Daycation: A Tour of Enders Island, CT

I’ve vacationed in Connecticut since I was a kid, but this is the first time I’ve heard of Enders Island.

Hello, all! It’s been a hot minute since I did a daycation post. That’s because, well, we’ve had a little thing called a pandemic roll through, and Mr Tart and I were those people who followed the rules and DID NOT GO ANYWHERE for the better part of 18 months.

Now that we’re fully vaccinated, we’re making up for lost time and traveling again — starting with one of my favorite places to visit: coastal Connecticut.

When we finally emerged from self-isolation, we wanted to go somewhere, anywhere that wasn’t our house…but, we didn’t exactly want to plan a whirlwind vacation to a brand new place, either.

Which is why we decided upon Connecticut for our inaugural post-COVID outing.

Over our years together, Mr Tart and I have gone to the Mystic/Stonington area for both long weekends and day trips since the drive there from Northern NJ is pretty decent.

And, since we’ve been there so many times, we honestly thought we’d seen it all.

We were wrong.

Our B&B hostess at Stonecroft Country Inn mentioned Enders Island to us one morning during breakfast. It’s an 11-acre island maintained by a retreat group that’s open to the public (for free) for visitation.

Unlike a lot of islands, you can drive to Enders Island, so there’s no need to get on a ferry, and the island offers stunning views of the Long Island Sound; a fisherman’s chapel and a stone church; and a Mediterranean villa surrounded by gorgeous flower gardens.

Mr Tart and I looked at each other, shrugged, and decided to drive over after breakfast.

OMG I THINK I’VE FOUND MY NEW HAPPY PLACE.

Get ready to be amazed. And to scroll through a lot of photos.

We weren’t sure where to explore first, but I was immediately drawn to the little fisherman’s chapel on the rocky bluff, overlooking the crashing waves below. It looked like a scene plucked from a Swedish fishing village.

Admittedly, the colors on the front of chapel may have had something to do with that.

Once I took in my fill of rocky coastline and sapphire blue water, we turned around and started to venture through just one of the many gardens leading past the main church and up toward the main house.

I’m not one for religion, but it’s easy to appreciate the beautifully crafted stone church against the natural backdrop of Enders Island.

And, the landscapers really capitalized on the whole “Let’s walk with Jesus” theme; so many stone pathways, steps, and walls looked like they were lifted from Jerusalem ruins.

However, as you draw closer to the main house, the abundant bunches of purple and blue hydrangea firmly remind you that you’re in coastal New England.

Turning toward the tip of Enders Island, you’re greeted by lush gardens that cover a good chunk of the 11 acres. A heady mix of annuals and perennials blanket every flower bed: petunias, coneflowers, black-eyed susans, and sunflowers, just to name a few.

And, of course, more hydrangeas.

My favorite flowers were the dahlias — which have to be dug up every autumn and replanted every spring, since these tender bulbs can’t stand the freeze of New England winters.

And there are a TON of dahlias at Enders Island, so the fact that they require so much care is pretty mind-boggling. We saw so many different varieties, and we chatted to the nice landscaper there, who was carefully tying each dahlia plant to a stalk to help it grow.

Keep in mind that, among all these flowers, you’re still getting a water view at all times. No matter where you go on Enders Island, there’s always a hefty sliver of sea in sight.

If you’re lucky, you’ll even catch some sailboats gliding by.

After awhile, we meandered toward the main house — a Mediterranean-style villa — on Enders Island, taking in (you guessed it!) more gardens and winding little pathways.

There are plenty of places to sit and enjoy the view: an arbor covered with wisteria vines, patio tables and chairs, and there was even a screen-in porch to relax under for some bug-free shade.

We didn’t go inside the main house, even though I did find a lovely blue door that beckoned me toward it. (Note: I love doorways. Half of my vacation photos are of doorways.)

After circling the main house, we turned toward the rose garden on the lawn in front of the stone church. I felt like I was transported from Connecticut (or Sweden or Jerusalem) into the Italian countryside.

JUST LOOK AT IT.

So many roses. So much color.

We’ve been nurturing our own rose garden at The Cottage this summer, so we made sure to take plenty of photos so we could try to find comparable colors and varieties back home.

And, there aren’t just flowers on Enders Island. Those trees lining the outer edges of the rose garden? FRUIT TREES.

We saw what looked like ripening peaches and pears growing from the trees. It was like a freakin’ Garden of Eden.

