Why My College Town in Connecticut Is a Must-Visit in Fall

Looking back at my time as a student, I definitely took the natural beauty of my college town in the fall for granted. New London, Connecticut, situated at the outlet of the Thames River into the Long Island Sound, boasts beautiful shows of autumn foliage set against arresting views of the sparkling water. It’s easy to spend a day basking in the waning seasonal sunlight among the tall trees and expansive fields so characteristic of this swath of New England—and here are two outdoor activities that make a visit to the Whaling City totally worth it:

Explore the Connecticut College Arboretum

Founded in 1931, 20 years after the founding of the school, the Connecticut College Arboretum is an accredited Level III arboretum, meaning it’s home to at least 500 species of woody plants, employs a collections curator, publicizes its collections, actively participates in tree science and conservation, provides substantial educational programming, and collaborates with other arboreta.

This museum of living plants of sorts is open to the public daily and is free for all visitors. Free guided tours start at 10:00 a.m. on the first and second Sunday of each month from May through October, and pre-registration is not required.

Of the arboretum’s sprawling 750 acres, more than 200 are dedicated as Natural Area, which is kept as free as possible from human disturbance, and is specifically devoted to observational research, teaching, and recreation; another 200 acres are available for projects such as vegetation management demonstrations. The remaining 350 acres include the landscaped campus grounds, plus the managed landscapes and surrounding plant collections.

The College has three major plant collections: the Campus Landscape, with 120 acres of trees and shrubs brought in from around the world; the Native Plant Collection comprising 30 acres of woody plants and wildflowers indigenous to eastern North America; and the three-acre Caroline Black Garden, across Route 32 from the main campus, which boasts more mature woody plants in a garden setting—and has always been a favorite reading spot of mine.

Wander the Grounds of Harkness Memorial State Park

This historic 304-acre preservation area is located on Goshen Point right on the Long Island Sound—it’s technically in Waterford, the neighboring town abutting New London, but it’s only a 15-minute drive from the Connecticut College Arboretum and a lovely place to continue an autumn day spent outdoors.

The park is centered around Eolia, the circa-1906 former summer home of philanthropists Edward and Mary Harkness, and its formal gardens and greenhouse. The Renaissance Revival-style mansion is one of the best remaining examples of the grand seaside estates that dotted the Sound’s shoreline around the turn of the twentieth century.

Tours of the house are available Memorial Day Weekend through Labor Day Weekend, but I prefer visiting the park when the summer crowds have dispersed—for in addition to the mansion and formal gardens (with plenty still in bloom in fall), the grounds feature picnic areas, a rocky beach, panoramic views of the Sound, colonial-era fields, stone walls, and buildings associated with the ancestors of the Park’s donor, Mary Stillman Harkness—15 of which are listed on the National Register of Historic Places.  From its expansive lawns, you can see Fishers Island, Great Gull, Little Gull, Plum Island, and even the North Fork of Long Island.

The Dr. William A. Niering wildlife area surrounding Goshen Cove is a preferred spot for birders. The 31-acre preserve is an unusual mix of landscapes within a relatively small area characterized by a long, narrow beach, low sand dune, salt marsh, saltwater cove, and coastal grassland. Provided beach dune areas are a protected refuge for the rare and threatened Piping Plover and Least Terns.

Looking to leaf-peep off the beaten path in New England this fall? Planning a trip to Connecticut and looking for outdoor activities? Save this article to be sure a stop in New London makes it onto your itinerary.

Feeling inspired? Try planning your own trip using Only In Your State’s itinerary planner.