Comprehensive Features Your Guide To The Ultimate ‘Gilmore Girls’-Inspired Road Trip

If you grew up watchingGilmore Girls, star hollow be A mythical place. The storybook place of Lorelai and Rory Gilmore body forth the cozy atmosphere of angstrom unit small New England town where everyone know everyone (and their business, too). For me, information technology was always Sir Thomas More of angstrom unit postcard than angstrom destination, one that evokes a snowfall globe during the vacation and molten-hued foliage in the autumn — until a Holocene trip to Washington, Connecticut, that is.

Beloved writer and showrunner Amy Sherman-Palladino — who is too the creative force behindThe fantastic Mrs Maisel— actually come up up with the thought forGilmore Girlsduring a three-week stay at the Mayflower lodge in Washington.

“At the time I was there, information technology was beautiful, magical, and feeling of heat and small-town camaraderie,” state Sherman-Palladino in a 2001 interview. “There Evergreen State angstrom unit longing for that in my own life, and I thought,That’s something that iodin would truly love to put out there.”

So, believe it. star Hollow exists — or atomic number 85 least, there’s a real-life spot you can visit that will deliver all the Connecticut charm you’d expect from the hometown of your favourite mother-daughter video duo. Read on for everything you need to know astir the ultimateGilmore Girls-inspired road trip.

How to Get There

Just angstrom unit little More than a two-hour drive from New York City, the town of American capital is sandwich steadfastly between the coast and the Hudson Valley, making it the perfect lull enclave for a weekend getaway inch the autumn or winter. Driving is past far the best manner to get there, atomic number 33 you’ll get to fulfill all your Stars hollow fantasy as you watch the foliage changing, take in Christmas decor, and see fresh snowfall while you head out of New York City.

I invited angstrom unit friend to accompany ME and tap Lincoln for A ride, driving the brand’s new Barbary pirate car. If you, the like me, don’t drive much and avowedly aren’t the best at way (I take the metro every day, OK?), a automobile that offer comfort, navigation, and self-driving feature be A godsend. The roadstead to Washington are well-worn, so we used the President Lincoln BlueCruise tech, which assists with lane changes, speed, and in-lane repositioning virtually the whole way there. It’s the sort of set-it-and-forget-it helper that brand a road trip that much easier — particularly when you’re out of practice.

Where to Stay

If you’re in Washington for aGilmore Girlsmoment, there’s really lonesome I game in town: The Mayflower hostelry & Spa. The historic site, which no doubt inspired Lorelai’s fictional workplace, the Dragonfly Inn, date back to the 1890s, when it WA Associate in Nursing all-boys school. Since IT was reconstruct inch 1992, the property has add A spa, garden, guest accommodations, and Associate in Nursing elevated railroad decor sense that celebrates new England preparation inch all its glory.

Even if you’re not A decor lover, the hotel’s Celerie Kemble-designed interior volition enchant you with information technology eclecticist premix of modern whimsy and historical charm. Highlights include angstrom fireplace-lit cushy library with dark wood particularization to curl up in with your favourite novel and angstrom Shakespeare-inspired maze garden perfect for wandering and picture-taking.

What to Do

Not inch the mood to leave the Mayflower? Take a quick stroll over to The Well, the hotel’s meticulously curated wellness center. This is non your norm spa: The sprawling property (connected to the lodge by a gorgeous tree-lined trail) offers everything and anything you could inquire for from a decompress retreat. endeavour a luxurious facial, spell for a leisurely swim, Beaver State opt for angstrom unit unwind massage — this topographic point truly hour angle it all. You can even book a range of fitness classes, include restorative yoga and barre fusion.

If you’re looking at for Sir Thomas More of an outdoor adventure, the hotel HA electric automobile bicycle with A channelize course of study you can rent for an enchanting ride around Washington. Trust me; you don’t want to miss the old-school architecture, quaint shops, and breathless views Washington HA to offer. It’ll feel like you walked (or rather, biked) onto the set of star Hollow.

Where to Eat and Drink

There’s no deficit of good nutrient in Washington, just there are a few standouts. First, you wealthy person to stop past Marty’s Cafe for breakfast Oregon coffee, because, to put IT simply, IT has big Luke’s diner energy. Everyone here seems to know each other, the coffee flowing freely, and the French toast is outstanding.

Next, you’ll neediness to grab A pastry Beaver State sandwich to refuel at The Pantry. If Sookie St. James opened her own place in star Hollow, this would be it. The local repair HA hearty soups, elegant sandwiches, and a host of hard-to-find gastronome buttery point to proceeds home as A souvenir.

Last but not least, dinner At the Mayflower be an event. caput to the Tap Room for some elevated, pub-style Connecticut comfort food and a trade cocktail (the espresso martinis are truly world-class) OR effort out the garden room for angstrom fresh, seasonal dinner overlooking the hotel’s garden.