(Disclaimer: I have no idea if this fruit is actually edible. So please don’t go to Enders Island, take a bite of something, then turn around and blame me if you end up poisoned.)

Eventually, we wandered back to our car and headed back into town, but lemme tell ya: it was hard leaving Enders Island — and its gorgeous water views — behind.

I can’t believe I’ve been coming up to Connecticut for decades without ever realizing this charming, secluded paradise exists mere miles from the touristy streets of Mystic.

While this is a “Daycation” post, keep in mind that the Daycation “starting point” is the surrounding Mystic/Stonington, CT area. If you’re looking to escape the chaos that is downtown Mystic for awhile, take the short drive out to Enders Island, which is pristine and secluded and absolute perfection.

This is one of those places I would move to in a heartbeat, if I could.

(Actually, you kinda can; the island, which is maintained by a Catholic retreat center, offers many retreat and recovery programs.) There’s a very large part of me wondering how I can finagle a writing retreat in Enders House. Because if the views on Enders Island aren’t writing inspiration, I don’t know what is.

It’s BYO Everything, so if you’re looking to make a day of it, bring food, drinks, blankets, chairs, and of course, some books to read. We were on Enders Island for a few hours, but if we had brought provisions with us, I could easily see us spending all day there.

If you want to visit the island but want to know what else to do in the area, here are some travel tips for you:

Where to Stay: The Stonecroft Country Inn in Ledyard, CT. It’s a 20-minute drive from Enders Island and a mere 10-minute drive from Mystic. This historic bed and breakfast has gorgeous guest rooms, delicious breakfasts, beautiful grounds, and friendly hosts. We stayed in the Briar Rose room (see below) and will definitely do so again. There were French doors and a whirpool tub in the bathroom. AND THE FLUFFIEST ROBES I HAVE EVER FOUND HANGING IN THE WARDROBE.

Where to Eat:

Tear open a 3lb steamed lobster dripping in drawn butter at Abbott’s in nearby Noank (they crack the shells for you!).

Or, if fried food is more your vacation style, stuff your face with fried whole belly clams, clam strips, shrimp, or scallops at either Costello’s (Noank) or Sea Swirl (Mystic).

And, if you’re feeling really decadant (you ARE!), order the famous Lobster Bomb from Ford’s (Noank).

These places offer some form of waterfront dining, and all are wonderfully rustic and informal.

If you’re looking for a restuarant that’s slightly more elegant but still casual, hit up Go Fish when you need a break from shopping the stores in Olde Mistick Village.

Of course, don’t forget to end the night with homemade ice cream from Mystic Drawbridge Ice Cream (Mystic).

What to Do in the Mystic Area (Day):

If you’re an aquatic lover, the Mystic Aquarium is a must. Historic Mystic Seaport offers some great seafaring and Puritan New England history, as well as a chance to tour some historic ships.

Downtown Mystic has a vibrant main street of upscale boutiques, bustling cafes, and swanky restaurants; it’s here you’ll find Sift, the bakery opened by Best Baker in America winner Adam Young. Be sure to catch the Mystic Drawbridge go up and watch the boats pass through.

A few towns over, clamber up the small but nifty Stonington Lighthouse, which sits on Stonington Point overlooking Rhode Island, Montauk, and the Long Island Sound. Downtown Stonington is a little sleepier than Mystic (which I prefer), but there are plenty of historic houses on Water Street that are worth walking by.

What to Do in the Mystic area (Night):

We went on two excellent Haunted History Tours with Seaside Shadows: the Moonlight Graveyard Ghost Tour and the Downtown Mystic Ghost Tour. Both 2-hour long walks were filled with plenty of history, spooky stories, and opportunities to take photos of haunted places. Also, Evan is an awesome tour guide.

If you’re looking for some hoppin’ nightlife, grab some drinks and shoot some oysters at Red36 on the water (Mystic). There’s also quite a bar scene in Mystic these days with the arrival of a Brew Pub and a chain Mexican restaurant called Margaritas, which boasts a festive outdoor courtyard. (Warning: drunk twenty-somethings may abound.)

And, of course, don’t forget to walk by the Mystic River at night to see the lights from Captain’s Row gleaming in the dark water.

So, there ya go. There’s your tour of Enders Island — plus a little more about the Mystic/Stonington, CT vacation area. I hope this post has made you insanely excited to visit this hidden gem, because you should. You absolutely should.

Note: nothing in this post is a paid advertisement; I’m simply sharing what I saw and loved while on my vacation. Any establishment I’ve linked to is one I’ve personally visited and enjoyed.