I can’t believe I grew up in Connecticut and have only just now visited The Book Barn! This place is a game-changer. They have FOUR locations in Niantic, though I only checked out their main property — sprawling grounds with multiple cabins chock full of books organized by subject (and then diligently shelved alphabetically by author so it’s easy to find specific titles). Plus they have gardens, outdoor seating areas where you can read / relax, entire areas for kids to play while parents shop, GOATS… and free coffee. If I could turn back time like Cher, The Book Barn is somewhere I would have visited at least twice a year for the last two decades to pick up new-to-me books. To give you an idea how relevant their inventory is, in the cabin that holds fiction, I found six books from my Amazon wish list — all for $4 each. On top of that, their stock is extremely varied — sections include local authors, etiquette & inspiration, Arthurian legends, woodworking, and genealogy & heraldry, among dozens of others. Essentially this place is a book wonderland, and I’m so glad I finally got here to explore. Shout out to my friends Daniel and Casey for suggesting it!

Be prepared to spend several hours. I figured I’d browse for 30-45 minutes, but then two hours later I looked at the time on my phone… whoops! Next time I’ll budget an entire afternoon for book hunting and curling up in a chair to read outside. Also, I imagine this place is crowded on the weekends (especially during nice weather) so if you have the chance to come on a weekday, you will have the whole place practically to yourself. They are open daily from 9am to 9pm, 363 days a year.

The Book Barn will buy books back from you if you’re looking to get rid of anything currently sitting on your bookshelves at home — you can get cash or store credit; check out their policies and book buying hours here.

This is the cabin I spent over an hour in — they have an impressive fiction selection, including surprisingly popular titles. I spotted so many books I’ve already read among their inventory, a sure sign that they’ve got solid stock. At first I worked my way all around the perimeter of the cabin, perusing maybe half of the books — but there was too much to see everything. Then I pulled up my Amazon wishlist on my phone and spot-checked for specific books by the author’s last name, and in total found six titles I was very happy to scoop up at $4 a piece (a mix of paperback and hardcover).

Aww, they have a dinosaur section!

A whole shed of books about the outdoors — hiking, biking, walking, backpacking:

It was at this point in time that I spotted the goats (!).

You can buy food to feed them. I didn’t, but suspect that would be especially fun for little kids.

Speaking of little kids — they would LOVE this place. Check out the kid-friendly vehicles parked out front (in a pedestrian-only area) for kids to safely play while their parents shop:

They also have this fun playhouse:

AND A PIRATE SHIP PLAYGROUND!

This Rapunzel tower is right off of the main building:

This is the teen / young adult section inside the main building:

The cashier is to the left below:

And they have the most adorable (free) coffee station! With little snacks too, plus a water dish and kibble for any dogs visiting with their owners. (Friendly, on-leash dogs are welcome to three of the four locations — the Midtown location is pet-free and allergen-free.) I love how open and welcoming this place is.

I finally tore myself away from The Book Barn as it was starting to grow dark outside… and my stomach had begun grumbling. There are many local restaurant recommendations on display at The Book Barn and I kicked myself for not reading them (I didn’t think I’d be there long enough to stay for dinner). I checked Yelp and immediately settle on Skipper’s, a seafood joint with year-round hours and a full menu. Plus it’s located near the water so the views aren’t too shabby.

I ordered a plate of fried clam strips and sweet potato fries. Perfection.

Worth mentioning: the heart of downtown Niantic looks lovely and I wish I’d had more time to walk along their main street, meander in and out of shops (including other Book Barn locations), and enjoy the atmosphere. Next time…