Several years ago when I moved to Connecticut, I was looking for a Meetup group to join that would explore the hidden gems of Connecticut.  However, I could not find a group that matched this interest.  I had to do the next best thing, I started one!  One of my first outings a day in Simsbury.  Simsbury is known for several landmarks including the Old Drake Hill Flower Bridge.

The Old Drake Hill Flower Bridge, originally built in 1892, is now a restoration project that stretches its way across the Farmington River.  This is a great place to bring a bike, lunch or book and sit and watch kayakers on the river.  Or, enjoy a walk across this historic bridge that now hosts flower boxes, hanging baskets and an array of flowers and plants maintained by local volunteers.  You may just catch a bride and groom, if you look very closely at my picture, stopping by the bridge for a memorable picturesque shot.

One of my favorite lunches to bring to the bridge are goodies from the locally owned Popover Bistro & Bakery in Simsbury.  Popover Bistro will have that healthy or indulgent lunch you are looking for.  Impeccably fresh salads, gluten free and vegan options, scrumptious made from scratch desserts, mason jars of lavender lemonade and warm homemade popovers served with honey butter.  My favorite is the open face popover filled with perfectly executed scrambled eggs.  They will gladly pack any of these items for your picnic at the bridge.

The next spot on my list of Simsbury favorites is the Pinchot Sycamore Tree.  Quite possibly 200 to 300 years old, this tree is noted as “one of the oldest living things in America”.  On your visit it is very likely that you will see friends holding hands around the tree to see how many people it takes to wrap around the enormous trunk.  This is also a favorite spot for kayaks and canoes to launch into the Farmington River.

There are a few other gems on my list of things to do in Simsbury.  Wisdom of the Ages is a darling family-owned shop with a soothing ambience of peace and harmony. You can feel your stress washing away as you walk around this store.  If you have an interest in Reiki or guided meditation, then this is just the spot.  As a newbie to natural stones, I stopped in to browse through the impressive variety of crystals and tumble stones.  There are stones from Botswana to help you stay focused.  Bronzite will help you find your inner strength.  There are positivity crystals, moonstones, jasper, healing stones and so much more.  Some of these stones have found a new home on my desk at work.

This is just a small sampling of Simsbury and there is more to come!

The Old Drake Hill Flower Bridge | Simsbury CT (simsbury-ct.gov)