Fall finally made its appearance in the Northeast. It is finally the time of year to pick pumpkins, cuddle up with your favorite book or movie, and appreciate the vibrant trees. One of my favorite things to do in the Fall is to enjoy the leaves changing color and watch my favorite comfort show, the Gilmore Girls. The familiarity of the characters and the story of their lives is so comforting to me. It can definitely make a long day a little bit better! One night my cousin and I decided to plan a Gilmore Girls inspired trip to Connecticut. We wanted to break the trip into three days. So, we read countless blogs and articles to plan the perfect trip. If you love the Gilmore Girls and have some time to spare, this is the perfect trip for you!
Day One
Warren, CT- We started the trip by checking into our hotel, the Hopkins Inn, in Warren Connecticut. This inn reminded us of the Independence Inn. The Inn had several bedrooms, as well as an excellent restaurant. It reminded us of the inn where Lorelai Gilmore worked. That night we decided to drive around and familiarize ourselves with the area. The most popular hotel to stay at is the Mayflower Inn. The Mayflower Inn is where the writers of the show stayed and were inspired to create the town, “Stars Hallow”. Staying there can cost you over $2,000 a night. If you can’t afford to stay at the Mayflower Inn, it is still fun to walk around and see the similarities to the show.
Day Two
Washington, CT- We began day two by going out to breakfast in Washington, Connecticut. As any true Gilmore Girl fan knows, Luke’s Café is a must for both Rory and Lorelai. The only way to get them up and moving every morning is by drinking a cup (or two or three!) of coffee. So, our first stop was Marty’s Café. Although Marty’s did not have the same aesthetic as Luke’s, it was a very local place. You could tell that both the staff and customers were on a first-name basis with each other. Just next door to Marty’s was a bookstore called Hickory Stick Book Shop. This bookshop is a popular stop for Gilmore Girls fans because it feels like Rory’s favorite bookshop, Stars Hallow Books. In Washington, it is also important to check out Town Hall, Washington Supply Company, the Washington Food Market, Stars Hallow Yarn, and the Frederick Gunn School. Out of all of the towns we visited, Washington arguably felt the most like Stars Hallow.
Kent, CT- The next stop on our trip was a town called Kent. This town was very small and had a quaint main street that was lined with small shops, restaurants, and bookstores. During our brief time in Kent, we went to a local library book sale. Although it was never mentioned in the show, it felt like something Rory would have loved. After the book sale, we went to a small bookstore called House of Books. House of Books had an actual “house” inside that was comprised of all the different banned books in the country. It was very interesting to see! The last thing we did in Kent was visit Kent Falls. Kent Falls is a local state park and a wonderful spot for those who love the outdoors. I got to hike up the side of a waterfall and it was the perfect place to appreciate the fall foliage, especially since it was peak season.
New Milford, CT- As the day was coming to an end, our last stop was a town called New Milford. For those who lived in “Stars Hallow”, the epicenter of the town was their town green and gazebo. Spoiler Ahead! Luke and Lorelai even get married in the Gazebo. New Milford’s town green has a gazebo that is identical to the iconic one in the show. When we arrived, there were even a few girls getting their pictures there! It is definitely worth a stop!
Day Three
Yale University- On day three, the last day of our trip, we went to visit Yale University in New Haven, CT. Rory went to Yale, as well as her grandfather, Richard. So, it only made sense that we ended our trip there. Although there is no set place on campus that had a major role in the show, it was still a really fun experience to see the University and spend time in the city.
Overall, if you are a fan of the Gilmore Girls and you are looking for a perfect fall getaway, I highly recommend making your way North and spending some time in these small towns. It was truly a trip to remember!