THINGS TO DO

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Adjust to the slower pace of Kent, and you’ll feel right at home.

Take a brisk morning ride around town. Bring your own bike, or make a reservation to rent one or take a tour with The Bicycle Tour Company on Main St. There are plenty of roads and covered bridges to explore.

Play a round of tennis at the public courts at the Kent School, just over the bridge in town.

If hiking is your passion, The Appalachian Trail is only a 1/4-mile from town and Macedonia Brook State Park only 4 miles. Stop in at House of Books on Main St. for maps, or at Back Country Outfitters, in a building behind the town green, for maps, essential camping gear, fishing licenses, and rods.

Another can't-miss local attraction is Kent Falls State Park, home to Connecticut's highest waterfalls. A staired path leads to the summit of the 200-ft. cascading falls, and a pleasant picnic area awaits for good measure.

1 mile north of the traffic light on Rte. 7 is the Sloane-Stanley Museum, a re-creation of Eric Sloane’s art studio and a display of 18th-century tools. The grounds of the Sloane-Stanley are also where you'll find the CT Antique Machinery Association Museum, which will appeal to the gearhead in anyone, and the remarkable Connecticut Museum of Mining and Mineral Science, which sheds light on an under-recognized aspect of the state's natural history.

For the less active traveler, shops and art galleries are plentiful and should take most of the day to browse. We enjoyed the Cat’s Meow, an emporium for cat lovers, Colonial Records, and Pauline's Place (on Rte. 7), which boasts the largest collection of antique jewelry anywhere in Connecticut.

If you are going by car, make a reservation with Clarke Outdoors (5 mi. from Kent on Rte. 7) to rent a kayak or canoe or go whitewater rafting. (Kayaks $40/day). They’ll completely outfit you and shuttle you up and down the river. (Unfortunately, they will only pick you up in Kent if you are with a large group. Let’s convince these folks to give us single foot travelers a ride too! What’s an extra 5-mile ride for our precious business?) And if traveling by car, you must travel through charming Cornwall and cross the fantastic Cornwall covered bridge (pictured above).

LODGING

We stayed at the romantic Fife n’ Drum Inn. This inn is a family affair. Mother Audrey Traymon runs the gift shop, daughter Elisa handles the inn and father Dolph the restaurant. Dolph also plays piano nightly for your entertainment.

All of the rooms have a private bath (pictured left). Several of them are above the gift shop. We recommend asking for a room in the yellow house behind the gift shop.

Our room was filled with antiques, a four-poster bed and period furnishings, as well as cable TV. We even had a veranda with a porch swing and a partial view of an old gray barn surrounded by a large lush green field.

In the morning, we had tea on the porch and watched several roosters strut about the gardens. Rates at the Fife n' Drum range from $85-110/per night; breakfast is not included.

Just up the street, The Starbuck Inn serves a full hearty breakfast in the dining room or garden. Rooms include a private bath and goose down linens. Mary, your hostess, will even provide you with bicycles on request. Rates range from $90-$120 per night, breakfast included.

Club Getaway offers all-inclusive vacations and accommodations at their resort just outside of town. They'll also transport you to and from Manhattan.

Macedonia Brook State Park is within 4 miles' biking/hiking distance. For $9.00/night you can camp and fish to your heart's content. Be sure to stop into Back Country Outfitters in town for your fishing license.

Just outside Kent is the charming Wake Robin Inn, a 38-room country inn and restaurant on 11 acres of rolling hills.

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DINING

Try Paisan’s at the town green, or the Kent Pizza Garden at the railroad station, for cheap and good eats. For finer dining, try the Fife n’ Drum across the street. Locals say The Villager is the place to go for breakfast.

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NIGHTLIFE

Kent is pretty short on nightlife, but if you're going for a romantic weekend, it won't matter. And if you’ll be hiking or shopping all day, you’ll be plumb tuckered out anyway.

If your room has a TV, rent a VCR from Maria at Kent Video for $5.95 a day. Choose from their selection of romantic movies or bring your own. Try the Fife n’Drum for live piano, the Kent Pizza Garden for pool, or kick back a beer next to the occasional biker at McCluskey’s.

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TRANSPORTATION

TRAIN/TAXI:
Take Metro North to the Wingdale stop in NY. From there, take a taxi to Kent. Fare is $39.00 one way with Amber Taxi, but you'll need to call ahead: 845-832-6500.

BUS:
From NYC's Port Authority, take Bonanza Bus to Danbury. From there you'll need to catch a taxi to Kent, rent a car, or connect with the local HART bus right across the street from the bus station. (As always, though, be sure to check schedules beforehand.)

Travel time: 2-1/2 hrs.

TAXI:
Local taxi services tend to be a bit pricey and very busy on weekends. Note that Washington Transportation is closer to New Milford. The trip is approximately $40.00 one-way. Still, make sure you call ahead in plenty of time if you need one.

CAR RENTAL:
Rent a car once you get to Danbury. Enterprise will pick you up at the station.

CAR:
From NYC: take the Triboro or Willis Avenue Bridge to the Bronx, to Route 87 north (Major Deegan Expressway) to Saw Mill River Parkway north. At Katonah, take Route 684 north until Brewster. Route 684 becomes Route 22. Bear right on Route 22 to Route 55 East. Route 55 ends at Gaylordsville, and becomes Route 7 North. Kent is 7 miles.

Travel time: 2 hours.

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TRAVEL TIPS

Packing extras: bike, movies, sunscreen, fishing gear, camping gear, sunglasses, and hiking paraphernalia.

LINKS

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MAP

For a detailed map of Kent, please click here.