I’ve had a number of free days in Connecticut over the past few weeks, and while I spent most of them working at home, in coffee shops, or going on long walks while listening to podcasts, I did venture out to explore a few new-to-me places. Or in the case of Essex, a place I haven’t visited since childhood.

You might know Essex for its frequent ranking on those “top neighborhoods to live in across the U.S.” polls. It’s an idyllic town along the Connecticut River, not far from the beaches of Long Island Sound. It’s among the more wealthy areas in CT. As such, its Main Street is impeccably charming, there are well manicured public parks, and the boating community here is quite robust (the Connecticut River Museum is located in town). I imagine it’s a wonderful place to live — I certainly enjoyed my time there over the course of an afternoon.

But first — I pulled over at a sunflower field off of route 22 in Northford, CT. I’d passed by it a few times the previous week and intended to return with my camera. Here are a few snaps from this pitstop:

Next I jumped on 95 to the outlets in Clinton & Westbrook for a brief shopping detour. No photo evidence.

And from there it’s a hop, skip, and a jump to Essex!

As a kid I remember riding the Essex Steam Train & Riverboat on a school field trip, and I went back during my college years for a visit with my mom. The experience involves a scenic train ride followed by a boat cruise along the Connecticut River. I don’t have time for a trip today but would love to try it again in the future — perhaps during fall foliage season?

I also remember performing at the First Congregational Church in Essex in early 1997 as part of a summer camp reunion. It makes me nostalgic to return as an adult to places that held a special place in my mind from childhood.

Here is my first glimpse of downtown Essex:

I got an Oregon Chai Latte from Essex Coffee & Tea:

The Griswold Inn holds special memories — my uncle took us here around 2003, I think for my sister’s birthday. And at the time my grandfather and his partner Jane were visiting from Florida and we took a family photo in front of the sign out front.

Photo flashback:

This house and its landscaping makes me swoon:

There is a lovely public park along Main Street overlooking the water:

For me, one of life’s greatest pleasures is to sit outside and read for an interrupted stretch of time. And here I did just that — I claimed the picnic table under that tree (below) and got lost in a book while boats moved across the water below.

I devoured Lynsey Addario’s book It’s What I Do: A Photographer’s Life of Love and War. It recaps her career as a photographer covering combat, women’s issues, humanitarian crises, and conflict in some of the most treacherous places. I was so moved by her accounts of the stories behind her photos. It makes me want to do something more with my own work and use my photography skills to shed light on issues in need of attention.

I walked around the downtown area some more — it’s not very extensive and easily covered on foot.

After leaving Essex, I made one more stop along the Connecticut River — a viewpoint looking towards the Goodspeed Opera House in East Haddam, CT.

That’s the theater in the distance. Can you believe I’ve never seen a show there? But I follow them on Instagram… their next show Chasing Rainbows runs through November 27th; it’s about Judy Garland’s upbringing and rise to fame.

That wraps up my Essex day trip. I’ve got a few more Connecticut adventure to share… more soon!