Skip to main content

Looking for a weekend getaway from NYC? This spot is the perfect hidden outdoors adventure

Devil's Hopyard State Park in Connecticut is the perfect outdoors adventure

A wooden path in the woods
Image used with permission by copyright holder

Sometimes, a weekend getaway from the hustle of the daily grind, especially from a busy city like New York, is exactly the stress relief one needs. State parks are abundant in natural splendor and invigorating hikes, and few places are better when one needs a dose of mother nature.

While there are countless national and state parks, not all of them get an equal share of the spotlight. If you’re looking for a beautiful state park with great hiking trails, all surrounded by small towns with plenty of New England charm, look no further than Devil’s Hopyard State Park in East Haddam, Connecticut. As part of Pacifico Parks Less Traveled and the National Park Trust, we took a trip to Devil’s Hopyard and the surrounding area to share all the details (and things to do) that make this area a truly top-tier weekend getaway from NYC.

If that isn’t enticing enough, Pacifico is also featuring a $10,000 Adventure Prize sweepstakes (a trip curated by the National Park Trust). From now to May 31st, anyone who visits one of the parks less traveled (listed on the website) and posts on Instagram with #PacificoParksLessTraveled #PacificoSweepstakes #21+ and tags @PacificoBeer will automatically enter the sweepstakes.

Chapman Falls in Devil’s Hopyard State Park. Hunter Lu/The Manual

What to do

First, Devil’s Hopyard is large — 1,000 acres full of hiking trails, fishing spots, and camping sites. There’s plenty to see and do here, ranging from a quick afternoon hike to a weekend trip. The hiking trails are marked throughout the park with colors: Blue, green, white, yellow, red, and orange. Many of these trails also go uphill to offer scenic views of the surrounding area.

Besides the hills and trees that are expected of a state park, there’s also an abundance of water features at Devil’s Hopyard. The Eightmile River runs through the park, providing fishing spots great for anyone and crisp, cold water for people looking to soak their feet while hiking. The best of these water features is Chapman Falls, a 60-foot waterfall that’s a great stop for relaxation and scenic pictures.

Gillette castle
Gillette castle. Hunter Lu/The Manual

While the park has plenty to do, other sights in the surrounding area are worth a visit. One of the most interesting is Gillette Castle State Park, about nine miles from Devil’s Hopyard. Built by William Gillette, a stage actor most famous for playing Sherlock Holmes, this eccentric castle is currently closed for tours but will reopen on May 27, 2023. While you can’t visit inside the castle currently, you can still walk around outside the structure.

If you have kids or you’re just an animal lover yourself, the Ray of Light Farm is a fun place to stop by. You can feed goats, sheep, cows, and other farm animals here. As a bonus, if you’re a fan of guinea pigs, you can also sign up for some “Guinea Pig Cuddles” and enjoy some lap time with the critters.

Where to stay

Boardman House Inn
Boardman House Inn. boardmanhouseinn/Instagram

Boardman House Inn

Why stay at a chain hotel or motel when you can enjoy the charms of an elegant New England inn? About a 13-minute drive from Devil’s Hopyard, this romantic inn is perfect for couples looking for something cozy, historical, and unique. Boardman House Inn has four rooms and a suite, all furnished with antiques and artwork. While historic, all the rooms also feature modern amenities like wifi access, flat-screen televisions, and A/C. Depending on the dates and specific rooms, prices can range from $229 to $349 per night.

Where to dine

Two Wrasslin' Cats Coffee House & Cafe.
Two Wrasslin’ Cats Coffee House & Cafe. Two Wrasslin' Cats Coffee House/Facebook

Two Wrasslin’ Cats Coffee House & Cafe

If you’re looking for a fun coffee shop, this quirky, bright blue café is exactly right for you. While Two Wrasslin’ Cats Cafe has plenty of tasty drinks and sandwiches, the cats are the best thing (if you’re a cat lover) about this establishment. The cats are located in a separate room, and customers can visit the cuddly felines for some pets. Interested? Just ask the friendly staff and you’ll be guided to the petting room.

Violet pancakes
Violet pancakes. Higher Grounds at 32 Main "A Coffee House Gallery"/Facebook

Higher Grounds at 32 Main

This local favorite is probably the most unique breakfast eatery in the area. The beverage list, featuring everything from cold coffee to CBD-spiked drinks, is impressive, considering its small size. The breakfast at Higher Grounds at 32 Main is pure American comfort food, all made with organic and locally sourced ingredients. We recommend one of their delicious breakfast sandwiches or pancakes served with plenty of real maple syrup.

