Harkness Memorial State Park

This one's on the list, not crossed off yet, so take the plan as a plan. It came across the feed as a hidden Connecticut mansion, and it turns out to be Harkness Memorial State Park in Waterford, an old seaside estate the state opened to the public. A 42-room summer mansion called Eolia, two formal gardens, and a big lawn that runs right down to Long Island Sound.

What sells me on it is that it's easy. After a run of rocky ridge hikes, this is the opposite kind of day. Flat paved paths, open lawns, and gardens you can push a stroller through, which means it actually works for the little kids, not just the big ones. You wander the gardens, poke around the mansion, spread a blanket on the lawn, and let the Sound do the rest.

A mansion, two gardens, and a lawn that runs to the Sound. You can push a stroller the whole way and still feel like you went somewhere.

A few things I've pieced together for the plan. The mansion is only open for guided tours on summer weekends and holidays, roughly 10 to 1:30, so if you want to see inside, time your visit for that window. The grounds and gardens are open every day, 8 to sunset. It's not a swimming beach, there are no lifeguards, so think picnic, shoreline walking, and kite flying rather than bathing suits. Harkness is actually known for kite flying on that lawn.

The plan is simple: gardens first while everyone's fresh, walk down to the water, picnic on the lawn, fly a kite if there's wind. Niantic and the Book Barn are only about fifteen minutes away, so there's an easy add-on if you want to make a full day of it. I'll come back and write the real trip, with the kids' ratings, once we go.