Old Lyme in Connecticut River Valley

As quiet a town as the coast can claim, Old Lyme (40 miles east of New Haven, 23 miles west of Mystic) was the favored residence of generations of seafarers and ship captains. Many of their 18th- and 19th-century homes have survived, some as inns and museums. Preservationists and community activists proudly point out that their main street is the only one cut by I-95 that continues to thrive. With its many tree-lined streets largely free of traffic, stressless biking is an attractive option here.

Getting Outside -- One of several state parks at the edge of Long Island Sound, Rocky Neck State Park, Route 156 (tel. 860/739-5471; www.ct.gov), east of Old Lyme, has a crescent-shaped beach, popular with families, and 160 camping sites. Take I-95 to exit 72 and follow Route 156 south. Open daily from 8am to sunset.