Sausage pizza with roasted peppers, wild spring onions, and herbs.
Sausage pizza with roasted peppers, wild spring onions, and herbs. Hunter Lu/The Manual

OTTO

This neighborhood pizza spot in Chester, Connecticut, about a 20-minute drive from Devil’s Hopyard, is the perfect place for a casual meal. OTTO’s menu is streamlined around an array of red sauce or white pizzas. The local greens with mushrooms salad was a tad overdressed with too much acidity when we tried it, but the wood-fired pizzas were excellent and featured good-quality dough with plenty of topping options. For the size and quality, the pizza prices are reasonably priced ($14–$19 for a 14-inch and $19–$25 for a 16-inch). A large pizza can easily be shared between two people, but if you’re in a group and having trouble choosing an option, get two different small pizzas to share.

The Scallops entree at The Brushmill.
The Scallops entree at The Brushmill. Hunter Lu/The Manual

The Brushmill by the Waterfall

The Brushmill is where you want to go for fine dining or a romantic couple’s dinner. With its flowing waterfall and elegant interior, this restaurant is a sight to behold.

The menu isn’t cheap at Brushmill, but it’s well within the realm of most fine-dining prices. Starters range between $15 to $25, while entrees will be $30 to $46. The seafood items on the menu are a highlight, especially the scallops and the halibut. The scallops, combined with crispy pork belly and XO sauce, had a Chinese flair, and the halibut, served with clams and potatoes, evoked elements of elevated clam chowder. Drinks are also great here, with a large selection of cocktails and wine. However, if you’re not a drinker or plan on driving, they also have a fantastic selection of mocktails.

Editors' Recommendations

Hunter Lu
Hunter Lu is a New York-based food and features writer, NYU graduate, and Iraq veteran. His fiction has appeared in The Line…
This gothy hotel in Mexico City is perfect for art lovers
This Mexico City hotel is gothy and luxurious
Umbral Hotel in Mexico City.

There are plenty of hotels in Mexico City, but only one gives off vibes like it’s where Batman stays when he visits town: Umbral Hotel, in the city’s Zocalo district. That may seem like a very specific description, but it’s apt, for – whether intentional or not – Umbral has a decidedly gothy style that lends it one of my favorite aesthetics I’ve seen at any hotel anywhere.

Gothy yet luxurious: just my type.

Read more
Summer travel: Airbnb reveals the most popular hot spots
Will you travel to any one of these popular destinations this summer?
Airplane taking off

If you're itching for a summer vacation and want to know where the hot spots are, both internationally and domestic, travel site Airbnb has you covered. For summer travel this year, it is expecting over 300 million guest arrivals on its website, an indication that people are ready to get out of their own houses and into someone else's. "Since the beginning of Airbnb, there have been 1.4 billion all-time guest arrivals," said Airbnb in a recent report. "With more guests traveling last year than ever before," this year is likely to outpace even the first post-pandemic year.

"We ended last year with 900,000 more listings than we had at the beginning, excluding China," Airbnb continued. "Guests are opting for a more affordable stay, which is no surprise amid a rising cost-of-living crisis." If you want to know just where people are searching to see how it may drive summer prices, the company listed the most trending summer destinations, so you can get an idea of where you may want to go (or avoid if you don't like crowds).
Trending summer domestic destinations
Since we know summer airfare is skyrocketing for traveling internationally, staying domestic may just be the way to go for your wallet and your sanity. It's always spectacular to travel to faraway lands, but this country offers so many stunning places to visit.

Read more
This Cabo San Lucas hotel is perfect for anyone looking for jam-packed adventure
Corazón Cabo Resort & Spa shows you a whole ‘nother wild side to this scenic corner of Baja
A spectacular sunrise at Corazón Cabo Resort & Spa in Cabo San Lucas, Baja California Sur, Mexico.

When I say Cabo, what comes to mind? Let me guess: You’re thinking of spring break revelers, rowdy bar crawls, late-night club dates, and day-long booze cruises, right? Well, what if I told you that Cabo San Lucas offers much more beyond the bars? And what if I told you that there’s a chic boutique hotel right by Cabo’s most swimmable beach that helps you dive right into everything that Cabo has to offer inside and out?

Yes, such a place exists in Los Cabos. It’s called Corazón Cabo Resort & Spa, and we’re about to explore why it offers a different kind of base camp for a different kind of Cabo trip.
The lay of the land (and sea!)

Read more