Northern Connecticut

Local art adorns the walls of the Bee and Thistle in Old Lyme, Conn. The inn, built in 1756 as a private home, also features a sunken garden and two parlors stuffed with period antiques.   (Rosemary McClure / For The Times)

A patriotic figure attracts attention at a shop in Woodbury, Conn., which is nationally known for its antiquing possibilities.  (Rosemary McClure / For The Times)

The Simsbury 1820 House overlooks the Farmington Valley near Hartford, Conn. The country manor, which was built in 1820, is on the National Register of Historic Places.   (Rosemary McClure / For The Times)

The Bee and Thistle, in Old Lyme, Conn., has been serving guests since the 1930s. The pale yellow inn prides itself on romantic dinners.   (Rosemary McClure / For The Times)

The Copper Beech Inn, in the Ivoryton neighborhood of Essex, Conn., is named for an enormous tree. The rambling white inn is a darling of gourmets; its restaurant holds a AAA four-diamond award.  (Rosemary McClure / For The Times)