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Meet Me in Madison

On an average summer weekend, Madison is abuzz with people — some head for the beach, others the hiking trails, some go to the local movie theater, and others putter about the local shops or sidewalk sales or farmers markets. It's a quaint picture of everything one might expect a small New England town to be not only for residents, but for visitors too.

People looking for a vacation this summer that doesn't involve tourist packed museums or long lines at restaurants can stop into a town like Madison for a day or a weekend and more or less "live like a local". With multiple ways to get to town and an abundance of activities and restaurants to draw visitors in, Madison offers a unique chance to disconnect from the rush of everyday life and jump into a picturesque New England summer.

Well known for it's beaches, both town and state, visitors can come to town and enjoy a day or two on the beaches of Long Island Sound. Madison is home to the largest state park, Hammonasset Beach State Park, which draws millions of visitors a year and is now free to Connecticut residents under a new state parks program. For those who might find Hammonasset a little crowded, there are plenty of town owned beaches as well. Visitors, like residents, have to pay to park at the town beaches, and those who chose to stay at a hotel or inn in town have access to some of the town beach passes the hotels purchase for guests each season.

While the beaches are certainly a big draw, Connecticut as a whole takes great pride in its open spaces and outdoor recreation and Madison is no exception. The town is home to Rockland Preserve, a large parcel of conserved land in the northern part of town. Besides boasting numerous hiking trails that connect to many other trails running through Madison Land Conservation Trust properties, the Preserve is home to the Singletracks of Rockland. The Singletracks are a series of tracks winding through the 650-acre property designed for trail runners and mountain bikers of all skill levels. The Singletracks of Rockland draw hundreds of biking enthusiasts from all over New England each year and are often ranked among the most popular bike trails in the region.

For those looking to visit or who just need a little guidance on all the town has to offer, the Madison Chamber of Commerce has created a guide called "Madison Shortcuts" on their webpage. The multiple guides allow visitors to chose what might interest them in town from physical activities to restaurant choices popular with locals. Madison Town Planner and Economic Development Coordinator Dave Anderson said the guide is designed to help visitors experience all of the perks of living in a small town.

"When somebody visits they are going to go down to Willoughby's [the local coffee shop] every morning and they are going to see the same people," he said. "That is what we experience every day and I think that is one of the neat things about our town that is different from a lot of other places you can visit... When people come to Madison it is not like you are a tourist on vacation. You come to Madison and for those days you get to be a part of this small-relaxed community."

The guide also helps break down the options based on interest particularly when it comes to restaurant choices. Different dining locations are tagged with certain indicators like if they serve all three meals, if they have carry out, and if they have outdoor seating – and important feature in a shoreline town.

If you come for a weekend there is plenty to fill your time and even if you some for a day in the summer there is always something going on. The local independent stores in the downtown area often have sidewalk sales and local institutions like R.J Julia's Booksellers constantly brings in authors for readings and signings.

The summer also brings some seasonal favorites like the regular farmers market on the green and the antique sale. Starting in late June, the town kicks of a summer concert series on the green with bands playing every Sunday evening. Not to forget the Fourth of July, the annual Fourth of July parade and fireworks show – held this year on July 3 – always brings hundreds of people to town. According to Chamber Executive Director Eileen Banisch, it's often those one-time events that keep bringing people back to town.

"A lot of people are introduced to our town because they are coming for a one-day event and end up coming back because it is such a nice place," she said.

So if you stay for a day, a weekend, or just cant bring yourself to leave, Madison has plenty to offer for visitors looking to spend a little time as a local in a New England summer.

How to get here:

Visitors coming in from other parts of the state or New England can access the town off of I-95. Those traveling from Boston or New York can also catch a combination of trains to make it to town. And there is one other unique method of travel that may well become a serious possibility.

In 2017 Madison began looking into a seaplane service.

The Madison Economic Development Commission helped establish the partnership between Shoreline Aviation, a Tweed New Haven Airport-based operation that was originally based at Griswold Airport, and Madison-based travel agency Biehn Travel.

The seaplane, which can carry nine passengers, could be used as a charter service between Madison and Manhattan as well as scheduled sightseeing trips to locations like Block Island, Cape Cod, and more. The New York City charter service would allow visitors and residents to travel from the Seaplane Base at East 23rd Street in Manhattan to Madison in about 40 minutes.

Banisch said the plane could help facilitate weekend travel to town and the town is still investigating the logistics of the service.

For more information on the town including places to stay and to access the Madison Shortcuts guide, visit the Madison Chamber page at www.madisonct.com.