11 Art-Forward Things to Do in Old Lyme CT

WHY GO: Morning fog transforms the landscape into the hazy tableau of an impressionist painting in the very place considered the Birthplace of American Impressionism, Old Lyme CT.

In the late 1890’s widow Florence Griswold opened her home to American artists fresh from studying in France. Thus, the country’s first European-style Art Colony – an “American Giverny” was formed.

This exquisite section of coastal Connecticut, right between New York and Boston, still draws artists, and those who appreciate their work. Serious birdwatchers and outdoor enthusiasts also adore the region’s natural wonders.

This Getaway immerses you in the familiar blurred landscapes captured in famous paintings, introduces you to emerging artists. And, of course, it pairs these singular experiences with exceptional cuisine and lodging.

If you’re looking for more dreamy weekends with your sweetheart, check out our Best Romantic Getaways in CT post.

Things to do in Old Lyme CT

VISIT:Florence Griswold Museum

To keep from losing her home after the death of her husband, Florence Griswold began renting rooms to artists drawn to the brilliance and clarity of natural light in Old Lyme, CT – the  “Lyme Light” as it was called.

In the early 1900’s, Childe Hassam, Henry Ward Ranger, and dozens more moved in. They created America’s first Impressionist Art Colony and delighted Griswold by painting on her home’s paneling, cupboards, and doors.

Now a multi-acre complex, The Florence Griswold Museum encompasses the Georgian-Style main house, a contemporary metal-sheathed gallery building, a large barnlike studio and acres of gardens and plantings set on the Zen-serene Lieutenant River.

Gape at the lovingly wrought and preserved murals during an uplifting house tour then study the carefully curated collection in the space-age Krieble Gallery.

If you come on a Sunday in season, you might have the opportunity to don a smock and straw hat and take a palette loaded with paint and a blank canvas to the marshy banks of Lieutenant River to paint en plein air. Monet fantasies fulfilled.

Plan to spend the better part of a day here and in the surrounding Old Lyme Historic District. Extending along Lyme Street, you can still find traces of the former shipbuilding center that flourished along the Connecticut River.

Hoping to visit more art museums? Consider the Connecticut Art Trail Passport. The $35 booklet provides admission to 24 world-class member museums and historic sites.

Check website for dates and times open as well as admission fees.

VISIT: Lyme Art Association

When a growing group of artists required a place to show their work, members of the newly established Lyme Art Association built a gallery in 1921 next door to Florence Griswold’s place.

A weathered New England structure on the outside, it is still a marvel of sky lit rooms within where art can be shown to greatest effect.

These days, one thousand members of the Association – 700 artists and 300 supporters – insure that shows and programs continue to change and evolve. Check website for dates and times open.

VISIT: Lyme Academy

Roughly 200 students from all over the world attend the accredited Lyme Academy College of Fine Arts originally founded in 1976 in the basement of the Lyme Art Association building. Stop in to see ever changing exhibits from the next generation of fine artists.

DRIVE/BIRDWATCH: Smith Neck Road

Like most lanes in Old Lyme, this one winds through a tony neighborhood of large waterfront homes. Smith Neck Rd. ends at a quiet boat-launch, where you’ll also find a bird-watching deck.

Come in the misty morning and you may see small motorboats emerge from the fog then disappear just as quickly, or sailboats moored in the narrow ribbon of water that separates you from the Ospreys, Blue Herons. and Snowy Egrets on Great Island.

Also known as the Roger Tory Peterson Wildlife Refuge, it’s named for the Old Lyme resident who wrote the seminal A Field Guide To the Birds.

PADDLE: Rent a kayak at Black Hall Outfitters

The Connecticut River Estuary Canoe/Kayak Trail Guide directs paddlers up and down the Blackhall and Back Rivers through what appears to be a tasseled-topped version of the Everglades. And there’s no better place to start than at Black Hall Outfitters where you can either rent a kayak and go out on your own, or join a guided tour.

Dozens of Osprey nests dot the salt marsh, like mini War of the World tripods, and on the best of days you’ll find fauna festooned with dozens of white egrets – like living Christmas trees. This is the landscape that inspired Roger Tory Peterson and for birders or bird photographers, there is no equal.

Time your visit for late August to early October, and you may be rewarded by one of Coastal Connecticut’s most amazing sights. Hundreds of thousands of swallows gather on Goose Island in preparation for their southern migration. But in the early evening you can watch their aerial ballet before they nest for the night.

WALK: DEEP Marine District Headquarters Boardwalk

This quarter mile boardwalk traverses the Connecticut River from DEEP’s parking lot, ducks under a photogenic railroad bridge then ends up suspended over a salt marsh alive with birds.

Go late afternoon on a temperate day, and you’ll share this quiet time with fishermen and locals soaking up the fading light. The effect is yoga-like serenity.