A Connecticut Inn Offering A Quirky, Old-Fashioned Stay Is One Of The Oldest In America

If walls could talk, the ones at the Griswold Inn in Essex, Connecticut, would say more than most. Opened in 1776 as the Declaration of Independence was being written, the inn has witnessed the tides of history throughout America's lifespan. Inside, enough tall tales have bounced off its walls to fill volumes, be it from sea captains pulling into port or shipyard workers building trade and naval vessels. It is the place that British soldiers demanded breakfast and seized rum amid the War of 1812, temperance warriors protested the sale of alcohol in the 1840s, and bootleggers slung hooch during Prohibition. Around the mid-century, it is where yacht clubbers began cruising the harbor and filmmakers set their scenes for the screen. Today tourists take in all the above.

This makes the Griswold Inn one of the oldest inns in the United States. The three-story frame house — the first in Connecticut — built by Sala Griswold in 1776, originally stood near the shipyard. It wasn't until 1801 that it moved to its current location on the Connecticut River. Once there, it became part of the house of Richard Haydon, whose brothers added houses on both sides that form part of the Griswold complex today. The next owner added yet more space — a schoolhouse built in 1735 that now serves as the Tap Room. It's easily the most historically evocative space, with a domed plaster ceiling, potbelly stove, and maritime paintings festooning the walls, including one by Normal Rockwell.

As a historical hodgepodge of buildings, the Griswold ensures no two rooms are alike. Instead, its 34 rooms take a variety of shapes and sizes, but all fully embrace the colonial spirit. That translates into four-poster beds, period furniture, fine-art reproductions, and the occasional fireplace or claw-foot tub across rooms and suites, some of which also come with water views. A free-standing cottage across from the main inn welcomes families with two queen beds, one-and-a-half bathrooms, a pull-out loveseat, gas fireplace, game table, and wet bar. Just be forewarned that the early-American-era character also keeps some rooms small and television-free. 

To be fair, though, guests probably won't be spending much time in the rooms. The Tap Room hosts weekly sea chantey shows, as well as a number of other regular live performances spanning swing, jazz, folk, and psychedelic '60s. The tavern also boasts robust wine cred, with an Award of Excellence by Wine Spectator for 16 years in a row. All can be sampled at the inn's Wine Bar & Bistro and the weekly "Wine, Women & Wednesdays" event (men are welcome). The Griswold Inn is also just a 30-minute drive from Connecticut's top sight, the Mystic Seaport Museum, an entire re-created seaport village that brings 19^th-century New England to life. Mystic is a great laidback spot for every season, as is nearby Madison, one of the best East Coast beach towns.