned Seaside…read moreSanatorium, a building that was commissioned in the 1930 when tuberculosis was a major affliction. One of the treatments for this disease was fresh air, so many of these sanatoriums were built around the coast and around lakes, copying a trend that had taken over European lands. Over time it was discovered that fresh air not only helped tuberculosis but all types of diseases, particularly mental illnesses like depression and anxiety. As tuberculosis became a controlled ailment, the Seaside became a host to more people with mental illnesses as well as the elderly. Supposedly, during this period of the Seaside as a psychiatric ward, many irregularities took place and the consequence resulted in patient's deaths. I have no proof of this but that is how the story goes. All this information is found on the Connecticut .org websites. Arriving to this "haunted" and "damned" place, as many publicize it, is a unique experience. I parked in a lot with an abandoned garden house next to it, making even the parking area spooky. The building sits at the distance, and some people jog around or walk their dogs. The peculiar feeling of being watched is pervasive though, even though there aren't many people around. I walked the garden, walked a covered bridge that is very spooky, touched a water well that has dried up, walked by the beach and over a wall that protects the shore from erosion. I stayed on the paved path as much as possible because I felt that a certain order needed to be followed, even if there are no signs that say "Keep off the grass". One lap around this property is more than enough. I started on the left, and exited on the right. Once I exited, I didn't look back because I felt that I was being watched from behind the boarded windows. I was not interested in seeing a ghost looking at me or waving goodbye from the broken glass window... Spooky as it may seem, this is a beautiful place, the building is gorgeous, the view is amazing. If you are looking for serenity, this is a good place for it. The views of the Connecticut coast are amazing as well. I was very happy to have visited this active site in Waterford. This place is also known as The Seaside Sanatorium.

Had no intention of even going here. But, my search for Iver the troll brought me here, and a…read morebunch of other people. A couple of athletic fields, a historic cemetery, and even some trails of its own. This seemed like a nice little place in the time I was here. It is a little hard to find and get to, but its worth the trip, even more than just parking to see the troll.

I was in the neighborhood around Ryan Park and I noticed Feurer Park…read more From the main road, it's kind of basic, simple and plain, but as I walked towards the park itself from the main sign, I could enjoy the greenery and the tall trees. There's a ball field and several trials in this park that wind along and across the Annaquatucket River....also there is a small historical cemetary close to the ball field. Most of the headstones were down and not very well kept, it was hard to make the name or the dates of most of the deceased. A bit spooky due to the cemetary, still is a place to walk or hike if you are in this part of North Kingstown.

The Westerly Grills Preserve is a diverse parcel of land that has many hiking trails, sights, and…read moresounds across its 550 acres. Open from 5AM until a 1/2 hour prior to sunset, you can explore scenic overlooks, a historic cemetery, pedestrian bridges, big rocks, railroad tracks, old dirt roads, and a 1600s farmhouse foundation. Excited to check out all these mapped points of interest, I was ultimately a bit disappointed with the difficulty it took to locate them all. I started my hike armed with a GPS and trail map depicting the orange, blue, white, yellow, and red trails mixed in with old dirt roads. On more than one occasion though, I ran into unexpected diversions from the mapped trails; seemingly blazed but would ultimately lead to overgrown pathways. I am an experienced hiker but was befuddled by some of the intersections I arrived to. Though the trails were quite wide in areas, there were a number of blowdowns (presumably from the fall Nor'easter we experienced in the past couple weeks). Traversing the trails by foot, I was able to crawl over and through most of them without going too far off trail. The preserve is open for horseback riding though so I imagine these fallen trees may pose a problem if that is your mode of transportation. Important to note that some areas of the trail near to the Pawcatuck River can flood in times of high water so be mindful during rainy seasons. All-in-all, once I located the aforementioned sights, I was pleased with the beauty of it all. The overlook on "Big Hill" was a nice respite while I snacked on granola seated on the granite outcropping. A look over the open areas that housed the Larkin Homestead Foundation was a peaceful view. Another break at the pedestrian bridge (formerly the Polly Coon Bridge) was intensely picaresque with its rope swing, foliage, and gently streaming waters of the Pawcatuck. The historic cemetery portrayed the age of the land and the views of Kedincker Island afforded many yellows, oranges, and reds. A nice autumn jaunt if you have time to stroll around. Pay attention to your map and keep a close eye on the trail options. Hint: The blue blazes for the blue trail are different than the blue reflectors/placards that seemed to adorn some of the dirt roads. Take a peek at the nearby railroad tracks, I had more than one occasion to view the NY to Boston Acela fly by. You'll hear the horns a'honking throughout your time in the preserve. Plenty of parking at the trailhead, room for horse trailers. Hunting allowed here so wear your blaze orange in season.

This Sculpture park is a unique and hidden gem located on Green Hill Beach rd on the border of…read moreSouth Kingstown and Charlestown. There are 23 sculptures nestled amongst the trees and trails. Bring bug spray during peak season. Even though the walk is short, there is quite a bit of vegetation and amazing art on display. My favorite was the HUGE bull as you first walk in. This thing is massive and a fun way to enter the park. More info: The South Kingstown Land Trust Sculpture Trail is a short .4 mile walk that mingles nature with art. Enter the trail at the midpoint and notice the large map indicating the location of each sculpture. Walkers may turn right or left to explore the 3 acres of easy trails and diverse sculptures. Look for dream catchers and crystals, poetry boxes and a giant red cow. The Sculpture Trail is a great place for a slow walk through the woods or a visit with children who will love to find each sculpture. Be sure to stop at the final sculptures and turn around, as the property and trails come very close to private property.

A truly different experience from the exemplary SKLT, the Sculpture Trail is whimsical and charming…read morewhile taking full advantage of the natural beauty inherent. Kudos to those who made this possible and the artists who contributed their work! If visiting in the fall, the brilliant foliage colors and drifting leaves complement the artworks nicely. My only quibble is that I wish there were informational tags attached to the sculptures so that you knew what the piece was called and the artist (apparently, there's supposed to be an informational placard at the trail entrance, but this was missing at the time of our visit; the SKLT trail map brochure, however, does list the pieces' name/artist, but we didn't have one on us). Upon entrance to the trail, you are greeted by a massive bull made from, of course, a barbeque grill ("Sir Loin Barbeque Bull" by Sean Harrington) - and from there, you're off to follow the meandering trails to discovery. There's also a Fairy Village for visitors to build their own fairy houses, so would also be a fun place for the kids.